Can your marriage be happy, even after…? Our guest today said that, “About 70% of men in the church are struggling cyclically or addictively with pornography, and about 30% of women. It’s time to stop giving the enemy the power of our silence.” We completely agree! While this story is not easy to tell, letting light into our darkest places is how we will experience the healing God wants for us.
We are so thankful that Dannah shared her story with us this week. We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.
Episode highlights include:
The antidote to “I don’t even know what to do” about this
Does a porn addiction always escalate? And why?
Some of the science behind why this addiction is so hard to kick
The impact of betrayal trauma on a spouse
RESOURCES
If porn use has damaged your marriage, you may struggle to feel close and to re-engage in sexual intimacy. You know that healing is possible, but how do you get there?
Today Dr. Kim shares ways that couples can overcome the hurt caused by porn and re-establish the intimacy that will make the marriage thrive again. Time and again, we have seen couples restored, and their marriage even better than before. Tune in today and learn how this can be true for your marriage too.
We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.
Episode highlights include:
Overcoming intrusive thoughts and insecurities
How porn and comparison are similar
Why the marriage can be better than before after healing from this
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
RESOURCES
Do you love the Bible app as much as we do? Do not miss Dr. Kim’s Verse of the Day on YouVersion Friday!
Keep your marriage thriving for the long haul! Order Dr. Kim’s new book, Love, Intimacy and Sex in the Second Half!
Has the Awesome Marriage podcast helped your marriage? If so, will you take a moment to leave us a rating and review? They take just a moment to leave, but they do make an difference in getting the show in front of more people.
In Spotify, click the “star” icon right under the show’s heading
On Apple Podcasts, scroll down to the “Ratings & Reviews” section of the show page
Don’t settle for a struggling marriage. The 90 Days to Save Your Marriage plan is affordable, practical, and starts right where your marriage is today to get it on the road to healing.
Porn use is a pain point for all too many marriages. Today we talk about how to begin healing and rebuilding trust if porn has damaged your marriage. We have seen countless marriages restored from this issue, and we believe God can do the same for you and your marriage. Tune in to learn how you can begin to trust again.
We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.
Episode highlights include:
The key to knowing if your spouse has changed and is trustworthy
What if they haven’t changed?
Why confession is vital to healing and freedom
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
RESOURCES
If you are ready to be free from porn, our friends at Restored Ministries offer several options to help both. Please do not hesitate to reach out.
If your marriage has been affected by infidelity, our online Affair Recovery Course can help. This course is helpful whether you’re just starting the recovery process, or are already in process. Use code: “AWESOMEMARRIAGE” for %10 off.
Has the Awesome Marriage podcast helped your marriage? If so, will you take a moment to leave us a rating and review? They take just a moment to leave, but they do make an difference in getting the show in front of more people.
In Spotify, click the “star” icon right under the show’s heading
On Apple Podcasts, scroll down to the “Ratings & Reviews” section of the show page
Learn how to keep your marriage strong for the long haul! Order Dr. Kim’s new book, Love, Intimacy and Sex in the Second Half!
We know this topic is a painful one for all too many marriages, and we also know that God can bring full healing if your marriage has been damaged by porn. Today Dr. Kim shares how he’s seen porn impact marriages over the years, why it’s always a problem if it’s part of a marriage, and how to start breaking free.
We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.
Episode highlights include:
Why porn use is never a one-person issue
Why keeping porn use secret makes it harder to stop using
Addressing common cultural myths about porn such as, “everyone does it” and “it doesn’t hurt anyone”
Steps to breaking free if you are using porn
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
RESOURCES
If you are ready to be free from porn, our friends at Restored Ministries offer several options to help both. Please do not hesitate to reach out.
If your marriage has been affected by infidelity, our online Affair Recovery Course can help. This course is helpful whether you’re just starting the recovery process, or are already in process. Use code: “AWESOMEMARRIAGE” for %10 off.
Great things are happening on the Awesome Marriage Podcast this summer! In this quick update Dr. Kim and I pop in to talk about what you can expect and what you'll be hearing over the next few weeks. Plus an exciting announcement from Dr. Kim!
We pray these episodes are helpful to you and your marriage.
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
RESOURCES
Learn to make your marriage strong for the long haul -- Order Dr. Kim’s new book, Love, Intimacy and Sex in the Second Half.
