Category: Forgiveness

• 3 Steps to Avoid a Parenting Power Struggle

  

  It’s easy to think that when your spouse does something that bugs you and you react, that you are making a conscious choice born out of your freewill to resist. But more times than not, you are allowing yourself to be controlled by your spouse’s actions or words. Today I want to continue the series…

  BethSteffaniak

  December 12, 2015

  Acceptance, Alienation, Anger, Apologies, Attitude, Authenticity, Balance, Blaming, Boundaries, Change, Choices, Christ-Centered, Codependency, Communication, Confessional Culture, Conflict, Control, Discouragement, Enabling, False Beliefs, Forgiveness, Messy Mom’s and Dad’s, Motherhood, Negotiation, Parenthood, Proactive, Responsibility, Self-awareness, Toxic Baggage, Victim Mentality, Vulnerability, Wounds

  Apologizing, Baggage, Codependency, Confession, Negotiating, Parenting, Power Struggles, Responsibility, Wounds

• Ruins to Redemption And WW Linkup

  

  Today we are honored to have my sweet friend Mary Geisen who blogs at Passage Through Grace as the host of WW this week, sharing her story of redemption after a failed marriage. I’m so excited that she’s been brave and gracious enough to talk about this, because I believe that divorce is often an…

  BethSteffaniak

  November 3, 2015

  Choices, Christ-Centered, Discouragement, Divorce, Encouragement, Failure, Faith in God, Forgiveness, God’s Redemption, Grace, Love for God, Love of God, Redemption, Self-Reflection, Spiritual Growth, Trials, Wedded Wednesday, Wounds

  Choices, Christ-centered, Discouragement, Divorce, Faith in God, God’s Redemption, Spiritual Growth

• The Day I Walked Out on My Husband And WW Linkup

  

  Today we have Aimee Imbeau who blogs at A Work of Grace with us sharing a guest post and hosting Wedded Wednesday while I am on vacation. I hope you’ll welcome her with oodles of comments and encouragement! 😉 I was devastated by his careless words spoken the night before as I walked out my…

  BethSteffaniak

  October 27, 2015

  Abandonment, Acceptance, Affairs, Alienation, Anger, Betrayal, Change, Choices, Christ-Centered, Commitment, Conflict, Faith in God, Forgiveness, God’s Redemption, Grace, Negative Self-Talk, Pain, Perseverance, Positive Focus, Reconciliation, Redemption, Resentments, Self-Reflection, Trials, Truth, Wedded Wednesday

  Acceptance, Forgiveness, God’s Redemption, Mercy, Perseverance, Proactive, Rejection, Trust in God

• New Mind, New Marriage And WW Linkup

  

  I’ve discovered over the years that one of the most potent ways to affect change in my heart, mind and marriage is through the process of “renewing my mind.” This is the ongoing work that the Holy Spirit does as I surrender my sinful ways to the Lord. Don’t be confused … This doesn’t happen…

  BethSteffaniak

  September 29, 2015

  Accountability, Attitude, Authenticity, Change, Choices, Christ-Centered, Confession, Confessional Culture, Encouragement, Faith in God, Forgiveness, Plank Hunt Series, Positive Focus, Prayer, Self-Reflection, Shame, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Practices, Surrender, Wedded Wednesday

  Abundant Life, Accountability, Confession, Confessional Culture, Faith in God, Friendship, God’s Word, Prayer, Renew Mind

• Plank Hunt – My Unforgiving Ways And WW Linkup

  

  I’m excited to get back to the “Plank Hunt” series because it’s so important to realize the power we have to impact our marriage for the better by taking responsibility for our “planks” (see Mt. 7:3-5). I’m sharing today about one of mine that I found in doing the “Character Flaw Inventory.” If you didn’t…

