Awesome Marriage Podcast

Marriage doesn't have to get boring … but for too many couples, it has. If you're ready to break out of the routine and restore the joy in your marriage, this one's for you! Listen for ways to have more interesting and connective conversations, new ideas of things to try, and how to avoid common mistakes that keep couples from enjoying their marriage. We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage. Episode highlights include: Better questions to ask for better conversations 2 common mistakes that keep couples from having fun together Several ideas for fun things to try For Dr. Kim's bullet point list of steps, sign up for the Conversation Guide *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! QUOTES "When we're dating our future wife, we guys up our game." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "We loved our time with our kids, but we realized we also had to be intentional about our marriage." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "You have to give yourself time to do the fun stuff. The mundane will still be there when you're done." - Lindsay Few MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: With the Creative Questions Bundle you will NOT lack for great conversation topics! Get all the details here! Check in on your marriage each week with our Weekly Check In Guide to keep your connection strong Sign up here to get the Couple's Conversation Guide for each episode! Questions to Help Your Spouse Open Up Is there a marriage resource you need us to make? Tell us your idea! Arlene Pellicane will be on the podcast later this summer. She has written some great books on tech in the family! Cool, Calm and Connected: 5 Digital Habits for a More Balanced Life Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World Screen Kids: 5 Skills Every Child Needs in a Tech-Driven World

Do you ever feel like you and your spouse are two ships passing in the night? Strangers living under the same roof? Business partners executing the plans you've made for your kids and household? Then you're in a disconnected marriage. The marriage relationship should nurture both spouses. If you've lost the connection in your marriage, or just want to step up from where you are right now, tune in today to learn the practical steps for reconnecting. We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage. Episode highlights include: Why do couples disconnect? The steps to reconnection A helpful source for fun marriage ideas and resources *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! QUOTES "Little tweaks can make such a difference." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "Living separate lives is not going to get you a connected, fun marriage." Christina Dodson "We weren't always there but we chose to stay in the marriage and work through things. It's worth it." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "You can continue to grow, but you have to work at it." - Dr. Kim Kimberling MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Check in on your marriage each week with our Weekly Check In Guide to keep your connection strong Creative Questions Bundle Sign up here to get the Couple's Conversation Guide for each episode! The Sex Talk course equips you to teach your kids about sex in a biblical, God-honoring way

If your marriage communication is a struggle, you are NOT alone. So many marriage issues come back to communication, and if your communication is awesome, your marriage will be too! But most of us will have some trouble with communicating well with our spouse, and it's the biggest issue couples ask us for help with. That's why today we're equipping you with 6 tips to communicate well in the good times and in the bad. We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage. Episode highlights include: How to talk so your spouse can listen Use the "title page" trick to help your spouse listen to you Dr. Kim's 6 tips to communicate well How to find a good counselor if you need one How to restart the openness & honesty in your marriage *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! QUOTES "I think what happens for guys is that when we're dating our future wife, we up our game." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "It's hard for me to put my thoughts and feelings into succinct words.I can easily ramble on… but that doesn't make for good communication." - Lindsay Few "The bottom line is you want them to hear what you're saying, so how do you best communicate in a way that they're going to hear it?" - Dr. Kim Kimberling "If you're going through a hard time, call it that. Work together to reclaim your time and energy." - Lindsay Few "We can't give away every piece of our heart, mind, time and energy to things that drain the life out of us." - Lindsay Few MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Get the Couple's Conversation Guide for each episode by signing up here! The Sex Talk course equips you to teach your kids about sex in a biblical, God-honoring way Dr. Kim's blogs on questions to ask your counselor: 4 Qualities Your Christian Counselor Needs 3 Things A Counselor Needs To Believe to Help Your Marriage 3 Mistakes Couples Make When They Try Counseling Our FREE Weekly Check In Guide helps with regular communication Making Your Marriage a Refuge with Special Guest Gary Thomas Ep. 530 Achieving Awesome Communication in Marriage YouVersion Plan

