How can disappointment or unmet expectations in marriage lead us to God’s healing? Our marriage will only be as healthy as the two people in it, and God wants to restore and heal our hearts. We’re delighted to have John and Stasi Eldredge on the podcast today. The Eldredges share so much wisdom and their personal experiences with God’s healing power in their lives and their marriage. 

Episode highlights include: 

• How to navigate expectations for your marriage and the hurt they can bring 

• How to take pressure off your spouse and your marriage

• he two great conversions in the Christian life

• What they would have missed if they had called it quits 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

RESOURCES

• Dr. Kim highly recommends Pause App, by the Eldredges

• Check out their site, www.wildatheart.org - it is full of SO many great resources for you! 

• The L.O.V.E. Your Way Through Marriage Course, by Chris and Jamie Bailey, is a journey of connecting and learning all the necessary steps to start having healthy conflict. Use promo code: LOVELAUNCH for 20% off through May 19th!

When we carry parts of our past with us, it still affects us into today. If we aren’t talking about how the past is for each spouse pushing its way into the present, then we’re probably not getting to the depth of the truth of what’s really going on.

Dr. Kelly Flanagan is a repeat guest on the podcast, and today he shares some transformative steps to dealing with what’s under the surface, and helping your spouse to do the same. Don’t miss this helpful episode! 

Episode highlights include: 

• Do we really need to bring up old stuff from the past? Why does it matter now? 

• Is your heart open to your spouse, or closed? 

• What are steps to helping a spouse deal with their baggage? 

• What does it mean to “hold space” for your spouse? Plus why and how to do that

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our 4 Week Connection Challenge for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• Find more of Dr. Kelly’s resources, including the Loveable Mini Course, at his website: Drkellyflanagan.com

• Get Dr. Kelly’s newest book,  The Unhiding of Elijah Campbell 

• Here's the L.O.V.E. Your Way Through Conflict Course, by Chris and Jamie Bailey. As a gift to our podcast listeners, you can use the promo code LOVELAUNCH to get 20% off from May 9th through May 19th!   

How can just three words help strengthen your emotional, spiritual and mental health? Not only that, but Pastor Mark Batterson says they can shift the tide and change everything. Please, Sorry, Thanks is the name of Pastor Mark Batterson’s new book, and he is here today with Dr. Kim, sharing why it’s worth devoting an entire book to three of the first words many of us were taught growing up! Don’t miss this powerful episode. 

Episode highlights include: 

• Practices to better position ourselves to hear God’s voice over the world’s noise 

• The psychology of please, the science of sorry, and the theology of thanks

• The antidote to bitterness, and the lasting impacts of unconfessed bitterness 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

RESOURCES

• For some guidance to try Mark’s idea of asking great questions, try our 52 Questions For Your Family Table. These are designed to help you ask great questions and engage in interesting conversation! 

• If you enjoyed this episode, you will love Mark’s new book Please, Sorry, Thanks!

Today we tackle listener questions about how to practically apply boundaries in specific marriage situations. Dr. Kim gives some great starting points to help you deal with situations that you may be facing where a boundary would help, but you just don’t know what that boundary should be, or how to set it. 

Episode highlights include: 

• Decision-making boundaries with in-laws 

• Dealing with a controlling parent

• How to address an unmet promise without nagging

• Finding creative solutions to address marriage pain points

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our 4 Week Connection Challenge for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

Our new Boundaries Workbook Guide helps you decide where and how to start applying this content to your marriage.

Do you ever get a little defensive when your spouse disagrees with you? Marriage disagreements get real because we can’t just ignore what we don’t agree on like we can with an acquaintance. Today Mike Donehey joins Dr. Kim on the podcast and shares gospel-centered wisdom that shows us a better way to disagree.

Episode highlights include: 

• How Christians should handle defensiveness 

• A great way to diffuse an argument as soon as it begins 

• What can happen when we take the time to really hear the other person’s argument 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our 4 Week Connection Challenge for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!

RESOURCES

• Save the date! Our 7 Most Popular Resources Bundle goes live in 1 WEEK on April 4th! 

