Well, she is not old, but it has been a while since we talked.

She read a recent article published at StreetArticles.com.

She made the following comment, which she said I could share with others:
“Dr. Randy Carney was a friend of my parents while I was growing up. I remember fun sleepovers at his house with his daughters when I was young. He wrote this article. It is great. I think this applies beautifully for marriage, too! You know your stuff, Dr. Carney!”
–Amy Bowman
http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/

I would encourage you to check out her excellent blog site too.

Thank you again, Amy.

Good to hear from you, and give our love to your family.

Happy Couple -- The Chrisitan Marriage

The Christian Marriage - Happy Couple (copyright 2011 @ clipart.com)

I was asked recently about when a marriage seminar might be available in southern Illinois, and I have been asked about longer versions of the seminar. Morthland College in West Frankfort, Illinois, provides an answer for both of those questions. The Christian Marriage course will be available for four Tuesday evenings from July 12-August 2, 2011.

The Community Education Courses at Morthland College have begun. June registration is now closed, but July registration is still open. The mission of the community education program is to provide short courses that introduce the learner to subjects of interest. Programs are delivered by experts in their field who are committed to the core values of Morthland College.

The cost of a community education course is $40 for a four hour course. Seniors citizens (age 65+) and Pastors, you may attend ONE course at no charge. Preregistration IS required for this benefit. For more information, click here.

I am quite pleased to be able to offer The LOVING Way Marriage Seminar as a community education course at Morthland College this summer.

Here is the course description:

REL C110 The Christian Marriage – Randy Carney, M.Div., D. Min.
Tuesdays from 6:30-7:30pm in Admin 2 – July 12, 19, 26 and August 2
The LOVING Way to a Successful Marriage: Six Keys to Marital Bliss is suitable for marriages in various stages – anywhere from Newlyweds to Marriage Veterans. In this course, you will discover how to: Improve your relationship with your spouse, children and in-laws; turn your negative differences into positive connections; improve your communication skills; delight yourself with physical and spiritual intimacy; discover and meet each other’s greatest needs; and see that a seeming contradiction can benefit you many times over.

I look forward to meeting with many of you in the days to come.

Randy has just written two articles for StreetArticles.com. One is about nurturing our love and building relationships that last. The other is about what a wife can do when her husband seems to be distancing himself from her. Go to Street Articles and check them out.

We are excited about the upcoming marriage-enrichment seminar at First Baptist Church in Del Rio, TX

Del Rio Sign Up Form

Click Here for Sign-up Form

If you will be in the Del Rio area on June 4, we invite you to come and see us. Please note that Rhonda will not be accompanying me (Randy) on this trip, but it will be a great time anyway.

Please notice that I will be talking about: “Don’t Just Be In the Marriage Game–Go for the Championship,” “How to Break the “Crazy Cycle!” and “Six Keys to Marital Bliss.” We have a lot of fun during this evening even while we deal with some serious topics. See the comments in the previous blog post to see what others said about a very similar event to this one.

Here is the link to to get to the sign up form and for more information: http://www.fbcdelrio.com/#/events-eventos/marriage-enrichment.

About a year-and-a-half ago, I went on a mission trip with the Many Hands of Christ ministry to Acuña, Mexico, and was introduced to Pastor Jeff Johnson, who was very gracious to the team. At that time, I had just finished the book, The LOVING Way to a Successful Marriage: Six Keys to Marital Bliss. That evening he invited me to come and speak to his congregation the next time Many Hands of Christ would be in the area! That is now in the making.

We hope you can come and visit us (the mission team) on that evening.

We had a wonderful time at the marriage and couples’ relationship seminar at Thompsonville First Baptist Church last weekend.

Randy and Rhonda Carney Will be Speaking at the Marriage Seminar at Thompsonville First Baptist Church

Randy and Rhonda Carney

Pastor John Robinson did a wonderful job of being our host for the evening, and Tracy Clem helped with the sound, PowerPoint and other technical details. We also appreciate Rusty Carney being our photographer, and we hope to post some of those pictures here soon.

How did it go? Well, Rhonda and I had a good time, and that is always a good sign.

.
Here are comments made about the event:

“This was a great program! I loved the scale for the 10 items important in a marriage. I am excited to meet the needs with my husband. Thanks for showing us a great relationship.”

