There are a thousand things I could say on this topic but I believe that these four things have transformed, ignited, and encouraged my marriage the absolute best! 15 Minutes We strive every day to take 15 minutes after we are all done with work for the day to connect. We set the timer and pour a cup of tea or glass of wine and talk. Sometimes it is random things. Sometimes it is schedule coordination, sometimes it is just a place to vent. The kids know they can’t interrupt u

How are you energizing your date life? Unless we push ourselves and fuel our creative ideas, most of us will just go into auto pilot. You have a lifetime to unravel the mysteries of their heart, personality, and desires. There are no shortcuts here. Learning the art of dating well is a worthy endeavor to continually cultivate! And you don’t have to have a lot of money to go on a date. So if that’s your excuse let’s get it off the table right now! The date is about the pursuit

I am very good at saying the word “no”. I say that not to boast but because I have two friends that say it to me a lot. “Your very good at saying no.” These are loving people who think the best of me and mean well. They are giving me a compliment. Basically they are saying they admire my discipline to say “No” to things that are not going to benefit me and my family. Sometimes the no is for “not right now” and sometimes it is a no for forever. Saying NO is a very good skill t

Last December, we had the unique opportunity to sit down with Ted Lowe from MarriePeople as we discussed a few concepts from our upcoming book.  This site provides amazing tools to couples of any age as it navigates today’s biggest topics while providing simple ways for couples to make marriag more real, fun, and simple.  We hope you’re encouraged, challenged, and inspired to create something exceptional. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST – “What are the keys to a high performance marria

Life can give us massive blows. We don’t get to write our stories. God does that. When I get down, it is usually because I am discouraged in what I can not see as good. I can’t see where God is going with the plot or even see the full story God is writing. And I find myself aching at my core. We can get so focused on what we don’t have, or don’t want, or can’t instantly make better that everything sinks. A few posts back we talked on having vision in your relationships. today

As a lifestyle coach and former athlete I am all about efficiency and schedules. But that can get boring real fast. The pain of regiments and disciplines becomes the pain of regrets. It can become so monotonous to do everyday life that one day we wake up and cry from the dullness. Unaware of how we got from burning passion to “Did you feed the dog?”, we except it as is. We crawl into the ho-hum of routine and settle in for consistency and average mediocrity. This does not hav

Screen time is what we call anything from your phone to laptops, TV, movies, gaming systems, and social media platforms. When I say you must break up with your phone I am referring to all of these. It is estimated at the time of this writing, according to a Google search, that people spend more than two whole weeks of there life on Instagram alone, and that Netflix is actually a deterrent for sex (https://nypost.com/2018/05/06/netflix-is-killing-couples-sex-lives-study/). The

The New Year.  Everyone is about resolutions and setting new goals.  It’s fun to reflect back on the previous year to see what you did great and what needs improvement.  I used to be someone who would make mental notes of what I wanted to achieve but never took the time to put them on paper.  My wife and a trusted mentor called me out almost immediately on it… and they are right.  Studies show that when goals are written down you are far more likely to achieve them. I came ac

Prominent research firms tell us that the top 2 leading causes for marital strain (and divorce) is money and sex.  I think most people would agree with this statement even if it wasn’t backed by statistics.  Interestingly enough, both of these have a common denominator that works like a virus, slowly infecting every aspect of our relationships.  Secrecy.   So let’s talk about “money” and its impact on marriage… but stay plugged into our blog for a future posting on sex and th

By Steve Kate and I were at a marriage event where the topic of going to bed angry with your spouse was brought up.  It’s a big NO NO in most church circles.  Most people are familiar with the often quoted verse from Ephesians 4:26 – “And ‘don’t sin by letting anger control you.’  Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry (NLT).”  Most have interpreted this to mean you should always work out your arguments prior to going to bed as it is not biblical to allow unresol

With great pleasure and excitement I am pleased to announce the exciting news of adding another writer to this site! At six feet and with a smile that melts anyone, he is GQ in the flesh. The one and only “Stevo”. We have been married for over 11 years and as he is an excellent leader, speaker and writer we are joining forces to bring you the top tips and tricks in creating the exceptional life. His focus will be more on spiritual growth, “man-ly” things, and on relationships