| Finding Self-Confidence in the Bedroom
Sexual self-confidence is the self-assurance — and God-assurance, even — that one is loved and acceptable to one’s self and to God. This is coupled with sexual knowledge and application within marriage.
By Laura M. Brotherson
Fidelity
and Forgiveness
Sexual intimacy is one of the most
precious shared gifts a couple has. Once this trust is broken, it
is extremely difficult to mend, but not impossible. If you still
love each other, there is a way.
By Gary and Joy Lundberg
Don't
Kid Yourself: Lovemaking Takes Effort
The mechanics of "having sex"
are fairly simple, but really "making love" and developing
a good intimate relationship take some time and effort. Movies,
pornography and other media tell us that sex is — or should
be — easy, which is a set-up for problems in a real relationship.
For those who have ingested pornography, it's difficult to have
a healthy and accurate perspective of sexuality, and to separate
fantasy from reality.
By Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
Cooking
Up Kitchen Memories with the Kids
The realities of cooking and baking
with young children are far less orderly and much more adventure-filled
than anyone could imagine who doesn't have children. But there is
beauty in the chaos, and there are precious memories waiting to
be made.
By Debra Sansing Woods
Supercharge
Your Marriage with Hugs
Something almost magical happens when
couples hug each other. It’s as though an electrical charge
passes from one to the other, giving a new feeling of strength and
ability to face the tasks ahead. It’s the ultimate supercharge.
It doesn't even take much time, but the benefits are enormous.
By Gary and Joy Lundberg
Mothering
with Holiness of Heart
Mothers cannot always find time to
send a focused, well-thought-out prayer to heaven. If we are going
to stay in tune with the Spirit, we're likely going to have to spend
some time praying on our feet, whether those prayers are whispered
to heaven while we're tackling a sink full of dirty dishes or comforting
a fevered, restless child in the middle of the night.
By Debra Sansing Woods
Date
Night is Not Optional
A babysitter costs a lot less than
a marriage counselor, or a divorce, for that matter. Date night
is not optional for those couples who want to stay close and connected.
By Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
“Lead
on Softly” by Correcting with Respect
If respect is the golden thread running
through our Heavenly Father's parental example, how can we apply
it in our dealings with our children? When we, as parents, are not
following the Lord's example, lack of respect seem to be at the
root of most of our problems.
By Darla Isackson
An
Adventure in Family Togetherness: 24/7 for 365 days
An LDS family shares round-the-world
in hopes of encouraging families to discover the world and each
other.
By
Laurie Williams Sowby
“Lead
on Softly” By Honoring Agency
As hard as it may be to do, parents
need to honor their children's right to choose. Sometimes the actions
they choose will be wrong ones, but children need to learn the responsibility
for accepting the consequences of their own actions.
By Darla Isackson
The
Children Are Tender: Lead On Softly
Children are meant to be loved and
enjoyed. They can be lots of fun; but when we see discipline as
drudgery, when we nag or yell or fight, we deprive ourselves of
much of the pleasure of being parents. Certainly we need discipline
in the home because there are many things children need to learn.
But the basic rule of happy parents seems to be respect for the
rights and feelings of each family member. Respect sustains relationships.
By Darla Isackson
Fathers
— Leading and Guiding the Family in Righteousness
Out of all of the responsibilities
and roles competing for their time and attention, the most important
role of a father is the call as the patriarch of the home. The title
"father" is very sacred in nature, and Patriarchal
means of the father.
By Jonathan H. Westover
Loving
Our Dads
Heavenly Father gives the greatest
meaning and dignity of all to the very name of "Father."
Because of Him we love and respect this sacred role. He is our example,
letting us know that fatherhood is noble and worthy of our greatest
admiration. So let's grab this opportunity and celebrate the blessings
of fatherhood.
By Joy Lundberg
Modest
Swimwear at Last
I have often wondered, how is it that
young women who are so lovely and modest at church can brazenly
walk about at the swimming pool wearing so little. Don't they get
it? Do they think that wearing a swimsuit falls into a "modesty
doesn't apply here" category?
By Joy Lundberg
Six
Tips to Strengthen Your Marriage Sexually
Sexual intimacy is as important for
the health and vitality of the marriage relationship as are emotional
closeness and spiritual connection. Sexual nourishment that feeds
both husband and wife is the dessert of married life. Cultivating
your sexual potential in marriage leads to greater mental, emotional,
and physical health, happiness and wholeness.
By Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
Dont' Tell the
Bad Stuff
If you are annoyed with your spouse, keep
it to yourself. Let unkind remarks fly off your tongue and
they will come back to bite you every time, no matter how true they
may be.
By Gary and Joy Lundberg
Two
Keys to Finding and Keeping a Mate
If you're having trouble finding a mate, make
a list. It's what you do with the list after you make it that could
find you a husband or wife.
By Gary and Joy Lundberg
The
Forgotten Gifts
Too often we put our mates on the back burner
and fail to let them know how important they are to us. That's when
life becomes mundane and burdensome. We have the power to keep that
from happening. If couples give each other the often-ignored gift
of momentary loving full attention, miracles can happen.
By Gary and Joy Lundberg
That’s
What Love Does
Your own suffering can be put on a back burner
when someone you love is worse off. The Lord's love makes that possible.
He can give people an inner strength they didn't know they had.
By Gary and Joy Lundberg
Creating
a “Miracle Family”
Whether He is saving a life or restoring a
pot of clam chowder, the Lord is working miracles in your family.
Look at your own life and remember the times the Lord has caused
a little miracle in answer to your prayers. Then find ways to share
it with your loved ones.
By Gary and Joy Lundberg
Father
Times
—
Lessons
from Reaching Out to Fathers
Most men care about the children in
their lives, and will respond when given support as parents and
caregivers. This newsletter on fatherhood is so exciting for fathers
that it is even being requested by inmates in jail. It can help
fathers who are not incarcerated, too.
By Sean E. Brotherson
Strengthening
Our Marriages
―
Where to Begin and Where to Go
We must realize that we are the community
that sustains the marriages of those we know and care about. We
are the ones who create the culture that helps them to believe in
marriage and its potential for happiness.
By Sean E. Brotherson
Does
Sarcasm Belong in Our Relationships?
Removing sarcasm from your interactions
with your spouse is one of the fastest ways to see improvement in
marital interaction.
By Klayne I. Rasmussen, Ph.D., LMFT
A
Happy Marriage Requires
Holding
On Through the Hard Times
There will be hard times, even tragedies,
in every couple’s life. These are the times that can bring
you together or break you apart. If you will be determined that,
no matter what happens, you are committed to each other and to your
marriage, then there is no way these difficult times can break you
apart.
by Gary and
Joy Lundberg
The
Spirituality of Sex
Sexuality is a sacred and innate part of our
being, designed by God not only for procreation, but also for expressions
of love in marriage.
By Laura M. Brotherson
Parents
Must Boldly Teach the Consequences of Immorality
We, as parents, can no longer stand by and
blindly hope that our kids are behaving morally. Their lives are
at stake, physically and spiritually.
By Gary and Joy Lundberg
The
Sweetest Love Stories
He turned to me, held my hand and
looked into my eyes as he said, "Deb, if you are going to be
in a wheelchair for the rest of your life, I am going to be there
to push it." I knew I could never be with anyone else.
By Sean E. Brotherson
Tithing, Fast Offerings,
and Family Blessings
Among all the financial and spiritual
questions we faced, perhaps none was so important as the decision
related to payment of tithing and offerings to the Church. Could
we afford it? Could we afford to deprive ourselves of the Lord’s
promised blessings?
By Sean E. Brotherson
First Principles
of Marriage — From Misery to Joy
It’s amazing what awful things we can
learn in the course of growing up. This world teaches us to look
after ourselves at all costs. But the lessons we learned for childhood
survival do not contribute to healthy marital functioning.
By H. Wallace Goddard
The Greatest
Gift You Can Give Your Children
What are your children learning from you about
marriage? Do they know how to successfully resolve differences and
difficulties? Do they see you being tender and affectionate with
each other, and having fun together?
By Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
Happy
In the Hall-Walking Stage
Can you really get something out of
church meetings when you're walking the halls with a two-year-old?
By Mary Babcock
The
Spirit of Christmas — Stories from Family Heritage
As I turned to walk towards the truck I distinctly
heard a child cry in the night. That cry spoke to my inner soul,
and I knew that I had been given a gift, a gift of Christmas unlike
any other I would ever receive.
By Sean E. Brotherson
“How
Do I Get My Spouse to Change?”
Many of us focus on the imperfections of our
spouse, thinking rarely of our own weaknesses and the role we play
in creating the dynamics of our marriage. It's the "how-do-I-get-my-spouse-to-change-syndrome."
