"What would you expect to happen between you if you both this moment appeared before God, with the Holy Spirit holding hands with each of you, as it were? Wouldn't you be forced to reconciliation in the presence of the King of peace? That is in effect what happens every day when two believers pray ... Jesus told His disciples, 'If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother [or sister] has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, and go on your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering' (Matthew 5:23‐24). These words apply also to your ex."

"The greatest power to make lasting change comes from gaining an accurate understanding of God and His love for you.”

“We need to remember that fears grow in dark places, and they shrink in the light of day. Our private imaginations can be such dark places. Talking openly with our spouses about our fears, along with our needs and expectations, can bring them into the light.”

"If we are serious about pursuing spiritual growth through marriage, we must convince ourselves to refrain from asking the spiritually dangerous question: 'Did I marry the right person?' Once we have exchanged our vows, little can be gained spiritually from ruminating on this question. A far better alternative to questioning one's choice is to learn how to live with one's choice."

"When stepfamily life gets tough, remaining dedicated to your commitment is a day‐to‐day decision. … Commitment requires that you strive for a better life together, even when you don’t feel like putting forth your best effort or have convinced yourself the marriage should have never happened in the first place.”

"Some of us ask too much of marriage. We want to get the largest portion of our life's fulfillment from our relationship with our spouse. That's asking too much. Yes, without a doubt there should be moments of happiness, meaning, and a general sense of fulfillment. But my wife can't be God, and I was created with a spirit that craves God. Anything less than God, and I'll feel an ache. "

"An intact marriage is an ideal worth fighting for. But that doesn't mean we should treat those whose marriages have crumbled as second‐class Christians. Jesus spoke of high ideals and absolutes‐‐but he loved real people with acceptance and grace. "

“God hasn’t left you. But sometimes when our grief becomes intense, it feels like He has. In times like this, we must trust what we knew in the light to still be true in the darkness.”

"People make their biggest mistake when they feel they can deal with the moral and emotional parts simply by walking out and saying they are not in love anymore… Sooner or later their miscalculation catches up with them. "

“If our works determine our usefulness to God, none of us could pass muster. We’ve all failed Him. To say divorce eliminates our value to God infers that divorce is more powerful than Christ and the price He paid for you. Is anything more powerful than the blood of Christ? No.”

"The grieving process after a divorce is often more severe and prolonged than after the death of a mate. "

“When you suffer a severe loss, your body and mind need to mourn in order to heal. If you don’t allow yourself that necessary time to grieve, but instead try to anesthetize your sorrow with new relationships or other numbing agents, the healing process is jeopardized. It’s up to you to choose whether to work through grief or to avoid it. The decision you make will affect your future for a long time.”

“Money will always be a major issue for remarried couples because trust, commitment, and the guarantee of permanence are the underlying issues. … The initial stepfamily money management system needs to be flexible, not carved in stone. … It’s an ongoing process that requires compromise and renegotiation.”

"People in stepfamilies are not ‘second‐rate Christians,’ simply because there is no such thing as a ‘first‐rate Christian.’ We’re all sinners and all less than perfect. All our families are less than ideal. And we all need a Savior.”

“I'm convinced that divorce is a death. And death affects every part of our lives—including, potentially, our spiritual lives. Until we deal with that death and bury it properly, we don't give our new marriage a real chance at success. We don't allow God to work fully and completely in our lives."

“I believe two key barriers to marital oneness in stepfamilies contribute to the higher divorce rate: parent‐child allegiance and the ghost of marriage past.”