The above title promises a lot, eh? But the truth is, I can’t make guarantees. A woman’s orgasm is complex, and numerous issues can impact it.

For instance, if she’s dealing with any of the following obstacles, whatever I suggest here may not make a difference:

• Relational conflict
• Sexual trauma in her past
• Sexual pain or discomfort
• Ongoing suppression of her sexuality (often due to poor teaching / modeling)
• Hormonal imbalance

Such issues can be dealt with, but they should be addressed first before adopting some approach or technique to bring a wife to climax.

That said…

Her Climax Matters

You may have read that heading and thought, “Well, yeah.” But studies have recently drawn attention to the orgasm gap between men and women. One 2018 study put it at 95% to 65%, while a more recent study suggested that lifetime orgasm rates ranged from 70% to 85% for men and 46% to 58% for women.” Regardless, that’s a 24–30% difference between men and women reaching the pinnacle of pleasure.

Not great, Bob.

Yet most husbands I’ve encountered really want their wives to enjoy the sexual experience, including a beautiful climax. And most wives want to get to “I’ll have what she’s having” too.

But it’s not always a simple A-to-B trip to get a wife to climax. You may need a more detailed roadmap to get there. If you want that, read on.

Check Conditions

Before you even get to the bedroom, the likelihood of a woman reaching orgasm is influenced by many factors. Whether she’s the lower or higher desire wife, a wife’s arousal and pleasure depend on such things as:

How safe she feels in the bedroom. Does she feel objectified or valued? Is her husband using pornography or saving his sexual attention for her? Has she healed from past trauma, or does she need more intervention? Does she feel seen as a whole person or mostly as a means to an end?

How well she is physically. Is she experiencing headaches or joint pain? Is she dealing with an injury? Does she have a chronic illness that flares up from time to time? Is she having menstrual cramps or backache?

How depleted she is in her life. Is she exhausted all the time? Does she have sufficient help or support with work, childcare, and other issues? Is she struggling with hormonal issues? Have anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions taken their toll?

How connected your relationship is. Does she still feel wooed and/or pursued by her husband? Is there genuine friendship underlying the marriage? Has there been a focus on romance, flirtation, and other forms of intimacy?

How in tune she is to her body. Is she comfortable, or at least willing, to think about her erogenous zones / genitalia? Does she appreciate her five senses? Does she believe her body is good as God made it, including her sexuality?

Some of those, a husband can definitely impact. While others may be left to the woman herself to figure out. Though a good husband might be able to point his wife to quality resources to help her in her journey.

Step by Step

Assuming conditions are good, what gets a woman to orgasm? Let’s break it down.

Tease now, please later.

Set the stage, guys. You should create an atmosphere of anticipation. That involves teasing what’s coming later with romantic words and actions.

Now if you do these things solely with the intention of getting sex, a smart woman will sniff that out and snuff it out. Rather, cherish those moments whether they pay off tonight or two weeks from now.

Some options:

• Send her texts expressing your appreciation, desire, or love for her.
• Plan a date night for the two of you. (Dads, book the babysitter too.)
• Buy her that flower bouquet at the grocery store, or if your wife is like me, skip the flowers and choose something else that demonstrates you were thinking of her.

Make sure you have enough time.

Plenty of men can achieve erection quickly, and after that, the average time during intercourse for a man to climax is 5 to 7 minutes. So for many husbands, 10-15 minutes can get it done.

Not so for many wives. One study showed that the average length of foreplay women experienced was 11 minutes, while they really wanted 19 minutes to get really warmed up. And the average time to reach orgasm after intercourse begins is 14 minutes. That is, if she can even get to climax that way. Sixty to 70% of women require additional stimulation, through a hand, mouth, or marital aid, to get to orgasm. But all in all, the event requires a half hour or more.

But hey, that’s okay. Because that study showing wives want 19 minutes of foreplay also showed that husbands want 18 minutes. And they want intercourse to go longer, when possible.

Clear some calendar time so you can savor the lovemaking experience.

Undress for success.

Sometimes, it’s great to just show up naked, ready to romp! But it can also be very sensual to undress your wife or help her out of whatever she’s wearing.

