Are you a man living in the stress bubble? It’s when the years of marriage, career building and raising kids all happen at once. You’re figuring everything out, trying to be there for it all, and it. Is. Stressful. If you’re there, you want to hear from a godly dad who has been there.  We’re so happy to share this conversation with Jim Ramos. Jim’s wisdom and experience will equip and encourage you to be the husband and dad you want to be. Don’t miss this episode. We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.    Episode highlights include:   Jim defines the 4 phases of fatherhood  Advice for the dad who never had a role model to guide him Common mistakes dads make in the “stress bubble” years  Types of provision that the family needs from a husband / father 3 easy things Jim did that he recommends for all couples   *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!  QUOTES “Whether we tell our kids that we’ve made mistakes or not, they’re still noticing. Especially during those teen years.” - Jim Ramos "Our families require much more than physical provision. The damage most men do has nothing to do with physical provision; it has to do with heart care and soul care.” Jim Ramos “You don’t have to be flashy. You don't have to be Superman. You just have to show up.”   - Jim Ramos  “As men we have to realize our wife is the most important person on the planet, and it’s our job to make one person feel special.”  - Jim Ramos  “You will not be remembered for what you did 9-5, you will be remembered for what you did 5-9.”  - Jim Ramos    QUESTIONS FOR YOU Jim shared 5 traits that set a “man” apart from a “male”: Protect integrity Fight apathy  Pursue God passionately Lead courageously Finish strong each day  Which one of these is God calling you to grow in today?    MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  Find Jim online @ https://meninthearena.org/ On instagram @themeninthearena Get the book Strong Men Dangerous Times Listen to the Men in The Arena Podcast 

Dr. Kim has said that prayer is the #1 most impactful thing you can do for your marriage. Today he explains why that is, and how to make it a habit in your marriage. Today we want to make praying with your spouse more approachable by sharing 4 biblical prayers to pray with your spouse that will grow your marriage.  The Bible lists a lot of reasons for marriage, and praying in line with God’s purpose and intention for marriage is very powerful.  We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.    Episode highlights include:   Why prayer is an essential act of spiritual protection against the enemy  Why it’s so hard to get started, and how to overcome  Healthy perspective shifts praying will provide in your marriage  How to handle some of the uncomfortable realities of answered prayers  The power of prayer to help you take personal responsibility   *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!    QUOTES “Praying together puts God where he wants to be in our marriage: Right in the center of it. - Dr. Kim Kimberling  “The enemy does not want Christian marriages to work.” - Dr. Kim Kimberling  “When you pray together you find that it unites you.”  - Dr. Kim Kimberling  “There’s a ripple effect: It’s not just about the couple, it’s about the family; it’s about the community.” - Lindsay Few  “I am more of who God created me to be after being married to Nancy all these years than I would have been without her.” -  Dr. Kim Kimberling  “God put us together. He’s got some fun stuff for us to do. Let’s look out and let’s get this stuff going!” - Lindsay Few Blame is a very human response…but we all have a way we can influence the world. We do have control over how we’re responding to God’s call on us.” - Lindsay Few   QUESTIONS FOR YOU 4 Prayers to Pray together:  Protection from the enemy of our souls That your marriage will sharpen you Pray that your marriage be fruitful That your marriage will be a light    MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  Our 21 Prayers for Building An Awesome Marriage makes it simple to make prayer a regular part of your marriage Find more prayers to grow your marriage in the 7 Prayers YouVersion Bible reading plan 

