A Love Language Minute draws from Dr. Gary Chapman's years of counseling experience, excerpts from his live events, and his answers to listeners' questions to give encouragement and practical help and hope for the relationships in your life.
Arguments reveal the heart. Arguments often grow out of an emotional need. A wise husband and wife will look for the emotional need behind the argument.
Feeling in love doesn't take work. You're pushed along by emotions. But when you come down off the high, it takes intentional love to grow your marriage, and that takes work.
How should we process conflicts without arguing? The answer is in listening. Most of us are good at making our point without getting the point.
Scripture is very clear. When we get married, we are to leave our parents and cleave to your spouse. But that doesn't mean we should desert our parents.
If your fiancé has an STD, what should you do? Dr. Gary Chapman suggests that you find out the nature of the disease and its treatment. But ultimately it's up to you to decide if it's wise to continue the relationship.
Most couples spend 8 to 10 hours apart each day due to work etc. So how do they stay connected? Dr. Gary suggests that couples should commit themselves to a 20 minute debriefing each day. Share with each other the highlights and low lights of their day.
The vast majority of Christian couples don't have a daily devotional time together; and yet, almost all Christian couples have the sense that they should.
Communication is so important in a marriage. Why, because we're not mind readers. If you never share your thoughts, your spouse will never know what you're thinking.
What if a couple scores equally on each of the 5 Love Languages? It could that they felt truly loved their entire lives.
Some people are afraid of love after a failed marriage. They might equate love with betrayal and pain.
Why do so many couples have difficulty with communication? Before marriage, there is the overpowering feeling of being in love. But later on, negative emotions usually begin to bubble up.
Individual time alone with Lord is vital. But it's equally important that couples spend time with Lord together.
When there's conflict about financial matters in a marriage, it's usually because couples don't feel like partners in this area of marriage.
Being intimate before marriage is wrong. Ultimately, it's the man who should show leadership by setting boundaries. If he doesn't show leadership in this area, it's probably an indication as to his thinking about other Biblical standards.
Why does your spouse get angry with you about the smallest things? Take notice of each instance and see if something you do or say sets her off.
Money doesn't destroy marriages - people do. If you and your spouse argue about money, it's because each of you are blaming the other rather than joining forces to find a solution.
How long should you wait to remarry after the death of your spouse? Research has shown that it takes about two years for you to get back on level ground emotionally.
When was the last time you and your spouse had an argument about money? Couples who argue about the same thing over and over again need help.
What do you do when you and your spouse have taken the 5 Love Languages quiz but have very different scores for Physical Touch?
What do you do if your wife isn't a talker? Instead of saying "I wish you'd talk more", ask her specific questions that illicit detailed answers. It's easier for her to talk if she's asked a question.
Is money an asset or liability to your marriage? It depends on your attitude toward money. If you look to money for the things that money can buy to make you happy, then money will be a source of conflict in your marriage.
The fundamental concepts to solving conflict is to recognize that you're both human. If you don't think or feel the same way, you still have to respect each other's humanity.
Money can be a big contributor to conflict in marriage; but the biggest problem is a poor relationship.
If you're separated, is there any hope for your marriage? Dr. Gary Chapman says that if your husband has not remarried, there's still hope.
What do you do if your wife jokes about all the crushes she's had on other guys? Be open about how that makes you feel, and ask her to stop saying those things.
When a guy says, "I don't love her any more", it usually means he's lost that euphoric feel of being "in love" when he first got married. Love isn't a feeling, it's an attitude and an action.
How do you deal with an angry spouse? It requires tough love. Tell your spouse that what they are doing is unacceptable, and you're going to seek out counseling. Invite your spouse to join you. If things don't change, separation might be necessary for a while.
What does love look like in a marriage? Turn to I Corinthians 13:4-7 to see how God describes love!
If you feel you're emotionally unstable, it may be due to living in a loveless and dysfunctional family. As an adult, seek out a counselor that is trained to provide help in this area.
Some people think that physical intimacy before marriage is acceptable because marriage is "just a formality". Marriage isn't just a formality, it's a public declaration of the covenant you're making. Statistics bear out that those who have sex before marriage are far more likely to divorce.
Love is not a feeling. It's a way of life. It's a choice you make in how to express it.
You as a parent need to acknowledge that you cannot control your adult children, but you can influence them in a positive way.
What is love? Some might think it's the feeling you have when you're "in love". But those feelings are temporary. True love is an attitude and action. Read I Corinthians 13:4-7 to see how the Bible defines love.
Is divorce biblical? Scripture never condones divorce; but God allows it when infidelity or abandonment is involved. If you're divorced, confess your part in that divorce, and seek God's guidance for your future.
Do you and your spouse have differing views about the Christian faith? Marriage has to do with oneness; so share your views with each other and try to understand each other's perspective.
If someone were to ask you, "Why do you want to get married", how would you respond? People often say it's because we're "in love". But that kind of love is feelings-based rather than a committed action-based love.
How do you go about encouraging a family member who's discouraged by all the negativity in the world? Help them gain a new perspective on life by showing them that God is in control, and His purposes will always be good.
Apologies are a necessity. Admit that you need to apologize, then express your apology and admit that your behavior was wrong. Most of the time, a sincere apology will result in the other person forgiving you.
Having a bad relationship with your father can result in negative consequences in your marriage. Reach out to your father and seek to build (or rebuild) the relationship.
It's difficult to love other people when they always disappoint or hurt you. There's always going to be pain and hurt in every relationship because we're imperfect. When you've been hurt, seek out the offender and make a sincere attempt to reconcile.
The two most important sentences you'll ever learn are, "I made a mistake", and "I was wrong". Healthy families don't require perfection, but they do require the willingness to admit when they do wrong.
How do you create a healthy climate of communication in your marriage? Develop the skill of listening to each other.
When we do something wrong, we tend to place blame on someone or something else. It's critical that adults and children learn to take responsibility for what they have done and say, "I'm sorry".
When should children begin reading the Five Love Languages? Dr. Chapman's book, The 5 Love Languages of Children was actually written for parents. This book will help the parents learn the concepts and apply them to their children.
As a parent, you can be certain that you've made mistakes in your past that you hope your children will never repeat. Be honest with your children and explain to them the consequences of those mistakes.
True greatness is found in serving others. Jesus is the ultimate example of servanthood.
Is uncontrolled anger a problem in your marriage? Proverbs 29:11 says, "A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.
Is there a certified course of study for the 5 Love Languages that would help assist teachers to instruct people on its principles? Dr. Gary Chapman says that currently there isn't a certified course, but there are plenty of resources available to assist in teaching the 5 Love Languages principles.
Fighting in a marriage is never appropriate if it involves physical violence. But it's healthy to talk about things on which spouses disagree.
If your spouse sins against you, it's time to get angry. God, too, is angry when people sin. But the purpose for anger, under control, is to motivate us to lovingly confront. Sitting idly by and making no effort to help your spouse turn from their sin will never work.