Heartfelt Marriage

God created marriage because His essence is love. He made you in his image, and that is why you hunger and search for love. This compelling need finds fulfillment within a God blessed and God-honoring monogamous relationship.

Marriage was also created to fill the earth with humanity. God charged his creation to "be fruitful and increase in number," and to work best with the one woman and one man for one life arrangement.

Children thrive best when raised by a mom and a dad.

All in all, marriage is the best way to fill your need to be loved, and to find happiness in a world of sin, pain, and sorrow.

The podcast is approximately 10 minutes. You can purchase Dr. Ross’ book “Seven Assumptions about Marriage” on Amazon.com

In this podcast, Dr. Ross discusses the various alternatives to marriage that have arisen over the past 10,000 years – structures not in concert with God's original plan of one man and one wife for one life.

He concludes that the Biblical model of monogamous marriage common to most societies has contributed more to cultural and familial strength and health than any other model.

The podcast is approximately 10 minutes. You can purchase the book “Seven Assumptions about Marriage” on Amazon.com.

When and where did marriage begin? And whose idea was it, anyway?

Marriage began in the Garden of Eden when “God put the Man into a deep sleep. As he slept He removed one of his ribs and replaced it with flesh. God used the rib to make Woman…” (Genesis 2:21-22) As soon as Adam’s divine anesthesia wore off, the Father of the bride, God himself presented the Woman to the man. She was made by the hand of God specifically for Adam, and some say God made some very nice improvements!

God was the first Father to give away the bride! The podcast is approximately 10 minutes.

An expanded version of the information in this podcast can be found in Dr. Ross’ book “Seven Assumptions about Marriage” on Amazon.com.

Seven Assumptions about Marriage - Assumption #1 The Origin of Marriage

What do you assume to be true about marriage?

Dr. Ross first asked himself this question and then answered it for you in his carefully researched and recently published book, “Seven Assumptions about Marriage” available on Amazon.com.

Each of us lives our life assuming many things to be true. Dr. Ross bases his assumptions (beliefs, theories, explanations) about marriage on the Bible and his Christian worldview.

This is the first in a series of podcasts based on his book. It is approximately 10 minutes in length. For more, visit www.HeartfeltMarriage.com

If you and your mate use tit-for-tat scorekeeping, someone will always underperform while the other goes the extra mile.

In this Podcast, Dr. Ross discusses how the practice of keeping a running record of your partner’s behaviors and contributions to your marital happiness makes everything a contest – and in a contest, someone always loses.

He encourages you to foster a spirit of love and generosity. He says, “If there’s to be a contest in marriage, let it be the act of out giving the other.” The podcast is approximately 10 min. For more, visit www.HeartfeltMarriage.com.

Too many people mistakenly assume marriage is a “meet in the middle” proposition, an arrangement in which two people fulfill their half of a “bargain,” relying on the other to do his or her part, as well. 

Sounds logical, doesn’t it? 

If marriage were a business arrangement, then such a process just might work.  But it’s not.  Nor would we want it to be. 

A business contract is a cold impersonal agreement made with the presumption that each party might fail to fulfill his responsibilities if not for a legally binding pact.  It is a loveless pledge which bears no resemblance to the covenant made between two people who have vowed to “have and to hold” through every trial of life. 

If a couple endeavors to build their marriage upon such terms, it will be a bitter ordeal, and they will seek to end it long before their fulfillment of the vow “til death do us part.”

The podcast is approximately 10 minutes. For more, visit www.HeartfeltMarriage.com