The official newsletter of Marriage Partnership magazine
Thursday, April 5, 2007
"I don't feel well."
Those words immediately invite a scrutiny of the speaker's face where a red, swollen nose, gray, sunken cheeks, or numerous other signs of malady would appear.
But when no visible suffering accompanies the complaint of pain, it's often difficult to appreciate the extent of the hurt or to offer the expected—and much-needed—sympathy and grace.
Learn how you can show compassion to a spouse living with chronic pain—or maybe just the flu—as you read one couple's moving testimony.
- But if the primary cause of your spouse's pain proves to be hurtful words you've spoken, see how you can offer verbal healing.
- Then for healing or treatment of your complaints in the bedroom, get some practical advice from MP's two new sex therapists.
There's more expert help at MarriagePartnerhip.com, where you'll find everything you need for nurturing a healthy marriage.
Thanks for reading,
Andrea Bianchi
Newsletter Editor
The Marriage Connection
To reply to this newsletter: marriage@christianitytoday.com
advertisement
 HEALTH & HOME/EMOTIONS/COMMUNICATION
When the One You Love Hurts
Living with a spouse who's living with pain.
By Kate V. Bryant
"Mrs. Bryant, I don't know why your 45-year-old husband has the body of a 70-year-old man, but he does."
Dr. Ross's words echoed in my head as we talked in the small post-op consultation room following my husband, Paul's, neurosurgery.
More …
COMMUNICATION/HELP & HEALING
Sticks and Stones …
3 surprising ways your words impact your spouse.
By Karen Rabbitt
REAL SEX
"Post-Pregnancy Turn-off"
Also: "Foreplay? What foreplay?" "Talking During Sex."
By Michael Sytsma and Debra Taylor
 Surprised by Remarriage: A Guide to the Happily-Even-After, by Ginger Kolbaba
Successfully combining lives in a second marriage can be challenging. From unresolved hurts and unshared histories to resentful stepkids and bitter exes, there can be obstacles to happiness the second time around. But you can have a happy and lasting relationship despite divorce in your past. With candor and uplifting stories, Ginger Kolbaba, herself a second wife, offers practical guidance for those seeking a joyful remarriage.
|
 Love and Respect, Book & Workbook
Dr. Emerson Eggerichs will help you and your spouse achieve a deeper level of intimacy by stopping the crazy cycle of conflict, initiating energizing change, and more. |
 I Love You More, DVD and Leader's Guide
In this six-session small group edition, Les and Leslie Parrott show you how the same forces that can chip away at a marriage can become the catalyst for new relational depth. |
 Subscribe to Men of Integrity
From Christianity Today International in association with Promise Keepers, this bimonthly magazine addresses issues men face and includes devotionals by well-known Christian leaders. Topics include anger, the workplace, and listening to God.
|
 For Better or Best
Every woman needs to know the four great needs of a man as well as what motivates a man to be more intimate in relationships. |
When You Can't Pay the Bills
Don't panic. Instead, fellow these practical tips until you're back on firm ground.
- Contact vendors before they contact you. On the bill, write the name of the person you speak with, the time and date of the call, and file it with your records.
- Pay something—even if it's below the minimum amount.
- Catch up. Cancel your cable, or get rid of your cell phone (or get a cheaper plan with less minutes). Cut any extras that will enable you to pay what you owe.
- Anticipate future expenses. The car will break down again, the baby will need medicine, the electric bill will run high. Adjust your monetary plan to prepare for it.
- Be realistic. If you can't pay your bills, you can't afford a trip to McDonald's or Starbucks.
- Don't blame it on the kids. They won't remember the birthday bash or the pile of Christmas presents. They will remember a secure, peaceful home.
- Continue to show affection for your spouse. More than ever, you need to draw close to each other. Wash your mate's car, offer a foot rub, or take a walk together.
—Vannetta Chapman
Marriage Connection
Delivered free via e-mail to subscribers every other week. We encourage you to distribute this newsletter freely and ask only that you not change its contents.
Copyright © Thursday, April 5, 2007 ChristianityToday.com, Christianity Today International
465 Gundersen Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
All rights reserved.
|
Have you ever lived with chronic pain?
- Yes, I have.
- No, but my spouse has.
- Both my spouse and I have.
- No, neither my spouse nor I.
Vote here, and see how your answer compares to others'.
|
Have you or your spouse ever been caregiver to an elderly or sick parent?
Total votes: 425
|
|
If this page is not displaying correctly, please click here. 
Special Survey for Our Newsletter Subscribers!