• Read Mike’s book, Grace in the Gray: A More Loving Way to Disagree

• Find Mike at MikeDonehey.com

• Listen to Mike’s podcast, Chasing the Beauty 

There are several types of boundaries that you need to have within your marriage. Chances are you already have some. But there may be pain points in your marriage that healthy boundaries can help. Today we cover a lot of ground as we get into the details of some boundaries that may be needed within your marriage to help you, your spouse and your marriage be your healthiest. 

Episode highlights include: 

• Ways to approach a conversation about free time and hobbies without a fight

• The most common areas where most couples might need boundaries

• Signs that you need a boundary in a given area

• How NOT to do your budget together 

• Plus - Do you have a hobby to answer my question at the end of the episode? I’m so curious - there’s bound to be one! 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our 4 Week Connection Challenge for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• Get 25 of Dr Kim’s best conflict resolution tips in our Conflict Resolution Cheat Sheet! 

• Our new Boundaries Guide helps you decide where and how to start applying this content to your marriage. 

• Our friends Dan & Kay at Centsei can help you set a budget and stick with good financial boundaries.

• We talk to a lot of couples who don't know what makes them a great team, so we created Team You & Me: A Guide to Approaching Your Marriage as a Team, to help you be more intentional to tap into all God has for you in the gift of your marriage.

What are the rhythms of your marriage? Whether you know what they are or not, you have rhythms, and they are shaping who you will become as a couple. Today on the podcast Chris and Jenni Graebe join Dr. Kim to talk about five rhythms for a healthy marriage, and how you can work together to get in the groove. 

Episode highlights include: 

• What are the 5 rhythms? 

• How to talk about issues in your marriage without starting a fight 

• Why speaking life is such an important rhythm, and why it affects more than your marriage. 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our 4 Week Connection Challenge for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• Grab Chris and Jenni’s book, The Rhythm of Us to get all the details of today’s conversation, how to put them into your marriage, and more! 

• Check out Chris & Jenni’s Rhythm of Us Podcast

• TheRhythmofUs.com 

• Use the Marriage Quiz to discover the #1 rhythm missing in your marriage at marriagequiz.com

Today we’re kicking off a series about boundaries in marriage. What they are, what they are not, and why they are essential in a healthy marriage. We get a lot of questions on the topic, and in this series we will share the types of boundaries that can help a marriage, and how to implement them. This series will be full of practical applications and we’d love to answer your questions. 

Episode highlights include: 

• What can boundaries do for your marriage? 

• What can they NOT do? 

• Dr. Kim’s take on an age old example of physical affection at unwelcome times 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our 4 Week Connection Challenge for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• Our Conflict Resolution Cheat Sheet contains 25 of Dr. Kim’s best tips to help you fight fair and resolve conflict well 

• For more help troubleshooting the conflict in your marriage, our Conflict Solving Survey and Workbook helps evaluate where you are now, see where you want to grow, and learn how to get from here to there. 

• In today’s episode we mentioned this: How to Set Boundaries in One-Sided Marriage | Ep. 505. In it we give more biblical context for boundaries.

• Our 4-day YouVersion plan on Boundaries in Marriage can help you put healthy boundaries into practice.

Today Dr. Kim answers the question, “Do Christians have to stay married, no matter what?” We have heard from several listeners who are in difficult, painful and even abusive marriages. Some said their spouse takes advantage of knowing they will continue to stay as a rationale for continuing harmful patterns. This topic is complicated and nuanced, but there are some clear biblical principles about marriage that can help to navigate a response to these painful situations. Listen to learn more. 

