One of the most important things that Dan and I implemented at our palace a long time ago was our weekly roundtable meeting. Marriage has a business side that has to be managed. When we don’t manage it well, people get confused and disconnected, no one knows where they are supposed to be, and someone forgets to pick up the children.

That’s why we implemented our weekly meeting where everyone brings their calendar of choice to the table and we hammer out our schedules together for the week. That way everyone knows how to pray for each other. They know where they’re going and when. They know when we’re sharing dinner together, and who’s picking up whom. This is a crucial aspect to keeping the chaos out of your castle and living the palace life.

For more practical ideas on how to rule your kingdom well and manage the business side of your marriage, pick up a copy of our bestselling books “Marriage Warrior” or “Chaos in the Castle or Peace...

One of the most important things we can do for our children is provide a united front. Children are masters at dividing and conquering to get what they want. 

Make it a goal to always stand with your wife in any decisions made. Your children need to know what mom says goes, and you support her 100%.  Your wife needs to know you always have her back.  If there are things you do not agree with, then talk about them privately and come up with a plan you both agree on. 

With the weather cooling off, it is a great time to go to a local park and take a long walk with your wife.  Hold hands and enjoy spending time together.  

Your Mission:

Our wives need to know that they are a priority to us. While you are at work or out and about, text, call, and send an email letting her know you are thinking of her and look forward to being with her when you get home. Search for quotes on "thinking of you" and send an image. Make it a priority this week to spend focused time with her.

Understanding the importance of unity within a business and home is critical to developing healthy relationships. 

In business having a unified purpose is crucial to any organization. Everyone on the team has to be headed in the same direction to successfully reach their goals. When disunity arises in a business platform, things can easily unravel leading to a house of cards that can crash at any moment. Every person has their motivations and learning to recognize those in order to find common ground so that every one is moving in the same direction is important to keeping everyone on the same page. Praise and opportunity are great motivators. For example, if a person in business is motivated by a pat on the back, then being sensitive to that as a boss can empower your employee to achieve greater things. If they are driven by promotion and advancement, then giving opportunities for them to take the lead and shine can help them be more motivated to achieve their goals....

Determine ahead of time a specific amount and give your wife some cash, $20, $50, $100 etc. Tell her she can use the money for whatever she likes, but she has to spend it on a date with you, and she has to stay within the budget. Be creative and have fun, maybe use some for dinner, some to shop or go to an event, whatever your wife wants to do. Enjoy the journey!

With Summer winding down and Fall around the corner, it's a great time to get back into the swing of things.

Here are some suggestions to help:

• Review the next few months and include any important dates on your schedule,
• Add a weekly family meeting each Sunday to review the upcoming week,
• Keep a calendar handy to add important events each week,

Getting in a routine of regular weekly meetings helps keep everyone in the family in sync and can prevent something from falling through the cracks.

Why is my spouse not talking?

Dan and I have been married for thirty plus years. Over the years, communication is one area where Dan and I had a lot to learn. For years, it was a bumpy road and I often found myself complaining about Dan's communication skills. Several years back, I had a break through. The truth hit me as I realized the bigger problem with our communication was not him. It was me. (Ouch!) My need to constantly analyze a situation, create a solution to a problem, or simply state my opinion was at the root of our communication problems. Don't get me wrong, a wife's role in communication and the act of gathering and giving information is one of the many keys to success in marriage, which I share in depth in our new book, "Chaos in the Castle or Peace in the Palace?" There we lay out the details about the powerful gatherer and givers God created wives to be. However, outside that role, if we're not careful, we can have the tendency to talk a situation to death since...

When was the last time you kissed your spouse? I mean, REALLY kissed them… Not just a passing peck, but an intentional, on the lips, tender, I love you KISS, straight from the heart with no hidden agenda .

Make it a habit to DAILY, intentionally kiss her good night just before you fall asleep.

Why not start tonight?

Do you and your spouse have a budget?

Every business operates with a budgetary plan. In fact, there’s an aspect of marriage that should operate like a business. It needs to be run with the same principles in mind. The goal is to operate in the black and not in the red as a married couple. Today, one of the leading causes of divorce is financial failure. A budget helps you both work toward financial goals, and live within the means of your financial structure.

There are lots of online tools and programs that can help with budgeting, but having a budget all boils down to the same basics:

• Plan what you spend before you spend it
• Stop spending when you reach the amount allocated in the budget
• Don’t spend more than you make!

No one ever said it was easy, but a budget is critical to allowing you to achieve your financial goals and find economic success. For more on this topic, see the full blog at the link in our profile

When Dan and I got married, I had no idea what a...