Conflicts in Marriage Are a Given, Use Them to Strengthen Your Relationship

I remember a conversation I had with a teen several years ago; this young person’s bitter voice still rings in my ears to this day.  This is what he said:
“If only my parents have gone to this church, they would not have separated.”
He said so because the church where my family worships in (and where the teen attended youth) is known for its great advocacy for the family, particularly our parenting seminars and marriage retreats.
My wife and I have attended several of these retreats (our most recent undertaking was so successful it had to be done 3 times, selling out each time), and one of the lessons that always sticks out is that conflicts in marriage are a given, but if managed properly, they can actually strengthen marriage and family life.
You got that right.  Conflicts can be a marriage strengthener.
It doesn't mean that you have to be an angry wife or an angry husband all the time, but when conflicts arise, and often (as the audio/video below humorously puts it) they come when you least expect it, the conflict is managed correctly and you have a stronger relationship as a result.
The audio/video file I’m talking about would explain it way better than I can.  It’s a Focus On The Family broadcast with a great marriage counseling couple, Dr. Greg Smalley and his wife Erin.  They talk about a really funny conflict early in their marriage and conflict resolution principles that they have imbibed (and now teach to married couples everywhere).  Dr. Smalley has authored many books, but the one in particular that’s covered in this broadcast is Fight Your Way To A Better Marriage.
(See part 2 of the video here)
The marriage retreats in our church use very much the same principles (and we will again have these awesome events in 2013) but the book will, of course, do a much more through job and it makes a great gift to give to your married friends this holiday season.
So, don’t forget, husbands and wives, conflicts in marriage are a given, use them to strengthen your relationship.  Here are more books by the author, which you can enjoy either book form or kindle:

• The Marriage You've Always Dreamed Of 
• The Wholehearted Marriage: Fully Engaging Your Most Important Relationship

Here are some other marriage books you might like:

• The Best Advice I Ever Got on Marriage: Transforming Insights from Respected Husbands & Wives
•  52 Things Wives Need from Their Husbands: What Husbands Can Do to Build a Stronger Marriage 
• Capture Her Heart: Becoming the Godly Husband Your Wife Desires 
•  Red-Hot Monogamy: Making Your Marriage Sizzle
• Tips to Romance Your Wife (Simply Romantic Tips)
• What Wives Wish Their Husbands Knew About Women
• The Love Dare (from the movie Fireproof)
• The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts