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

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

Whether you are parents or not, God has placed children in your life. While parents are the primary disciplers of their children, God has also given those children a community of adults who can model faith and speak God's love and wisdom into their lives. The question God is inviting us to consider in this episode is: are you praying for those children? Whether for your own kids or someone else's, are you interceding for them to know God's love, grace and goodness?

In this conversation we share:

Our own struggles with our youngest child and how that has led us into more intentional prayer

The importance of a weekly marriage meeting whether you have kids or not

The important call God has given us to be praying for the next generation of disciples and leaders

Resources

Here is an academic paper demonstrating the effectiveness of students having mentors. Among the findings: "Students with mentors were significantly less depressed, more satisfied, and more committed to their faith than students without mentors."

Our episode on what makes for an effective weekly "marriage meeting."

A wonderful guide to weekly marriage meetings from FamilyLife Canada.

A Prayer For Your Child's Emotions by Kaylene Yoder

Lord, I pray You would bestow on my children a crown of beauty instead of ashes. Anoint them with Your oil of gladness in the midst of mourning. And clothe them in garments of praise so they may be guarded against falling into despair (Isaiah 61:3). Renew my children’s hearts and minds and empower them to overcome any negative emotional behaviors. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Get in Touch

We'd love to hear about how you pray for your children or the children in your life! Have any prayers you'd like to share with us? Get in touch: info@livingmarriages.com

We live in such a divided world today that even family gatherings can be incredible sources of tensions. What can we talk about without somebody exploding? How can we ever truly connect, so that we can know others and be known?

If you are feeling that tension in some of your relationships or even in your marriage, this conversation is for you! What if curiosity could help us lower the tension? What if there are questions we can ask that will build connection with everyone in the room?

Author Priya Parker has developed something she terms "magical questions", questions that "are good for a group when it’s both interesting to each person to answer and each person would be curious to hear everyone else’s response."

In this episode, we explore the power God gives us through the art of asking questions to help us both overcome differences and strengthen connection, both in our marriages and other important relationships.

Resources

Find out more about Priya Parker and her magical questions here and here. 

Get In Touch!

We'd love to hear your response to our magical question to you! We'd also love to hear any other magical questions you've discovered work well in your marriage or other relationships. E-mail us: info@livingmarriages.com