If you need anything from us, don’t hesitate to reach out at info@awesomemarriage.com
When Eric and Erikah Rivera met and started dating as high school sweethearts, they sensed God’s call on their lives. But they did not know how it would all unfold. Today they are church planters in their hometown of Chicago, and they graciously share their story of how God has met them in the midst of unexpected fear and pain, and the ways He has worked in each circumstance. Don’t miss this encouraging conversation with the Riveras.
We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.
Episode highlights include:
How sharing their fears and grief with each other led to increased faith
Unexpected ways God can use our trials when we invite Him to
Should the disciple be known as “Doubting Thomas” or “Ride-or-Die Thomas”?
When God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we hope
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
Application Questions:
What fears are underlying in your heart and mind today? What prevents you from speaking them?
Where do you need to see Jesus show up in your life today? In your marriage?
How do you need support in those things in your marriage today?
How can you better support your spouse in the things they are dealing with today?
RESOURCES
Hear more on the Brook Church website and YouTube Channel
This week we conclude our powerful Unpacking the Baggage series with some details on the process of unpacking marriage baggage, and dealing with what’s underneath. I’m so thankful for Dr. Kim’s biblical wisdom on this topic, as well as the excellent guests we heard from this month. If you missed the previous episodes of this series, make sure to go back and listen for some powerful wisdom on how to heal your heart and your marriage.
We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.
Episode highlights include:
Some of the physical signals that can help us prevent overreactions
Slowing down the process to identify relationship triggers
How to begin healing from relationship triggers and figure out what’s underneath
What to do if you don’t know what’s underneath
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
RESOURCES
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 AWESOMEMARRIAGE for 10% off!
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!
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.
*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
When we carry parts of our past with us, they still affect us today. You may know there is something going on, but not know what it is. You may sense your spouse has something they are carrying or you might be affected by unresolved conflict in your shared past. Today Dr. Kim shares how these things shape our marriage relationships and what we can do about them.
Episode highlights include:
Ever been picked last at recess? Yeah, us too. But do things like that matter in our marriages?
Why aren’t we dealing with this stuff already?
What happens if we don’t deal with our past hurt
Is it okay to talk about our spouse’s baggage if they don’t bring it up?
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
This is the FB Live video with Chris and Jamie Bailey that we referred to dealing with Emotional Rationalization
Here's what's coming up in the next several weeks on the Awesome Marriage Podcast! I'll share which guests will be appearing on the podcast and a snippet of what they'll talk about. This series is full of warmth and wisdom, so make sure to tune into each 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!
So many parents know the pain of a broken relationship with their adult child. This isn’t how you thought it would go, and you’re not sure how to love your child when they continue to break your heart. Today Dr. David E Clarke returns to the podcast to give some biblical steps that parents can take, individually or as a couple, with their prodigal child.
Episode highlights include:
10 scenarios that can cause relational disconnect with your adult child
Steps to repairing your relationship when you’ve fallen short
Resolving parental guilt - and what happens if you fail to do so
Forgiving the adult child that has broken your heart
What role do other family members play?
We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
RESOURCES
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.
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
RESOURCES
Learn all about how to set healthy boundaries for your marriage with our Building Better Boundaries For Your Marriage online course.
Our new Boundaries Workbook Guide helps you decide where and how to start applying this content to your marriage.
Today on the podcast, we’re sharing real stories of marriage boundaries that couples used to help their marriage grow healthier. Dr. Kim and I each share some of our own experiences, and we will hear from 4 members of the Awesome Marriage team about boundaries that helped their marriage.
Episode highlights include:
The money mindset that set Dr. Kim and Nancy up for success together
A simple way to transition from your work-from-home to family time
Lindsay and Christina share practical boundaries for couples in ministry
Dr. Kim and Lindsay have opposite takes on one thing their spouses do
We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
RESOURCES
Learn all about how to set healthy boundaries for your marriage with our Building Better Boundaries For Your Marriage online course.
Our new Boundaries Guide helps you decide where and how to start applying this content to your marriage.
The 7 Most Popular Resource Bundle launches today! It’s available for 2 weeks only, so don’t miss the chance to get 7 of our most-loved resources for just one donation. https://awesomemarriage.com/2023-april-bundle
Today we’re going to get into what healthy boundaries do and do NOT look like. We will troubleshoot the confusion and frustration that boundaries can bring when they’re not working like they should, and tell you what to do about it.
