If we take Jesus’ words seriously, we know the passions of God’s church won’t line up with the passions and priority of the world. So Christians should actually be surprised when a candidate they favor actually wins in a democratically held election. This has enormous implications for how we view, prepare for, and react to… The post We Should Be Surprised if We Win appeared first on Gary Thomas ..read more

It is foolish and dangerous to seek fame and renown, even “Christian” fame and renown. Years ago, a neighbor heard others talking about me a bit, she saw me take off on trips, and heard others mention they had heard me on the radio or saw me on television. She was from another country and… The post Before God Exalts Someone: A Sober Warning appeared first on Gary Thomas ..read more

To lean into God’s design for marriage and to experience marriage as God designed it requires that we look at our own personal and spiritual problems the way God does. The fact is, most of us don’t. If we don’t, we’ll push back against God’s declared directives for marriage, but surrendering to His purpose for marriage… The post The Greatest Problem in Your Marriage appeared first on Gary Thomas ..read more

Social media has its upsides, though it likely has even more downsides. Just because it’s available doesn’t mean we need to be a part of it. If we do choose to engage, however, there are healthier and less healthy ways to do so. Dr. Robert Waldinger and Dr. Marc Schulz, directors of the now famous… The post The Best Way to Use Social Media appeared first on Gary Thomas ..read more

Our culture is infatuated with infatuation, but biblical narratives rarely mention this form of love. Let’s look at the one woman in the Bible who is described as being in love with a man and see how that worked out for her. Then we’ll look at a famous man who experienced the same thing. We… The post The Only Woman in the Bible Who Was Said to Be in Love appeared first on Gary Thomas ..read more

There are a dozen good reasons to learn how to cherish your spouse and to raise the bar in your marriage from just love to love and cherish (just like those pesky vows many of us uttered). One I haven’t written about as much, or even included in my book, is how developing the skills… The post Cherishing Your Spouse Helps You Become More Like Christ appeared first on Gary Thomas ..read more

How the OCEAN Acronym Can Improve Your Relationship During my research for an upcoming book, I came across a very helpful acronym that describes five personality traits that tend to be genetic in nature. It led to a great conversation with my wife and some friends, helping us understand ourselves, our spouses, and our relationship.… The post If You Don’t Know Yourself, You Don’t Know Your Marriage appeared first on Gary Thomas ..read more

Belah Rose, whose interview we posted a month ago, is back to discuss three lies women are often told about their husbands in the bedroom. Belah is vulnerable about her past in this interview, and she explains how she’s come to understand an entirely new perspective toward life and intimacy with her husband. It’s an… The post 3 Bedroom Lies That Turn Wives Against Their Husbands appeared first on Gary Thomas ..read more

When I first met Mary and Dave Gothi, they had read my blog on “A Lifelong Love” where I spoke about couples living on mission together.  In 2011, they had founded a ministry called The Significant Marriage which helps a couple protect their marriage so they can live their purpose together to make a difference… The post Merciful Mothering Is Humble and Kind appeared first on Gary Thomas ..read more

Hunting for Glory in all the Wrong Places This is part two of the second chapter of a book in progress entitled The Good Enough for God Life. You can read chapter one HERE, and the part one of the chapter HERE. When we are lifted up by divine affirmation and live in the wonder of God’s great love,… The post The Power of Divine Affirmation, Part 2 appeared first on Gary Thomas ..read more