Here’s a good progression to consider:

• Stand back, gaze at your wife, and compliment her beauty.
• Take her hand(s) and close some of the gap between you.
• Work your way from her hand(s) up her arm/sleeve, find the place where her clothing meets skin, and spend some time touching her with your fingers just under the hem.
• Move to another place where her clothing meets her skin (neckline, bottom of her shirt, etc.) and tease there as well.
• Kiss her along the lines of her clothing with slow, soft-lipped caresses. You can also gently use your tongue to trace that area.
• Remove her first piece of clothing. If she has fasteners (buttons, zipper, etc.), slowly open those. If it’s a matter of simply taking off the piece, remove it by inches, touching and kissing her as you do.
• With each item removed, take a moment to breathe, gaze, and appreciate. Let her know that you love her body, just as it is.
• If she wishes to undress you as well, enjoy!

Explore with curiosity.

Think you know all about your wife? Think again. No matter how long you’ve been married, you have more to learn. Not only because we humans are complex, but because your wife’s mind, heart, and body change every few years.

As a woman in her mid-50s, I can say without reservation that what turns me on now isn’t what turned me on 20 or 30 years ago. It’s not a massive difference, but it’s enough that my husband needs to alter his technique to keep hitting the mark. Thankfully, he remains a student of my sexuality (as I do of his, by the way).

Also, what feels good at one time during a woman’s cycle may not feel as good during another part of her cycle. Yeah, I know—we’re complicated. Thus, the need for curiosity!

Imagine you need to memorize your wife’s body and explore with your eyes, hands, and mouth. Since the more sensitive parts of our bodies are on our heads and torso, a good rule of thumb is to move outward in.

Some wives enjoy a foot rub followed by touch and mouth moving up their legs, while other wives would like attention to their hands, arms, and shoulders before moving on. Still others would appreciate having their hair brushed (really!) or their scalp massaged to help them relax before moving into foreplay.

Speaking of which…

Amp up the arousal.

It took us a while to get to the goodies, right? But we’re finally here, where you can engage with the truly erogenous areas of her body. What are those erogenous zones?

A study of 793 men and women—who were in college, but the information is still useful as a starting point—had participants rank how “hot” a spot was on the body (1 to 10 scale). From warm to hottest, here’s how females ranked their erogenous zones:

• Lower back (4.73)
• Ears (5.06)
• Back of neck (6.20)
• Inner thigh (6.70)
• Nipples (7.35)
• Breasts (7.35)
• Nape of neck (7.51)
• Mouth/lips (7.91)
• Vagina (8.40)
• Clitoris (9.17)

Don’t start at the genitals, guys! Maybe start with a lower (and upper) back massage, along with kisses along her ears and neck. Or work your way up to her inner thigh, skip the vagina and clitoris for a bit, and tend to her breasts for a while.

You could also pay attention to that nape of her neck, her breasts and nipples, and/or her mouth and lips. In fact, deep kissing is one of three major moves correlated with women orgasming (see These 3 Actions Could Bring You to Orgasm).

And if your wife doesn’t know what she likes or wants, check out my How To posts and/or listen to our Sex Tips podcast episodes for ideas to try.

Whatever actions you take, you want to turn her on elsewhere so that by the time you touch her vulva (the word for a woman’s external genitalia), she’s ready and even aching for it.

By the way, some wives report that they’re feeling that buildup of pleasure, wanting their husband to keep doing what he’s doing that’s hitting that special spot, and then he changes tactics, and she loses momentum. If your wife says, “Keep going” or “Ooh yes, that,” take her literally and keep doing that thing. If she wants something different, she can let you know.

Remember that 19 minutes women wanted for foreplay? Expect to spend 10–15 minutes on this part. But hey, y’all wanted that time too, right? And hopefully, she’ll be touching you as well on your favorite places!

It’s all about the clitoris.

All orgasms involve the clitoris. Now the part of the clitoris you’re most aware of is likely the glans, or head, which sticks out well above the vagina and swells when aroused. Direct stimulation of that knobby part often helps a woman reach orgasm.

But the clitoris is a wishbone-shaped organ that extends on either side of the vaginal opening, and indirect stimulation can also provide pleasure and help a woman come to climax. Indeed, while the vagina itself is sensitive, some of the good feelings from being touched there (with his hand, mouth, penis, or toy) come from pressure on the wishbone arms of the clitoris.

Some wives prefer direct stimulation of that clitoral head that peeks out, while others prefer indirect stimulation. And what she wants may change during the course of a sexual encounter. While it’s all about the clitoris, how to stimulate her clitoris well is up to your wife.

By the way, contact with the clitoral head is not arousing, and may even be irritating, early on in the process or when insufficiently lubricated. So make sure she’s not dry down there but rather has ample moisture—either natural or added lubricant.