It often feels like the world around us is too broken. Where would you even start if you wanted to try and fix it? On the podcast today, Charlie and Andi Ashworth answer this question, and thankfully their answer is much simpler and more doable than it might seem. The Ashworths have spent decades sharing their creative gifts and encouraging others to do the same, and in today's episode they artfully equip you to take small steps toward creativity, community, and reflecting the light of God's love, right where you are. Don't miss this bonus episode! We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage. Episode highlights include: How should Christians engage with culture? A call for culture making - and how simple it is to actually do it Why the small things matter - and how to use them for good in your life Hope for becoming the remedy to the loneliness epidemic How to balance the desire for creativity and the need to get things done Battling the dis-integration of "mundane" versus doing things we like *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! QUOTES "We make less and less meaning of everything now, because it's happening so fast and we're receiving so much information." - Charlie Ashworth "There's no small people; there's no small things. Everything matters." - Charlie Ashworth "We don't know the stories that will continue after we do." - Andi Ashworth "If all of life matters to God, then all of life matters to us." - Andi Ashworth "We want a formula … but it is a process." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "Based on your faith in Christ, what kind of culture are you making? Are you contributing good? Or are you contributing negativity?" - Charlie Ashworth "It's antithetical to the word of God and to creation itself to think that we as people of God are somehow standing outside of it. It actually creates an 'us' versus 'them' mentality that is so unhealthy." - Charlie Ashworth "Start with where you're at: You're actually getting up and making culture every day." - Andi Ashworth "As an artist, maturity looks like a seamless integration of a diversity of creativity over time." - Charlie Peacock MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Charlie and Andi's book, Why Everything That Doesn't Matter, Matters So Much: The Way of Love in a World of Hurt Find more from the Ashworths on their website: https://thewriterthehusband.com/ Andy Crouch's book Culture Making Learn 7 reasons why your sex life may not be where you want it to be, and how to get it there! Sign up here for the 9 Ways to Improve Your Sex Life Webinar

Your marriage needs trust in order to be healthy. Without it, your connection with your spouse will fade, and you'll experience more conflict and tension, and less of the closeness and intimacy marriage is meant to have. Don't stay stuck like this! Turn things around by closing the trust gaps between you and your spouse and make your marriage a safe refuge for both of you. Episode highlights include: Areas where you might not realize you lack trust How to address it effectively with your spouse - without blaming How to have grace in the rebuilding process Tips to building financial trust Practical tips to become more trustworthy with completing tasks *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! QUOTES "Without trust in a marriage, the marriage just crumbles." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "We don't realize how valuable trust is until it's broken." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "Trust can be unique to the person and the situation." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "We have to own what's driving our trust-breaking behavior." - Lindsay Few "The budget isn't a prison, it's a plan. But sometimes it will be uncomfortable." - Lindsay Few "The sooner you go to counseling, the sooner you'll resolve your issues." - Lindsay Few "If you get stuck, you don't have to stay stuck." - Lindsay Few "Your spouse may make some mistakes, so look for Jesus in your spouse." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "I felt like he should trust me … but my action was not giving him anything to trust." - Lindsay Few MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Sign up HERE to get the Couple's Conversation Guide for each week's new episode We are bombarded with negative messages about marriage. FIGHT BACK with our Reframing Challenge If your marriage has been damaged by porn, the 5 Steps to Healing After Porn Betrayal webinar is a great first step to healing. Learn more or grab your spot here. Warm Up Your Marriage (Past Episode)

Today we answer some of the most frequently asked questions we hear about sex. Dr. Kim and Christina covered this on an episode in 2021, and we've distilled their conversation into the most timeless and practical answers to common sex questions. We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage. Episode highlights include: How often is "normal"? Dealing with dead sex drive Is oral sex ok in marriage? What about anal? Is there such thing as too much sex when trying to conceive? How to start talking to your kids about sex What do do if your spouse withholds sex *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! QUOTES "Guys, you have to continue to be romantic." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "I wanted my kids to talk to me about sex before they went to a friend or read it on a bathroom wall or a magazine. You want that door to be open." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "You need to honor each other and respect each other's body to honor God in marriage." - Christina Dodson "Guys, if you please your wife first, does it really matter when you orgasm? There's this unspoken pressure." - Christina Dodson "There's always an answer. I've never had a couple we couldn't figure out an answer for." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "Stay at the comfort level of the one who is least comfortable. If you do that, you're going to be ok." - Dr. Kim Kimberling MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Sign up HERE to get the Couple's Conversation Guide for each week's new episode Dr. Kim's Marriage Multiplier is a quick weekly email with actionable insights to grow your marriage. Sign up HERE! Resources we recommend for starting the sex conversation with your spouse Celebration of Sex Lovemaking Survey Resources we recommend for talking to your kids about sex: Don't Mom Alone Podcast Ep 328 Full Set - God's Design for Sex Series: Revised and Updated Edition by Stan Jones, Brenna Jones We're delighted to partner with The Sex Talk, an excellent online course to help you navigate this topic well

