"Dialogue is a family treasure—the gold and silver that finances our hopes and underwrites our dreams. It may draw laughter, tears, or anger, but when tempered with grace, it gives individuals a sense of high value."

"Love gives the other person space—room to breathe, to be unique, to have a dream or two that, though it may not be shared with the same intensity, still needs to be encouraged."

"In a very deep way, your man feels isolated and burdened by secret feelings of inadequacy. Making love with you assures him that you find him desirable, salves a deep sense of loneliness, and gives him the strength and well-being necessary to face the world with confidence."

"A servant-leader husband majors on what’s right and good about his wife. Yes, he’s aware of her weaknesses. But his focus is on her strengths and assets. He constantly affirms her, emphasizing her significance and importance to his life. He knows that encouragement gives her energy to grow and develop."

"If, after marriage, a wife fails to share in her husband’s vision or participate in it, or if she becomes apathetic toward his work, or even resentful of it, then that marriage will fall into deep trouble within a surprisingly short time."

"If we have an impoverished view of God, we will become impoverished ourselves. If we have constructed in our minds a god who is weak and impotent and not in control of every detail of the universe, we will see ourselves as being helpless and will be overwhelmed by the storms and circumstances around us. If our god is worthless, we will see ourselves as being worthless."

"Men and women have affairs for many different reasons, but a common complaint of both sexes is the lack of praise and the abundance of criticism from their spouses."

"Faithfulness to our vows is more than the absence of an affair or the absence of a divorce document. Faithfulness is the presence of love, devotion, honor, loyalty, and encouragement. Faithfulness is positive and dynamic; it means we actively seek the welfare of our spouse."

"The concept of self-esteem is often misunderstood by Christians. It has been painted with the brush of self-love … Self-love (or self-exaltation) is different from having self-esteem—which simply means to have a proper, balanced view of ourselves."

"Far too many marriages consist of two people who are waiting for each other to reach out and meet their needs."

"Respect does something to the soul of a man. God made him that way … Women need to learn how to understand and use the word respect because, in truth, respect is a man’s deepest value … Respect is the key to motivating a husband."

"Often, couples instinctively turn on each other, rather than courageously turning to each other in order to build confidence and security. Instead of the marriage relationship being a haven in the storm, it becomes the storm itself."

"The symptoms of a poor self-image are most often unseen and can only be inferred by observing a person as she relates to others. A common element, however, will be the presence of strong self-contempt. The person who undercuts, devalues, and sabotages her life and deeds is often a person who harbors a past that pollutes every pleasure and discolors every gift given to her."

"Your mate needs you to be a cheerleader, not a preacher. Praise and applaud your mate’s right choices; don’t just tell him what he does wrong. Most likely he already receives daily reminders of his failures from a host of other people."

"Giving your mate the freedom to fail communicates that you are on his team, regardless of the outcome. It tells him that even if he makes a mistake and fails, you will be there to help him up, dust him off, and encourage him to try again. The issue is not whether he will ever fail, but rather whether he will get back up and whether you will be at his side."

"You don’t have to be a trained counselor to be of value in your mate’s life. You can give what your mate needs most—acceptance, love, and the freedom to fail. Your mate needs that from you more than from anyone else."

"When truth is not ruling in your life, feelings are. Acting on negative feelings will not build your mate’s self-image or your marriage—it will only tear down what you’ve already built."