When we pray, it can be tempting to make our prayers a wishlist. But praying in line with God’s word changes things, and today we’re talking about why that matters and how to pray biblically for your marriage. Today Dr. Kim shares 4 prayers that line up with Scripture that you can be praying daily to grow you, and your marriage!  Don’t miss this powerful episode. We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.  Episode highlights include:   Why it matters to pray biblically What makes a prayer biblical The risk involved in praying these things, and the reward they provide How these prayers have impacted Dr. Kim and Nancy’s marriage  *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!  QUOTES We’ve probably all heard some things taught, or caught, that were not biblical. We’ve heard ideas like, 'If God loves you, He’ll make you happy,' or 'If you marry the right person, marriage will be easy,' that do not line up with Scripture.”- Lindsay Few  “Trusting him may be the hardest first step for some of us, because we’re not sure what he’ll do.” - Dr. Kim Kimberling  “Sometimes the prayer we want answered is just the thing that’s easiest for us.” - Lindsay Few  “He’s always good, even though we don’t see it at times.” - Dr. Kim Kimberling  “Each of us can be thankful that God knows not only what’s best for us, but for the whole world. We don’t have to be burdened with that. He’s got that.” - Lindsay Few  “If you’re lining up with what God states in his word that He wants to have happen, that’s going to be really powerful.” - Lindsay Few  “We can’t hide anything from God.” - Dr. Kim Kimberling  “Sexual desire is created for a reason. It’s not a secret from God.” - Lindsay Few    4 Prayers to Grow You and Your Marriage:  Pray that God will help you love like Christ loved.  Ask God to search you, know your heart, and reveal any offensive way. Pray that your desire will be for your spouse only.  Ask God to help you see your spouse as He does.    MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  Make prayer a regular part of your marriage with our 21 Prayers for Building An Awesome Marriage  If your marriage is struggling to recover after infidelity, please check out our Affair Recovery Course. For less than the cost of 2 counseling sessions, this course helps you learn and take the needed steps to healing.  If porn has damaged your marriage, please take advantage of these resources we’ve created just for you:  The Marriage Undefiled Course Dr. Kim’s podcast episode with Matt Cline  Find more prayers to grow your marriage in the 7 Prayers YouVersion Bible reading  plan   

What does it look like to live in intimacy with God each day? We are delighted to have Faith Eury Cho with us today, sharing about what friendship with God means, even in the “wilderness” times in our lives.  Faith is the CEO and founder of the Honor Summit, a gospel preacher, and author of the new book, Experiencing Friendship with God: How the Wilderness Draws Us to His Presence. Faith does a great job de-mystifying this lofty topic, so you don’t want to miss this conversation.  We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.    Episode highlights include:   What does “friendship with God” actually mean?  Practical ways to “practice God’s presence,” even if it seems out of reach  How friendship with God impacts marriage How to grow spiritually with your spouse Ways to take these concepts into parenting / grandparenting  How to navigate the wilderness seasons of our faith    *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!    QUOTES “Sometimes without even knowing, we believe so that God can give us a better life.” - Faith Eury Cho “Friendship with God is just intimacy on a day to day level.” Faith Eury Cho “We need to really redefine what experience actually means. Because if we go into any relationship, any - our spouse, our kids, our friends - having a set agenda of what experiencing that relationship should look like to us, it can be very unhealthy really quick.” -  Faith Eury Cho “Start simple. Start with something that is a natural offshoot to your regular rhythms of life.”  - Faith Eury Cho “I remember moments I would tell God, ‘I don’t have a prayer to pray, I don’t have a song to sing, but I’m here.’”  - Faith Eury Cho “God cares about every little thing, and we want to give him the opportunity to show us that.” - Dr. Kim Kimberling  “Some of us are friends with fear, not the presence of God, and I think we’ve got to break up with our fear!” - Faith Eury Cho QUESTIONS FOR YOU What is one way you and your spouse like to worship God together?  Have you seen God move during a ‘wilderness’ season?    MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  Find Faith on Instagram or at her website, www.faitheurycho.com Grab Faith’s book, Experiencing Friendship with God: How the Wilderness Draws Us to His Presence. Our 2 Week Couples Scripture Challenge is a practical tool to help you get in the Word with your spouse each day. Find out more here!   Our House Prayer Cards are one of our best-loved resources, making it simple to use mundane moments for godly purpose in your home. Learn more HERE! If you’d like to get each of our monthly marriage resources delivered directly to your inbox, while also supporting the non-profit ministry of Awesome Marriage, it’s time to become a Marriage Changer! Get all the details here.

