Dating and the Principle of “Least Interest”
Cathy and I each hold college degrees in the family science field. The principle of least interest is a prominent theory in this discipline. The principle of least interest is simply that the partner...
View ArticleTrusting in the Lord’s Promises as we are Nourished by General Conference
Cover image via Gospel Media Library. As we bask in the light of Holy Week and the joy of Easter, our hearts are drawn to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of our faith in The Church of...
View ArticleHere’s how to attend the 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference
The following is excerpted from the Church News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE. The 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference will take place from Aug. 2 through Aug. 4, in Salt Lake City,...
View ArticleBeyond Blame: Nurturing Relationships in the Inferno of Frustration
Imagine you have an uncle who enjoys smoking cigarettes indoors despite repeated warnings of the fire hazard it creates. Now, picture a little boy fascinated by playing with matches, despite being...
View ArticleFrom Covenant-Breakers to Peace-Makers: The Journey of Forgiveness in Divorce
In Romans Chapter 1, Paul rails, “against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,” including “covenant breakers” (Romans 1:18, 31). One of the most common complaints I have heard by Latter-day...
View ArticleSingle Moms: A Man is Not a Financial Plan
“A man is not a financial plan.” Those words were spoken to me by a dating partner during my mid-single years. She was a beautiful, capable, and insightful woman with three minor children and a...
View ArticleEmergency Fund Challenge for Singles
According to FOXMONEY: “According to Bankrate’s [annual emergency fund report], only 44% of Americans could pay a $1,000 emergency expense from their savings. More than one-third of adults have more...
View ArticleHow to attend this young single adult conference in Washington, D.C.
The following is excerpted from the Church News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE. The 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference will draw together thousands of young adults from Aug. 2-4 in...
View ArticleYour Hardest Family Question: What are the rules about dating later in life?
Question: My husband, to whom I am sealed, passed away a little over a year ago and I’m starting to date again for a “time” partner. I don’t know the rules anymore, especially since the last time I...
View ArticleYour Single Adult Dating Journey: Where to Begin?
The following was originally published as Chapter 1 of the Authors’ Book: Intentional Courtship: A Mid-Singles Guide to Peace, Progress, and Pairing Up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day...
View ArticleTools for Putting Out and Preventing Fires in Your Relationship
“If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” — Abraham Maslow This quote is a perfect metaphor for the overreliance on a single strategy in managing relationship communication—namely,...
View ArticleDo Boundaries Help or Hinder Relationships?
The personal development community, like any other community, is prone to intellectual fads, which sometimes resurface from time to time under different labels. In the 1980’s, the term “boundaries” was...
View ArticleIs Stonewalling Hurting Your Relationship? Here’s How to Fix It
In dating relationships, healthy communication is an essential part of resolving issues and building trust. When one party refuses to engage in dialogue, shutting down discussions and withholding...
View ArticleHow to Safeguard Your Heart While Searching for Eternal Love
Dating can be fun and exciting as we meet and form relationships with new people. But it also leaves us vulnerable to rejection. When someone you are interested in returns your interest, it can be...
View ArticleOvercoming Fear to Find Love
Author’s Note: Below are excerpts from Chapter 3 of Intentional Courtship: A Mid-Singles Guide to Peace, Progress, and Pairing Up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. CLICK HERE to get...
View ArticleYour Hardest Family Question: I’m afraid of commitment
Question: I don’t know why I’m afraid to be in a relationship. I want one but when it’s time to get serious I get so scared. I’m enjoying being single, but feel lonely at the same time. I’m attracted...
View ArticleReal Love vs. Imitation Love: Lessons for Enduring Relationships
In a culture captivated by a highly emotional vision of romantic love, we sometimes overlook the quiet, patient, resilient work that real and enduring love requires. Love is not simply an emotion that...
View ArticleThe Challenge of Choosing Joy
Father Lehi taught that “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25). But if joy is our very reason for existing, why is it often so elusive for so many? Many...
View ArticleHow God Restores What the Years Have Taken
Colonel Wesley L. Fox said, “You are never too old to start over.” Many middle-aged and older singles struggle to believe that. My first marriage effectively ended at Christmas 2008. I spend four hours...
View ArticleFrom Pain to Peace: The Journey to Emotional Healing After Divorce
During close to a decade in the singles community, and in the four years since Cathy and I published Intentional Courtship, I have consistently observed that new divorcees (me included) spend a lot of...
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