Zenhabits has an excellent practical article on pitfalls in relationships. It is well worth a read and would be a good article to add to your marriage counseling archives. It’s from a practical standpoint rather than a spiritual one. Still a good help as each of these points have Bible support and are clearly warned about in it. Amazing at how practical the Bible is and how enduring it is over time. It is also a shame that many miss the impact on Jesus Christ in a marriage. More marriages would last for a lifetime if Christ was the center.

Allowing the sins mentioned in this article can truly destroy a marriage. Again please read with discernment, we can learn much from others experiences and thoughts.

“While I can’t claim to be the world’s foremost expert on relationships, I do know that my wife and I have a very strong marriage, and have never been more in love.

I’ve failed at marriage before, but that’s helped me become better at it. I’ve learned the deadly sins of relationships, and how to recognize them and avoid them.

A reader, newly married, asked me to share my tips on how to make a marriage work. I wish I had a magic formula, but here’s a simple list of tips:

•spend time alone together;

•appreciate each other;

•be intimate often;

•talk and share and give.

But just as important as what you should do is what you shouldn’t do — and I’m sure many of you have stepped into these pitfalls yourselves. I know I have. I’ve learned from my mistakes, and have learned to recognize when I’m making a fatal error, and how to correct it.

If you can avoid these seven things, and focus instead on doing the four things above, you should have a strong relationship. I’m not going to guarantee anything, but I’d give you good odds.”

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