Focus on the Family Strengthening Marriage Podcast

How do you embrace the ways you and your spouse are so different? Greg Smalley gives a helpful perspective for appreciating your mate's uniqueness. Also, Jim Daly talks to Tara Lalonde and Dr. Bob Paul on how to love your spouse for who they are, not who you wish they'd be.   Find us online at focusonthefamily.com/marriagepodcast or call 1-800-A-FAMILY.   Receive the book Loving the Spouse God Gave You for your donation of any amount!   Hope Restored   Empowered to Love: Discovering Your God-Given Power to Create a Marriage You Both Love     Contact our Counseling Team    Take the Reactive Cycle Assessment   Support This Show!   If you enjoyed listening to the Focus on Marriage Podcast, please give us your feedback.

Feeling the romance fading in your marriage? Discover how small gestures like thoughtful texts and hugs can reignite the spark. Learn the importance of treating your partnership as a team to create emotional safety and intimacy. The discussion dives into balancing grand romantic gestures with everyday connections. You'll hear tips on enhancing communication and avoiding reactive patterns that hinder closeness. Practical advice and personal anecdotes offer a refreshing perspective on nurturing love for lasting fulfillment.

This week, Rebecca St. James, a renowned Christian singer-songwriter, and her husband Cubby Fink share their unique journeys before marriage. Rebecca reflects on migrating from Australia at 14 and her family's struggles that deepened her faith. Cubby discusses his creative upbringing and mission work that reshaped his plans. They also delve into the importance of reminiscing about God's work in their lives, emphasizing how these memories strengthen marital bonds. It's a heartfelt conversation about gratitude and the beauty of their love stories.

Dive into the journey of redemption in marriage, where lies that undermine relationships are confronted. Discover Jim Turner's honest account of emotional distance and the importance of vulnerability for men. Learn how to restore intimacy and respond to tough feedback from friends, while exploring the deeper fears behind our reactions. Finally, embrace practical steps to receive feedback humbly, bring concerns to God, and restore connections. It's a heartfelt discussion on growth, grace, and rebuilding a strong marital bond.

Greg and Erin Smalley, marriage experts with a focus on faith-based counseling, join Jim Daly to share the secret to a thriving relationship. They emphasize the value of daily check-ins and small gestures to keep connections strong. The Smalley's clever analogy of nurturing marriage like a garden illustrates the need for intentional care. They discuss how relationships can drift without energy, offering signs couples might need to inject more fun into their lives. Simple questions about feelings and inner growth can deepen intimacy and reenergize bonds.

In this captivating discussion, Jay and Laura LaFoon share their insights on the biblical term 'weaker vessel,' redefining it as a symbol of cherished strength. Jay emphasizes the importance of valuing each other like fine china, while Laura highlights how treating spouses with respect fulfills spiritual callings. The couple also advocates for daily encouragements, tying in research about positivity in relationships. With practical advice for nurturing a loving marriage, they inspire couples to focus on the fundamentals and embrace the hard work required for lasting joy.

Most affairs can be traced back to small compromises. Erin Smalley addresses how she's seen that very truth in her counseling practice, and why there's still hope if you're feeling tempted. Plus, Jim Daly and popular author, Jerry Jenkins, share why it's important to be guarded with things like touching someone and giving compliments   Find us online at focusonthefamily.com/marriagepodcast or call 1-800-A-FAMILY.   Receive the book Hedges for your donation of any amount!   Hope Restored   How to Guard Your Marriage From Temptation    Contact our Counseling Team    The Hedges Challenge   Support This Show!   If you enjoyed listening to the Focus on Marriage Podcast, please give us your feedback.

Bestselling author Jerry Jenkins, known for the Hedges book and the Left Behind series, shares insightful strategies to guard marriages against temptation. He discusses the necessity of setting boundaries and the importance of transparency in building trust with partners. Jenkins also describes his personal rule to avoid one-on-one meetings with unrelated women to mitigate risks. Cultivating a strong connection with spouses is emphasized, along with creating safe spaces for open conversations about struggles.

Dr. Bob Paul, a marriage expert and co-author of Empowered to Love, joins Tara Lalonde, a marriage educator, to dive into the concept of 'Heart Talk'. They explore how this emotionally focused communication can deepen connection in relationships. Tara shares practical listening techniques, while Dr. Bob introduces the I SEE YOU acronym for effective understanding. They discuss creating a safe space for conversations, and how couples can naturally incorporate these tools to enhance their emotional connection and resolve conflicts.

It's common for you and your spouse to have different styles for trying to resolve conflict. Jim Daly joins Dr. Bob Paul and Tara Lalonde, who both open up about times they worked through conflict with their spouses. Then, John Fuller asks Erin and Dr. Greg Smalley how you can make things right with your mate after a bad argument.   Find us online at focusonthefamily.com/marriagepodcast or call 1-800-A-FAMILY.   Receive the book Empowered to Love for your donation of any amount!   Hope Restored   Loving the Spouse God Gave You    Take the Reactive Cycle Assessment    Contact our Counseling Team   Support This Show!   If you enjoyed listening to the Focus on Marriage Podcast, please give us your feedback.