Tag: Boundaries

• The Unfair Task of Holding in Your Personal Truth in Marriage

  

  Did you know that my husband is an open book with a transparent cover and see-through pages?! I always know exactly where I stand with him at just about every moment in our marriage. This can be a good thing most of the time. I’m grateful for his openness and willingness to clear the air.…

  BethSteffaniak

  May 20, 2018

  Acceptance, Anger, Attitude, Authenticity, Blaming, Boundaries, Christ-Centered, Communication, Confession, Conflict, Confrontation, Connection, Criticism, Discouragement, Emotions, Empathy, Encouragement, Grace, Listening Skills, Marriage, Openness, Pain, Patience, Positive Focus, Prayer, Realistic Expectations, Relief, Respect, Safety, Self-Protection, Self-sacrifice, Spiritual Practices, Support, Truth, Unfair Realities in Marriage

  Boundaries, Communication, Discretion, Hold Tongue, Kindness, Listen, Openness, Respect, Sensitivity, Timing, Truth, Understanding

• 64 Abusive Actions That Spell Trouble for Your Marriage

  

  We live in a culture and world racked by a rising and alarming number of sexual abuse accusations right now. But in marriage, the issue of abuse of every type can be extremely murky and convoluted. I think that’s because it’s so hard to know when your spouse is crossing a healthy and appropriate boundary…

  BethSteffaniak

  January 30, 2018

  Abuse, Affairs, Alienation, Anger, Betrayal, Boundaries, Choices, Conflict, Control, Criticism, Deception, Denial, Discouragement, Divorce, Marriage, Pain, Perspective, Safety, Victim, Withdrawal

  Abuse, Abuse in Marriage, Abusive Marriage, Anger, Boundaries, Conflict, Control, Safety, Separation, Victim, Violence

• First Step to Confront with Grace – And Linkup

  

  Last week I introduced the idea that “grace” is not only shown when we overlook an offense, or even when we hold our tongue and patiently pray for God to convict the other party, but it’s also shown when we confront our offender. But how can that be considered “grace”—to confront someone? Doesn’t that sound…

  BethSteffaniak

  May 9, 2017

  Accountability, Alienation, Anger, Authenticity, Betrayal, Boundaries, Change, Christ-Centered, Communication, Conflict, Confrontation, Confronting With Grace, Enabling, From Messes to Messages Linkup, Grace, Love of God, Many Faces of Grace, Marriage, Openness, Realistic Expectations, Spiritual Practices, Truth, Vulnerability, Wounds

  Boundaries, Conflict, Confrontation, Conversation, Faith in God, Prayer, Reconciliation

• Healthy Boundaries and Expectations for a Heart-to-Heart And Linkup!

  

  Today I’m continuing in the series that was born out of the results from my Men and Openness survey by unpacking a bit more what a wife (or any spouse for that matter) needs to keep in mind in a heart-to-heart. [Tweet “If you want to encourage openness, establish healthy boundaries and realistic expectations.”] Since…

  BethSteffaniak

  December 15, 2015

  Acceptance, Authenticity, Boundaries, Change, Codependency, Comfort, Communication, Confessional Culture, Conflict, Control, Emotions, Expectations, Listening Skills, Marriage, Perseverance, Proactive, Realistic Expectations, Respect, Responsibility, Validation, Vulnerability, Wedded Wednesday

  Active Listening, Boundaries, Communication, Emotions, Perseverance, Realistic Expectations, Reflective Listening, Respect

• Trusting God with My Marriage And WW Linkup

  

  Guest post by blogger – Robi Smith of Hopefulwifetoday.com It was three and a half years ago that I discovered my husband was addicted to pornography. I had been looking through his phone when I stumbled upon deleted still screens of images from porn websites. It came to me as a total shock. My husband…

  BethSteffaniak

  August 18, 2015

  Accountability, Addictions, Affairs, Alienation, Anger, Betrayal, Boundaries, Change, Choices, Christ-Centered, Communication, Confession, Confessional Culture, Conflict, Confrontation, Emotions, Faith in God, God’s Redemption, Lust, Prayer, Redemption, Sex & Sexuality, Sex/Porn Addiction, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Practices, Spiritual Warfare, Trust, Truth, Wedded Wednesday

