Marriage By The Book

What never fails?  According to 1 Corinthians 13:8, God's love never fails.  That's good news, because you can love your spouse with God's love and make a real difference in your marriage.  In this episode we cover:

1. You really can apply God's love in your marriage
2. Some key characteristics of God's love
3. There is already someone you love this way 
4. How to restore lost feelings
5. And more

Since 1994, Rick and Rebekah Porterfield have used Biblical relationship principals to help many couples around the world find success and happiness in marriage.  We know firsthand that even the best marriages can get better, and the worst marriages can be saved.  

 To go deeper, click here to visit our website www.marriagebythebook.org
Or, click here to check out our author page and products on Amazon

What is the best gift?  God's love is the best gift!  God's love caused him to send Jesus to make forgiveness and salvation available to all of us.  How awesome is that?

In this episode of the Marriage By The Book podcast, we begin applying God's kind of love to marriage.  You will find out -

• What God's love is
• How His love acts
• How to apply His love in your marriage relationship
• The difference doing so will make

Since 1994, Rick and Rebekah Porterfield have used Biblical relationship principals to help many couples around the world find success and happiness in marriage.  We know firsthand that even the best marriages can get better, and the worst marriages can be saved.  

 To go deeper, click here to visit our website www.marriagebythebook.org
Or, click here to check out our author page and products on Amazon

Traditions play a big role in the holidays.  What's normal to you, may not be normal top your spouse. The traditions your spouse grew up with are almost certainly different in some ways than the traditions you grew up with.  When what's normal to you, differs from what's normal to them, it can keep you from seeing eye to eye on how you celebrate, how you decorate, how gifts are handled, and even what you eat.  

In this weeks edition of the Holiday Survival Guide we talk about "normals" and how how to handle these differences at the holidays. 

Since 1994, Rick and Rebekah Porterfield have used Biblical relationship principals to help many couples around the world find success and happiness in marriage.  We know firsthand that even the best marriages can get better, and the worst marriages can be saved.  

 To go deeper, click here to visit our website www.marriagebythebook.org
Or, click here to check out our author page and products on Amazon

At some point in their life, 40% of adults have been estranged from close family (that's over 100 million in the USA alone).  In over a third of those cases, reconciliation is never achieved.   It doesn't have to be that way! During the Christmas season, people's hearts are more turned toward family, which makes it a great time to do something about it.  God's Word gives insight into how to bring about reconciliation.  In this episode, find out what you can do to take steps toward eliminating the rifts, and bringing greater unity to your marriage and family relationships. 

We also answer this question: "If God's love is a decision, why should I decide?"  That's a great question, with a powerful answer that you won't want to miss. 

Since 1994, Rick and Rebekah Porterfield have used Biblical relationship principals to help many couples around the world find success and happiness in marriage.  We know firsthand that even the best marriages can get better, and the worst marriages can be saved.  

 To go deeper, click here to visit our website www.marriagebythebook.org
Or, click here to check out our author page and products on Amazon

Here's an amazing statistic - research shows that 88 percent of people experience greater stress during the holidays, and that can cause more family conflicts.  Wow!  It doesn't have to be that way, and it doesn't have to ruin your holidays.  In this week's podcast we talk about how to deal with Holiday conflict.  

Listen and find out -  

• The top 5 things that spark squabbles during the holidays. 
• 7 things you can do to help deal with Holly Jolly Conflict

Since 1994, Rick and Rebekah Porterfield have used Biblical relationship principals to help many couples around the world find success and happiness in marriage.  We know firsthand that even the best marriages can get better, and the worst marriages can be saved.  

 To go deeper, click here to visit our website www.marriagebythebook.org
Or, click here to check out our author page and products on Amazon

What if you could only take with you into tomorrow what you are thankful for today?  Would that change how you look at things and value them?  Probably so.   Being thankful is powerful.  It can completely change things by changing how you view your circumstances and world.  

You will probably never see a thankful person who is unhappy, but you will likely see lots of ungrateful people who never seem to be happy.  There is a connection between being thankful and being happy.  

