Laura's Strengthening Marriage Blog

A brand new store has just opened in New York City that sells husbands. When women go to choose a husband, they must abide by the following instructions:

“You may visit this store only once. There are six floors and the attributes of the men increase as the shopper ascends the flights. There is, however, a catch. You may choose any man from a particular floor, or you may choose to go up to the next floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!”

So, a woman goes to “The Husband Store” to find a husband. Continue reading “The Husband Store” »

The following writings were sent to me by a man who has spent many years in a sexual desert in his marriage. He has agreed to let me share some of the heart piercing and profound reverie he has had regarding the intimately starved marriage in which he is living. This stuff is the sacred ground of the soul. What an awesome and humbling thing it is to glimpse into the soul of another.

He has graciously consented to let me share these personal writings in hopes that it may bring hope to others who find themselves in similar situations. His hope is that through his pain maybe he can be an instrument for good somehow.

I hope these writings will be received by you in the manner in which they were written. I know his words profoundly affected me. These writings and the many others like it are the reasons I see it as such a high priority to strengthen marriages sexually.

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In recent months I’ve begun to use the phrase “involuntary celibacy” to describe my current sexual status. I keep the phrase (and the truth behind it) mainly to myself (and my journal) with an occasional exception, when I find a listening ear.

It’s really quite tragic. But the term is rather fitting, since I have about as much of a sex life as a typical priest. I like to joke to myself that the difference between me and a priest is that the priest wears a collar. But it’s also that the priest entered his lifestyle willingly. On the contrary, part of the reason I married was because I knew I couldn’t bear to be celibate. What a sick twist of fate. Continue reading “Involuntary Celibacy” »

A while back a friend came up to me at church and said he had some receipts for me to reimburse. I looked at him like “What are you talking about?” and he said, “You know…babysitting receipts. You said you’d cover the babysitting if I’d start taking my wife out on dates.” I laughed and said “Okay. Sure.”

A couple of weeks earlier they had been at our home for a get together for a bunch of new couples in our church. In the course of introductions it came up that I was a marriage educator and that I was a big proponent of a weekly date night. Though teasing, that night he had said, “Oh sure. If you pay for the babysitter maybe we’d consider going out on dates more often.” That is when I had said that he could send me the bill for their babysitting expenses.

Apparently he is pretty serious about it as he has also reminded my husband that he’s now racking up babysitting expenses to give me. I guess I need to remind him that a babysitter costs a lot less than a marriage counselor, or a divorce, for that matter. Continue reading “Date Night is NOT Optional” »

I recently received a fun email from a friend. In the course of discussion about a product he is working on he made the statement, “But horsepower will never compare with what you sell.” After thinking about it, I realized he was right. All the power tools and toys a man can buy will never compare with the sexually satisfying relationship men seek with their wives. Continue reading “Horsepower Will Never Compare!” »

“Popular thinking dictates that most children want to be astronauts or rock stars when they grow up. But it seems in reality their aspirations are far more down to earth. The most common childhood dream was to be happily married with a family . . . “

What can we as parents do to help our children fulfill their dreams of having a happy marriage and family? One thing would be to do our best to show them what a happy marriage looks like, as we go about creating a happy family. Kids who are raised in happy families have an easier time creating a happy family of their own. If your marriage isn’t happy, get some help to learn how to turn it around. Continue reading “When Kids Grow Up They Want to Be . . . Happily Married!” »

A woman recently wrote me about her struggle to figure out what to do to be able to have an orgasm. Here’s what she had to say, as well as my response of some suggestions to consider regarding the 6 T’s of the female sexual response:

Continue reading “Still No Orgasm after 24 Years of Marriage” »

The first time I saw this picture I nearly died laughing! Too dang funny! It wouldn’t be so funny if it weren’t so true.

I realize this representation of men and women is overly simplistic, but there are some valuable insights to be gained from this visual characterization.

Continue reading “Sexual Wiring of Men vs. Women” »

Criticism is a poison that sours relationships. When things aren’t going well in a marriage, that tends to be the time we are most likely to throw every complaint we’ve got at our spouse when instead it’s encouragement and a search for what’s good that is more likely to affect positive changes in behavior. It’s funny how we mistakenly think we can berate and belittle our spouses into behaving better.

It seems to be the universal longing out there for the other person to change. “If only they would do this…” “If only they would change that…” “If only they…” the list goes on!

Continue reading “How to Discourage Your Spouse” »

“And They Were Not Ashamed” Softcover Book only $12! (reg $17.95)

We’ve put together an incredible special offer because we’re serious about strengthening marriages intimately! For a limited time, the softcover book “And They Were Not Ashamed — Strengthening Marriage through Sexual Fulfillment” will be just $12. Yes, you read that right…$12. (Regular price is $17.95.) Continue reading “$-Special Offer to Strengthen Marriages-$” »

Bless his heart, my youngest son recently told me that he thought I was nicer when I was first married. (Now how would he know, since he wasn’t even born yet?) Apparently he came to this conclusion from watching our wedding video.

My first thought was, “Well, smarty pants, that’s what happens when you have kids. They turn perfectly good adults into ogres!”

Continue reading “Parenting Is Not for the Faint of Heart” »