Ethics & Religion
March 26, 2020
Column #2,015
How to Help Your Marriage Grow
By Mike McManus
Millions
of people have been asked by their employers to "work from home" as a
result of the coronavirus. This is a new experience for most people.
It can be a bit shocking for married people who suddenly have huge
amounts of time with one another. Some will find themselves irritated,
while others will gain a new respect for the work of their spouse, which
they may not have witnessed at such a close range.
I have a suggestion for how this new time together could be used to
build your marriage to a higher level of respect, collaboration - and
yes, a fresh burst of love for one another.
I suggest that you take a
Couple Checkup
- an online assessment tool designed to identify the unique relationship
strengths and growth areas. Couples receive a 15-20 page report on their
relationship and can download a free Discussion Guide designed to help
them learn proven relationship skills.
Research has shown this process improves relationships by stimulating
honest dialogue, increasing understanding that empoweres couples.
The Couples
Checkup costs $35, and is a good investment.
It can be taken by couples who are dating or engaged - in addition to
those who are married. It is designed for any couple who desires to
enrich their relationship.
After indicating the stage of their relationship, the Couple Checkup
will automatically select applicable questions, making the assessment
valuable and relevant, as it is tailored to each couple's unique
relationship stage and structure.
As soon as both partners have completed their portions of the Couple
Checkup, they can login into their account and download, view, or print
their report. I recommend that every couple print out their report so
they can discuss it most thoroughly.
Each couple will receive a detailed analysis of their results, broken
down into relational categories. A free Discussion Guide is also
available and should be downloaded as well. Here is a path for all
participating couples to help them improve their relationship.
What topics are covered in the Couple Checkup? Twenty important
relationship areas are explored. They include: communication, conflict
resolution, financial management, relationship roles, affection and
sexual relationship, couple closeness and flexibility, family closeness
and flexibility, personality and family of origin.
I heartily recommend taking the Couple Checkup. I know its creator, an
organization called PREPARE-ENRICH, which developed the inventory which
my wife and I have used to train thousands of Mentor Ccouples to use in
preparing couples for marriage.
After using this inventory for marriage preparation, a fifth of couples
in our church decided NOT to marry. But of the 225 couples who did
marry, more than 90% were still married two decades later.
The Couple Checkup is professionally designed, is reasonable in cost,
and will help you and your spouse evaluate the quality of your
relationship and how it could be fortified.
I should add that it can be taken by couples who are only dating, or who
may be cohabiting - as well as by those who are married.
(If a couple has issues that they are not able to resolve, it is
important for them to get professional help before their problems
escalate.)
Now that millions of people are being asked to stay at home to limit
their chances of catching the coronavirus, why not use this increased
time together to build your relationship to go the distance?
Constant closeness due to the order to remain home could breed an
irritability with one another. However, this time could be used
advantageously to build your marriage to a new level of joy and mutual
respect.
What's more likely to happen without this intervention? Usually, we talk
about everything other than our feelings for one another. We are likely
to complain about various matters, or express irritation with one
another over minor issues.
However, Couple Checkup offers a practical, easy way to set aside time
each day to concentrate on how to build our marriage. It offers a
roadmap, a strategic plan to strengthen our feelings for one another and
build a relationship that adds joy to our lives.
To learn more, go to Couple Checkup on line (https://www.couplecheckup.com).
Scripture urges us to "love our neighbor as ourselves." What closer
neighbor is there than our spouse? Taking a Couple Checkup is the
perfect way to deepen that love.
__________________________
Copyright (c) 2019 Michael J. McManus, a syndicated columnist and past president of Marriage Savers. To read past columns, go to
www.ethicsandreligion.comm. Hit
Search for any topic.
|
|
Since 1981...
2000+ Columns |
|
CURRENT ARTICLE |
|
Febrary 9,
2022: Column 2113: My Farewell Column: Happy Valentine's Week |
|
Recent Columns |
|
Writing Columns About
Marriage |
|
Will Abortion Be Made Illegal? |
|
Restore Voting Rights to Ex-Felons |
|
Progress in Black-White Relations |
|
Marriage Is
Disappearing |
|
Catholic Priest Celibacy Should Be Optional |
|
Blacks Must Consider Marriage |
|
The Need to End Catholic Priest Celibacy |
|
More Lessons For Life |
|
Lessons For Life |
|
Rebuilding Marriage in America |
|
How To Reduce Drunk Driving Deaths |
|
The Value of Couples Praying Together |
|
A Case for Pro-Life
|
|
End
The Death Penalty? |
|
Christian Choices Matter |
|
The Biblical Sexual Standard |
|
The Addictive Nature of Pornography |
|
Protecting Girls from Suicide |
|
The Worst Valentine:
Cohabitation |
|
Pornography: A Public Health Hazard |
|
Sextortion Kills Teens |
|
Cohabitation: A Risky Business |
|
Recent Searches |
|
gun control,
euthanasia,
cohabitation,
sexting,
sextortion,
alcoholism,
prayer,
guns,
same sex marriage,
abortion,
depression,
islam,
divorce,
polygamy,
religious liberty,
health care,
pornography,
teen sex,
abortion and infanticide,
Roe+v+Wade,
supreme court,
marriage,
movies,
violence,
celibacy,
living+together,
cohabitation,
ethics+and+religion,
pornography,
adultery,
divorce,
saving+marriages |
|