Pleasure is the point.

If you aim for orgasm, you may well miss it. Both of you.

In my book, Hot, Holy, and Humorous, I advise wives that: “Orgasms are not what you should aim for. Aim instead for pleasure, pleasure, and more pleasure. When the pleasure becomes particularly intense, orgasm occurs. So your target should be enjoying the sex as much as you possibly can.”

Both husbands and wives can get in their heads too much, seeking that elusive climax, when the real goals should be intimacy and pleasure.

Husbands, don’t worry about getting her to that Big O. Rather, think about what you can do to increase your wife’s enjoyment. By the way, the brilliant Chris Taylor and I did a webinar on that very topic HERE (at $10, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth). Don’t aim for your wife’s orgasm as much as her moment of abandon—that moment when pleasure overtakes her senses and she feels deeply connected to you.

What Is an Orgasm?

How can you know whether your wife experienced an orgasm?

Let’s face it: About half of women have faked orgasms. I have! Not with my husband, but with lovers in my premarital promiscuous past, and I’d bet a Benjamin (aka $100) that none of those guys knew at the time. But one perk of having years of experience with the same partner is feeling things at a more intimate level. Did she just make some noises, or did you feel her vaginal walls contract?

That’s technically what an orgasm is—muscle contractions in the sexual organs. It’s usually accompanied by intense pleasure, but you and she can know it’s happened if her pelvic region spasms. To help wives recognize the feeling, Christian sex therapists Clifford and Joyce Penner have described it as a “pelvic sneeze”—a moment of release after a buildup of tension.

A husband may feel such contractions on his penis or fingers (if inserted into her vagina), notice it happening when nearby (e.g., manual stimulation or oral sex), or recognize it when his wife reacts with moans, gasps, screams, etc. (Women vary in how they vocalize orgasm, but most women make sound.)

The wife having the orgasm may not follow the typical “it’s like fireworks!” explanation. Orgasms can be explosive, but they can also be experienced as deep satisfaction or lighthearted joy. They can empty a woman’s mind or fill her heart. They can feel life-changing or simply good.

Orgasm doesn’t need to be one specific thing. It’s a sweet payoff for her—and you—however she experiences it.

Finish Well

Achieving orgasm isn’t the end of the lovemaking experience, for you or for her. For one thing, some wives may want more. That’s one of the perks of being a woman! We can experience a longer climax or sequential orgasms. But let your wife be the one to decide. At some point, an orgasm or orgasms can feel overwhelming or even uncomfortable.

But if you’re really done, take time for a bit of afterglow. Express appreciation through words of affirmation or affection. Embrace for a few minutes. Clean up together. Take time to pray and thank God for the gift of sex you both enjoyed.

What happens at the end of sex often sets the stage for the next encounter. Because it demonstrates how you feel about the value of intimacy with your wife.

What If She Just … Doesn’t?

Sometimes you can do everything near perfect, and a wife still doesn’t reach climax. It’s not your fault or hers. Bodies sometimes don’t cooperate. (Men of a certain age recognize that truth as well.)

If she wants to keep trying, go for it. Assuming your penis is done for the time being, use your finger(s), mouth, or a vibrator to help her get there. Alternatively, she can stimulate herself while you pleasure her elsewhere with kissing, caressing her breasts, etc.

But if your wife doesn’t want to keep trying, let it go this time. Reassure her that you enjoyed being close and giving her pleasure. Comfort her if she’s feeling disappointed or frustrated. If she wanted to orgasm but couldn’t, she may also blame herself; be sensitive to her feelings and remind her that bodies simply don’t cooperate sometimes and y’all can try again at a future sexual encounter.

You may want to do some things differently next time, but right after sex isn’t the best time for that conversation. Approach that subject later on to see if she has any tips you can incorporate into your next lovemaking session.

If she continues to struggle for a long time, encourage her to see her healthcare provider and/or seek out a counselor to help her process what’s going on. Offer to go with her, but don’t push. She may want to check things out herself first before inviting you into that vulnerable space.

___

That was a lot of info. Don’t worry, you won’t be tested on it. At least not by me. (I can’t speak for your wife! ~grin~) And you needn’t check these notes as you’re engaging in lovemaking. My intention, rather, is to give husbands ideas of how to help their wives reach orgasm.

As always, check these ideas with your wife. She may like some of them better than others. Try out one or two tips one time and other tips another time. Incorporate more as you go. Test and refine. And remain a student of your spouse so that you can adapt to changing desires and bodies.