Episode highlights include: 

• Does Scripture support staying with a spouse no matter what 

• Dr. Kim shares why and how he recommends separation

• Advice to a spouse whose abuser has been enabled by a church or pastor 

• What a loving marriage looks like, just so no one has to wonder! 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• We mentioned some Scriptures in the episode that reveal God’s heart for the marriage relationship and his standard of love. This is only a very short partial list. 
  • Ephesians 5  
  • 1 Peter 3
  • 1 Corinthians 13 
  • Colossians 3:12-19 
• Even in a difficult marriage, there is no place for violence or any kind of abuse. If you are unsafe in your marriage, please contact https://www.thehotline.org/ or  800.799.SAFE
• Dr. David E Clarke returns to the podcast next week for help dealing with an abuser. For help more helpful content on the topic, please see Dr. Clarke’s books:
  • Enough is Enough
  • 20 Lies That Keep You WIth Your Abuser 

Today Dr. Kim welcomes return guests Levi and Jennie Lusko to the podcast. In this episode, they talk about their new book, The Marriage Devotional, and answer why they wrote a marriage devotional, how that process affected their marriage, the power of scripture in marriage gift God gave us, and much more! Don’t miss this deeply encouraging episode! 

Episode highlights include: 

• Why there is power to going to church in person as a couple  

• What might be going on when you don’t get anything out of a sermon or Bible reading

• Levi and Jennie share how they’ve personally worked to grow as spouses  

• Some of the unseen purposes of sex in marriage 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

Resources: 

• We love Levi and Jennie’s new book, The Marriage Devotional. It would also make a great Christmas gift!)
• Hear more from Levi and Jennie at Fresh Life Church and on their podcast, Hey It’s the Luskos. 
• This Giving Tuesday, we are giving A Very Married Christmas: Couple’s Advent Calendar - which also comes with the cutest printable Advent Scripture Cards -  as a thank-you gift for your donation! As a non-profit, Giving Tuesday is an important day for us at Awesome Marriage! Find out more here!
• Loving our monthly resources? Marriage Changers get instant access to every months’ new resource – and so much more! Learn more here. 
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email. 
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!

Have you gotten bad marriage advice? We sure have! We’ve heard so many things that just aren’t helpful for marriage, but we didn’t always realize it! Trying to follow a harmful piece of marriage will damage your marriage over time. So today we call out bad marriage advice, give ways to prevent yourself from falling prey to it, and help you determine what's good advice, and what's worth tossing out. 

Episode highlights include: 

• How to tell whether it’s good advice or not 

• The downside of getting marriage advice online 

• Plus Dr. Kim answers an listener question about a spouse who refuses to go to church 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

Resources: 

• Our new Conflict Solving Survey is designed to help you approach the conflict conversation in a gentle way that doesn’t end in conflict! We think this will help you approach conflict well. 
• Growing in self-awareness is a gift to yourself, your spouse, and your marriage. That’s why we created The Self Check In Guide. Learn more about this helpful resource!  
• If your marriage is really struggling, our Marriage 911 Course was designed as the emergency help you need to get back on track. Check it out today!
• Loving our monthly resources? Marriage Changers get instant access to every months’ new resource – and so much more! Learn more here. 
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies! 
• Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email.

So much of life is not what happens to us, but how we respond to it. Life is hard and it never seems to go exactly according to our plans. My grandad said that we all have the choice to either get bitter, or get better. And he lived out what it looks like to get better, even in the face of all of life’s troubles. Today Dr. Kim shares what ongoing bitterness looks like over time, and how we can avoid becoming grouchy, grumpy, and mean! 

Episode highlights include: 

• How to know if you’re becoming more bitter 

• Practical steps to help you “get better” instead

• Tips for dealing with the difficult people in your life 

• This week’s anonymous listener question leads to a memorable story from one of Dr. Kim and Nancy’s recent dates 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

P.S. I misquoted his age in the episode - my grandad lived to 94½ before he went to heaven last year! 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

Resources: 

• Trusting God Through Grief with Special Guest Stacy Henagan | Ep. 462
• A Faithful Life and Legacy - with Special Guest Ernstena Parker Wood | Ep. 496
• You could win a $250 Amazon gift card when you submit a screenshot of your rating and review of the Awesome Marriage Podcast! Use this link to enter! 
• Setting our mind on what is good, right and true is good for us and great for our marriage! Our 19 Prayers and Affirmations for Your Marriage  resource will help you do just that! 
• Get a quick daily dose of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email! As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!
• Ready to level up your marriage? With the Marriage Changers membership yet you get all of our monthly resources, plus some other sweet benefits, like Tshirts and exclusive videos with Dr. Kim and Nancy! Learn more here!
• Dr. Kim’s free weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email. 

