The importance of being friends and communicating effectively with your spouse may seem like cliché marriage advice, especially because you’ve probably heard it lots of times.
But Tammy Franklin, who has been married to GRAMMY® winning gospel artist Kirk Franklin for 21 years, says this is not trite advice. It is key to building a strong union.
“I know people hear that and it sounds simple,” said Tammy during a Friday interview on the nationally syndicated radio show, Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell. Yet, according to her, it works for the Franklins.
The in-love-as-ever couple, in fact, just celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary on Jan. 20 and they have managed to keep the spark alive.
How?
In part, by behaving the way they did when they were still dating.
But Tammy Franklin, who has been married to GRAMMY® winning gospel artist Kirk Franklin for 21 years, says this is not trite advice. It is key to building a strong union.
“I know people hear that and it sounds simple,” said Tammy during a Friday interview on the nationally syndicated radio show, Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell. Yet, according to her, it works for the Franklins.
The in-love-as-ever couple, in fact, just celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary on Jan. 20 and they have managed to keep the spark alive.
How?
In part, by behaving the way they did when they were still dating.
+“When you have a girlfriend and y’all are at odds with each other… oh, it don’t feel right,” said Tammy, sitting across from friends and fellow married pair Erica and Warryn Campbell. “It just hurts you. But sometimes we’re not like that with our spouses.”
But for the loving wife, who often refers to the “Stomp” songwriter as “my boyfriend,” being atodds with Kirk is nearly unbearable.
“My heart aches when, like, we are into it and I’m like, okay, I’m ready to— let’s talk through this,” she said in the studio with hubby by her side listening. “Let’s not brush it under the rug, but let’s talk through it and let’s get back [to happiness].”
Aside from communication and friendship, Kirk believes patience has a lot to do with it as well. In a 2015 blog post, he said, “Tammy was patient with me. Her family background was better than mine."
He, at four years old, was adopted by his Great-Aunt Gertrude, a 64-year-old widow, after being abandoned by his mother. Tammy's parents were together.
“She had a mom and dad in the house. She saw love modeled. I didn’t. She didn’t give up on me,” he said.
Despite their ups and downs, the Franklins are determined to make things work.
But for the loving wife, who often refers to the “Stomp” songwriter as “my boyfriend,” being atodds with Kirk is nearly unbearable.
“My heart aches when, like, we are into it and I’m like, okay, I’m ready to— let’s talk through this,” she said in the studio with hubby by her side listening. “Let’s not brush it under the rug, but let’s talk through it and let’s get back [to happiness].”
Aside from communication and friendship, Kirk believes patience has a lot to do with it as well. In a 2015 blog post, he said, “Tammy was patient with me. Her family background was better than mine."
He, at four years old, was adopted by his Great-Aunt Gertrude, a 64-year-old widow, after being abandoned by his mother. Tammy's parents were together.
“She had a mom and dad in the house. She saw love modeled. I didn’t. She didn’t give up on me,” he said.
Despite their ups and downs, the Franklins are determined to make things work.