But do prioritize your wife’s enjoyment in the bedroom. God’s design for sex is mutually desired and satisfying sexual intimacy. In other words, sex is for both of you—including a climax.

Sources Consulted:

•  Frederick, D. A., John, H. K. S., Garcia, J. R., & Lloyd, E. A. (2018). Differences in Orgasm Frequency Among Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Men and Women in a U.S. National Sample. Archives of sexual behavior, 47(1), 273–288. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-017-0939-z
• Amanda N Gesselman, Margaret Bennett-Brown, Simon Dubé, Ellen M Kaufman, Jessica T Campbell, Justin R Garcia, The lifelong orgasm gap: exploring age’s impact on orgasm rates, Sexual Medicine, Volume 12, Issue 3, June 2024, qfae042, https://doi.org/10.1093/sexmed/qfae042
• Miller, S. A., & Byers, E. S. (2004). Actual and desired duration of foreplay and intercourse: Discordance and misperceptions within heterosexual couples. The Journal of Sex Research, 41(3), 301–309. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490409552237
• How Long People Want Sex To Last Versus How Long Sex Actually Lasts – Sex and Psychology
• How long should the ideal sexual intercourse last, according to researchers? | scienceillustrated.com
• How Long Does It Take Women to Climax During Intercourse? | Psychology Today
• Women’s Orgasm Takes Longer During Partnered Sex – ISSM
• How long does it take a woman to reach orgasm? – ISSM
• SMSNA – How Long Does It Take the Average Man to Ejaculate?
• Penner, Clifford, and Joyce Penner. Restoring the pleasure: Complete step-by-step programs to help couples overcome the most common sexual barriers. Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, an imprint of Thomas Nelson, 2016.

The post How to Bring Her to Orgasm appeared first on Hot, Holy & Humorous.

Somewhere during this global pandemic, I broke a toe. At least, I think I broke a toe. I didn’t go to the doctor and get it X-rayed, both because it was during a lockdown and because the treatment for a broken toe is usually just taping it to a neighbor toe. But it’s amazing how much it’s hurt and how much I’ve been hobbling since that happened.

Don’t worry about my toe—I’ll be fine—but the point is that even a small body part can have a big impact. It can have a big, positive impact when it comes to sex.

Consider the delights a husband can bring with one simple body part: a finger.

In particular, I’ll be talking about three fingers, used one at a time, but a husband’s index finger, middle finger, and thumb can be particularly effective in providing his wife arousal and pleasure.

Stroking Her Skin

A husband can take his index finger (that’s the pointer, guys) and gently, slowly stroke his wife’s skin in a lingering caress. Try starting at the inside of her wrist and dragging the tip of your finger up her arm. Or start with her foot and draw your finger up the outside of her calf, under her knee, and then along the inside of her thigh.

You can tease your finger up her hip and torso, down her neck and shoulder, or around the contours of her breast. Nearly anywhere you can find skin is a place where you can show affection and increase arousal with a single finger and gentle touch.

Teasing Her Lips

In Song of Songs 4:3, the husband says about his wife: “Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; your mouth is lovely.” Ribbons are usually soft to the touch, as are her luscious lips. To tease those lips, a husband can take his thumb and trace the edges of his wife’s mouth.

Drag the fleshy part of your thumb over her lips, even drawing down her lower lip to get better access. Take your time exploring your wife’s mouth with your thumb, teasing out expectation for what’s coming next.

Undressing Her Body

There’s something arousing about touches on the edge or just inside the hem of one’s clothing. Hubby can take his index finger and run the tip around her skin at the sleeve opening, neckline, or hem of her skirt or pants.

Then use that finger to drag the fabric up and even off your wife. Challenge yourself to see how much you can undress your wife using only a finger or two. Doing it this way will likely prolong the experience, drawing out anticipation.

Fondling Her Breasts

Much as a husband might like to get his whole hand on his wife’s breast, he can do a lot with a single finger. He may be best suited to use his thumb to outline the entire breast, then trace the areola, which is the darker skin around the nipple.

His thumb can also gently rub or flick her nipple to arouse her more. A husband could add a little interest by licking his thumb first then caressing her breasts.

Bonus tip for all of the above: If desired, hubby can follow up with a kiss and/or lick everywhere he’s put his finger.

