The more marriage conferences and counseling I do, the more convinced I become that there is one issue, more than any other, that is causing marriages to fall apart today. Communication? Money? Sex? For decades these issues have been said to be the top three reasons why marriages fail, and there's no doubt that many marriages have blown up over...

This is the time of year when many people look at their debt situation and shudder. They dream of what it would be like to be out of debt. And, if they're brave, they begin to plan a strategy to reduce the amount of debt they carry. They'll begin with high hopes. But many of them will quit before reaching their goal, disappointed, discouraged...

If you've been married for more than a couple of days you've probably already figured out that communication in marriage is really important.  Being intentional about the way you communicate with your spouse sets a firm foundation for a solid relationship. The same rules apply when it comes to using Facebook once you're married.  Facebook is...

Grieving is a unique experience. It’s a process that is as individual as the people it affects. Oh yes, there are predictable stages … but the experience of loosing someone  dear to you is truly a very personal journey. Recently I said goodbye to my dear Dad. It’s hard to believe it was only a couple of months ago. I’ve processed a lot...

Messages in bottles have been the stuff of folklore for centuries. Dying, desperate sailors have hurled them. Curious children have launched them. Nicholas Sparks wrote a novel based on them, but don’t read it—or watch the movie—unless you already have a prescription for antidepressants. The story I find most interesting about such bottles,...

In these uncertain economic times, we’re all looking to save a little money, especially if we can do it without changing our lifestyle. Here are ten ways you can do just that. Taken together and applied over even a few months, they could make a noticeable difference to your family’s budget. The “small stuff” pays off. Pennies and nickels...

I never did believe in Santa Claus. My parents rejected the materialism that is so often peddled in the name of Christmas and kept the holiday pretty low key. I've always been grateful for this lesson, and rather cynical about those wild eyed Christmas fanatics running amok in the malls. Since the thought of receiving gifts from a fat, bearded...