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

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.

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 feelin

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” versu

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

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

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

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 Kimb

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

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 Ha

Today we are sharing the final episode with Kathy McAtee Young and her story of finding safety after decades in an abusive marriage. In this episode Kathy shares some of the barriers that prevent spouses in abusive marriages from seeking safety and help, ways to begin moving out of the abusive relationship, and the ways healing begins afterward.    Don’t miss the conclusion to Kathy’s story. We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.    Episode highlights include:   Reasons that abused spouse don’t trust their own judgment Steps to get out of an abusive marriage Is it ever appropriate to intervene if you believe someone is being abused?  What the process of healing looks like after you get safe   *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!  QUOTES “One of the hallmarks of an unsafe relationship is confusion.” - Kathy McAtee Young   “God sees you. He cares. And he is faithful.” - Kathy McAtee Young  “We don’t want your pity. Compassion, yes. There

Today in Part 2 of Kathy’s story, Kathy shares the ways she sought support from the church when she realized her marriage was in trouble, the responses she received, and the effects that had on her marriage. In this episode Kathy shares why it’s not possible for the abused spouse to end the abuse, and the difference between biblical versus unbiblical advice about abuse.  We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.  Episode highlights include:    Interventions the church put in place, and why they were not successful  The wake up moment that turned things around for Kathy  What is an appropriate response to spousal abuse?  The red flags that advice or counsel about abuse is unbiblical    *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!    Red flags that advice or counsel about abuse is unbiblical  They won’t call out that abuse is abuse They will not call the abuse sin The safety of the abused spouse is not top priority  There is no call for repentanc

When does an unhealthy marriage become an abusive marriage? Where can you go when you need to get out? In today’s episode we hear part 1 of Kathy’s real marriage story. Kathy shares how she came to believe that divorce was the most God-honoring option in her situation, and how she found safety after 30+ years in an emotionally abusive marriage.  We are so grateful to Kathy for generously sharing her story. We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.    Episode highlights include:   Dispelling myths about who falls into abuse  Why marriage counseling does not work in abusive marriages How Kathy learned her marriage was abusive Why she stayed as long as she did, and why she later divorced     *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!    MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  This previous episode defines a clear Biblical perspective on abuse: Lies That Keep You With Your Abuser with Dr. David E Clarke | Ep. 541    QUOTES “I want to debunk the myth that abu

Do you fight fair, or do you wish there was a referee to call a stop to the foul play when you argue with your spouse? Ground rules are an important step toward having healthy marriage conflict, so today Dr. Kim will spell out how to make sure you’re fighting fair in your marriage. We want to empower you to fight fair, and resolve issues in a kind and loving way.  If you need help to fight fair and truly resolve issues without making things worse, you will love today’s conversation.  We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.    Episode highlights include:   The DOs and DON’Ts of fighting fair  The side effects of unhealthy conflict  A healthy way to “let it all out”  Can honesty go too far?  How do you know?  Tips to the reconnection process - how to make up well    *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!  QUOTES “We both learned we needed to reconnect and apologize, but sometimes we werent’ ready to take that step at the same time. We had to lea

Sick of the same old fights over and over with your spouse? Learn to de-escalate marriage fights and resolve issues in a healthy and helpful way. Conflict in marriage is inevitable, but the way you handle it is what matters most. Learning to deal with it well will benefit your marriage in so many ways! Tune in today to learn how.  We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.  Episode highlights include:   Common conflict pitfalls to avoid The problem with “winning” marriage fights  Tips to help you break the fighting cycle What to do if one spouse is not ready to reconnect  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Are you stuck in a conflict cycle? If so, work together to identify what’s triggering it.  Choose 1 tip from Dr. Kim’s list below that you will both agree to use this week.  *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!  QUOTES “When we try our best to avoid conflict, we’re not really equipping ourselves with the skills to handle it well.” - Lindsay Few  “Aw

Learn how conflict can create a deeper connection between you and your spouse. Today’s special guest, marriage coach Dana Che is very open about the struggles her marriage faced. In today’s episode she shares her marriage story, what got them through, and how you can use the conflict you face in marriage to draw you toward deeper connection.    We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.    Episode highlights include:   What we can learn from our conflict triggers How to deal with different conflict styles in marriage  Steps to break generational cycles in your marriage  The power of speaking life to our spouse and our marriage  How being emotionally unavailable tends to show up in husbands and in wives & what to do about it     *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!  QUOTES “As a wife, I knew I couldn’t change my husband … but that didn’’ keep me from trying.” Dana Che  “When you actually engage in conflict, you can start to learn more ab