Arousing Her Clitoris

Before we discuss this, let’s revisit what the clitoris is. It’s not just that bulb that sticks out and swells when aroused. Rather, the clitoris is a wishbone-shaped organ that spreads out on either side of a wife’s vaginal lips and merges together with a protrusion called the glans clitoris, aka the “love button.”

With that in mind, a husband can start stimulating the whole clitoris by using his finger—index, middle, or thumb—to caress and/or massage the area on either side of his wife’s vaginal lips. Using the speed and pressure his wife prefers, he can begin to arouse her vulva, which may swell and produce lubrication. Personal lubricant can also be added for a wetter or smoother experience.

Once she is more aroused, then a husband can move his finger to that bulb that is the most sensitive part of the clitoris. Women vary widely on what type of touch they prefer here, so take cues from your wife. Generally speaking, move from slower to faster and less friction to more friction as things progress, with a few pauses here and there to draw out her desire.

Pressing Her Opening

The vagina itself does not have a lot of nerve endings. The pleasure a woman feels with sexual activity and intercourse primarily comes from direct or indirect contact with her clitoris, vulva, and vaginal entrance. A husband can use that last part to stimulate his wife by taking his thumb and pressing down and in just a little at the opening to her vagina.

Combining this action with direct stimulation of her clitoral bulb with another finger can produce heightened sensation for a wife and may be very enjoyable to her.

Penetrating Her Vagina

Of course, there’s the standby digital penetration of her vagina using a finger. The middle finger is often preferred, though other fingers can certainly be used, and you could double or triple up if you/she both desire.

His finger can simulate the thrusting of his penis in and out of his wife’s vagina. Or a husband can also attempt to graze the G-spot by inserting his finger and then curling it in a “come hither” gesture toward her tummy.

Well, okay then. How many of you hubbies now need a cold shower after imagining your wife melting under the touch of just your one finger? (Sorry, not sorry.)

And plenty of wives now want their husband to go wash his hands (20 seconds, y’all!) and head to the bedroom.

But may these tips inspire you to seek greater pleasure and intimacy in your marriage bed!

For a lot more ideas, check out my book!

The post Husbands Only Need One of These to Turn Her On appeared first on Hot, Holy & Humorous.

You don’t need the New Year, though. Whenever you want, you can press the reset button and do things differently from how you did them before. That’s what I want to talk about today, on the last day of Resolution Week—just doing something different with the sexual intimacy in your marriage.

Why do something different?

Readers come to my blog for two main reasons: (1) to figure out how to address a problem with the sex in their marriage, or (2) to get ideas on how to maintain and nurture the sex in their marriage.

(There’s a third group, a very small one, who read to find out what “the other side” is saying and pipe up from time to time to debate. But let’s not worry about them.)

For those in either of the two main groups, you’ve been doing X, but doing Y could make things better. If you have sexual struggles, you can receive:

• encouragement to pursue better sexual intimacy
• insight about how your spouse might be thinking or feeling about the situation
• summaries of medical, scientific, and common-sense approaches to resolving physiological obstacles
• biblical perspectives on God’s design for sex in marriage
• suggestions for meeting your spouse’s emotional and sexual needs, or getting your own met
• how-to tips for making sex better for you and for your beloved

If you have healthy physical intimacy in your marriage, you can receive:

• how-to tips for specific sexual activities
• inspiration to have more frequent and/or more intimate sex
• regular reminders to keep doing what makes your spouse feel loved
• biblical insight about how your marital intimacy reflects God’s goodness
• updates on sex research that can improve your pleasure or connection
• ways to expand your sexual repertoire

But let’s face it: Hot, Holy & Humorous is about persuading you to do something even a little different from what you did before. If every reader remains in absolute stasis, what’s the point of me writing another word?

Yet, I do write. I do hear from readers. I do know this site, along with other marriage ministries, has a positive impact.

Is different automatically better?

In case you didn’t get the reference in this post’s title, “And now for something completely different” was a catchphrase from the British show Monty Python’s Flying Circus. It was inserted in between comedy sketches, some of which were really great and some of which were what were they thinking?

Likewise, just doing something different in or regarding your marriage bed could be a what were you thinking? moment. But it could also be really great.

How do you know your idea is different-great?

1. It aligns with God’s design for sex in marriage.

Whatever you do in the marriage bed should be God-approved, mutually acceptable, and spouse-honoring. It should align with God’s will.

2. It benefits both of you.

It should be something that not only serves your ends, but also meets your spouse’s longings. Marriage isn’t about you or me, but rather us. You don’t want one spouse thinking the new thing is great while the other responds, “What on earth were you thinking?”