In today's podcast we discuss: 

• The connection between happiness and being thankful
• You can control your thoughts
• How to be thankful even when it seems  we have nothing to be thankful for
• And more!

We also answer a question about what to do if things get tense with your spouse, kids, or family at Thanksgiving.  

Since 1994, Rick and Rebekah Porterfield have used Biblical relationship principals to help many couples around the world find success and happiness in marriage.  We know firsthand that even the best marriages can get better, and the worst marriages can be saved.  

 To go deeper, click here to visit our website www.marriagebythebook.org
Or, click here to check out our author page and products on Amazon

Gifts are a big deal at the holidays.  Expectations are high, and disappointment can be too.  In today's episode Rick and Rebekah talk about giving and receiving gifts.  

Find out

• Why we give gifts
• Things to consider when buying a gift
• How to deal with potential disappointment
• Teaching children to give
• And more.

We also answer a listener question: "What if your spouse gets you a bad gift?"

Since 1994, Rick and Rebekah Porterfield of Marriage By The Book have used Biblical relationship principals to help many couples around the world find success and happiness for their marriage.  We know firsthand that even the best marriages can get better, and the worst marriages can be saved.  

 To go deeper, click here to visit our website www.marriagebythebook.org
Or, click here to check out our author page and products on Amazon

The Holidays can be stressful on your marriage and family, and dealing with time demands from family, including in-laws - can make it worse.  In this episode, Rick and Rebekah kick off their Marriage By The Book Holiday Survival Guide by discussing how to deal with in-laws (and others) during the holiday season. In this episode, you will learn - 

1. The importance of planning ahead instead of just letting the Holidays happen.
2. How to prefer your spouse and honor your parents.
3. Two practical "rules" for dealing with in-laws during the Holidays. 
4. If you are an in-law, how to support your children's marriage without adding pressure or busyness to them.  
5. And more...

Since 1994, Rick and Rebekah Porterfield of Marriage By The Book have used Biblical relationship principals to help many couples around the world find success and happiness for their marriage.  We know firsthand that even the best marriages can get better, and the worst marriages can be saved.  

 To go deeper, click here to visit our website www.marriagebythebook.org
Or, click here to check out our author page and products on Amazon

Have you ever thought about when you first met your spouse? It can seem like you have so much in common that you are alike in every way. And even where you are different – you tend to like everything about that other person. We even change ourselves to be like them and to do what they like. 

 People can be very different – and get along phenomenally well.

• Introvert vs. extrovert
• Planner vs. spontaneous
• Beach vs. mountains

 Early in the relationship, most people love to do everything together. But, then, you get married, and life happens – jobs and careers, kids, bills, etc. 

 Imagine a bottle filled half with olive oil and half with water. These are two different substances but have similarities and differences. They are both liquids, but they have differences that keep them from automatically mixing. It takes a little effort to mix them. If you shake the bottle, what happens? The two mix readily with little effort. 

Also in this episode, we answer another  listener question about a logical, calculating and boring spouse!   

Since 1994, Rick and Rebekah Porterfield of Marriage By The Book have used Biblical relationship principals to help many couples around the world find success and happiness for their marriage.  We know firsthand that even the best marriages can get better, and the worst marriages can be saved.  

 To go deeper, click here to visit our website www.marriagebythebook.org
Or, click here to check out our author page and products on Amazon

Insecurity - we all deal with it. Marriage should be a safe haven - a place that is free of insecurity - and it can be! In this episode you'll learn the following and be equipped to eliminate insecurity in your marriage. 

1. What insecurity is. (To get rid of it, you need to know what you are dealing with.) 
2. The Biblical solution that drives out insecurity.
3. A practical application that you can put to work in your relationship now. 

Also in this episode, we answer a listener question about blended families and how to deal with grown step children on challenging issues.  As always, the Bible has the answers.  

Since 1994, Rick and Rebekah Porterfield of Marriage By The Book have used Biblical relationship principals to help many couples around the world find success and happiness for their marriage.  We know firsthand that even the best marriages can get better, and the worst marriages can be saved.  

 To go deeper, click here to visit our website www.marriagebythebook.org
Or, click here to check out our author page and products on Amazon