Category: Alienation

• 5 Tips for When You Undermine Your Spouse’s Parenting

  

  I’m excited to continue my “Spring Clean Your Marriage” Series with my next guest blogger, Aimee Imbeau. See her bio below to find the link to her site and, then be sure to connect with her on social media as well. I had a choice to make…and only moments in which to make the best…

  BethSteffaniak

  April 21, 2019

  Acceptance, Alienation, Anger, Blaming, Bonding, Boundaries, Christ-Centered, Communication, Conflict, Confrontation, Criticism, Differences, Encouragement, Faith in God, Forgiveness, Marriage, Motherhood, Oneness, Parenthood, Prayer, Respect, Spring Clean Your Marriage, Unity

  Conflict, Messy Motherhood, Parenting, Respect, Support, Support Spouse, Team Mentality, Undermine Parenting, United Front, Unity

• Book Review and Giveaway – Doing Life with Your Adult Children

  

  My husband and I now have an empty-nest and are no longer expected to parent our adult children. Correction: we’re no longer “welcome” to parent them! 😉 So what’s an older mom to do? Sign up for senior aerobics? Spend her time at the mall, grieving away her sorrows with purchases-a-plenty? Being a mom is…

  BethSteffaniak

  March 24, 2019

  About Me, Acceptance, Alienation, Boundaries, Change, Choices, Communication, Conflict, Connection, Discouragement, Empty-nest, Encouragement, Expectations, Identity, In-Laws, Marriage, Messy Mom’s and Dad’s, Motherhood, Parenthood, Perseverance, Positive Focus, Realistic Expectations, Respect

  Adult Child, Adult Children, Boundaries, Communication, Empty-nest, Parenting, Respect

• Are You a More Perfectionistic or Realistic Spouse? Take the Quiz!

  

  My husband and I are both perfectionists—meaning we have double trouble when it comes to being realistic in our marriage. No wonder we had a very messy start and still dip into messy moments more often than I’d like to admit! 😉 And maybe, if you’re a perfectionist like us, you chant these words to…

  BethSteffaniak

  March 17, 2019

  Acceptance, Alienation, Anger, Apologies, Attitude, Boundaries, Choices, Christ-Centered, Communication, Confession, Conflict, Connection, Criticism, Desires, Discouragement, Encouragement, Expectations, Failure, Faith in God, Forgiveness, Grace, Jesus’ Sacrifice, Love of God, Marriage, Nagging, Patience, Perfectionism, Personality, Positive Focus, Prayer, Realistic Expectations, Resentments, Self-awareness, Self-Reflection, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Practices, Spouse I Want to Be Series, Support, Surrender, Unity, Wounds

  Acceptance, Limitations, Love of God, Perfectionism, Perfectionistic Spouse, Realistic Expectations, Realistic Spouse, Trust in God

• Where Should a Christ-follower Stand in a Divisive World?

  

  “Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.”  —Romans 15:7 These are powerful words from the Apostle Paul, aren’t they? But they surely do not reflect the state that our world is in! So, with that in mind … Where does the world stand? No one…

  BethSteffaniak

  March 13, 2019

  Abuse, Acceptance, Alienation, Anger, Attitude, Betrayal, Blaming, Christ-Centered, Conflict, Courage, Faith in God, Jesus’ Sacrifice, Love for God, Love of God, Perseverance, Positive Focus, Proactive, Self-Protection, Spiritual Growth, Surrender, Trust, Unity

  Bible Verses, Division, Faith in God, God’s Word, Hatred, Hostility, Love of God, Unity

• 6 Ways to Be a More Compassionate and Forgiving Spouse

  

  Have you ever noticed how hard it is to be compassionate toward your spouse when you’re angry with him or her? It gets even harder when we let our anger turn into bitterness because we’ve chosen not to forgive them. Ironically, keeping this same mindset and practice in place inevitably creates a hard heart as…

  BethSteffaniak

  February 17, 2019

  About Me, Acceptance, Alienation, Anger, Blaming, Bonding, Boundaries, Brokenness, Change, Choices, Christ-Centered, Conflict, Connection, Discouragement, Emotions, Empathy, Encouragement, Faith in God, Forgiveness, Grace, Humility, Jesus’ Sacrifice, Love for God, Love of God, Marriage, Pain, Perfectionism, Perspective, Positive Focus, Prayer, Pride, Realistic Expectations, Resentments, Self-Protection, Self-Reflection, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Practices, Spouse I Want to Be Series, Vulnerability, Wounds

  Christ’s Forgiveness, Christlike, Compassion, Empathy, Forgiveness, God’s Love, Perspective