3. It is pursued in love.

You can have wonderful intentions, but if your tactics stink, you won’t get far. Your spouse will likely, and understandably, become defensive. So the different thing you go after should be pursued in a loving way, without pressure or manipulation.

To Leap or to Toddle?

If I had a dollar for every time I or one of my podcast partners said the phrase “baby steps,” we’d be retreating on a Caribbean beach somewhere right now. Working, of course—wink, wink—but with our toes in the sand and the water lapping at our ankles.

Truth is, when one spouse wants to do something different, the other spouse can get worried. What do you mean “different”? Am I not enough? Are you going to want that weird thing again? I refuse to dress up as a gorilla no matter how turned on it might make you! ~snicker~

Now some of you should leap into something different. You’ve been in a pit for far too long, and you need to jump into a marriage class or counseling. Or perhaps you two are mutually on board with trying something sexual that’s a little “out there”—not outside God’s design, but pretty creative.

For most spouses, however, baby steps are the way to go.

Just do something a little extra or different next time, then expand a little from there, then to the next thing and the next thing… Until your baby steps have gotten you down the path a ways and you’re both happy with where you are.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

So what are some “different but great” ideas? Let me help!

Below are more than 20 suggestions. Each item is not for every couple. Find something that would benefit your particular marriage or brainstorm your own ideas.

• Try new sexual positions (check out Position Cards)
• Have sex in the shower
• Change marriage counselors
• See a doctor for a specific problem and/or get an overall physical (for wives, see Finding a Good Gynecologist)
• Read a Christian marriage book
• Read a Christian sex book
• Revamp your lingerie, or just buy one new thing
• Institute a weekly date night (see The Dating Divas for ideas)
• Schedule regular sex
• Learn more about your wife’s sexuality
• Increase time spent in foreplay
• Give oral sex a shot
• Commit to breaking your porn habit, once and for all
• Seek trauma counseling for sexual abuse you endured
• Get more exercise, and work out together if possible
• Play a bedroom game
• Consult a Christian sex therapist
• Share a sexual fantasy with your spouse (but read these first: Should You Share Your Sexual Fantasy? and Should You Go Along with His Sexual Fantasy?)
• Find a fun phrase to use when you want to make love
• Give each other a new nickname
• Guys: Join a community for husbands that helps you better understand your wife
• Go through Pillow Talk together, a book that isn’t just conversation starters with an in-depth guide for talking about sex effectively

Just choose something, or several somethings, different to do this year and see how it can improve your sexual intimacy. If it doesn’t work, you can always chuck it and try something else.

Note: Remember that when it’s something God specifically calls us to do, it may take a while to see the positive results. “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 ESV).

The post Resolution Week: "And Now for Something Completely Different…" appeared first on Hot, Holy & Humorous.

You don’t need the New Year, though. Whenever you want, you can press the reset button and do things differently from how you did them before. That’s what I want to talk about today, on the last day of Resolution Week—just doing something different with the sexual intimacy in your marriage.

Why do something different?

Readers come to my blog for two main reasons: (1) to figure out how to address a problem with the sex in their marriage, or (2) to get ideas on how to maintain and nurture the sex in their marriage.

(There’s a third group, a very small one, who read to find out what “the other side” is saying and pipe up from time to time to debate. But let’s not worry about them.)

For those in either of the two main groups, you’ve been doing X, but doing Y could make things better. If you have sexual struggles, you can receive:

• encouragement to pursue better sexual intimacy
• insight about how your spouse might be thinking or feeling about the situation
• summaries of medical, scientific, and common-sense approaches to resolving physiological obstacles
• biblical perspectives on God’s design for sex in marriage
• suggestions for meeting your spouse’s emotional and sexual needs, or getting your own met
• how-to tips for making sex better for you and for your beloved

If you have healthy physical intimacy in your marriage, you can receive:

• how-to tips for specific sexual activities
• inspiration to have more frequent and/or more intimate sex
• regular reminders to keep doing what makes your spouse feel loved
• biblical insight about how your marital intimacy reflects God’s goodness
• updates on sex research that can improve your pleasure or connection
• ways to expand your sexual repertoire

But let’s face it: Hot, Holy & Humorous is about persuading you to do something even a little different from what you did before. If every reader remains in absolute stasis, what’s the point of me writing another word?

Yet, I do write. I do hear from readers. I do know this site, along with other marriage ministries, has a positive impact.