“I like how easy and relaxed the session was and no pressure.”

“Enjoyed it very much. Appreciate the example of the Carney marriage.”

“Men’s breakout session was excellent. Questions and discussion in breakout sessions could be interesting.”

.

When asked about the best ideas the participants received and planned to use, we were told the following:

“Do what you need to do in your marriage for God.”

“Taking more initiative to go out of my way to meet more of his need and be more thoughtful and complimenary.”

“Tips on how to meed the need for affection.”

“The Energizing Cycle!”

“Don’t ’stonewall.’”

“Breakout session”

“To encourage my husband daily.”

“Act and react motivation”

So, you can see that we had a good time. We are looking at combining events like these with our fundraising option. (We will put up a page about that on this website soon.)

If you would like to book Randy for your event (any area), click on “Request Randy” above. If you would like to have both of us (mostly local area only), mention that in the comment box when you go to the request page.

Randy and Rhonda Carney Will be Speaking at the Marriage Seminar at Thompsonville First Baptist Church

Randy and Rhonda Carney

Rhonda and I have the great privilege of putting on a marriage-enrichment seminar (engaged couples are welcome too :) ) at the First Baptist Church of Thompsonville, Illinois.

Rhonda is actually speaking twice that day. During the noon hour, she will be speaking to a group of ladies at Rescue Free Will Baptist Church in Ewing, IL. She was asked to speak about what it is like to be parents of missionaries. Our son, Rusty, his wife, Brenda, and our four-year-old granddaughter, Grace, are missionaries in Hokkaido, Japan. They are home here in the States for a few months. For my part, the distance is sometimes hard, but we would rather have them in the will of God than to be physically close and not in His will.

Then, in the middle of the afternoon, we are going to a celebration of years of ministry for our good friends, Jerry and Emma Herring. You could sort of say that Jerry is retiring, although he is still pastoring a church in Cypress, IL.

Then at 6:00 that evening, we go to the Marriage seminar. We begin with a meal. Then we have a general session where I am the keynote speaker. Following a short break, we go into breakout sessions. I am with the husbands for that, and Rhonda is with the wives. Following another short break, we will have the closing general session with both Rhonda and me.

We are looking to a fun evening with a lot of light-hearted moments as we deal with a sometimes heavy subject. Some of the things we will be discussing are:

  • Don’t Just Be In the Marriage Game — Go for the Championship!
  • Men, What Do You and Michael Jordan Have in Common?
  • How to Break the “Crazy Cycle”
  • Leadership Lessons Learned from Jesus
  • Two of Your Husband’s Greatest Needs
  • How to Get Your Husband to Talk to You
  • How to Help Your Wife Feel Your Love

Some attended this seminar last year, and at that time, I gave an overview of the six keys to marital bliss. There is so much in that book, that less than ten percent of the material we cover this time will be a repeat of last year’s content.

We are looking forward to the evening very much, and we pray that everyone will come away with several, but at least one, good idea(s) that will benefit his or her marriage in a great way.

The church has informed me that they will be able to continue accepting new registrations today and tomorrow, so here is a link for information about it: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100227836732299.

Want Advice On Unrequited Love? – Then Stop

Shooting

Yourself Down!

If someone doesn’t love you back, you have two options: One is to win back his or her love. The other is to accept what you don’t seem to be able to change. If you are married, and the situation does not involve infidelity, abuse or abandonement, the first option is what you will major on.

Of course, if the situation does involve infidelity, abuse or abandonment, then you may have an option (though not required) to split up on a more or less permanent basis.

I’m not really sure that there is anything worse than loving someone who does not love you. It can be torture to have such strong emotions and not have them returned. No one can make it all go away, but there here is a little advice on unrequited love that may make things a little easier.

It may sound like a cliche, but it is true: It’s not you it’s your spouse.  The fact of the matter is that many people end a relationship too quickly and than later regret it. The person who left you may very well one day realize that that was the biggest mistake of his or her life. You might very well be the one that got away, and people in situations just like yours  may always regret it.

Don’t assume that your partner left because he or she didn’t love you, it could have been that he or she didn’t realize he (she) loved you or even that your spouse was afraid of the love he or she felt for you.

