In a culture of relationships, what happens when you find yourself not in one? In a culture that suggests your best life is complete when that other person enters the picture, how do you live as a single person? These questions are the topic of this article by Hannah Ellenwood. She suggests seven things to focus on as you walk through life when dating or marriage is not part of the picture. Read through these points. Which one resonates with you most?

Dear CMR,

I’ve been spending a lot of time with a guy I met at church and really like. He recently told me he believes God gave His Word to some people, but that other people also added their opinions to the Bible, so it’s not like the Bible is actually God’s Word. I believe the Bible is truly God’s Word, without error, and I live my life based on it.  Am I overthinking this or should this be a red flag as I consider whether or not to date him?

Disappointed and Unsure

Spiritual warfare and marriage. At first glance, these two things may not seem to overlap, but what if they did? What would that look like? In this episode, we discuss the fact that marriages are indeed a target of spiritual warfare but it probably looks much different than you would imagine! Take a listen!

Casual dating. Gratitude. Doubts about your dating relationship. These are some of the many topics that listeners are submitting to us. On this episode of the podcast, we explore some of these topics and answer questions that come up often when considering healthy relationships. Take a listen!

Is there a secret to relational happiness? What if there was a simple concept that could help protect your relationship? In this video, Dr. Tim Muehlhoff explains a concept that Dr. John Gottman calls the "happiness ratio." For every one of these interactions, there should be five other interactions between you. It sounds simple, but is it? Take a look!

What in the world is emotional tennis? When was the last time your partner made an emotional bid for your attention and you responded appropriately? Was it at the end of a long day and you unloaded the stress of the day? Was it an insecurity that your spouse shared with you and gave you the chance to affirm them? In this video, Dr. Chris and Alisa Grace talk about how important these small bids for attention and affection can be to a relationship!

From some of the research, children who are born to cohabiting parents are 90% more likely to see their mom and dad break up by the time they turn 12. The data is painting a picture of cohabitation that isn't talked about.  What do you think about these statistics?

Dear CMR:

I have been trying to think of dates that I can set up with my wife that will help us connect with each on a deeper level. It can be hard to schedule that into our weekly routine with kids and other things making life busy. Can you help me with some ideas?

Signed,

The Busy Romantic