Is different automatically better?

In case you didn’t get the reference in this post’s title, “And now for something completely different” was a catchphrase from the British show Monty Python’s Flying Circus. It was inserted in between comedy sketches, some of which were really great and some of which were what were they thinking?

Likewise, just doing something different in or regarding your marriage bed could be a what were you thinking? moment. But it could also be really great.

How do you know your idea is different-great?

1. It aligns with God’s design for sex in marriage.

Whatever you do in the marriage bed should be God-approved, mutually acceptable, and spouse-honoring. It should align with God’s will.

2. It benefits both of you.

It should be something that not only serves your ends, but also meets your spouse’s longings. Marriage isn’t about you or me, but rather us. You don’t want one spouse thinking the new thing is great while the other responds, “What on earth were you thinking?”

3. It is pursued in love.

You can have wonderful intentions, but if your tactics stink, you won’t get far. Your spouse will likely, and understandably, become defensive. So the different thing you go after should be pursued in a loving way, without pressure or manipulation.

To Leap or to Toddle?

If I had a dollar for every time I or one of my podcast partners said the phrase “baby steps,” we’d be retreating on a Caribbean beach somewhere right now. Working, of course—wink, wink—but with our toes in the sand and the water lapping at our ankles.

Truth is, when one spouse wants to do something different, the other spouse can get worried. What do you mean “different”? Am I not enough? Are you going to want that weird thing again? I refuse to dress up as a gorilla no matter how turned on it might make you! ~snicker~

Now some of you should leap into something different. You’ve been in a pit for far too long, and you need to jump into a marriage class or counseling. Or perhaps you two are mutually on board with trying something sexual that’s a little “out there”—not outside God’s design, but pretty creative.

For most spouses, however, baby steps are the way to go.

Just do something a little extra or different next time, then expand a little from there, then to the next thing and the next thing… Until your baby steps have gotten you down the path a ways and you’re both happy with where you are.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

So what are some “different but great” ideas? Let me help!

Below are more than 20 suggestions. Each item is not for every couple. Find something that would benefit your particular marriage or brainstorm your own ideas.

• Try new sexual positions (check out Position Cards)
• Have sex in the shower
• Change marriage counselors
• See a doctor for a specific problem and/or get an overall physical (for wives, see Finding a Good Gynecologist)
• Read a Christian marriage book
• Read a Christian sex book
• Revamp your lingerie, or just buy one new thing
• Institute a weekly date night (see The Dating Divas for ideas)
• Schedule regular sex
• Learn more about your wife’s sexuality
• Increase time spent in foreplay
• Give oral sex a shot
• Commit to breaking your porn habit, once and for all
• Seek trauma counseling for sexual abuse you endured
• Get more exercise, and work out together if possible
• Play a bedroom game
• Consult a Christian sex therapist
• Share a sexual fantasy with your spouse (but read these first: Should You Share Your Sexual Fantasy? and Should You Go Along with His Sexual Fantasy?)
• Find a fun phrase to use when you want to make love
• Give each other a new nickname
• Guys: Join a community for husbands that helps you better understand your wife
• Go through Pillow Talk together, a book that isn’t just conversation starters with an in-depth guide for talking about sex effectively

Just choose something, or several somethings, different to do this year and see how it can improve your sexual intimacy. If it doesn’t work, you can always chuck it and try something else.

Note: Remember that when it’s something God specifically calls us to do, it may take a while to see the positive results. “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 ESV).

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1. Invest in heavy kissing first.

I’ve said before that I don’t think married couples kiss enough, but research also shows one of the activities that helps women climax is heavy kissing. Once married, we often move to quickly to the main event, not taking time to “make out” like we used to. Spend a little more time locking lips, and you might enjoy that main event more.

2. Undress with a tease.

Draw out anticipation by taking off clothes slowly. You could perform a strip tease, easing out of your clothing bit by bit with a playful or sexy tone. Or he could strip tease for you! But you could also simply undress him at a leisurely pace. And tease his skin just at or under the edge of his clothing before removing an item.

3. Tour one another’s bodies.

Yes, we all know where the “goodies” are, but how about spending more time on the whole, amazing body God gave your husband? Using your hands and/or mouth, trace his skin in various places—limbs, torso, head—as if memorizing it. If you need help to slow down this endeavor, offer to spread lotion or massage oil on your husband. Or ask him to spread it on your body.

