By Ashley McIlwain September thirteenth was Steve’s and my fifth wedding anniversary. Everyone says it will, but it’s still hard to believe how quickly that time has flown by. In a blink of an eye, we’ve found ourselves five years in, celebrating the love we’ve shared, the memories we’ve created, and the commitment we’ve held
By Ashley McIlwain If someone were to keep a running list of all of my mistakes and missteps during my life, they would need the world’s largest notebook and a tenacious writing hand. The truth is I screw up all of the time and have since I can remember. Constantly, I battle between what I
By Ashley McIlwain Communication. It’s such a key component to every relationship, and yet, it’s also one of the most challenging. Many couples report problems in their relationship where communication has broken down. The issue is then perpetuated and escalated by the continued breakdown of their ability to converse about it. The inability to communicate
By Ashley McIlwain Most of the articles I write talk about loving and appreciating your spouse. Fighting for your marriage. Constantly working to be a better spouse and have a better marriage. But all too often I hear stories and receive questions about a one-sided effort. “I’m trying, but my husband doesn’t want to work
By Ashley McIlwain Do you want to know my favorite thing about being married? The simple pleasures that come with it. There are so many wonderful benefits of marriage. Research shows a plethora of mental and physical health benefits, and of course there are other huge pluses like more financial stability, shared responsibility, and the
By Ashley McIlwain Husbands are interesting creatures. They are so different from us women in too many ways to count, and while that can be incredibly frustrating, it’s also a wonderful blessing. They can make our day, and they can turn our world upside down. They can make us feel like we’re the most loved
By Coleen York “Hey! How are you?” “I’m good! And yourself?” We speak these words most of the time without even really thinking. It’s become a standard greeting, almost as second nature as breathing. I’ve noticed though, that very rarely do we ever take the time to listen, REALLY listen, to what is on the
By Ashley McIlwain Recently I shared a list of things I wish men knew, but now it’s time for some candid girl talk. Ladies, we have some things we need to discuss. When I look around, I see a lot of women pointing the finger at men as the source of all discontentment and issues.
By Dr. Jeff Klick God made me male, and I am very glad about it. Is that shocking? Can we men still say that in our day? Oh well, I did say it, or at least wrote it. God made me a man, and I am very thankful. In our current environment, to say such
By Ashley McIlwain At every corner there lurks danger. The potential for problems and conflict seem to pepper the future of our marriage like a field of landmines. One misstep and everything blows up in front of us. It can seem that there’s no winning at times when it comes to our marriage. This may