What are the pros and cons of having kids? Can you know if you’re really ready? Today Dr. Kim and I discuss how to know and how we each went through that process with our spouse. We share some practical ways to get on the same page with your spouse, as well as some of our favorite parts of being parents. Listen in to learn more!

Episode highlights include: 

• How we navigated the transitions from being childless couples to having kids

• Surprises that couples often face when they become parents 

• Tips to getting on the same page about this 

• This week’s anonymous question: Is it okay to use birth control? 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

Resources: 

• The Weekly Marriage Check Up Guide  
• You could win a $250 Amazon gift card when you submit a screenshot of your rating and review of the Awesome Marriage Podcast! Use this link to enter! 
• Do you feel like you and your spouse aren’t as unified as you’d like? It’s time to get on the same page! This Unity Building Journal is designed to help you look at key areas of your marriage and work to get unified. 
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!
• Ready to level up your marriage? With the Marriage Changers membership yet you get all of our monthly resources, plus some other sweet benefits, like Tshirts and exclusive videos with Dr. Kim and Nancy! Learn more here!
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Dr. Kim’s free weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email. 

Mental health impacts every aspect of our life, so it will certainly impact our marriage. I am so thankful for Dr. Kim’s deep experience with this topic! In this episode we covered everything from how to know when to work on things ourselves, when to seek help, and effective but practical ways to boost mental health in everyday life. Tune in to learn more. 

Episode highlights include: 

• How to know when you need professional help
• Practical everyday tips to boosting your mental health 
• How to help a spouse that is struggling with their mental health, while staying healthy yourself
• Plus this week’s anonymous question about a long-winded spouse

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.

Make sure you subscribe to Podcast Email so you never miss an episode. When you sign up, we’ll send you our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource for free as a sign up bonus, plus you get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox each week! 

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• Do you feel like you and your spouse aren’t as unified as you’d like? It’s time to get on the same page! Our Unity Building Journal is designed to help you look at key areas of your marriage and work to get unified.
• We have created a Self-Check In Guide that is a helpful place to start uncovering what’s going on with you and to grow more self-aware. 
• Here’s that episode where Carey Nieuwhof and Dave Adamson talk about getting healthy sleep!   
• Follow this link to leave us a rating & review on iTunes on the Apple Podcasts Page. We *so* appreciate your support of the podcast! 
• Ready to level up your marriage? With a Marriage Changers membership yet you get all of our monthly resources, plus some other sweet benefits, like Tshirts and exclusive videos with Dr. Kim and Nancy! Learn more here!
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email.  

The healthiest marriages are between two healthy people. This week we’re unpacking why it’s so hard to be spiritually healthy without emotional health. The two are linked because a lack of knowing ourselves will seriously hinder our ability to connect with God and others. It’s a lot simpler, more accessible, and less touchy-feely than it may sound. 

Episode highlights include: 

• The connection between emotional and spiritual health 
• The unintended relational effects of unprocessed emotions
• Tips to grow in emotionally and spiritually health
• Plus this week’s anonymous listener question about an apathetic spouse 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• Do you have “healthy self” questions for us? Send them in and we’ll answer in a Healthy Self / Healthy Marriage Q & A episode! 
• Emotionally Healthy Discipleship Podcast 
• Our Awesome Marriage YouVersion Plans help you read and apply Scripture
• The Bible Project is an awesome resource to help you understand the Bible 
• Do you feel like you and your spouse aren’t as unified as you’d like? It’s time to get on the same page! This Unity Building Journal is designed to help you look at key areas of your marriage and work to get unified.
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!
• Find the link to leave us a rating & review on iTunes on the Apple Podcasts Page. We *so* appreciate your support of the podcast! 
• Ready to level up your marriage? With the Marriage Changers membership yet you get all of our monthly resources, plus some other sweet benefits, like Tshirts and exclusive videos with Dr. Kim and Nancy! Learn more here!
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Dr. Kim’s free weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email.  