I know this does little to ease your hurt but at least your pride can be a little less injured with this knowledge.

Sometimes it is just not the right time. Sometimes you meet someone, and one or the other of you is on the rebound or just not looking for love. Neither of you may realize it right away and when one of you does figure it out and leave it can leave the other person feeling blindsided.

Sometimes we sabotage ourselves. We ignore obvious signs that the other person just isn’t that into us. We pretend they are interested when we know in our heart that they are not. Make sure you are completely honest with yourself about the situation which is good  advice on unrequited love.

You also need to make sure that you are not sabotaging your relationships in other ways. Many people who don’t feel good about themselves have a hard time believing that they are worthy of love. If they feel that way, they often push love away without even realizing it. Make sure that is not what you are doing.

Try to honestly figure out what it is that you are doing that is causing you to love the wrong people or to push love away when you have it.  You may be surprised to find that love really is within your grasp you just have to learn to let it happen in it’s own time and not try to force it.

If any one of these scenarios is the reason they left you it is possible that someday the two of you will come back together. But, do not wait for that day to come. Instead live your life and trust that if it was meant to be, it will be. That is the single hardest thing to do, but it is good advice.

This advice on unrequited love may help you sort things out and find the solution to your relationship issues. It is not always easy to face up to your flaws and make changes, but it can be done. Don’t give up, realize that you are someone who is worthy of love and

“Get your marriage back?” Does that seem to be easier said than done? Of course it does, and this is especially true if your husband or wife has just left you. 

You may have come here after reading an article on using articles.com or after reading that article as it has been reprinted, with permission, at other sites.

Get Back Together

Get Back Together and Things Will Be Great!

Here is an expanded version of that article with helpful links to similar resources on this topic.  While you are here, look at other helpful articles (blog posts), resources, and webpages that can help you attack problems in your marriage.  Reading about these things can also help you prevent problems before they come up

Get your marriage back, starting today. is that really possible? It is. Here’s how to get started restoring your marriage in 7 easy steps.

Before we get started, though, let’s talk some about experience.  Some say that experience is the best teacher.  It certainly is an effective teacher, but it can be a very painful teacher too.  You can learn from your own experience, and that will help you in the future; however, how much better it would be to learn from other people’s experiences.  Then you would gain some valuable information without having to go through your own pain.
 
I have learned from my own experience.  I have also learned much valuable information from reading about the experiences of others.  I have been able to help others by passing along what I have read or heard.  Some of my best help has come about by introducing people who are going through a certain problem to others who have gone through a similar problem and have come out successful on the other side.
 
My desire in helping others is to give them content that is based on good research, based on my own personal experiences, based on the experiences of others, and is based on timeless truths
 
What are some great steps for getting your marriage back?  Here are some of them.
 
Step 1. Be strong and refrain from acting like you are falling apart.
 
You see, when your partner finally summons up the courage to leave you, he or she gets a newfound sense of power.  If you act like you will just fall apart if your spouse does not come back to you, you will just fuel that feeling of power.  So, though you may be dying inside, don’t act like you will fall apart unless your estranged spouse comes back to you
 
Step 2. Give your spouse some space and time to think.
 
Even though your mate feels empowered by leaving you, you have to understand that he or she is not thinking clearly too.  He or she probably really does need some time to think because in that thinking time, your partner will have a chance to realize some mistakes he or she has made. Also, it will take some time for him or her to realize some of the negative consequences of this action.
 
 
Here is the secret to avoiding an argument.  It is one that you will especially need to use during this time.  It is not necessarily one you will use forever, but it will serve you well as you are trying to get your spouse back.
That simple secret is to agree with your spouse.  You should actually consider what he or she has to say, and when he or she is right, certainly agree with him or her.
 
What if it cannot be proven that he or she is right?  Consider this.  When you deal with matters of opinion that cannot be proved one way or the other, you will do well to agree with your mate’s opinion (even though your opinion might be different).
 
What about when your former lover is “just plain wrong”?  Then, do your best to just “hold your tongue.”
How can an argument get started if you agree?
 
After using this technique temporarily, you will find ways that you can disagree agreeably in the future, but you probably will want to continue on with this technique when you deal with many future occasions.
 
Step 4. Make necessary changes in your own life.
 