We think if only our spouse would change this or that, then we'd
be happy.
By Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
What’s
Okay and What Isn’t, Part II
Dealing
with Sexual Differences in Marriage
Determining what's okay and what isn't
within the intimate marital relationship is no easy task. But if
we will take the opportunity to seek God's perspective on these
delicate matters, we can develop greater spiritual self-reliance,
and be blessed with greater spiritual insight.
By Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
One
of the Great Secrets of a Happy Marriage
We’ve never met the person yet
who married with the idea of doing everything possible to make his
or her spouse miserable. And yet some people seem to have gradually
moved onto that path.
By
Gary and Joy Lundberg
What’s Okay and What
Isn’t, Part I
Determining What’s Okay within the
Intimate Marital Relationship
What's okay and
what isn't? It's the million-dollar question about sex, and the
most requested line of questioning I get. Yet it is also the single
most complex, delicate, and potentially dangerous topic of discussion
there is.
By Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
Cultivating Intimate Desire for Your Spouse
“I'm just not a sexual person.
I don’t ever feel sexy." Feeling amorous and sexy is
a state of mind that many women must learn to nurture.
By Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
Honoring Your Family
Name
Stop and think about whether your
attitude or behavior in your marriage relationship is something
that, if your children were aware of it some day, they would look
back at you and feel proud or ashamed.
By Sean E. Brotherson
God's Wedding
Gift — Why Save Sex for Marriage
God has designated sexual intimacy as a "wedding
gift" given only to those who are legally and lawfully married.
But, are there additional benefits in saving sex for marriage — beyond obeying God's
command? Yes! There are many.
By Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
Divine
Designs of Marriage
Marriage is divinely designed as a
personal crucible —
a refiner’s fire —
to smooth off our rough edges, and shape us into our divine authentic
self.
By Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
The Adventure of Marriage
Marriage is the ultimate surprise
“grab bag”—
where you never really know what you’re going to get.
By Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
Laugh
a Lot—Marriage Needs a Sense of Humor
Finding the humor in everyday situations
is a great way to live joyfully with your mate. Here's how.
by Gary and Joy Lundberg
“Why
Do I Keep Doing That?” — Understanding Why We Sin
Why
do I keep doing that?” It’s a common question we ask
ourselves regarding our personal sins and less-than-ideal behaviors.
Our sins provide us with a way to know that something within us
needs our attention. Most people want to change, want to be better,
but just can’t seem to do so in the way they desire.
By
Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
You and Your Child’s
Friendships
The people who make a difference in
your life are not the ones with the most money, the most fame, or
the most awards — they are the ones who care.
By Sean E. Brotherson
Saints and Marriage – An
Appeal for Your Ideas, Experiences, and Insights
What we need is both a temple
marriage and a healthy marriage that becomes a celestial
marriage.
By Sean E. Brotherson
Marriage
Traditions: Cultivating Couple Connections
Marriage traditions provide ongoing
opportunities to be together as husband and wife—to feel like
a couple again, to be sweethearts—amidst the demands that
pull husband and wife in different directions.
By
Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
“Don’t Forget the Honeymoon!”
With intimacy issues as one of the
primary causes of divorce and dissatisfaction in marriage, couples
must prepare for the honeymoon and the intimate aspects of marriage,
just as they prepare for the wedding day.
By
Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
Why Is Sex Such A Taboo Subject in Families?
The seriousness of sexual sin is considerable,
but parents must realize that it is light and truth that provides
power to resist temptation, not ignorance and darkness.
By
Laura M. Brotherson, CFLE
When
Intimacy Goes Wrong in Marriage
Four of the top ten books listed as currently
the "most popular" books on marriage at the Deseret Book
web site were very specifically on sexual intimacy in marriage.
By Sean E. Brotherson
Why
Is Sex Such a Taboo Subject in Marriage?
Why is it so difficult for couples to openly
and honestly address sexual issues with each other? Incredibly,
many couples have never had a serious conversation on this subject
By
Laura M Brotherson
A Day to Yourself with Mom
– What Would You Do?
What you would do if you could have
a day to yourself with your mother and you tried to make it a positive,
meaningful and memorable day together?
By Sean E. Brotherson
Fatherhood is Sacred
Men have great power, for good or
ill, in the lives of their children. A man can be a blessing to
his children, his family, his people. A man can be a burden to his
children, his family, his people.
