Two Ways to Handle Stress in Your Marriage (90 Second Read)
Daniel Crosby • June 13, 2023

Day 4


Two Ways to Handle Stress in Your Marriage (90 Second Read)


It’s 2023 and the world isn’t slowing down anytime soon. If you’re yearning for the good ‘ol days when Andy and Barney were strolling down Main St. in Mayberry looking for jaywalkers then you’re going to be disappointed.


Here are a couple of ideas to get you started and headed back toward Mayberry:


1. JUST SAY NO


The temptation these days is to fill our schedules with distractions (sometimes good ones) and stretch ourselves to the edge of breakdown. It’s almost a badge of honor when someone asks how our day is to say, “Oh, whew, super busy!” How many times have you felt this way and continued to commit you and your family to more things? It’s ok to say “no” to a request, maybe even one from your spouse.


2. PLAY TOGETHER


I read a recent study that asked participants to rate their current level of stress. They were then taken for a long walk on a wooded trail. When they finished, they were asked to rate their level of stress again. I don’t even have to tell you the results. Their level of stress dropped significantly! I know that we all have obligations, but if we aren’t building in time to strategically play and recharge together then we’re going to wake up one day and find that we’re not only stressed, but also living with what feels like a roommate.


Homework:

1. Pick one thing you can say NO to this week to unburden yourself from another obligation. Maybe even tell that person that you’re trying to be better about overcommitting yourself. Chances are they’ll totally understand.

2. Strategically find time to PLAY TOGETHER with your spouse. This could look like taking a walk, sitting out on the patio after dinner (without phones), or treating yourselves to a quick coffee date together.


As always, if you’re stuck then don’t hesitate to reach out to me personally. I help couples reconnect every day and get back on track to having a marriage they’re excited to go home to.

"Uncomfortable" Book Review

By Daniel Crosby • May 7, 2025
“Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community” by Brett McCracken is a great book to read if you’re a church person or if you’ve become somewhat detached and frustrated with the church. McCracken challenges all of us, conservatives and progressives, to think about the WHY behind Christian community and one of the fundamentals of finding the WHY is approaching it with humility. Maybe you having it your way and telling everyone else they’re wrong wasn’t exactly what Christ had in mind when He instituted the church. iPhones and iPads seem to have morphed into iChurch in a sense. American culture has turned Christ’s church into a business that caters to our comforts aesthetically, relationally, and politically. It’s made us consumers, critics, and reviewers of the Church rather than servants of THE Kingdom. It’s not wrong to have preferences and to like some things better than others. Music, décor, and speaking style are all over the spectrum at different churches, but he argues that the point of picking a church and serving in it should be less about does it meet my needs and more about whether I’m showing up and using this place along with this group to glorify God. He annoyed me in parts because he steps on my toes but maybe we need that a little more often. If you’re disenfranchised with the status quo and you feel like it’d be good to be challenged about church then go grab “Uncomfortable” by Brett McCrackin.

Look for Beautiful Things

By Daniel Crosby • April 28, 2025
Look for beautiful things when you're restless, uncomfortable, or on edge. There's something about acknowledging the good around us that helps us reset and realize that it's not all bad. If you're struggling to see beautiful things in the world, come see me and we can talk more about it. www.danielcrosbycounseling.com

"The Needs of the Heart" Book Review

By Daniel Crosby • April 24, 2025
“The Needs of the Heart” by Chip Dodd is a book that will blow your mind. When I picked it up, it’s a very small thin book. Less than 100 pages. I assumed I’d breeze through it in a couple of hours. About a month later I finished digesting it. The truth is we cannot fully live the life God has called us to unless we acknowledge that we do have needs, that these needs are good, and discover the healthy ways of meeting these needs. Chip takes common human needs like Security and Accomplishment and he unpacks what they really are pointing us to in his typical concise but brilliant depth. There’s no fluff here. With chapters just 3-4 pages each, you’re going to want to have a highlighter ready to underline, to ponder these topics, and maybe then to discuss them with someone you know and trust. You’ll come away from this book with a deeper sense what is already fulfilled within you and ones that might be lacking where you need to go do a deep dive with a lot of prayer and introspection. If you liked Chip’s book “The Voice of the Heart,” this is one is your next read. Go grab “The Needs of the Heart” by Chip Dodd.