How’s the romance in your marriage? How does it compare to when you were dating? (… and does that matter?) Romance can fall by the wayside in marriage because it seems like an “extra” that you’ll get around to when you have extra time or money, or if you feel inspired to make a grand gesture.  But today Dr. Kim shares several reasons NOT to let that be the case in your marriage. Listen to learn why you need to bring the romance back and HOW to realistically make that happen.  We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.  Episode highlights include:   Dr. Kim shares specific ways romance benefits a marriage  What does romance look like for men vs. for women?  What to do if you’re just not feeling it  Whose job is it to make sure the romance is good?   *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!    QUOTES “Most people would say at some point it was there. So how do you get it back?” - Dr. Kim Kimberling “We kind of quit doing romantic things because we’re not feeling it. Sometimes we have to go ahead and do them, so that we feel it again.”  - Dr. Kim Kimberling “Marriage is a lot better when you’ve got romance in it.” - Dr. Kim Kimberling “I think we’d like it to come naturally, like it does in the movies  “It’s ok to have the conversation. We have to get past the mindset of, ‘If you really loved me, you’d know.’” - Dr. Kim Kimberling “Romance is a great way to show your spouse, I see you, I appreciate you, and I care about what you care about.” Lindsay Few    QUESTIONS FOR YOU  Have you talked about romance with your spouse?  Ask them: What is sexy to you? What is romantic to you?  Don’t judge their answers!  Answers may change over time, so check in every now and then.    MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  - The ❤️‍🔥Sexy Bundle❤️‍helps bring the romance riiight on home! Get all the details about this limited time Bundle HERE!

Whether you love it or hate it, you spend the majority of your waking hours doing it. And as today’s guest tells us, it’s mentioned over 800 times in the Bible: We’re talking about work.   That’s why we’re so pleased to have Jordan Raynor join us on the podcast today to talk about how your work matters to God - today, every day of your life, and for eternity. This conversation will leave you inspired and encouraged to engage well with the word God is calling you to do, every single day.  We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.  Episode highlights include:   3 ways your everyday work matters for eternity  Why Jordan advocates for making an “Anti-Bucket List” The Biblical truths of Heaven & Eternity that NO ONE is talking about  The “abridged Gospel” that most of us believe & the implications we miss if we do  The practical ways these deep biblical truths will impact your marriage    *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!    QUOTES “When we understand what God’s word has to say about work, it frees us up to be exceptional both at work and at home.” - Jordan Raynor  “While God’s word is clear that our labor in the Lord is not in vain, it also makes clear that GOd doesn’t need you or me - His purposes will not be thwarted. He does not need us, he wants us.” - Jordan Raynor   “I can be at peace walking away from my work at the end of the day … because I know that if the things on my to - do list are on God’s to - do list, he’s going to complete them with or without me. That’s terrifically freeing.” - Jordan Raynor   “Scripture mentions work more than 800 times. There’s no need to doubt whether or not God cares about your work.” - Jordan Raynor  “When you understand that 100% of your time at home and at work matters to God, you become fully alive. And this world is desperate to see people that are fully alive.”  Jordan  “I went to Christian school for 13 years. And I remember frequently sitting in chapel, and quietly dreading the thought of heaven. “We are called to keep watch for Christ’s return, not by sitting on our hands and waiting for heaven to drop from the sky, but by working with our hands and joining him in cultivating heaven on earth today.” - Jordan Raynor    QUESTIONS FOR YOU How does the Biblical idea of stewarding your time change your daily work life?    