  BethSteffaniak

  September 22, 2015

  About Me, Accountability, Anger, Choices, Christ-Centered, Confession, Confessional Culture, Criticism, Emotions, Faith in God, False Beliefs, Forgiveness, God’s Redemption, Love of God, Negative Self-Talk, Plank Hunt Series, Redemption, Resentments, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Practices, Spiritual Warfare, Surrender, Toxic Baggage, Truth, Wounds

  Bitterness, Confession, Forgiveness, Spiritual Warfare, Surrender

• 10 of My Favorite Posts

  

  I’d like to share ten of my favorite posts (in no particular order) that I’ve done here at Messy Marriage. Most are recent, but there are a few that go a bit further back in the vault. I hope you find them to be encouraging, thought-provoking and marriage-challenging! Validating Your Spouse’s Feelings Find God’s Redemptive…

  BethSteffaniak

  July 12, 2015

  About Me, Anger, Apologies, Codependency, Communication, Conflict, Forgiveness, God’s Redemption, Shame, Sloppy Joe Time Video

  Anger, Apologies, Communication, Conflict, Conflict Resolution, God’s Redemption, Peacemaker, Shame, Sloppy Joe Time Videos

• Covering for My Spouse and WW Linkup

  

  I think there’s just something in the DNA of every human being that tries to cover up vulnerabilities and weaknesses that we see in ourselves. Believe me, I know what I’m talking about, because that describes me much more than I’d like to admit! However, I think this pattern started way back in the Garden…

  BethSteffaniak

  June 30, 2015

  Acceptance, Anger, Attitude, Blaming, Choices, Christ-Centered, Confession, Confessional Culture, Confrontation, Faith in God, Forgiveness, Grace, Jesus’ Sacrifice, Love of God, Negative Self-Talk, Perseverance, Perspective, Positive Focus, Self-Protection, Self-sacrifice, Shame, Vulnerability, Wedded Wednesday, Wounds

  Blame, Forgiveness, Positive Focus, Shame, Vulnerability

• How to Apologize Effectively and WW Linkup!

  

  I grew up in a home where apologies were rarely extended or witnessed. We were a loving bunch, but somehow this important practice of acknowledging our sins and apologizing to each other was never clearly present, at least not in my view. Unfortunately, that also became true for my marriage in the early days. Gary…

  BethSteffaniak

  May 19, 2015

  Acceptance, Anger, Apologies, Authenticity, Christ-Centered, Communication, Confession, Confessional Culture, Emotions, Forgiveness, Humility, Positive Focus, Prayer, Resentments, Vulnerability, Wedded Wednesday

  Acceptance, Apologies, Communication, Confession, Humility, Prayer

• Why won’t you give as much as me? Sloppy Joe Time Video

  

  For this “Sloppy Joe Time” I’m talking about the common human temptation to keep a record of all the wrongs my mate does against me. Since I know that God’s word tells me not to keep a record of wrongs, then what’s a girl to do? Well, I’ll tell ya what this girl is trying…

  BethSteffaniak

  May 17, 2015

  Acceptance, Anger, Blaming, Christ-Centered, Confrontation, Criticism, Expectations, Faith in God, False Beliefs, Forgiveness, Grace, Love, Nagging, Negative Self-Talk, Positive Focus, Realistic Expectations, Sloppy Joe Time Video, Video

  Anger, Blaming, Confrontation, Criticism, Grace, Record of Wrongs

• How Can I Improve My Marriage? SJT Video

  

  Today I’m continuing the discussion on “wounds in marriage” by sharing how I dealt with my own wounded heart. Thankfully God revealed to me two problems that stemmed from my toxic baggage, and this proved to be a game-changer in my marriage. See how I approached this important journey that vastly improved my marriage by…

  BethSteffaniak

  February 22, 2015

  About Me, Anger, Choices, Christ-Centered, Confession, Emotions, Expectations, Forgiveness, Humility, Positive Focus, Prayer, Pride, Resentments, Sloppy Joe Time Video, Toxic Baggage, Truth, Victim Mentality, Vulnerability

  Confession, Healing, Humility, Pride, Toxic Baggage, Wounds