“If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.” As Christians, we have the clearest and most compelling reason to live life differently by design. Except, so many of us live just like everyone else: prioritizing this life and the things of this world over eternity and the things above. In this episode we’ll kick off our series on priorities by looking at what the…
Observing Sabbath is a Marriage Game-Changer
My husband and I are two very different people. I love to-do lists, house projects, and feeling “accomplished” and “productive.” My husband loves to relax and enjoy the many, many ways God has blessed us. To complicate things, my husband works full-time and I stay home with our two young kids full-time. I often feel frustrated because I never seem to get enough done. My…
Following God Wherever He Leads
Hi there! I’m Zena, the editor at Fierce Marriage and Fierce Parenting. I read this excerpt from Gospelbound by Collin Hansen and Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra and was so encouraged by it— this line in particular got me: “[My wife’s illness] is not some big distraction. This is not some huge detour. This is the path God has for us, and it leads somewhere good.” I…
Do You Know that You are Loved?
Throughout my life, all of my biggest struggles have grown from the same root. Whether it was years of being addicted to pornography or years of feeling extreme loneliness and insecurity, it all came from the same place— not truly believing God could love me. And until that root issue was addressed, there was no way for me to love Jamie, much less anyone else.…
Boundaries and Your Children
Children are awesome, but having kids at home (particularly young ones) can have some not-so-awesome effects on a marriage. Today is the second in our series on Boundaries, and we discuss how and what boundaries are necessary between you and your kids for the good of your union. It was a lively discussion and we hope it blesses you! Read the Full Transcript Read the…
All About Boundaries
Boundaries are biblical. Boundaries are also intuitive: we all know we need them. Still, why do we feel that our boundaries in and around our marriage are constantly in flux or non-existent? In this episode we looked at three main reasons why we lack clear boundaries in marriage, and talked through some of the underlying principles that help us live with stronger boundaries in marriage.…
The Art of Active Listening
Most people rarely experience being *deeply* listened to; you can give your spouse that gift! Last week we talked about Selective Hearing, which is all about catching every drop of what your spouse communicates. This episode puts that conversation on steroids: learning how to seek out and gain insight into each other and internalize it in healthier ways. If you ACTIVELY listen to this episode,…
4 Keys to Connect with Your Spouse When Your World is Crumbling
Intimacy requires investment. Connection requires cultivation. We cannot expect marriages to grow and strengthen in the course of regular, daily life— or the added chaos of any trial!— if we are not willing to invest time, energy, and servant-hearted love in the relationship. In the early years of my marriage my husband and I had no clue how to cultivate real connection. It took years…
Be Romantic or… Repent??
What if someone told you that you needed to repent for a lack of romance in your marriage? You’d probably respond like us: bewildered, defensive, and with nervous laughter. In today’s podcast episode we’ll dig beneath the surface understanding of romance and talk about how how it’s connected—in more ways than one—to the states of our hearts. It was a fun, challenging talk but our…
Reconciled: An Excerpt from Francine Rivers
The following is an excerpt adapted from Francine Rivers’ devotional A Path to Redeeming Love: A Forty Day Devotional. My husband, Rick, and I have known one another since fifth grade. We went out once during our freshman year of high school and then dated others while remaining good friends. When I was in my senior year of college and Rick was serving as…