Today Dr. Kim and I are talking about how physical health impacts a marriage. It turns out we’re both passionate about pursuing good stewardship with physical health! Dr. Kim shares some of the struggles he and Nancy have had to deal with and how they worked through them, and I share how going from a mentality of body shame to one of gratitude shifted how I approach physical health. 

Episode highlights include: 

• Why we need a proper theology about our bodies 
• How physical health impacts our marriage
• How to start overcoming body shame 
• Plus This week’s anonymous listener question is about getting on the same page with your spouse about parenting 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• In Breaking Free From Body Shame Jess Connolly gives sound and effective theology about the body
• Are you and your spouse as unified as you’d like? It’s time to get on the same page! This Unity Building Journal is designed to help you look at key areas of your marriage and work to get unified.
• Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
• Any questions? Send them in and we’ll answer in a Healthy Self / Healthy Marriage Q & A episode! 
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!
• Find the link to leave us a rating & review on iTunes on the Apple Podcasts Page. We *so* appreciate your support of the podcast! 
• Ready to level up your marriage? With the Marriage Changers membership yet you get all of our monthly resources, plus some other sweet benefits, like Tshirts and exclusive videos with Dr. Kim and Nancy! Learn more here!
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Dr. Kim’s free weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email.  

When we get married, we are also marrying into our spouse’s family. In laws can be a blessing, but that’s not always the case. Today we share real life examples of in-law issues and how couples dealt with them, and give you practical steps to deal with the issues that you might be facing.

We know in-law issues run the gamut and so this advice is not one-size-fits-all. So if we missed something you want to hear covered, 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• Did we miss an important in law issue you want to hear addressed? Email me and let us know! 
• Dr. Kim says that one of the keys to an awesome marriage is being a student of your spouse. Take that advice seriously and study your husband with the Husband Study Challenge!
• Find the link to leave us a rating & review on iTunes on the Apple Podcasts Page. We *so* appreciate your support of the podcast! 
• Will you take 15 minutes each week to check up on your marriage? Dr. Kim highly recommends a quick weekly check in, and our Weekly Check In Guide makes it easy to do! 
• Ready to level up your marriage? With the Marriage Changers membership yet you get all of our monthly resources, plus some other sweet benefits, like Tshirts and exclusive videos with Dr. Kim and Nancy! Learn more here! 
• Check out Dr. Kim’s Marriage Multiplier email! The Marriage Multiplier brings you 4 pieces of marriage wisdom in a quick, easy to read email. 

We all want to keep our marriage safe from the damaging effects of an affair. There are many tips to doing this, but the one truly essential underlying principle is simpler and more effective than you might think. In today’s episode, Dr. Kim shares the top way to prevent an affair, based on his 40 years of experience counseling couples. 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• If your marriage has been affected by an affair, our online Affair Recovery Course can help. Use code: “AwesomeMarriage” for $5 off. 
• Podcast episodes mentioned today: 
• Oneness Vs. Codependency - What's the Difference? With Debra Fileta | Ep. 511
• Amber and Arly’s Restoration Story
• Dr. Kim’s recent Dispatch, “What If”
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!
• Find the link to leave us a rating & review on iTunes on the Apple Podcasts Page. We *so* appreciate your support of the podcast! 
• Will you take 15 minutes each week to check up on your marriage? Dr. Kim highly recommends a quick weekly check in, and our Weekly Check In Guide makes it easy to do! 
• Ready to level up your marriage? With the Marriage Changers membership yet you get all of our monthly resources, plus some other sweet benefits, like Tshirts and exclusive videos with Dr. Kim and Nancy! Learn more here!
• Check out Dr. Kim’s Marriage Multiplier email! The Marriage Multiplier brings you 4 pieces of marriage wisdom in a quick, easy to read email. 

Can you grow your attraction to your spouse, or is it destined to grow stale over time? Today’s special guest Kimberley Beam Holmes explains that attraction is a process. Following this process will increase your attraction in marriage, but stopping it will lead to a stagnant and stale attraction. Learn how to follow the attraction process that you can follow at any time in marriage. 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode and get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox! 

