In this Sunday's gospel (Matthew 4:12-23), Jesus receives devastating news: John the Baptist has been arrested. His response might surprise us. He doesn't immediately charge into action or push forward in his ministry. Instead, he withdraws to Galilee. Throughout the gospels, we see Jesus model this pattern. When overwhelmed or preparing for significant moments, he steps away to the desert, or to a new, quieter place, to pray and prepare. Our marriages need this same rhythm o

During the holidays, we got together with family. One night, we played The Couples Game That's Actually Fun with two of our daughters and their husbands. I'm sure you are familiar with this kind of game: a question is drawn, and one member of a couple writes down an answer, then their spouse answers that same question. If the answers match, the couple scores a point. If they don't match, the couples usually fall into lively discussions with their spouses about whose answer w

This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17) What does it means to be beloved? How does it feel to be fully known, fully accepted, and fully cherished? These are questions this Sunday's Gospel calls on us to ask about our marriages. Beyond Affection to Deep Knowing Being beloved is not simply being liked or even loved in a general sense. When your spouse is your beloved, you hold them in a place of unique honor and affection. You see them not just as th

The trip from Ohio to visit our grandchildren in Virginia is a long one, made longer by the fact that we stop and treat ourselves to a decent meal, and stop at a state park to get in a good walk on our way. It gives us a lot of time to talk, and it was January so a central question was: Where do we want our marriage to be in a year? Where do we want our marriage to be in five years? What's our plan? As we begin a new year, our thoughts naturally turn to the future. We make re

It was the middle of the work week when Dawna called Mark. "I just texted you the URL for a house listing. Please make an offer on it right away." We'd been looking for a house. We'd sold our old house in advance of an 18 month excursion overseas, and returned to an apartment. We had a plan to build a retirement house several states away near our grandchildren, but in the meantime we were pouring money down the drain in rent rather than building equity. After visiting a half-

4th Sunday of Advent When the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream , he offered more than just reassurance about Mary's pregnancy. The angel quotes a prophecy from Isaiah: "they shall name him Emmanuel, which means 'God is with us.'" In doing so, the angel reveals something central to God's nature: presence . God doesn't simply watch from a distance; God is with  us. This same quality of being truly present lies at the heart of sacramental marriage, where two people covenant n