Having children made me confront my true fears and trust in God many times over in a much more intensified manner.

It's astonishing how quickly cultural references change. Each new generation of parents grows up with a new slate of cultural understanding, television shows, and unique parental issues. The biblical principles remain the same, however, so this was a slight reworking, not a major overhaul.

Love your God and your family and you're making an eternal investment. Family life will continue in the New Heavens and the New Earth, but even the most amazing accomplishments on this earth will quickly fade. Genesis 5 teaches us to prioritize people over accomplishments.

Parenting changed for me when I finally realized it's not about being a perfect parent trying to raise perfect kids, but rather, family life is a collection of sinners slowly growing together toward Jesus Christ as we rub shoulders, yield to his grace, ask for forgiveness and offer forgiveness, and are shaped accordingly.

If you want to be free to serve Jesus, there’s no question—stay single. Marriage takes a lot of time. But if you want to become more like Jesus, I can’t imagine any better thing to do than to get married. Being married forces you to face some character issues you’d never have to face otherwise.

We bring nothing to God, and He gives us everything.

A Christian is never dependent on the response of others to grow spiritually. It's our own heart's decisions that matter

Couples don't fall out of love so much as they fall out of repentance.

Our children may, at times, make parenting very difficult. Sometimes, we might be tempted to say, Fine, I'm done with you! But God is never done with them and we're still called to be their parents.

I wouldn't be surprised if many marriages end in divorce largely because one or both partners are running from their own revealed weaknesses as much as they are running from something they can't tolerate in their spouse.

Fear is intensified by passionate love. The more I care about someone, the more I'm concerned about their welfare. The less we have to lose, in one sense, the easier it is to be brave.

What if your husband’s faults are God’s tools to shape you? What if the very thing that most bugs you about your man constitutes God’s plan to teach you something new? Are you willing to accept that your marriage makeover — the process of moving a man — might begin with you?

Done well, marital sexuality can be a supremely healing experience.

A defeatist attitude kills almost as many marriages as do affairs.