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• Find resources and more of Kimberley’s work at MarriageHelper.com
• Get the Summer Bucketlist Date Design today and start your summer off right, with your spouse by your side!
• Check out Marriage Helper’s Free “How To Get Your Spouse Back” Mini Course 
• When you were first dating I bet you studied your wife intensely. You wanted to know everything about her. All that studying connected you two. It can connect you again with the 18-Day Wife Study Challenge! 
• Dr. Kim recommends a weekly marriage check in, and our Weekly Check In Guide makes it easy to do! You will get this resource for free when you sign up for Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier email!
• When you sign up for Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email you will get an email from every weekday with one practical thing to do for your marriage that day! Bonus: We will send you our “Creative Questions To Ask Your Spouse” for free when you subscribe.
• Do you know about the Marriage Changers membership? As a Marriage Changer you get each of our new monthly resources, plus some other sweet benefits, like t-shirts and exclusive videos with Dr. Kim and Nancy! Learn more here!

Is it ever okay to feel used in married sex? If you’re struggling with feeling this way, don’t settle for staying stuck there. We will speak to several different contexts in today’s episode. Wherever your marriage is today, we pray you find encouragement, know that you are not alone, and know that God wants you to find health and enjoyment in the sexual relationship in your marriage. 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode and get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox! 

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• Abusive behavior is never ok. If you’re being abused, please get out and get help. If you suspect any emotional or physical abuse is going on in your marriage, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at https://www.thehotline.org or 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233)

• Registration is now open for FaithFULL Online Men’s Retreat! Don’t miss this chance to learn from like minded men who are seeking to build a life of integrity. We have 10% off for you when you use the code DRKIM10 at checkout! 
• When you were first dating I bet you studied your wife intensely. You wanted to know everything about her. All that studying connected you two. It can connect you again with the 18-Day Wife Study Challenge! 
• Dr. Kim recommends a weekly marriage check in, and our Weekly Check In Guide makes it easy to do! You will get this resource for free when you sign up for Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier email!
• When you sign up for Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email you will get an email from every weekday with one practical thing to do for your marriage that day! Bonus: We will send you our “Creative Questions To Ask Your Spouse” for free when you subscribe.
• Do you know about the Marriage Changers membership? As a Marriage Changer you get each of our new monthly resources, plus some other sweet benefits, like t-shirts and exclusive videos with Dr. Kim and Nancy! Learn more here!

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*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• Dr. Kim’s eBook Awesome Sex In Marriage
• The 2022 Virtual Sex Seminar is designed to help you deal with a number of common barriers to great married sex. We’ve partnered up with the Dating Divas and 21 other sex and marriage experts to give you the 2022 Virtual Sex Seminar. Learn from SAFE, HEALTHY Sex Experts in the privacy of your own home. 
• Dr. Kim’s Marriage Multiplier email brings you thoughtful and impactful marriage challenges and helps all in one short email each Wednesday. Sign up here! 
• Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email provides a step to growing your marriage, sent directly to your inbox each weekday. Plus we will send you our “Creative Questions To Ask Your Spouse” for free when you subscribe!
• Our Marriage Changers get each of our new monthly resources, plus some other sweet benefits, like t-shirts and exclusive videos with Dr. Kim and Nancy! Learn more here!
• Use the Spice It Up Sex Challenge challenge as a fun way to connect with your spouse! The goal is to complete all 18 challenges in 30 days!  
• Our Lovemaking Survey is a nonthreatening way to evaluate your sex together. The goal is to be honest and to work together towards better sex in your marriage, no matter how these answers unfold. 

We know “opposites attract,” but once those opposites are married, they also can tend to drive each other crazy! We’re on our Awesome Marriage Podcast 4-week summer break, and during these weeks off, we will re-share some of our favorite past episodes. These are episodes that you might have missed the first time, or that just deserve a re-listen! In this week’s Worth Repeating, we’re sharing the Enneagram and Your Marriage, with special guests Jeff and Beth McCord of Your Enneagram Coach. They explain what the enneagram is, why it’s worth talking about and how it can help, even in conflict. They unpack how this tool can facilitate growth, compassion and understanding, point us to the Gospel, and move couples from frustration to thriving together.   

