A repentant, regretful heart reflects a deep desire to change and accept 100-percent ownership. The occasional misstep means your spouse is moving toward genuine change — remember progress over perfection. Notice the moments you catch them “doing it right” and then, offer them encouragement. However, when blame shifts back toward you, it’s time to pray and consider if a “heart issue” is behind those actionsand words The following list are helpful tool for discerning a repentant heart:- #Repentant people are willing to confess all their sins, not just the sins that got them into trouble. A house isn’t clean until you open every closet and sweep every corner. People who desire to be clean are completely honest about their lives. No more secrets. #Repentant people face the pain their sin caused others. They invite the victims of their sin (anyone hurt by their actions) to express the intensity of emotions that they feel—anger, hurt, sorrow, and disappointment. #Repent...

Apologies are a funny thing. Everyone likes to get them. When you need to give them, things get tricky. As soon as your ego gets involved, you’re in trouble. And let’s be honest, it always gets involved. Apologizing means admitting you’re wrong, and no one likes to be wrong. Apologies also force you to be vulnerable with your loved ones, and vulnerability is scary. It means you’re emotionally undressing yourself. You’re opening yourself up to danger (or so we think). So when it comes to saying “sorry,” you may offer up the white flag in the most non-committal, inauthentic way possible. If you’ve ever said, “I’m sorry, okay?” you know what I’m talking about. Then there are the “I’m sorry you feel that way” non-apologies. It’s tough to say which is worse. Apologies aren’t easy to give but they are one of the most powerful tools for communication at your disposal in any relationship. Apologies allow both parties to feel heard and expressed. They also open up a dialogue for yo...