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Oneness With Your Spouse Doesn’t Mean Becoming the Same

Glenn Kimball2024-01-08T01:12:53-06:00Connection|

I wanted to open this week’s blog post with this passage from the Book of Genesis about oneness. It says: “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” This passage is about oneness and being united in marriage, but we often misunderstand the message and think that we must also be the same. In other words, there shouldn’t be any differences allowed if we are one and the same. As we continue our conversation about our differences and not allowing them to [...]

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Do Differences Divide Your Relationship or Can You Accept Them as Normal?

Michael Dawson2026-04-24T16:52:04-05:00Difference|

Raise your hand if you’ve said or thought this before: “If everyone were more like me, this world would be a much better place.” Wow! Everyone’s hand is up — not really surprising. After all, there wouldn’t be any more differences if everyone was like you. We’d think the same, react the same, make the same decisions, share the same values and beliefs. We’d all be right. There wouldn’t be any more conflict or division. Wow. What a time to be alive! Sign me up! As great as that sounds, we have to face reality and realize that our differences aren’t the problem. We are created differently for a reason. [...]

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Should I Bring my Anxiety to God?

Glenn Kimball2024-09-19T10:12:34-05:00Anxiety|

Sometimes, we act like anxiety is a new thing that we all experience in our everyday lives. But, honestly, anxiety is as old as life itself. It’s even in the Bible! King David, a man after God’s own heart, had anxious thoughts and pleaded with God to help him. The proverbs tell us that an anxious heart weighs us down, but kind words cheer us up. Even the apostle Paul says in the Book of Philippians not to be anxious but to take all our anxiety to God with prayer and thanksgiving. Obviously, that can be easier said than done for most of us, especially when our minds are racing [...]

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4 Foolproof Tips to Manage Your Thoughts When Faced With Anxiety

Glenn Kimball2024-01-08T01:12:55-06:00Anxiety|

As we've discussed over the past few blog posts, anxiety is rampant these days. It has become a way of life for many people — perhaps even you. Maybe you feel consumed so much by erratic emotions and feelings of uncertainty, hopelessness, fear, and dread that now you can't enjoy life. It can feel nearly impossible to control and can last for a long time. When anxiety sets in with a vengeance, it's easy for us to feel like life is too chaotic. We instantly feel defeated. But learning to manage your thoughts and thinking is absolutely possible — and necessary. Many skills can be learned, regardless of whether your [...]

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Anxiety and Stress – How to tell the difference

Michael Dawson2026-04-24T16:52:04-05:00Anxiety, Stress|

It's no secret that we all experience a riot of emotions when we face difficult or trying circumstances in life. Perhaps it's a big job interview that you're worried about, a loved one's illness, or marital struggles at home. Whatever the event or situation, we all experience them — and with that comes a heaping plate full of anxiety and stress. But wait, Mike! Aren't Anxiety and Stress the same thing? The quick answer is no. There is a fine line between the two. "Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength." — Charles Spurgeon According to the American Psychological Association, stress is [...]

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Anxiety has many Facets, and we CAN Manage

Glenn Kimball2024-01-08T01:12:57-06:00Anxiety|

While sitting down to write this blog on anxiety, I was reminded of a funny quote: “People with anxiety don't have a train of thought. We have seven trains on four tracks that narrowly avoid each other when paths cross, and all the conductors are screaming.” I have no idea who penned that line, but it’s the most vivid explanation of anxiety I’ve seen to date. It starts with a laugh and ends with the truth of how real anxiety is for many folks. It’s also the least clinical explanation, which I appreciate as a marriage counselor since I try my best to know when to be serious and when [...]

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Generosity can Predict your Marriage Success!

Michael Dawson2026-04-24T16:52:04-05:00Attitude, Generosity|

Close your eyes and take a few seconds to think about a wonderfully generous gesture your spouse has done for you. Was it the time they offered to give you a little back rub while watching the evening news? How about that time they got up early and grabbed you your favorite latte from Starbucks? Or, they saved the last slice of pizza for you? How did this small act of generosity make you feel inside? Did it make you feel loved … accepted … warm … cherished … valued? Generosity has that effect on all of us, right? Through our actions — even the smallest of gestures like the [...]

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Transform your Communication: Determine if this is Work Talk or Heart Talk

Michael Dawson2026-04-24T16:52:04-05:00Communication|

Couples struggle with miscommunications all the time, and one of the big reasons why is because we fail to understand what language our partner is speaking. No, we’re not talking about Spanish vs. English or French vs. Chinese — though it certainly can feel that way sometimes. What we’re talking about is Work Talk vs. Heart Talk. Below is a quick breakdown of each: Work Talk This is the task-oriented, schedule-driven, let’s-get-stuff-done kind of communication that can help make a weekly schedule. It sounds like this: “Let’s divide and conquer this TO-DO list. You go to the grocery and pick up the cleaning. I’ll fill up the car and take [...]

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Connected Couples Need a Movie Theater Attitude

Michael Dawson2026-04-24T16:52:04-05:00Attitude, Connection|

Susan and I love going out to the movie theater together. But it never ceases to amaze us how differently we view what we watched. We were in the same theater. We both saw the same actors on screen. The script was the same, and more often than not, we leave the theater with that “good movie feeling.” And yet, it’s almost always for different reasons. It's all about our movie theater attitude. “That was great!” I’ll say excitedly. “It was full of action and suspense.” “Wait?! What movie did you just watch?” Susan says with her adorable laugh. “I thought it was romantic but also sad.” Has this ever [...]

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Simple Ways We Supercharge Connection in Our Marriage

Michael Dawson2026-04-24T16:52:03-05:00Connection|

Susan and I have been married for 39 years! Thank you. Thank you; we’ll hold for the applause! In all seriousness, though, we believe marriage is important. And we think it’s important because God began by the connection of a man and a woman together to fulfill His purpose for this earth and this life. We also believe marriage is the most powerful earthly relationship we can have — we need to be united and connected. To that end, I always ask my couples to tell me their “why.” In other words, what was it that attracted you to your spouse? What were the characteristics about each other that made [...]

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