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Relationships & Marriage Q&As

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Dealing With an Irresponsible Spouse

What can I do about my spouse’s disorganized and scatter-brained behavior? He’s extremely irresponsible, and it’s making my life impossible. Not only does he misplace things around the house (bills, important personal documents, etc.), but he travels regularly as part of his job, and we’re constantly having to replace expensive electronic devices – cell phones, …

woman looking out the window sad

Fallout of an Affair: Low Self-Esteem and Forgiveness Issues

Could my feelings of inferiority have anything to do with an inability to forgive my husband for being unfaithful with a close friend of mine? The affair happened a year ago, but we’ve since reconciled and our marriage is on track to become something much better than it has ever been before. In spite of …

Grandma and granddaughter baking Christmas time

Grandparents Filling in for Busy Moms and Dads

Should we as grandparents assume the responsibilities of parents? Our son and his wife both work and have extremely busy lives – probably too busy. My husband and I frequently find ourselves taking care of our grandchildren so that their mom and dad can keep up with the demands of a hectic schedule. We love …

man and woman's hands holding money tug of war

Husband and Wife Disagree About Finances

How can married couples get on the same page when it comes to money matters?

extended family eating meal

In-Law Obligations

Can you help me gain a clearer understanding of what my relationship with my wife’s parents and siblings should look like? I got married because I was in love with my spouse. I wasn’t figuring on her the rest of her family becoming a major part of my life as well. What are my relational …

man comforting woman on couch

Marriage and Life-Threatening Illness

How should we expect a cancer diagnosis to affect our marital relationship? We just learned my spouse has cancer, and we’re reeling. We have the best possible medical care, but there’s one important area in which the doctors can’t help us: what can we do to keep the disease from harming our marriage?

couple hugging in barn woman looks pensive

Newlywed Fears She May Have Married the Wrong Person

What should I do if I fear that my marriage may have been a mistake? It’s only been a short time since the wedding, and already I’m beginning to think that I’ve married the wrong person. Can you help me?

plant sprouting from rock

Pornography As Possible Grounds for Separation

Is my spouse’s addiction to sexually explicit material a reason to leave him?

woman crying on table holding heart picture frame

Recovering From a Disappointing Affair

How do I move on from an affair that ended in disappointment? I had hoped that my status as “the other woman” would eventually change after my lover left his wife and family, but that didn’t happen. Now all I feel is sad, broken, and alone.

older woman crying

Sexual Intimacy and Sexual Trauma in Marriage

If sex is an indispensable part of a healthy marital relationship – and most of the material I’ve read says that it is – what does this imply for a marriage in which the act of sex has become traumatic for the wife? That’s my situation. There are a couple of reasons for this, and …

business woman looking at phone text

Spouse Is Receiving Flirty Messages on Facebook

How should I respond if my spouse receives inappropriate and flirtatious messages via social media? I ran across something like this on her page the other day and it’s been bothering me ever since. What can I do about it?

family on pier at sunset

The Family: Not an Exclusively Christian Institution

Is a non-Christian family still a family? I have a personal reason for asking. I appreciate Focus on the Family’s outreach and have benefited from many of your resources and shows, but I don’t share your religious views. Your family-oriented advice includes so many biblical quotations and references to Christian principles that I can’t help …

Man holding woman's hand leading her on beach

When Not to Submit to Your Husband

Is it ever appropriate for a woman to question her husband’s judgment or to oppose his decisions when she believes he’s in the wrong? If so, how does this fit in with Ephesians 5:22, where Paul says, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord?” Are there any biblical examples of wives who …

man and unhappy woman getting out of man's car

Woman Wants Her Lover to Leave His Wife

How can I motivate my lover to stop dragging his feet and leave his wife? I’m eager to start a new life with him, but as long as he’s tied to her I’m relegated to playing second fiddle. I know this isn’t an easy step for him to take, even though she has treated him …

mom and two kids sitting by fountain

Blended Family Etiquette

How do we decide what people should call one another in our newly blended family? It’s a second marriage for my husband and me, and each of us had a three-year-old child when we married. Those kids are now six and seven years old. Recently, my step-daughter started calling me “Mom.” When my husband’s ex-wife …

Little girl in parents' bed, mom and dad in background

Concerns About Having Sex When Kids Are in the House

How can we be intimate and maintain a healthy sex life when our children are around all the time? My wife is always afraid of being “heard” or “interrupted” in the act. Again and again she rejects my advances by asking, “What if the kids walked in?”

Grandmother with grandkids and lots of toys

Dealing With Overindulgent Grandparents

How can I encourage my parents to stop spoiling our children? Grandma and Grandpa give my kids whatever they ask for, sometimes in complete disregard of my wishes. I don’t want to alienate my parents, but I’ve got to do something. Any ideas?

boy leaning over on bench head in hands

Fatherless Child Seeking Assistance

Can you help me deal with the pain of being abandoned by my father? He left the family when I was young. Now that I’m getting older and really need his input, he’s not here for me. What should I do?

guy in his 20s talking to his mom upset

Grown Child Feels Like He’s Still Treated As a Kid

Now that I’m in my mid-20s, how can I help my mom understand I’m not a child anymore? I’m the youngest of three. Because of my position in the family birth-order, my mom seems unwilling or unable to recognize that I’m now an adult. Is there anything I can do?

man at table woman standing upset

Husband Can’t Forgive Wife

How can I get beyond my spouse’s critical attitude and forget about the many cruel things she’s said to me in the past? After several years of marriage, I’ve come to point where I just can’t take it anymore. I don’t believe in divorce, so we’re sleeping in separate rooms and living separate lives under …