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode and get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox! 

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

Read the episode transcript here. 

RESOURCES

• Dr. Kim has an episode with Beth about how to thrive in marriage with each of the 9 types! You can find all 9 episodes here! 
• Find everything you need at becomingus.com including the course for YOUR marriage’s Enneagram combination! Beth & Jeff have a “Becoming Us” course for each type combination! 
• Buy “Becoming Us” today! 
• Registration is now open for FaithFULL Online Men’s Retreat! Don’t miss this chance to learn from like minded men who are seeking to build a life of integrity. Discounted early bird pricing is available through May 31, PLUS we have an additional 10% off for you when you use the code DRKIM10 at checkout! 
• Honoring Intimates is a safe place to learn about marital sex and shop for the highest quality lubricant, lotions, and lingerie items at reasonable prices. There are no inappropriate images on the site and the company uses mannequins to display their lingerie. Use the code “AWESOMEMARRIAGE” to receive 20% off your entire order. 
• You can get some one-on-one coaching with Your Enneagram Coach here. 
• Not sure what your Enneagram Type is? You can take the free assessment here! Also be sure to take the FREE MARRIAGE ASSESSMENT here. 
• Become a Marriage Changer and receive some sweet exclusive benefits. Learn more here!
• Sign up to get Dr. Kim’s One Thing To Grow Your Marriage Each Day here!

Today Laura Doyle from the Empowered Wife Podcast joins Dr. Kim to teach us some empowering ways to shift the culture of our marriage, even if our spouse isn’t on board.  Tune in to learn some of the “cheat phrases” Laura teaches that can help you shift from controlling tendencies to deeper intimacy.   

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

PS - Please let me know if you end up with an experience like the story Laura tells about getting the kitchen clean!

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode and get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox! 

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

Today we wrap up our series one one-sided marriage by answering some of your questions. We know marriage isn’t easy, and there are no one-size fits all answers. But some key themes have stood out through this series, and there are practical action steps you can take to help your marriage, even if your spouse never gets on board. Tune in today as we address them.  

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode and get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox! 

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• Even in a difficult marriage, there is no place for violence or any kind of abuse. If you are unsafe in your marriage, please contact https://www.thehotline.org/ or  800.799.SAFE
• Dr. David Clarke’s book Enough is Enough will help you find solid, biblical next steps if you think you may be in an abusive situation. 
• The Self Check In Guide (I referred to this as the “Self Awareness Challenge”) is designed to help you clarify what’s going on with you, which is a really helpful step in communicating well with your spouse. 
• “How to Ask for Help” special Wives’ Edition podcast episode with Christina and Lindsay 
• Dr. Kim highly recommends a weekly marriage check in, and our Weekly Check In Guide makes it easy to do! You will get this resource for free when you sign up for Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier email!

Thank goodness for Dr. Kim’s wisdom and counseling experience to help us unpack this issue! 

It’s not something many of us have seen done well, or been taught to do, but setting appropriate boundaries can help you and your marriage grow healthier. Tune in to find out how and why this works. 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode and get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox! 

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

RESOURCES

• Do you need help resolving conflict in healthier ways? We’ve got you covered! Our  Conflict Resolution Cheat Sheet has 25 of Dr. Kim’s time-tested tips to handle conflict well. 
• Dr. Kim highly recommends a weekly marriage check in, and our Weekly Check In Guide makes it easy to do! You will get this resource for free when you sign up for Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier email!
• Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email is a quick email from Dr. Kim each weekday with one practical thing to help grow your marriage! The One Thing was created to help spouses who want to do something to help their marriage but weren’t  sure where to start. You’ll also get our “Creative Questions To Ask Your Spouse” resource for free when you subscribe!
• Ready to level up your marriage? With the Marriage Changers membership you get each of our new monthly resources, plus some other sweet benefits, like Tshirts and exclusive videos with Dr. Kim and Nancy! Learn more here!