Your main desire is to get your marriage back. If you want that to happen, you will have to make some necessary changes in your own life.
 
Even if you do not get your husband or wife back, you will have to go on with life. In either case, you will have to develop a “new you” in the midst of this difficult situation. There are several keys to marital bliss, and you want to reinvent yourself in such a way that you contribute to those keys. (Those keys are related in my book, The LOVING Way to a Successful Marriage: Six keys to Marital Bliss. You can get a free six-session mini-course based on that book right here.)
Six Keys to Marital Bliss

The LOVING Way to a Successful Marriage: Six Keys to Marital Bliss

 
Step 5. Apologize for what you did wrong.
 
You want to formulate this apology carefully.  You do not want it to be a fake apology, so clearly identify what it is, and what it is not, that you are apologizing for.  Then make the apology, but don’t apologize over and over and over again. Remember step one.
 
Step 6. Ask for another chance.
 
At the appropriate time, ask for another chance.  That appropriate time will be after you have given your mate some space and after you have shown how you are improving your own life.
 
Step 7.  After you get back together, keep improving your marriage.
 
Don’t let what you learned during this process be for nothing.  If it appears that it was all just fake, and for the process of dragging your mate back into the old situation, this success will not last long.  Build on the positive changes you have made.  Make your new experience of marriage a priority, and things will be better than ever.

I conduct marriage seminars across the country, and I have discovered that two types of people attend those seminars. The first type includes those whose marriages are in desparate situations. The second type, however, includes those who have great marriages. Why do they attend? It is because they consider their marriages to be one of the highest priorities in their lives. They realize that they have not “arrived yet.”  They are open to constantly learning new things to improve their marriages.

When you get your marriage back, you want to be like that second group and keep on improving your marriage.

One of the ways to do that is to learn how to balance your marriage across six key areas of marital life.  Again, check out The LOVING Way to a Successful Marriage: Six Keys to Marital Bliss.

Be Reassured – Seven Great Signs That Your Wife May Be Crazy About You

is your wife crazy about you?  It would be wonderful to think that that is the case.  Sometimes changes take place in marriage, and sometimes those changes raise questions in our minds.  Sometimes there is a natural cooling off after you have been married for a while.  That, however does not mean, necessarily, that either your love for your wife or your wife’s love for you has diminished.

Your wife may also have questions about whether you really love her too.

How to tell if your wife loves you may be a question on your mind if you have been married for a while. Marriage requires a lot of adjustments. Sometimes those adjustments come easily. Sometimes they are hard to make. Then marriages go through stages. When you come to a new stage, you may begin to question things. You may, at times, ask, “Does my wife love me?” Finding your wife not in love with you would be devastating. After all, if your wife isn’t in love with you, why would you want to continue being married?

If you find your wife’s love for you has cooled off, and you still love her, you will want to find ways to rekindle her love for you so you can get back together.

Positive answers to these seven prominent questions can not only reassure you that your wife does love you. They may also indicate that she is really crazy about you.

Is You Wife Interested in What You Have To Say?

When you come home from work and began to tell her about your day, does she seem interested in what you have to say?  Take notice when you have conversations with her.  If she genuinely seems interested in what you’re saying, that is a good sign.  If she seems distracted and hardly pays attention to you, that can be a negative sign. So, when you wonder, “Does my wife love me?” ask if she is interested in what you have to say.

Does Your Wife Want to Spend Time with You?

Along with observing whether or not she is interested in what you have to say, you can also observe whether or not she wants to spend time with you.  If she seems to be finding more and more excuses to spend less and less time with you, that is not good.  If your wife isn’t in love with you, she will not like to be with you. However, if she really wants to spend time with you, that can be a sign of her love for you.

Does Your Wife Consult You about Major Decisions in Her Life?

If she consults with you when she gets ready to make a major decision in her life, that shows her love for you.  She will naturally be drawn to the one she is close to in order to gain such important and good advice.  If she seldom seems to care what you think, that is a bad sign. One of the signs of finding your wife not in love with you would be her avoiding you when she makes major decisions.

Does Your Wife Continue to Be Interested in Physical Intimacy with You?