• When Your Connection to Your Parent Creates a Wedge in Your Marriage

  

  Years ago, when my marriage was at its messiest, I was not a cleaver. I’m not talking about being like June Cleaver, but rather about the need to unite with my husband. One of the most important ways that I did not unite with him was in how I chose to align myself with my…

  BethSteffaniak

  February 13, 2019

  Alienation, Anger, Bad Habits, Betrayal, Bonding, Boundaries, Communication, Conflict, Connection, Immaturity, In-Laws, Marriage, Marriage Mistakes, Oneness, Priorities, Support, Unity

  Betrayal, Boundaries in Marriage, Connection, Oneness, United Front, Unity

• 5 Ways to Prayer Journal to Improve Your Attitude and Marriage

  

  I had just finished up loading the dishes into the dishwasher, while listening to worship music and offering up a prayer of joy. Little did I know how quickly my attitude would move from worship to all-out-war! You see, our 5 yo son (who is now 25!) wanted to go out to play in the…

  BethSteffaniak

  January 13, 2019

  21 Days of Love Series, About Me, Alienation, Anger, Attitude, Bible Study, Bible Study Tools, Change, Choices, Christ-Centered, Conflict, Discouragement, Emotions, Encouragement, Faith in God, Forgiveness, Marriage, Motherhood, Parenthood, Perspective, Positive Focus, Prayer, Proactive, Relief, Self-awareness, Self-deception, Self-Reflection, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Practices, Truth, Wounds

  Bible Study, God’s Word, Journaling, Perspective, Prayer, Prayer journaling, Processing, Spiritual Growth

• 3 Ways to Fix Broken Communication in Marriage

  

  Today, I’m honored to offer one more post in my “Lessons Learned in Marriage Series”—this time on communication by guest blogger Crystal Twaddell. I hope you’ll read Crystal’s insights to find out how to navigate this challenge in marriage better. And be sure to check out her bio below, as well as supporting her with your…

  BethSteffaniak

  November 25, 2018

  Acceptance, Alienation, Anger, Attitude, Avoidance, Boundaries, Christ-Centered, Communication, Confession, Conflict, Connection, Conversation, Counseling, Differences, Discouragement, Emotions, Empathy, Encouragement, Forgiveness, Grace, Lessons Learned in Marriage, Listening Skills, Marriage, Negative Self-Talk, Openness, Pain, Perspective, Positive Focus, Proactive, Resentments, Self-awareness, Self-Reflection, Toxic Baggage, Unity, Validation

  Communication, Counseling, Emotions, Filters, Grace in Marriage, Listening Skills, Openness, Processing Pain

• Blended Families – Biblical Love in Action

  

  Today I’m excited to introduce you to blogger Donna Reidland, who is my guest today and is sharing about how to biblically navigate a blended family. Read her bio below to find more about her and be sure to make her feel welcome by sharing, commenting and pinning her post to all your favorite spots!…

  BethSteffaniak

  October 21, 2018

  Acceptance, Alienation, Anger, Blended Family, Boundaries, Change, Christ-Centered, Commitment, Differences, Discouragement, Empathy, Encouragement, Expectations, Faith in God, Grief, Lessons Learned in Marriage, Love, Love of God, Marriage, Parenthood, Positive Focus, Prayer, Realistic Expectations, Remarriage, Self-sacrifice, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Practices

  Blended Family, Commitment, Love of God, Parenting, Remarriage, Trust God, Wisdom

• 4 Reasons to Make Love Even When Angry at Your Husband

  

  It was the eve of our one-year wedding anniversary, and my husband and I had one of our biggest fights. We went to bed angry. Rather, he went to bed, and I went to the couch. I wept through most of the night, mourning the death of the marriage of my dreams. Sprawled on the…

  BethSteffaniak

  October 14, 2018

  Acceptance, Affection, Alienation, Anger, Attitude, Avoidance, Bonding, Choices, Christ-Centered, Commitment, Conflict, Connection, Desires, Differences, Discouragement, Encouragement, Expectations, Faith in God, Gender Differences, God’s Redemption, Intimacy, Lessons Learned in Marriage, Love, Marriage, Newlywed, Perspective, Positive Focus, Prayer, Priorities, Redemption, Resentments, Responsibility, Self-awareness, Self-deception, Self-Protection, Self-Reflection, Self-sacrifice, Sex & Sexuality, Sex-Drive, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Practices, Surrender, Withdrawal

  Anger, Conflict in Marriage, Love for Mate, Prayer, Sacrifice, Sex in Marriage, Sexual Connection, Sexual Intimacy