Encouragement requires empathy and seeing the world from your spouse's perspective. We must first learn what is important to our spouse. Only then can we give encouragement. With verbal encouragement, we are trying to communicate, "I know. I care. I am with you. How can I help?" We are trying to show that we believe in him and in his abilities. We are giving credit and praise.

I think one of the other myths is that your environment determines your happiness. That if you are living with an alcoholic or living with a depressed spouse for a long time, you are just going to be unhappy.

We are human, which means we have the potential to make things different.

What we do for each other before marriage is no indication of what we will do after marriage.

At the heart of mankind's existence is the desire to be intimate and to be loved by another. Marriage is designed to meet that need for intimacy and love.

Love is reaching out to try to get to the other person.

You cannot force someone to accept an expression of love. You can only offer it. If it is not accepted, you must respect the other person's decision.