Trust in marriage is not one-size-fits all. There are many areas where your marriage needs trust in order to thrive, and some might matter to your spouse more than they do to you, and vice versa. So today we're talking about how to navigate any trust gaps you may have with your spouse, how to start the conversation about it, and rebuild what's been broken so you both feel more connected and secure in your marriage. We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage. Episode highlights include: Several types of trust marriages need, and why they matter The side effects of missing trust Simple steps to catch a trust slip-up so that trust is not broken Specific trust-killers you need to avoid How to build trust - and keep it *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! QUOTES "It helps to build trust if you accept me as I am, not as you wish I would be." - Lindsay Few "I may not even be aware if I did something that affected the trust, and I want to know." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "If it's important to her and it keeps coming up, I want her to tell me about it." Dr. Kim Kimberling "I'd be so offended when he didn't trust me, but when I think about the reality, I wasn't trustworthy." - Lindsay Few "Trust is between two people. It's not just your perception of yourself." - Lindsay Few "It's not like we quit making mistakes, it's just that we handle them differently now." - Dr. Kim Kimberling MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: What would happen if you took the next 4 weeks to reframe your spouse and your marriage with a biblical approach? Cultivate a better perspective – and a better marriage, with our Reframing Challenge Sign up HERE to get the Couple's Conversation Guide for each week's new episode Does your sex life need a reboot? Improve your sex life with our Locking Lips Kissing Game! If your marriage has been damaged by porn, the Marriage Undefiled Online Course provides a path to rebuild trust and repair your marriage. Click HERE to get the Couple's Conversation Guide for each week's new episode! The free printable Weekly Check Up is a simple way to keep short accounts and keep building trust.

Does lust have a place in marriage? What sets it apart from sexual desire? Today we're working through the reasons this question matters for your marriage, and how to have a marriage that glorifies God in every aspect, including how you steward your sexual desires. We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage. Episode highlights include: Defining the difference between lust and desire, biblically The godly purposes for sexual desire in marriage Specific reasons why misused sexual desire is destructive How to maintain purity in marriage Why porn affects your marriage even if your spouse doesn't know you use it *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! QUOTES "Lust is more about what you see, what you're attracted to and what it can do for you." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "In the Bible, it's not like they lived in a Puritanical culture at that time. No, it was probably every bit as bad…we just access things in a different way now." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "If we look at Scripture, lust was never mentioned in a positive light." - Lindsay Few "We won't ever clear that bar, but he's taken care of it through his life, death and resurrection, so there is grace and forgiveness." - Lindsay Few "The best sex is within the context of a Christian marriage." - Dr. Kim Kimberling "If it's reduced to that 'just get it over with' kind of situation, whoa. Red flag. The goal is not just to satisfy the urge, the goal is mutual enjoyment, pleasure, connection and building of the marriage." - Lindsay Few "Vulnerability is uncomfortable, but it can lead you to prevent something a lot more painful." - Lindsay Few MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: If your marriage has been damaged by porn, our free 5 Steps to Healing After Porn Betrayal webinar with Dr. Kim is a great first step toward healing Our Marriage Undefiled Online Course with Matt Cline takes a deeper look at ways to heal and restore your marriage Sign up HERE to get the Couple's Conversation Guide for each week's new episode Getting Your Sex Life Off To A Great Start by Cliff & Joyce Penner The Gift of Sex by Cliff & Joyce Penner The Best Way to Affair Proof Your Marriage (Past Episode) Does your sex life need a reboot? Improve your sex life with our Locking Lips Kissing Game!

Most couples are not going to be completely aligned with sex drive. There are a lot of factors that can cause this, but there are also a lot of solutions! Today we want to equip you to have a productive approach to making your sex life the best it can be in marriage. We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage. Episode highlights include: Why is it so hard to have a productive conversation about sex? Should the lower-drive spouse "just do it" for the spouse's sake? Why or why not? Why respecting your wife's drive level helps her feel sexy Ways to respect your spouse's drive *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: What would happen if you took the next 4 weeks to reframe your spouse and your marriage with a biblical approach? Learn how to have a better perspective – and a better marriage, with our Reframing Challenge Does your sex life need a reboot? Improve your sex life with our Locking Lips Kissing Game! If your marriage has been damaged by porn, the Marriage Undefiled Online Course provides a path to rebuild trust and repair your marriage. Click HERE to get the Couple's Conversation Guide for each week's new episode!

Do you hope to break generational patterns of pain? Are childhood hurts haunting your marriage? Today's guest Kristen Hallinan is a writer and speaker, and today she helps you see how to identify and break generational patterns to find hope, healing and redemption. We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage. Episode highlights include: How your past trauma can affects your current reactions What makes it so hard to break cycles Red flags of unhealthy family dynamics How to work with God to find his redemption Steps to making a redemption plan for your marriage *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! QUOTES "It can be easy to say, 'Why didn't I know better?' You didn't know better because that's all you knew." - Kristen Hallinan "The more I've gotten to know who God is, the more I understand who I am."- Kristen Hallinan "I used to believe if I just tried hard enough, I could grow up and create this perfect family." - Kristen Hallinan MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Sign up HERE to get the Couple's Conversation Guide for each week's new episode Learn more about how to make your marriage conflict healthy by joining Dr. Kim for the 8 Guidelines for Fighting Fair Webinar Dr. Kim recommends the book, The Body Keeps the Score Grab Kristen's book, Legacy Changer for more great info on the topic Follow Kristen on Instagram and check out her website