The Living Marriages Podcast | Effective Communication, Intimacy, Healthy Habits, Christian Counseling, Christian Parenting

Self-care is an extremely important part of being a healthy and present spouse and parent in any marriage and family. But what if what we're doing to care for ourselves is actually doing us and our marriage more harm than good?

In today's conversation we look at:

Why self-care may look different for different people

Why we need to remain open to the kind of self-care God is leading us into

Why self-care should not come at the expense of another

Next steps

What is self-care for you? How has God challenged or invited you to care for yourself so that you can care for others? Let us know! info@livingmarriages.com

Are things feeling stressful and chaotic in your marriage or with your kids? What if there was a way to reduce the stress in your family through  conversation?

On this episode, we explore:

How we can hold each other's "emotional balloons" (curious? Make sure to tune in and find out more about this image God gave April!)

What a "stress-reducing conversation" is and why it can be so beneficial

8 guidelines to having this conversation

Resources

From the Gottman Institute, 8 guidelines to having a "stress-reducing conversation":

1. Take turns. Each partner gets a set time to be the speaker.
2. Don’t give unsolicited advice. Focus on understanding before offering solutions.
3. Show genuine interest. Stay attentive and focused on your partner.
4. Communicate understanding. Reflect back what you hear to show empathy.
5. Take your partner’s side. Be supportive, even if you don’t fully agree.
6. Adopt a “we’re in this together” attitude. You’re a team, not opponents.
7. Express affection. Offer warmth through words or touch.
8. Validate emotions. Let your partner know their feelings make sense.

You can find more on this conversation and other great resources here: https://www.gottman.com/blog/how-to-stress-reducing-conversation/

Get In Touch

We'd love to hear from you with your feedback, show ideas or how we can be praying for you! Get in touch: info@livingmarriages.com

Assumptions always complicate marriages. However, when two people are coming from two different cultures, those assumptions can seem worlds apart. Today's guests, Pesa and Whitney Shayo of liveyourbestmarriage.com have been navigating the challenges and opportunities of an inter-cultural marriage for 22 years and have been helping others do the same, finding a Christ-centred marriage.

In our conversation, you'll hear:

How naming babies and bringing home unprocessed goat meat led to some difficult times

Why friendship and unity matter, not just in an inter-cultural marriage but in all marriages

The transformational shift seeing your spouse as your friend, not your enemy will bring

How Jesus brings unity to any marriage, if we'll allow him

Resources

You can find out more about Pesa and Whitney, as well as take their free United Front audit at their website. Here you'll find out more about their books, coaching offerings and podcast as well.

Get in touch

We'd love to hear from you about show ideas or if you'd like prayer. Get in touch with us! info@livingmarriages.com

It's summer and we've finally had some good summer weather! While our family is enjoying some time together in God's creation, we hope you'll enjoy this episode from our archives that explores another good gift from God's creation - sex!

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Is sex something that has brought you and your spouse closer together, or has it been a pain point in your marriage? Is sex something you can talk about freely with each other and your kids, or is there a cloud of shame that still hangs over the subject?

We are so thrilled to be joined on this episode by the founder of Sex Ed Reclaimed, Kristen Miele as she shares God's heart and vision for the beauty of sex in marriage.

On this episode: 

We talk about how our upbringing affects our sex life in marriage, including the effects of "purity culture" teaching

We hear God's heart and design for sex and how it is in essence, worship

We discover how learning to talk about sex with our kids is not only essential for them but good for our marriage

To find Kristen's incredible resources and curriculums, please check out her website:

https://www.sexedreclaimed.com/

You can get 15 percent off at Kristen's site with the coupon code CHRISTIANPARENTING

Have any questions or feedback? Get in touch with us: info@livingmarriages.com

Whether you have children or not, our rhythms in North America revolve around the school year with summer being a time to relax and vacation. Fall is fast around the corner though and that means that routines and busyness will begin again. Have you and your spouse had a conversation about what your fall looks like yet? Are there too many good things in your schedule that will keep you from the great things God has for you? NOW is the time to have these conversations. When you're in the thick of things, it will be too late.

In this conversation, we invite you to consider:

If there are things you need to say "no" to so that your family can thrive instead of survive.

God's design - that we are "human beings," not "human doings."

Why Fall is the new New Year

Next Steps

If you have feedback, show ideas or would like prayer or encouragement in your marriage and family journey, we'd love to hear from you! Get in touch: info@livingmarriages.com