Married Up

Have you ever had a coach or mentor who believes in you much that they practically WILL-you to be better? This is what love does. It's not pessimistic jaded or critical, but it believes for the best and strains forward to reach it. Let's talk about how spouses can be that for each other through all the ups and downs.

Love says "You are safe with me. I will keep your secrets. I will correct you in privately while praising you publicly and even take the fall with you or for you. You can trust that I will put your good ahead of my own.  Let's talk about how these ideas play out in marriage!

Here's another great way your marriage makes you better - When you are "equally yoked" (as the Bible calls it) you have effectively DOUBLED your ability to hear from the Holy Spirit! And when stand together, against evil, and for truth together, and are open to correction from each other, you are so much stronger!

When we take on the burden of keeping records of other people's wrongs it creates burdens we were never meant to carry. When we self-preserve we actually self-harm. When we assume the role of JUDGE, we are inferring God's judgment will be insufficient. Let's talk about letting go and being free.

When uncontrolled anger is allowed to flow unchecked in a marriage you leave yourselves defenseless against destruction. Heritage and inherited family patterns are not a sufficient excuse. Let's talk about some ways to slow our anger down to something manageable and healthy. It's possible!

 We are born selfish - sin-nature at it's "finest". But God's way (much higher than ours) replaces selfishness with servanthood. Marriage will "force the issue" on our inherent selfishness like almost nothing else! But it can be hard for us to learn and harder to live - let's talk about it!

God made us to need community, and community, especially at its most intimate expression (marriage) is humbling by design. In humility in marriage,.  our "low places" are raised up by our spouse who covers us and our high places are lowered down as we cover them. In humility love calls us to lay down what we want as we receive what we really need.

Is it possible to be envious or jealous of your spouse? Maybe thinking they have the 'better end of the deal' in this season, or that their part in your shared roles is better than yours? How can we embrace contentment, practice gratitude and re-frame our thoughts surround the TEAM that is your marriage? Let's talk!

Right after praying together regularly, the best marriage glue there is, is simply being KIND to one another. We talk about the benefits of this and it is amazing! Your spouse will even find you more physically attractive when you're kind to them. It costs nothing and it works!

This season we are going through the descriptions of love from 1 Corinthians 13 one by one - but in a fresh and fun way! So starting at the beginning, love is patient! If you've been married more than 5 minutes you know marriage requires PATIENCE... Jump in to season 4 with us - it's going to be fun!

Are you operating in disfunction and don't even realize it? Maybe it's been a slow drift, or you've adopted patterns we all see in the world around us that aren't actually helpful, healthy or Biblical. This week we have some reminders of what your spouse IS and what they are NOT. A quick refresher that we all need from time to time!

If you could go back and give your newlywed self one piece of advice - what would it be? We asked this question on socials and we have all the answers! There's some good advice here - and it's good advice for all us old-ly-weds to be reminded of too! 

Is your life moving at 90MPH to the point where you and your spouse can be "ships passing in the night"? So many of us live life in the fast lane to the point that staying connected in our marriages can get left in the dust cloud of the rat race! Pastors Chris and Jeanette Willis share with us all some of the things that help them stay grounded together in the midst of their busy lifestyle!

We talk to our new friends, former CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cat,  Luke Tasker and his wife Jenna Tasker,  about the seasons of their marriage together, and the sacrifice each one requires! Listen to find out the one constant that held them together through it all - it's something key to every marriage!

Your "little birdies", if you have any, ARE going to grow up and leave the nest one day! What will that be like? What can you do NOW (if you're not there yet) to prepare your marriage and your "birdies" for that moment so you both thrive? We talk with Pastors, long time friends of ours, and fresh empty-nesters Paul and Lori Allen and it's a GREAT conversation for you to listen-in on!

Has rejection been a part of your life? We bet it has! And rejection can cause an infection that will make us react to our spouse and everyone around us out of hurt in self defense. But in reality, not all rejection is bad. Sometimes is can be a gift from God! Let's talk about how we can see rejection and ourselves correctly and combat the lies of the enemy with the truth of God's Word!

Everyone wants to live life on the mountaintops, but "real life" happens in the valleys... Tune in and hear the testimony of God's faithfulness to our friends Andrew and Tara Root. They ooze wisdom - so come get some! No matter what valley you're in, or what trouble is behind you, there is always hope ahead and "it's all about the finish!"

What do you do when the "Ashes" of your past reignite and threaten to burn down your marriage? Our friends Joe and Karen Amaral join us with their riveting story of absolute brokenness from past abuse and their journey to healing, as well as how open communication saved a marriage some said was doomed from the start.