By Sean E. Brotherson
Six
Ways to Strengthen Somebody Else’s Marriage
In a world that denigrates and dissolves
marriage, what can you do to strengthen somebody else's marriage?
Is it even possible?
By
Sean E. Brotherson
Sins
of Omission and Marital Distress
Does your marriage have any difficulties?
Do you experience any distance between yourselves? Dr. Brotherson
has been doing some deep contemplation about the sources of marital
problems.
By
Sean E. Brotherson
Preparing
Your Children for Intimacy in Marriage—When and How
Don't put off teaching your children
about intimacy until you feel more comfortable and don't let someone
else be their teacher.
By Laura M. Brotherson
Understanding Marital
Intimacy - A Review of And They Were Not Ashamed: Strengthening
Marriage through Sexual Fulfillment
No topic is more
deserving of reverence and sensitivity than physical intimacy in
marriage. Such reverence, however, does not mean that we never speak
of sexual intimacy or abide in ignorance as to its true nature and
purposes. Sexual intimacy is a gift of God to the married couple.
To treat it with ignorance or disrespect by failing to understand
and appreciate its power for good in marriage is to leave the gift
sitting unwrapped, never used, or poorly appreciated because it
has never been understood.
By
Sean E. Brotherson
Putting a Marriage Back
Together – An Invitation
Disintegrated marriages that get to
the point of divorce and then rebound to happiness are a more common
phenomenom than you think. In other words, don't give up.
By Sean E. Brotherson
Preparing
Your Children for Intimacy in Marriage—What to Teach
Society is saturated with sexual information—most
of it negative, distorted, even corrupt. Parents must go on the
offensive, teaching a healthy and holy understanding of sexuality.
By Laura M. Brotherson
A
Light in the Darkness, Part III
Walking
the Pathway of Depression
The
real and personal world of walking the pathway of life while experiencing
depression is a common experience for many men and women, but it
need not be a hopeless experience.
by
Sean E. Brotherson and Joel C. Smith
Preparing
Your Children for Intimacy in Marriage—Preparing to Teach
Parents have the responsibility and
opportunity to prepare their children for lasting fulfillment in
marriage by teaching them the sacred and sanctifying nature of intimacy.
Here's the first of a three part series from Laura Brotherson offering
some real help for parents to prepare themselves to present God’s
perspective on issues concerning the body and sexuality.
By Laura M. Brotherson
A
Light in the Darkness, Part II
Finding
Healing and Wholeness from Depression
Laura Brotherson is a Latter-day Saint
who learned first-hand how devastating depression can be--and how
you can heal from its ravages.
by Sean E. Brotherson and Laura M. Brotherson
“A
Light in the Darkness” – Understanding and Dealing with Depression
This week Sean will give us the first
in a three-part series on understanding and dealing with depression
as
Latter-day Saints.
By Sean E. Brotherson
“A
Little Child Shall Lead Them” – How Following a Child’s Invitation
Can Change and Improve Your Parenting
When was the last time you dropped
what you were doing to follow the invitation of a child?
By
Sean E. Brotherson
Seasons:
Reflections on Ordinances, Family, and a Loving Father
Sean shares a personal essay on the
seasons of life and the blessings of holy ordinances.
By
Sean E. Brotherson
Dealing
with Differences in Marriage
Men are from Mars and women from Venus.
Is there anything to be done to brings us all back to planet earth?
By Sean E. Brotherson
What Makes a Family Strong?
Families have changed in many ways over recent decades. What does
"family" mean to you and just how important are family
connections?
by
Sean E. Brotherson
The
Doctrine of Celestial Marriage
How often does each one of us, especially those
who may have become weary and wandering in their marriage relationships,
need to receive a lift and raise our eyes to a more eternal perspective?
By
Sean E. Brotherson
“And
They Were Not Ashamed”— What the Scriptures Teach about Physical
Intimacy in Marriage
When it comes to marriage,
one topic in particular requires a healthy understanding of the
Lord’s perspective—physical intimacy between husband
and wife. Yet too often the world rules the dialogue on this subject,
ruining our perspective on sexuality.
By Laura M. Brotherson
A
Prophet’s Appeal for Family Night - How is the World Responding?
There are many outside the faith responding
to the Prophet's call for family home evening. Are we as Saints
doing the same?
By
Sean E. Brotherson
Of
Hobbits, Elves, and The Return of the King:
Family Lessons from the Lord of the Rings
Sean Brotherson writes, "I have
probably read the Lord of the Rings series a dozen times or more.
