MSI Press Blog

  Marriage is one of the few relationships in life where we are invited to be fully known and fully accepted. While love, commitment, and shared goals help sustain a marriage, intimacy is often what transforms it from a practical partnership into a deep and meaningful bond. Many people hear the word intimacy and immediately think of physical affection. While physical closeness is certainly one part of intimacy, the concept is much broader. Intimacy is the sense of connection that allows two people to share their thoughts, feelings, fears, hopes, and daily lives in ways they do not share with others. Healthy marriages are built on multiple forms of intimacy, each contributing to the strength of the relationship. Emotional Intimacy: The Foundation Emotional intimacy is the ability to be vulnerable with one another. It develops when spouses feel safe expressing both their joys and their struggles without fear of criticism or rejection. A husband who admits his worries about work, or ...

Marriage often begins with intense feelings of romance, novelty, and discovery. Two people spend hours talking, sharing dreams, learning each other's preferences, and enjoying the excitement of a new relationship. Yet many couples discover that, over time, intimacy seems to fade. This can be discouraging, especially when partners mistakenly assume that declining intimacy means declining love. In reality, the causes are often more complex and more manageable than they appear. One reason intimacy diminishes is familiarity. Human beings are naturally drawn to novelty. In the early stages of a relationship, every conversation reveals something new. Over the years, however, partners may come to believe they already know everything there is to know about one another. Curiosity declines. Conversations become focused on daily logistics rather than personal growth, dreams, fears, or aspirations. The relationship can gradually shift from discovery to routine. The pressures of adult life also...

  Intentional Love by Kris Girrell , Abraham Gonzalez , and Bruce Girrell reached #53 on Amazon's hot new releases list. Amazon paperback Amazon ebook Barnes & Noble MSI Press webstore (25% discount with coupon code FF25) Book Description Intentional Love sets out a counter argument to the long-held narrative that both sex and intimacy decline over the years of a long-term committed relationship. But rather than focusing simply of the sexual skills and educating readers on technique, this book identifies twelve separate Ways of Being that when followed create the context and foundation for a deeper shared connection between lovers. The authors draw heavily on research on how these Ways of Being support both members and identify issues to be dealt with in the context of loving relationships. Though the authors are all men, they present a plethora of research from women researchers and authors to balance their own experiences as leaders and trainers in men’s work and then se...

  Intentional Love by Kris Girrell , Abraham Gonzalez , and Bruce Girrell reached #53 on Amazon's hot new releases list. Amazon paperback Amazon ebook Barnes & Noble MSI Press webstore (25% discount with coupon code FF25) Book Description Intentional Love sets out a counter argument to the long-held narrative that both sex and intimacy decline over the years of a long-term committed relationship. But rather than focusing simply of the sexual skills and educating readers on technique, this book identifies twelve separate Ways of Being that when followed create the context and foundation for a deeper shared connection between lovers. The authors draw heavily on research on how these Ways of Being support both members and identify issues to be dealt with in the context of loving relationships. Though the authors are all men, they present a plethora of research from women researchers and authors to balance their own experiences as leaders and trainers in men’s work and then se...

  Intentional Love by Kris Girrell , Abraham Gonzalez , and Bruce Girrell reached #53 on Amazon's hot new releases list. Amazon paperback Amazon ebook Barnes & Noble MSI Press webstore (25% discount with coupon code FF25) Book Description Intentional Love sets out a counter argument to the long-held narrative that both sex and intimacy decline over the years of a long-term committed relationship. But rather than focusing simply of the sexual skills and educating readers on technique, this book identifies twelve separate Ways of Being that when followed create the context and foundation for a deeper shared connection between lovers. The authors draw heavily on research on how these Ways of Being support both members and identify issues to be dealt with in the context of loving relationships. Though the authors are all men, they present a plethora of research from women researchers and authors to balance their own experiences as leaders and trainers in men’s work and then se...