Work - life balance is not limited to the workplace: It’s also the work of running a home, and it’s a challenge for most couples to share this load well. Today Dr. Kim is sharing some of his best tips for finding balance in the home.  The struggle to find work - life balance does not end when you get home in the evening. Taking care of a home and family is a huge portion of our workload that you can’t ignore. But you can find ways to handle it well – TOGETHER! We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.   Episode highlights include:   Tips for spouses who work outside the home  Tips for those who work from home  Tips for stay-at-home parents  Signs you & your spouse need to work toward better balance  The need for boundaries to help with balance; how to work on them together What to do if you get stuck, or if you’ve tried to address things and it’s not working   *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!    QUOTES Resolving conflict doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It takes work, but when you talk and listen well, you’ll find that most things, you can resolve. - Dr. Kim Kimberling  At the end of your life,  you’re not going to look back and say, “I wish I’d looked at my phone a few more times.” - Dr. Kim Kimberling   If you get stuck, it’s ok to get help.  - Dr. Kim Kimberling The things that matter work themselves out in the very small details of life. - Lindsay Few Maybe you think everyone else is doing it all, so you’re trying to do it all. I don’t think that’s realistic or healthy. - Lindsay Few  It’s easy to fall in those traps and not really know that you’ve even fallen into them. - Dr. Kim Kimberling  We have to make sure we’re saying what we mean and what we need instead of just hoping our spouse catches the hint. - Lindsay few    QUESTIONS FOR YOU Is the workload in your home balanced?   Do you have a mentor couple in your life?  Are your boundaries with tech (screentime, phones) working well?  Talk with your spouse and rate how you’re doing with work / life balance together, on a scale of 1-10?    MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  Get all the details about our limited time Sexy Bundle HERE  Team You & Me  For more help with setting healthy boundaries, listen to our Boundaries Series: Boundaries For Your Marriage: What They Are and Why They Are Important | Ep. 544 Boundaries Within Your Marriage | Ep. 546 Boundaries Outside Your Marriage | Ep. 547 How to Set Marriage Boundaries | Ep. 548 Boundaries & Marriage: What NOT to Do | Ep. 550 Real Stories of Healthy Marriage Boundaries | Ep. 551 Boundaries Q & A | Ep. 552 Boundaries Course  

Practically speaking, balance is hard to find, and even harder to maintain. While work-life balance is a very common issue, it IS possible to alleviate unnecessary stress and find better balance.    In today’s episode Dr Kim will share practical tips to help you find that balance. Dr. Kim shares some of the common pain points that he sees couples facing, and some of the best ways he’s seen to deal with those.    We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.    Episode highlights include:   Tips to help you handle the stress between spouses so that your marriage tension doesn’t add onto the stress of work-life balance  Some early signs of burnout you cannot afford to ignore  The importance of making peace with imperfection Helpful perspective tips for both career and extracurricular commitments  Practical tips for work-from-home balance    Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our 4 Week Connection Challenge for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.   *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!    QUOTES “I was saying no to my family a lot because I was saying yes to all these other things.” - Dr. Kim Kimberling “Figure out who you are, who you’re working for, what do you really want, and what do you need to get there. Sometimes we get on that treadmill and we just keep going.” - Dr. Kim Kimberling “I think it is changing, but there’s still a culture that glorifies overwork, burnout and hustle. It can be hard to step out of that because it feels important to be in it.”  - Lindsay Few  “We have a God that is bigger than my mistakes and imperfections. If I really think the world depends on me being perfect, then I’ve got a problem.” - Dr. Kim Kimberling “You don’t just get balanced and stay balanced forever. It’s a constant work in progress.” - Lindsay Few “We look around and everyone’s dealing with this, so we just think this is normal. If something has resonated with you, it’s okay to acknowledge that you want things to go better.” - Lindsay Few   QUESTIONS FOR YOU 4 reflection questions to help you move forward: What worked, what do I want to do more of, what didn’t work, what do I want to do less of?   God wants you to thrive. Trust that when you seek these answers, He will answer.     MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  We mentioned this podcast episode with Gary Thomas  Get all the details about our limited time Sexy Bundle HERE  Learn more about what makes expectations healthy in “Unpack Your Expectations, Unfrustrate Your Life” and try a week of Online Women’s Bible Study, FREE!   