Episode highlights include:
We unpack some reasons you might avoid setting boundaries
Red flags that you are doing boundaries wrong
How to clarify the importance of the issues you discuss
When you have assumed your spouse knows your boundaries
We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
RESOURCES
Learn all about how to set healthy boundaries for your marriage with our Building Better Boundaries For Your Marriage online course. Dr. Kim covers why and how and gives practical tips and examples to help you put them in place.
Our new Boundaries Guide helps you decide where and how to start applying this content to your marriage.
For more information on boundaries, Henry Cloud and John Townsend’s book, Boundaries is an immensely helpful time-tested staple.
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.
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
RESOURCES
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
Today we get into the details of how to carry out healthy boundary setting. We continue the series on healthy boundaries by talking about logistics of how to set and carry out the boundaries our marriages need.
We’ll talk about how to do this conversation well, and what NOT to do when you talk about them. Tune in to hear how to set these well to help you and your marriages to be their healthiest.
What do you want to hear more about before we close this series? Let me know!
Episode highlights include:
Dr. Kim gives several examples of how to make boundaries enforceable
Practical dos and don'ts of a boundaries conversation
What to do if your spouse doesn’t agree to your boundaries or respect them
Ways for in-laws to deal with boundaries involving their married kids
We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
RESOURCES
A helpful companion episode: What is Team Language? | Ep. 501
Our Boundaries Guide walks through the topics we’ve covered through this series and helps you decide where and how to start applying this content to your marriage.
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.
Our Conflict Solving Survey & Workbook provides more help to work on healthy and effective conflict resolution together.
Several types of boundaries can help your marriage be healthy, and today we’re talking about boundaries outside of marriage. That means with family, friends, and the opposite sex. We could probably devote an entire episode to each of these categories! We definitely can’t cover every possibility, but we can get the conversation started.
Episode highlights include:
Boundaries with your in laws & adult married children
Guidance on setting boundaries with your kids at any age
Basic boundaries for co-parenting with an ex
Dr. Kim’s recommendations for affair prevention boundaries
We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
RESOURCES
Learn all about how to set healthy boundaries for your marriage with our Building Better Boundaries For Your Marriage online course. Dr. Kim covers why and how and gives practical tips and examples to help you put them in place.
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.
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.
*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.
Learn all about how to set healthy boundaries for your marriage with our Building Better Boundaries For Your Marriage online course. Dr. Kim covers why and how and gives practical tips and examples to help you put them in place.
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.
*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
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.
*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
Learn all about how to set healthy boundaries for your marriage with our Building Better Boundaries For Your Marriage online course. Dr. Kim covers why and how and gives practical tips and examples to help you put them in place.
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.
We’re dropping in today to share a brief overview of our upcoming “Boundaries For Your Marriage” series. We get a lot of questions on the topic, and in this series we will share types of boundaries that can help a marriage, and how to implement them.
The series will cover: What boundaries are and why they matter for your marriage, boundaries within marriage, boundaries outside of marriage, how to set boundaries, what NOT to do, plus an episode devoted to answering your questions. Please subscribe to our Podcast Email if you have not already, as we provide application questions to help make each episode applicable to you, as well as other bonus content.
We pray this series will be 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!
It is Valentine’s Day! And today we’re talking about how to put love in action in your marriage. It’s safe to assume you love your spouse - even if they drive you crazy sometimes! But how well do you put your love into action in a way that speaks to them? Showing love to your spouse is not just a once a year thing, so today we’re talking about practical ways to do this in your everyday life. We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.
Episode highlights include:
What does your spouse want you to do with their love language?
What if the spouse doesn’t respond well?
Is there a name for the “love language” of seeing your spouse engage with the kids?
Plus an anonymous listener question about why a spouse never says “I love you”
*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!
RESOURCES
Our Love Cans can help you learn to put love in action in your marriage! Find out what fills your spouse’s love tank so that you can intentionally make deposits of that lovin’ feeling!
5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Make this Valentine’s weekend fun and engaging with a lasting impact with the Online Marriage Retreat!
Whether it’s illness, aging, or another physical issue, there are some physical obstacles that can prevent couples from enjoying a great sex life together. Today we address several common physical barriers to a great sex life in your marriage, and provide practical ways to address them and enjoy God’s gift of sex in your marriage!
Episode highlights include:
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