Does she continue to be interested in physical intimacy with you?  This sign may be a little harder to discern.  Someone has said that women are like electric stoves and men are like microwaves. Generally speaking, men are quickly ready for physical intimacy, however, generally speaking, women are more like electric stoves.  It takes a while for them to warm up.  As you may know, there can be many things that will dampen a woman’s desire in this area.  Still, you know your wife better than anyone else.  Has there been a change in this area? 

Does Your Wife Express Admiration for You?

Finally, do you feel respected when you are around your wife?  She may not know how really important this is to you.  Without meaning to, a wife who really loves her husband can slip into taking him for granted.  However, if your wife does not love you, it is very likely that she will not show any admiration for you. If your wife often expresses her admiration for you, that will be one of the waysfor you to know how to tell if your wife loves you.

Is You Wife Concerned About Meeting Your Needs?

If your wife is concerned about your needs and often puts them ahead of her needs, you can be assured that this is a sign of her love for you. If she has little concern for your needs, that, of course may be a negative sign.  However, if she is very concerned about your needs, she may not only love you.  She may be crazy about you.

Does Your Wife Help Even Out the Give and Take?

There should be some give and take in every marriage.  However, it shoul not be lopsided, where one has to do all the giving and the other one has to take everything.  If your wife understands this and seems to be fair and cooperative, this can be a sign of her love for you.

“Yes answers” to these seven questions can reassure you when you want to know how to tell if your wife loves you. Take courage if most of those answers are “yes.”

If the answers to your questions were “no,” you may need to visit our “Get Back Together” page.

A Who Appears Frustrated About Leaving His Parents

Frustrated Over Leaving His Parents

When I say he won’t leave his father and mother, of course, you know, that is a problem if he will not physically leave his former home.  However, the failure to leave mentally can be just as large a problem.  Sometimes it is even more of a problem, because you don’t find out about it until after the marriage takes place.  Then, when it dawns on you, you become very frustrated, and you really have problems figuring out how to handle it.  It can be the source of many fights between you and your husband.

He won’t leave his mother and father? You may not have that actual physical problem, but it may seem like it. You are are unsure if he will leave his mother, mentally and emotionally. You also notice that he depends very much upon his father when it comes time for him to make decisions.

This need to leave, at least mentally, it is a very important part of certain relationship psychology basics.

You are convinced of his love for you. If he won’t leave his father and mother, emotionally, will that really interfere with your wonderful relationship?

Actually some of the best words of advice ever given were that a man should leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife. There will definitely be cleaving problems if your husband does not make that mental break with his own family.

Often we joke about a wife saying that she will just will “go home to mother” when she gets frustrated. It is just as serious though, if the husband is not committed to leaving his parents to form the new family.

Here are five steps you can take to deal with this concern:

1. Talk About It

So, this is something for you to really examine before you get married. If there are signs of a very close family, that is not necessarily a bad thing, but you do want to make sure that this “leaving” will actually take place. It certainly is a point for pre-marital discussion.

2. Be Aware of the Problems

Perhaps you should try to identify potential problems that could arise from him, or you for that matter, not leaving his father and mother–at least in his mind.

3. If You Physically Have to Live with One set of Parents, Make Sure the Mental Leaving Takes Place

It sometimes becomes necessary for financial reasons for a couple to live with one of their parents. If that happens, it is even more important that this mental leaving takes place.

4. Make a Commitment to Begin Working on This Before You Get Married

Both of you can begin the mental leaving before the actual leaving takes place. Planning for the wedding is one area where this might be tested. Remember it is YOUR wedding, so hold firm on your own preferences.

5. Tell Each Other How Excited You Are To Have a Life Together

If your jobs take you away from the area, that will sort of sad, in one way, but it will give you the advantage of physical distance between you and your parents. Whether there is a physical leaving or not, be excited about your life together.

So, these five things will help you when it seems like he won’t leave his father, or he won’t leave his mother. It is very important because, you see, it really is a big deal!

Find out more about this topic as part of the free mini-course available ride here at our He Won’t Leave His Father and Mother website. Check out  more of the blog posts with many more marriage articles and tips for marital bliss.

If you have had a fight over this very issue, and you want to get back together, let me introduce you to someone who can really help.

(Copyright 2010 by Dr. Randy Carney) You may reprint this article if you print it in full, leve all links and the resource box intact, and give credit to the author.