Life holds many surprises. Despite our best laid plans, we can look up like the prodigal son and realize we are not in the place we imagined we’d be.

This was the situation for author and coach Kari Trent Stageberg. Like so many young people, Kari spent a desert season away from faith and family, eventually becoming a survivor of domestic abuse. As Kari accepted God’s love and the blessing of her family, she learned that there is nothing the Lord can't heal.

Now working closely with her father Dr. John Trent, Kari co-runs StrongFamilies with him as CEO, assisting in running day-to-day operations. She also writes books and creates many resources to help the next generation of newly marrieds and young families.

Together, Dan and Danielle Macaulay are a voice for marriage as they blend their unique skills and talents to create a complete date night package for couples.

Their wisdom holds true for churches, worship teams, women’s groups, and couples they reach through their Married UP ministry. They stress that both spouses “married up,” as they are each made better by the other.

Their marriage is in trouble — real trouble. The husband or wife may have anger issues, experienced abuse or infidelity. Where do they turn for help? Isn’t counseling expensive? How does a couple even find a counselor who will offer godly advice? Isn’t it easier just to call it quits?

Houston-area Hans and Star Molegraaf, founders of Marriage Revolution ministry and long-time FamilyLife speakers, have walked in those shoes and can provide a path forward. They offer biblical resources, counseling and events “to turn your love around,” through their website, noting, “When marriage is hard, life gets harder.”

Before she became the voice of Catholic media, Teresa spent 20 years in the secular world following her dream career in broadcast journalism. Her husband, Dominick Pastore, likewise was climbing the corporate ladder as a successful architectural engineer. They should have been on top of the world, but striving for career success had taken a toll on their relationship. Their marriage was imploding, but the more they tried to fix it in their own strength, the worse their struggles became. Six years in, the couple had run out of ideas and was almost ready to call it quits.

It was an invitation to a Bible study that changed the trajectory of their lives. The Bible Study ignited Dominick’s relationship with Jesus and once Teresa joined Dominick in study and developed her relationship with Jesus, their marriage started to grow.

Why is it important for a couple to be in rhythm? As anyone who’s ever watched a Dancing with the …. show can attest, both partners need to be in synch for their performance to be successful. If one is dancing a tango and the other a waltz, their steps won’t coincide. The analogy follows in marriage. It takes both the husband and the wife moving on beat together to navigate their marital journey harmoniously. 

Authors, speakers, and podcasters Chris and Jenni Graebe use this concept to encourage marriages. Their ministry, The Rhythm of Us, helps identify where couples might be in or out of rhythm and offers tools to help them align their steps for a happy, healthy marriage.

Do you know if your personality is similar to that of an Otter, a Golden Retriever, a Beaver or a Lion? If these terms are familiar to you, chances are you’ve read The Two Sides of Love, a classic marriage book written by Dr. John Trent. The animal identifications are part of a personality strengths assessment John developed for his doctoral dissertation in Marriage and Family Counseling. Understanding strengths is one important step in the process of relating well with others as outlined in his book and his other bestselling marriage and parenting book, The Blessing.

You’ve heard the hit, “This is How We Do It.” Everyone’s familiar with the anthem that’s been part of pop culture for the last 25+ years. It’s a ubiquitous favorite, played by the NFL, NBA, in commercials and at weddings and proms — guaranteed to pack the dance floor. The song’s artist/manager duo, Montell and Kristin Jordan, had been married less than a year when the title reached number #1 on the charts. The couple’s rocketing fame almost caused their marriage to disintegrate. They weathered trials and tribulations, and eventually, after two decades of world tours and millions of album sales, they chose marriage over music, faith over fame, and significance over success.

People want to win in their relationships – it’s a common denominator whether couples are just engaged or have been married for decades. Lucille Williams has experienced this desire firsthand — as a church ministry leader for more than 25 years and a pastor’s wife, she’s heard her share of stories. Lucille draws from these experiences, along with her own now 41-year marriage, to deliver wisdom served with a heaping helping of humor.

What could NFL football possibly have to do with marriage? Marriage coaches George and Tondra Gregory could not have imagined at the beginning of their ministry journey that one day they’d be given an opportunity to serve as chaplains to one of the hottest franchises in professional football, helping team members defend against divorce and win in their marriages.