  Accountability, Boundaries, Communication, Confession, Faith in God, Porn Addiction, Pornography, Prayer

• Can I read your mind? SJT Video

  

  Today I’m sharing a “Sloppy Joe Time” video that hits close to home because I put this sloppy expectation into action just a week or so ago. Honestly, I don’t think there will be a day when I won’t have to clean up some mess that I make in my marriage! 😉 I am a…

  BethSteffaniak

  August 16, 2015

  About Me, Blaming, Boundaries, Communication, Confession, Confessional Culture, Criticism, Denial, Discouragement, Emotions, Entitlement, Expectations, False Beliefs, Fear, Humility, Insecurity, Negative Self-Talk, Pride, Realistic Expectations, Respect, Self-Protection, Self-Reflection, Selfishness, Sloppy Joe Time Video, Video, Vulnerability

  Assumptions, Boundaries, Communication, False Beliefs, Insecurity, Lies, Mind-Reading, Respect, Vulnerability

• When Your Spouse Stonewalls You And WW Linkup

  Creating a confessional culture is not for the faint of heart, especially if you are trying to do so in a deeply wounded and dysfunctional marriage. As a marriage life-coach and counselor, I’d say that the majority of folks I deal with are in a relationship where one partner is doing most of the humbling…

  BethSteffaniak

  July 14, 2015

  Acceptance, Alienation, Boundaries, Choices, Christ-Centered, Commitment, Confessional Culture, Contentment, Discouragement, Expectations, Faith in God, Love for God, Love of God, Pain, Perseverance, Realistic Expectations, Self-sacrifice, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Practices, Surrender, Trials, Vulnerability, Wedded Wednesday

  Boundaries, Expectations, Faith in God, Love of God, Perseverance, Pursue God, Spiritual Growth

• Can ‘Not Apologizing’ Motivate My Mate? and WW Linkup!

  

  Today I’m continuing my series on why I didn’t apologize to my mate, by tackling the third justification I mentioned two weeks ago. {To see that post click here.} “I believed that because his sins seemed so much worse and more glaring than mine, that by confessing, I would only be pacifying him. In doing…

  BethSteffaniak

  April 21, 2015

  Anger, Apologies, Attitude, Boundaries, Choices, Christ-Centered, Communication, Confession, Confessional Culture, Conflict, Control, Faith in God, False Beliefs, Humility, Negative Self-Talk, Pride, Respect, Responsibility, Submission, Surrender, Wedded Wednesday

  Anger, Apologies, Boundaries, Conflict, Control, Humility, Pride, Submission, Wedded Wednesday

• Did I make you mad? SJT Video

  

  In this “Sloppy Joe Time” video, I’m tackling the need for perspective whenever my spouse is irritated, grouchy, feeling bad or whatever, but it has nothing to do with me. In those times, I tend to get too close to the situation and try to take responsibility for what is my husband’s responsibility and problem.…

  BethSteffaniak

  April 19, 2015

  About Me, Anger, Boundaries, Choices, Codependency, Emotions, Empathy, False Beliefs, Listening Skills, Perspective, Realistic Expectations, Responsibility, Self-Protection, Sloppy Joe Time Video, Stress, Support, Validation

  Boundaries, Emotions, Enmeshment, Listening Skills, Perspective, Stress, Support

• Why Can’t I Run to My Mom? SJT Video

  

  In today’s “Sloppy Joe Time” video, I’m talking about an unhealthy practice I had early in my marriage. I was still running to my mother’s arms, when I should’ve been running to God’s and never leaving my husband’s! Can you relate? I hope you’ll click on the video below to see what I discovered and…

  BethSteffaniak

  April 5, 2015

  About Me, Alienation, Anger, Bonding, Boundaries, Choices, Comfort, Communication, Conflict, Discouragement, Emotions, Expectations, False Beliefs, Immaturity, In-Laws, Marriage Mistakes, Oneness, Realistic Expectations, Respect, Sloppy Joe Time Video, Support, Unity, Victim Mentality, Video

  Boundaries, Cleaving, Conflict, Immaturity, In-Laws, Respect, Support