The passage in the Bible (Ephesians 5:21-33) that speaks of wives submitting to their husbands uses a word at the end of the chapter that translators give as ‘respect’. Cultivating respect between marriage partners could be a key to success. I have to ask myself how often I have admired my husband openly for the things he has done well, instead of nagging him for what he hasn’t done. So often I leave it to someone else to congratulate him, when I could invest in my marriage with words of praise.

Anne Coles looks at how the simplest things can give your marriage a makeover. Subscribe to Families First to read the whole article.