Sometimes it seems like a struggling marriage is just so stuck, there’s no way back to a loving relationship. Is it even possible to overcome long standing habits and hurts? Can a couple battle back after the betrayal of infidelity? Sue and Roy Milam, founders of Cornerstone Marriage & Family Ministries, have seen thousands of marriages healed over their almost three decades working with couples and leading A New Beginning intensive weekends.

The vision for the flourishing marriage coaching and counseling ministry founded by Curt and Rhonda Hamner was born on a trip celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. The couple had spent the previous 20 years following Curt’s pastoral career in Dallas and Southern California and raising three children. Now, as the empty nest loomed, Curt gave Rhonda an assignment in light of the season ahead. He asked her to share the dreams God had given her for their next chapter of life.

Can a marriage be saved when one of the spouses is a narcissist or emotionally abusive? Would someone even want to save it? Surprisingly, the answer to those questions can be yes, according to David Hawkins, Ph.D. A clinical psychologist with more than 40 years’ experience, Dr. Hawkins has brought healing and restoration to thousands of marriages and individuals since 1976.

Who doesn’t want to go on a great date? What is it about the thought of a date that puts a twinkle in someone’s eye? Is it the anticipation of fun, connection, something to look forward to instead of the stress of the world? While the concept of a married couple’s “Date Night” has grown in popularity – even inspiring a movie by the same name, David Arp, MSW and his wife, Claudia, had the idea of dating one’s spouse long before it became “a thing.”

There’s nothing more delightful than to hear your spouse laugh. It’s pure gold knowing the person you love is feeling joy and having fun, say Jay and Laura Laffoon, authors and speakers who create opportunities for spouses to connect and grow as they laugh together. They dub their work “Edutainment,” as they combine education with entertainment during date night events and marriage conferences where they transparently share the messiness of their 35-year marriage.

If you’ve picked up a marriage or family book or study in the past 40 years, chances are good it was either written by FamilyLife co-founders Dennis and Barbara Rainey or published by the ministry. The couple started the fledgling FamilyLife organization in 1976 under the umbrella of Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ). For the next 41 years, God’s favor and the Raineys’ leadership grew FamilyLife into a dynamic and vital ministry that’s equipped millions. People in more than 110 countries around the world now experience the abundant life Christ promises in their marriages and families.

What would inspire a single person to read a book about marriage when they are not even dating anyone? How about because it’s a gift from their mother? Pleasing his mother motivated author and speaker Michael Johnson to crack open a “marriage book” Christmas break his junior year of college – little imagining its future impact. What he found inside opened his eyes to common marriage pitfalls and became a treasure, not just for him and his future family, but for the thousands influenced by his ministry where he and his wife, Julie, help singles transform their dating practices.

God has a beautiful way of redeeming brokenness to serve his purposes. As carbon under enough pressure becomes a beautiful diamond, so too, do those who overcome adversity through the power of the Holy Spirit shine Christ’s light.

When Julie and Greg Gorman married 24 years ago, they didn’t start with a blank slate. Both were previously divorced, Greg was raising a pre-school-age daughter, and when Julie became pregnant shortly after their honeymoon with two babies in three years, stress levels escalated.

How many times have you wished for a friend to confide in or ask for advice? Someone who was just a little farther down the road in marriage or relationships? Consider Ashleigh Slater the big sister you always wanted. The author and podcaster shares stories in her work from her 20-year marriage and life raising four daughters to inspire and encourage.

The CDC recorded 630,505 divorces in the United States in 2020. Each figure represents a choice to dissolve a marriage experiencing crisis. But divorce doesn’t have to be the only answer. Where can people turn when their marriage is so broken it feels like there’s no hope? Hope Restored Marriage Intensives, offered by Focus on the Family, save marriages and redeem relationships.

You want to raise your children in a happy home, and you agree a healthy marriage is key to that goal. You might listen to a few podcasts, follow a speaker in the relationship field, even read a book or two. But how do you keep up with all the information from all the experts? Is there a way to easily incorporate best practices into your busy life?