4. Say what you like or want.

When asked what makes a woman sexy, a common answer among husbands is “confidence.” I know, I know…easier said than done. But if you can say what you are enjoying in the moment or request what you want, that’s a confident move and typically arousing to your man. Not to mention that you then get more of what you want and like in bed! After all, how is your hubby supposed to know how things feel to you unless you tell him? Speaking up for yourself is a win-win.

5. Spend some time “down there.”

Do you really know your husband’s penis? Could you, as they say, pick it out from a lineup? If not, maybe it’s time to engage in man-part appreciation. For general information, listen to our Male Anatomy podcast episode, but for specifics, explore all those places on your particular guy. Move into position where you can closely view and handle things down there. As you touch your husband, watch his reactions so that you learn what he likes and how you affect him. God created this vital part of his body, and both of you can be aroused by embracing its wondrousness.

See also Get to Know His Penis from The Forgiven Wife.

6. Go for your orgasm first.

You might not get one if you’re relying solely on intercourse, as many women have difficulty achieving it this way. But if you aim for your climax first, you could: orgasm before he enters; have him penetrate right as you’re beginning to peak; and/or get a second orgasm during intercourse. No bad options there, right? Plus, the arousal your body goes through to reach orgasm should make your vaginal lips ready for penetration—that is, swollen to 2-3 times their normal size and well-lubricated. (If you need additional lube, though, go for it.)

7. Pause once he’s inside you.

You can do this for a few seconds or longer, but once your husband’s penis is all the way in, take a moment to savor that feeling before thrusting begins. Do this yourself from a woman-on-top position, or ask him to stop for a moment until you’re ready to continue—or, let’s face it, until he can’t easily handle the delay any longer. It’s pretty amazing how God created our bodies to fit together, so take a brief interlude and appreciate that experience.

8. Tilt your hips.

Whatever sexual position you use, tilt your hips. More. A little more. You might be delightfully surprised how shifting your hips forward or backward changes the angle of entry and thus the sensations you feel. Even if you don’t orgasm during intercourse, indirect stimulation of the clitoris can be particularly enjoyable, and hip-tilting can help you get some friction to that area. Some couples are also able to achieve contact with her G-spot or Skene’s glands, the latter of which (experts believe) is responsible for female ejaculation.

Want specific position ideas? Check out the resource below.

9. Close your thighs.

This isn’t possible with every sexual position obviously, but you can tighten things up a bit for your husband by closing your thighs, down to your knees. Yep, women were once instructed to avoid sex by keeping their knees closed. But it turns out, once hubby’s in, that’s a good way to narrow the entryway slightly, potentially providing more pleasure for both of you. For even more narrowing, try crossing your legs.

10. Do Kegels.

You know those Kegel exercises you’re supposed to be doing for the health of your pelvic floor? Why not do a few while he’s inside you? A wife’s orgasm creates muscle spasms of her vagina, which tightens around his penis, feeling good to both of you. But you can mimic those spasms a bit with Kegels. Bonny Burns lays out in this post from OysterBed7 how Kegels can also strengthen your orgasm. Since you’re supposed to be doing them anyway, why not during sex?

11. Snuggle after sex.

Do you bask in the afterglow? This could be a key moment for you and your husband to feel more intimate and satisfied. Post-climax, you have several body chemicals running through you, including oxytocin (which promotes a sense of bonding), dopamine (which “rewards” us for what just happened), and serotonin (which provides a feeling of well-being and happiness). Let these feelings wash over you while lying in one another’s arms.

And yes, ladies, you should get up and pee post-coitus, but you needn’t panic about it. Health professionals say you can take several minutes to an hour to make it to the bathroom and still get the health benefits of clearing your bladder.

12. Thank God for His gift.

I’ve encouraged couples to pray for their sexual intimacy and even before, during, or after sex. Still, some are uncomfortable with the thought of God in their bedroom. I get it. It can feel awkward to be mid-intercourse and imagine God blessing your union right then and there. But afterward, take a moment to thank Him for this unique gift to marriage. And if you’re still struggling with sexual issues or concerns, take those to Him too—letting Him carry your burdens and leave you with His peace. (See Psalm 68:19 and Matthew 11:28-29.)

Or just imagine giving Him a thumbs-up for that awesome orgasm you just had. Whatever works for you.

*This post is for couples who have a reasonably healthy sex life. If you’re looking for advice on dealing with deeper sexual problems or a sexless marriage, I have many other posts on those topics and a search bar at the top of this website.

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