The Session: Marriage Habits of Millennials, Gen X and Gen Z

Psalm 145:1-5

I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

Ages:

• Baby Boomers: Born 1946–1964 (Ages ~60-79)
• Generation X (Gen X): Born 1965–1980 (Ages ~45-59)
• Millennials (Gen Y): Born 1981–1996 (Ages ~29-44)
• Generation Z (Gen Z): Born 1997–2012 (Ages ~13-

University of Southern California

Key Differences in Summary:

• Baby Boomers: Optimistic, tradition-focused, post-war prosperity.
• Gen X: Independent, pragmatic, cynical, bridging eras.
• Gen Z: Digitally fluent, diverse, experience-driven, socially conscious.

Purdue University

The Encouraging Data Points

• Youth Engagement: Younger generations (Gen Z, Millennials) are showing increased commitment to Jesus, Bible reading, and church attendance, particularly younger men.
• Spiritual Curiosity: There's a noted rise in spiritual openness and interest not seen in past years.
• Global Growth: Christianity continues rapid growth in Africa and globally, with fewer atheists worldwide.

Barna Group

Baby Boomers (1946-1964)

• Marriage as Norm: Grew up with strong societal pressure to marry, resulting in the highest marriage rates.
• High Divorce Rates: Their era normalized divorce, leading to the highest divorce rates among generations, with rates rising with age. (Scott finds this interesting)
• Interracial marriage wasn't legal nationwide until 1967.

Generation X (1965-1980)

• Practical Approach: Bridged traditional and modern views, valuing financial stability and practicality in weddings.
• Cohabitation: Many supported cohabiting before marriage as a way to prevent divorce.
• High Satisfaction: Studies suggest Gen X couples report the highest marital satisfaction.

Millennials (1981-1996)

• Delayed Marriage: Married later and less frequently than prior generations, with lower overall marriage rates.
• Cohabitation & Trial Runs: Increased cohabitation before marriage, viewing it as a practical step.
• Diversity: More open to interracial and interfaith marriages.

Generation Z (1997-2010)

• Continued Delay: Following Millennial trends, they are postponing marriage and other milestones.
• Lower Marriage Projections: Expected to have even lower marriage rates than Millennials.
• Authenticity: Value authenticity and are open to diverse relationships (interfaith/interracial).

Key Takeaways

• Shift from Institution to Partnership: Marriage is increasingly seen less as a societal requirement (Boomers) and more as a personal choice for fulfillment (Millennials/Gen Z).
• Financial & Practical Focus: Gen X prioritized affordability, while Millennials and Gen Z focus on experience and value, even in weddings.
• Evolving Definitions: Acceptance of cohabitation, interracial, and interfaith marriages has grown significantly from Boomers to Gen Z.

Generation X (1965-1980)

• Practical Approach: Bridged traditional and modern views, valuing financial stability and practicality in weddings.
• Cohabitation: Many supported cohabiting before marriage as a way to prevent divorce.

A devotional podcast for parents on the go! Encouragement, Scripture, & prayer in just 7 minutes. Join the journey!

To reach Tom Russell, go to https://www.heritagechristiancounselingofmansfield.com.

The Session: The Psychology of Eating Cliffnotes.com

Why, When, and How Much Humans Eat

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (I Corinthians 6:19-20)

The psychology of eating is a multidisciplinary field that explores the complex biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors influencing why, when, and how much humans eat.

The psychology of eating goes beyond simple hunger to address learned behaviors, emotional triggers, and environmental cues that shape our relationship with food.

Environmental cues happen when people are more likely to eat in the presence of an environmental cue that others did too. Also, participants were more likely to choose a snack that was consistent with the choice of others.

• Examples include having a snack because someone else in the house is having one. The power of suggestion.

Key Factors in the Psychology of Eating

• Emotional Eating: Many people use food—often high-fat, high-sugar "comfort foods"—to cope with emotions such as depression, stress, sadness, boredom, anger, or loneliness. This provides temporary relief but can lead to cycles of guilt and overeating.
• Mindless Eating: This occurs when individuals eat without paying attention to their body's hunger and fullness signals, often while distracted by activities like watching TV or working.
• An example; I always eat pizza while watching football
• Social and Environmental Influence: Eating behaviors are heavily influenced by social settings, cultural norms, and marketing. People often eat more in the company of others or are influenced by the eating habits of romantic partners.
• Food Preferences and Conditioning: Personal history, childhood experiences, and learned associations (e.g., associating specific foods with celebrations or comfort) significantly shape what we choose to eat.
• Biological and Neurological Factors: Hormones like leptin and ghrelin regulate physical hunger and satiety, while the brain's reward system can drive cravings for calorie-dense foods.
• Mood and Nutrition: The relationship between food and mood is a two-way street. A nutritious diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential vitamins, can improve mood and mental health, while poor dietary choices can exacerbate feelings of stress and depression.
• Why You Eat

Understanding why you eat produces the potential to manage your weight and mental health better.

•Some people eat because they enjoy fixing themselves a snack and looking forward to eating it.

•Some people like eating because it makes it gives them an adrenaline high while preparing it.

When We Eat

• Poor Choices: People eating late often choose higher-calorie, less nutritious foods, and emotional eating increases when tired, adding excess calories.
• Increased Calorie Intake: Late-night eaters often consume hundreds more calories daily, which drives weight gain.

Portion Size

The National Library of Medicine suggests that it can increase weight gain. However other factors are related.

• Family Genetics
• Size

A devotional podcast for parents on the go! Encouragement, Scripture, & prayer in just 7 minutes. Join the journey!

To reach Tom Russell, go to https://www.heritagechristiancounselingofmansfield.com.

The Session: Shopaholics

I Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

The psychology of shopaholism is rooted in the temporary relief and emotional highs that shopping provides, which can be a coping mechanism for stress, low self-esteem, or feelings of powerlessness. It's a behavioral addiction.

Psychological drivers

• Emotional regulation: Shopping can be a way to soothe negative feelings like stress, anxiety, sadness, or anger.
• Sense of control: For those who feel a lack of control in other areas of their life, shopping can provide a sense of power and autonomy.
• Highs and lows: The release of endorphins and dopamine during a purchase creates a temporary "high" or sense of gratification. However, this is often followed by feelings of shame, disappointment, or guilt, which leads to a cycle of seeking the rush again.
• Self-esteem and validation: Compulsive buying can be a way to seek validation or improve one's self-image and sense of importance through material possessions.
• Perfectionism: Some individuals may shop compulsively to achieve an imagined sense of perfection, believing that certain items will make them more complete.

Comorbidity

• Other disorders could be happening at the same time.

Behavioral patterns

• Preoccupation: Individuals become preoccupied with shopping and making purchases, sometimes to an obsessive degree.
• Impulse control issues: A key feature is difficulty resisting the impulse to buy, even when they know it's a bad idea.
• Secrecy and guilt: They may hide their purchases from friends and family and feel a significant amount of shame and guilt after shopping sprees.

Escalation: The behavior can escalate into financial, emotional, and relational problems.

To reach Tom Russell, go to https://www.heritagechristiancounselingofmansfield.com.