Paul W. Powell Legacy Library

Someone has said that marriage is like twirling a baton, turning handsprings, or eating with chopsticks—it looks easy until you try it. Marriage is not as easy as it looks. In marriage two people with different backgrounds, tastes, views, habits, etc. begin to share their lives completely. Conflict is inevitable. After all, no two people will agree on everythin...

Celebrated English poet John Milton said, “Loneliness is the first thing which God’s eye named not good.” There is a loneliness in us that only God can satisfy. But there is also a type of loneliness—a longing for togetherness—that only another can satisfy. We all need the togetherness that only another human can provide. Ruth expresses t...

There is a great deal of talk about reforming or even abolishing marriage. Some psychologists are saying that marriage as it now exists is failing to meet the needs of modern society. They say we have been forcing men and women to conform to the mold of marriage, when what we should be doing is changing marriage to suit the convenience and happiness of people. So they...

The solution to most of the marital discord in today’s home is found in one line from the Bible. It is, “Take heed to your spirit” (Malachi 2:15). If our attitudes and dispositions are right, then we can live in love and peace in any relationship, including marriage. What kind of spirit do we need to develop and maintain a good marriage? 1. A trust...

There are really only two problems in most marriages. One is the husband. The other is the wife. If these two problems are kept under control, then a marriage can be successful. Therefore, at least one half of the marital problems could be solved if men would live up to their Christian responsibilities. What are the duties of a Christian husband? First, he must be un...

In marriage it is more important to be the right person than to find the right person. If people thought more of their responsibilities and less of their rights, most marriages would be happier. Every Christian husband and wife should major in self-improvement. Christian wives should seek to develop a beautiful spirit. There are some people with a beautiful appearanc...

I am convinced that commitment, not love, is the basis for marriage. It is the fact that we promised each other before God and not some romantic feeling that keeps us together and keeps us faithful to one another. Our promises, not our feelings, are the foundation of marriage. That’s right! However, it is easier to keep the commitment if you love the pers...

The diplomacy of the White House in the days of Theodore Roosevelt was “Talk softly but carry a big stick.” In life there are times when it is necessary to carry a big stick—but there are also times when it is good to talk softly. The Bible says, “A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous [harsh] words stir up anger” (Proverbs 15:1)...

Advice columnist Ann Landers once wrote, “More marriages are wrecked on the rocks of religious difference than most people can imagine.” It is a fact that religious differences are one of the principal causes of problems in marriages. How could it be otherwise? It could not be, unless our faith were unimportant to us. The only way religious differences can...