
Our relationship was tough from the beginning.
We didn’t have some deep-rooted issue. Our problem was two-fold; first, the issue was expectations. I would expect my wife to perform certain tasks (without mentioning them to her!) and she would expect me to behave in a certain manner. We never effectively communicated our expectations.
We’ve been married for 15 years. I would like to say all of the trouble ended after that first year. What I want you to know, if you are newly married or considering marriage, is this: you will have trouble. You will have conflict. You must decide, as a team, that you will navigate through whatever issues arise, as a team.

My wife and I dealt with some pretty tough issues after the first year: distrust, poor communication, and financial struggles. These three issues nearly destroyed our marriage. I am grateful to be here today, still married after nearly 15 years, to encourage you and hopefully provide a couple of realistic and practical tips on how we brought our marriage back to life.
Here are some ways my wife and I brought our marriage back from the brink:
Communication.
Communication is, and will always be, the number one tool to successfully navigate life with your spouse.
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Effective communication in our marriage is critical to solving life’s problems and experiencing a favorable remedy. Communicate in a manner that your spouse can hear and receive. Be flexible. I have personally learned to never communicate out of anger. I am continually learning how important not only communication is for my marriage, but also how important effective communication is as well.
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Clarity.
Having a sense of clarity in your relationship is crucial.