Does your home echo with the sounds of sibling squabbles? Do you wish for more connection with your kids? If so, today’s episode is for you! Don & Suzanne Manning, the founders of Crazy Cool Family, are passionate about equipping Christian families with strategies to cultivate a family culture they ALL enjoy living with!  We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.    Episode highlights include:   Effective ways to protect kids from screen & tech temptations Where to invest your time and energy for the best parenting outcomes - and where NOT to  The goal of disciplining our kids and how to work toward it    *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!    QUOTES “Don’t look at the outside and all the fearful things - don't waste your time and energy there: You’re going after your kids’ heart.” - Suzanne Manning “Kids are wired to want us on their team. They want our input. ”  - Suzanne Manning  “Control is based in fear, and connection is based in love.” - Don Manning  “Most people try to control, because we don’t know what to do. But it doesn’t work.” Dr Kim Kimberling   “We never tell parents they need to work harder. They need to work differently. Becoming an encourager and being a listener are two ways to do that.” - Don Manning   “Our children are going to go where the encouragement is.” - Suzanne Manning  “Because of technology and culture, connection today is more important than it’s ever been.” - Don Manning  “The goal of discipline is self-control. When situations come up, they are opportunities to build self control in my kids. Opportunities to build them up for the next stage of life.” - Don Manning  QUESTIONS FOR YOU  Do you lean more toward connection, or control?   MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  Find more resources and info from Don & Suzanne at CrazyCoolFamily.com   Listen to the Crazy Cool Family Podcast    Reduce unnecessary arguments, decrease stress in your home, develop better understanding of your spouse, AND strengthen your bond as a couple with THIS: Our 30-Day Communication Challenge!    Need more communication help? Sign up here to save your spot for Dr. Kim’s FREE webinar,  “7 Common Communication Mistakes Couples Make”   Questions about gaslighting, narcissism and blame? Submit them anonymously HERE or DM us on Instagram. Dr. Kim will answer them in an upcoming episode   

Are you uncertain with your  food choices or unhappy with your body? Is it possible to truly be at peace with food and your body? If you’re not comfortable with your body, this will spill over into your marriage. Gaining a biblical perspective with this will help you heal your relationship with your body and food choices, and in turn, your marriage.    Today we are delighted to have Brittany Braswell joining us to tackle these personal and often painful topics, and share hope, help, and Biblical perspective on these topics. Brittany is a Registered Dietician, Christian speaker and host of the Joy-Filled Eater Podcast, and a wealth of wisdom and encouragement on navigating these challenging topics.     We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.  Episode highlights include:   What does Scripture actually say about body image?  How our view of our body impacts our marriage Brittany’s 1st priority for her clients’ nutrition – this might surprise you! Tips to handle food choices if you and your spouse are not on the same page   Ways to support your spouse if they are struggling in this area Ways to ask for your spouse’s support if you’re struggling in this area     *Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!    QUOTES “So much of it is our perception: If I see my body negatively, then I’m assuming my spouse does too.” - Brittany Braswell  “So much of the conversation around body image is very me-centric, not Christ centric.”  - Brittany Braswell  “The Lord blessed us with this variety of flavors and gave us taste buds to be able to enjoy them!” -  Brittany Braswell  “It’s ok to ask for help. You don’t have to meet a certain criteria to deserve some support.”  -  Brittany Braswell  “We can eat in a way that helps our bodies to thrive so that our bodies don’t become the thing that holds us back from fulfilling the calling and purpose God has placed on our lives.” -  Brittany Braswell   QUESTIONS FOR YOU If it’s hard for you to believe it when your spouse says they are attracted to you, dig a little deeper: Why is it hard to believe?     MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:  For more wisdom on these topics, listen to Brittany’s podcast, The Joy Filled Eater Here’s the episode on gluttony she mentioned in today’s conversation with Dr. Kim  Find Free Resources as well as coaching, courses & community on Brittanys’ website BrittanyBraswellRD.com  Facebook Support Group: Food Freedom and Body Image Support for Christian Women  Follow her on Instagram