I have enjoyed its winding tales and the intricacies of each character.
But not until now have I seen what, for me, is the genuine message
of the Tolkien saga. Every story is a family story."
By Sean E. Brotherson
Small
Things, Families and Gratitude
We are sometimes unaware of the power
of small things, but it is by small means that great things are
accomplished.
By
Sean E. Brotherson
Anger,
Puffer Fish Parenting and Love
Does our parenting reveal Christ
to our children?
By
Sean E. Brotherson
Grandpas
and Family History
I think eternal life probably has
something to do with being a good grandpa.
By
Sean E. Brotherson
Children’s
Greatest Need
What
can be more important than fun, communication and even love from
parents and home? Sean Brotherson tells us.
By Sean E. Brotherson
To
Parents - Teach thy Children
In
a world of pain and sin, how do we help our children find peace?
By
Sean E. Brotherson
The Power
of Parental Connections: A Pathway to Blessing and Protecting Your
Children
A
parent's ability to connect with his or her child on an emotional
level is key to that child's happiness and sense of self. Brotherson
give us concrete ideas on connecting with our children and profoundly
affecting their state of well-being.
By
Sean E. Brotherson
Fulfilling
the Sexual Stewardship in Marriage
Sean
Brotherson broaches the delicate topic of sexual intimacy within
marriage. He suggests that as Latter-day Saints, we are too often
caught up in the world's notions and definitions of that which is
holy. Brotherson opens a dialogue about the sanctity of proper sexual
intimacy in the marriage relationship.
By Sean E. Brotherson
Relinquishing
the White Hat in Divorce
Divorce
can often create a polarizing affect on family members. It is so
easy to point the finger of blame and seek recruits for one's own
side. Darla Isackson encourages divorcees to quit assigning the
'black hat' to the other spouse and turn to the Lord for sustenance.
by Darla
Isackson
“Lord,
Is It I?”: Relinquishing
the White Hat in Marriage
In our efforts to build and improve marital relationships,
Darla Isackson suggests that perhaps the single most important question
we can ask is “Lord, is it I?” The natural tendency
is to consider only the other person’s contribution to the
problems. Read about the "mote/beam" disease and how to
apply gospel principles to help strengthen your marriage.
By Darla
Isackson
Is Your Marriage a Smart Marriage?
Good
marriages don't just happen. They require hard work and dedication
and forgiveness and, well, smarts.
by
Sean E. Brotherson
Answering
the Call: Taking Steps to Strengthen Marriages and Families
Twenty-seven
words can make a difference in the world.
by
Sean E. Brotherson
Time,
Sex, and Money: Challenges in Early Marriage
You've
all heard the mournful statistics about high divorce rates. But
what concerns me most about the high number of divorces is when
they tend to occur. I'm concerned for young couples.
by Sean E.
Brotherson
Can
Troubled Marriages Change? New Evidence and Insights
I
like it when family life is good. But family life is not always
good. In particular, marriage itself is not always good for far
too many people. There may be conflict, harsh words, and bitter
feelings. And I hear often, very often, and frankly too often, of
disappointment that has turned to despair that has turned to divorce.
I think there are other answers. I am trying to learn what they
are. Here is the intriguing question: Can troubled marriages change?
by Sean E.
Brotherson
Exploring
Emotional Intelligence
It
was literally my first day on the job. I had driven five hours to
a little house out on the edge of the prairie frontier, Rolla, North
Dakota. There I met with a group of staff members from hundreds
of miles around who had gathered for a day of training. Little did
I know that within an hour two questions from her would revolutionize
my thinking.
by Sean E.
Brotherson
Love
That Endures – A Reader’s Love Story
There
is a magnificence in love that endures. Genuine love, the stuff
of which dreams are made of, is not meant to last for only a fleeting
moment. It is meant to be experienced deeply over a lifetime and
beyond. Such love does not come easily or cheaply into our lives.
It requires something of us and it challenges our capacities to
care, to forgive, and to endure.
by Sean E.
Brotherson
Love
Stories – Reader’s Inspiration (Part I)
A
little over a week ago I encouraged you to consider the power of
stories that teach us about love, and to share your own stories
that "illuminate love and what it can and should be."
What a response! I hope you join us over the next few days as I
share with you what you have so generously shared with me: lessons
in love.
by Sean E.
Brotherson
Love
Stories That Linger . . .
by
Sean E. Brotherson |
