SmartLoving Conversations

https://smartloving.org/bringing-mercy-to-your-marriage/

https://smartloving.org/when-marriages-rise-from-the-dead/

https://smartloving.org/seven-habits/

https://smartloving.org/openness-to-life-is-for-all-of-us/

https://smartloving.org/power-of-prayer/

https://smartloving.org/the-rise-of-the-fur-baby/

https://smartloving.org/lent-the-ultimate-change-maker/

https://smartloving.org/lent-a-marriage-make-over-opportunity/

https://smartloving.org/romance-and-mystery/

https://smartloving.org/together-with-purpose/

https://smartloving.org/listening-is-the-music-of-love/

Marriage: to be happy or to be holy? - SmartLoving

https://smartloving.org/holy-spouses-holy-family/

Lately, we’ve slipped into a not-so-good habit. After dinner, and after all the normal stuff is done, we collapse onto the couch in front of the TV.We settle into our various devices – answering emails, prepping for meetings the next day or updating our SmartLoving social media accounts. Before we know it, a couple of hours has gone by and even Netflix is asking if we’re still watching (we were only ever listening at best).It’s not as if we’re totally wasting time, it just feels unsatisfying somehow. We haven’t really had effective recreation and we haven’t been fully productive either. We certainly haven’t had quality couple time.smartloving.org/habit-makers-habit-breakers/

https://smartloving.org/resolutions/

https://smartloving.org/keeping-our-eyes-on-what-matters/

https://smartloving.org/gratitude-superfood/

https://smartloving.org/blessed-be-the-relationally-poor/

https://smartloving.org/love-in-the-waiting/

https://smartloving.org/a-real-world-advent/

https://smartloving.org/plant-now-reap-later/

https://smartloving.org/the-honey-do-list-standoff/

https://smartloving.org/time-the-currency-of-relationships/

https://smartloving.org/martyrs-for-marriage-through-the-ages/

https://smartloving.org/in-marriage-you-get-what-you-look-for/

https://smartloving.org/echoes-from-childhood/

https://smartloving.org/when-mercy-is-hard-to-do/

https://smartloving.org/three-tools-for-better-conflict/

Neither of us likes it when we disagree, yet we’ve had more than a few in our 28 years of marriage – some of them leading to horrible arguments. When disagreements descend into arguments, they usually become hurtful and unproductive, leaving us feeling bitter and exhausted.But are arguments all bad, or always harmful?https://smartloving.org/making-the-connection-with-arguments/

A while ago a viral video clip came to our attention. In the video, a marriage counsellor is responding to the claim that 85% of affairs begin at work. https://smartloving.org/the-riskiest-place-for-our-marriage/

Many dating couples opt to live together before deciding to marry, because they believe that it is a responsible and prudent thing to do.They reason that cohabitating together will be like a trial marriage. They will learn all about each other’s habits and discover whether they are truly compatible. And when they do finally marry, that they’ll have a head start because they’ll be knowledgeable of each other, and they will have already negotiated many of their differences. They have the best of motivations, but unfortunately it’s not actually how it works.https://smartloving.org/cohabitation-myth/

https://smartloving.org/declining-divorces-a-cause-for-celebration/

https://smartloving.org/complaint-to-request/

https://smartloving.org/embracing-hope-in-our-marriage/

https://smartloving.org/complaint-to-request/

https://smartloving.org/restoring-fertility/

https://smartloving.org/champions-make-champions/

https://smartloving.org/embracing-a-pro-life-heart/

https://smartloving.org/boundaries/

https://smartloving.org/the-maybe-baby-conversation/

We’ve been promoting and teaching Fertility Awareness Methods (FAMs - also known as Natural Family Planning) for over two decades. One of the things we hear often, is how couples, and especially women, lament that they didn’t hear about FAMs earlier. Disenchanted with popular contraceptives, they welcome a natural option.

Language MattersFor years, advocates of inclusive language have been steadily drawing our attention to the clumsy use of language which can alienate various ethnic groups or religious adherents, the elderly, the young, the disabled, the poor, or even whole sexes. Why? Because language is more than just about communicating our thoughts effectively. Language is also an active participant in forming those thoughts.https://smartloving.org/the-other-sex/

We’ve been promoting and teaching Fertility Awareness Methods (FAMs - also known as Natural Family Planning) for over two decades. One of the things we hear often, is how couples, and especially women, lament that they didn’t hear about FAMs earlier. Disenchanted with popular contraceptives, they welcome a natural option.https://smartloving.org/the-natural-revolution/

How can we inspire young people to embrace stable, loving marriages when so many grow up without seeing them? We’ve all heard stories that stop us in our tracks. One that sticks with us is about a teacher in an inner-city U.S. primary school who discovered her students didn’t know what a wedding was. Not one had seen a marriage up close. Role Models for Marriage - SmartLoving

‘Mind Reading’ is one of those clairvoyant arts that seems to elude us when it comes to marriage. Too often we make the mistake of assuming that our spouse knows what we need without communicating clearly about it. How many times have we, or our spouse, declared in exasperation to the injured one: “I’m not a mind reader! You have to tell me what you need if you want me to help!”? Yet when it comes to communicating negative, judgemental or critical thoughts our ‘mind reading’ capacity seems to have a more sensitive radar.The BS Detector