Every marriage goes through highs and lows — but some warning signs can quietly damage connection if left unchecked. In this episode, Duane and Nadine break down 8 marriage red flags every couple should watch for and offer practical steps to fix them early.

From emotional dismissal to defensiveness, lack of intimacy, secrets, and drifting apart, these patterns often show up long before conflict begins. You'll learn how to recognize them, how to talk about them without escalating tension, and how to rebuild connection and oneness in a Christ-centered way.

Whether you're newly married or decades in, this episode will help you strengthen communication, deepen intimacy, and protect what matters most.

Want our Marriage Mission Statement and Goal Setting Template?

Check it out here:

https://apurposedrivenmarriage.thrivecart.com/goal-setting-template/

✨ Follow us on Instagram & TikTok (@apurposedrivenmarriage) for daily marriage tips ✨ Want to work together? Book a coaching session at https://apurposedrivenmarriage.com/ ✨ Found this helpful? Send it to a friend or leave a review! It seriously means so much 💛

In this eye-opening episode of A Purpose Driven Marriage, we explore the emotionally charged and often misunderstood topic of gaslighting. Is it happening in your marriage? Could you be unintentionally gaslighting your spouse? Or are you the one being gaslit? Join us as we break down what gaslighting really is, how to recognize it, and most importantly, how to respond in a way that builds trust and restores emotional safety.

What You'll Learn:

• What gaslighting is (and what it isn't)

• Common phrases that may indicate gaslighting

• How to know if you're being gaslit

• How to recognize if you might be gaslighting

• Practical steps to stop gaslighting behaviors

• What to do if you're experiencing gaslighting

• Why accountability and validation are crucial to healing

If this episode hit home, take a moment to reflect on your communication patterns. Share this episode with someone who may need it, and subscribe for more real-life conversations that strengthen your marriage.

✨ Follow us on Instagram & TikTok (@apurposedrivenmarriage) for daily marriage tips ✨ Want to work together? Book a coaching session at https://apurposedrivenmarriage.com/ ✨ Found this helpful? Send it to a friend or leave a review! It seriously means so much 💛

Feeling disconnected from your spouse? You're not alone. Life's busy seasons — raising kids, careers, and constant responsibilities — can slowly erode intimacy and connection. But what if one of the most effective ways to reignite your relationship was simpler than you thought?

In this episode of A Purpose Driven Marriage, we explore how taking intentional time away together — whether a weekend staycation or a full-blown getaway — can deeply impact your marriage. It may be surprising, but intentional time together has been shown to help:

• Rekindle intimacy

• Improve communication

• Increase relationship satisfaction

• Build lasting memories that strengthen your bond

If your marriage feels dry or disconnected, this episode is your permission slip to prioritize your relationship and make time for just the two of you. Let's dive in!

✨ Follow us on Instagram & TikTok (@apurposedrivenmarriage) for daily marriage tips ✨ Want to work together? Book a coaching session at https://apurposedrivenmarriage.com/ ✨ Found this helpful? Send it to a friend or leave a review! It seriously means so much 💛

• Research from U.S. Travel Association: Travel Effect Project

• 2024 Study: Kim et al. — Annals of Tourism Research: Couples who travel together experience lasting improvements in relationship satisfaction, intimacy, and communication.

• Hammitt, William E. (2000). Couples and Recreation: Benefits of Shared Leisure Experiences. Leisure Sciences
• Graham, J. M., & Conoley, C. W. (2006). The Relationship Benefits of Shared Leisure Activities: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

In this episode of A Purpose Driven Marriage, we're tackling one of the most crucial issues couples face—trust. Whether you're working to rebuild trust after betrayal or simply want to maintain a strong, healthy foundation, this conversation is for you.

Join Duane and Nadine as they explore:

• What causes trust to break down in a marriage

• How to rebuild trust one brick at a time

• The power of consistency and overcommunication

• How transparency, follow-through, and grace build long-term security

• Why impatience can sabotage the healing process

• Faith-based encouragement for couples walking through trust issues

If you've ever wondered how to move forward after dishonesty, or how to protect the trust you already have, this honest and hope-filled conversation will give you the tools and perspective you need.

✨ Follow us on Instagram & TikTok (@apurposedrivenmarriage) for daily marriage tips ✨ Want to work together? Book a coaching session at https://apurposedrivenmarriage.com/ ✨ Found this helpful? Send it to a friend or leave a review! It seriously means so much 💛

Do money conversations in your marriage feel more like battlegrounds than building blocks? You're not alone—and today's guests are here to help.

In this episode of A Purpose Driven Marriage Podcast, we're joined by Dan and Kay Ockey, financial coaches and founders of Centsei Financial, who open up about their journey from debt, secrecy, and daily arguments… to building a thriving financial coaching practice—and a stronger marriage—together.

You'll learn:

• Why most financial fights are not really about money

• The weekly habit that can radically improve your relationship and your bank account

• How to rebuild trust after financial mistakes or hidden spending

• What shared financial responsibility actually looks like in a healthy Christian marriage

• How to start money conversations with your spouse—even if it feels awkward or tense

Dan and Kay don't just share theory—they walk you through the exact system they used (and now teach others) to reduce stress, eliminate confusion, and create financial unity in marriage.

Want to stop fighting about money and start building your future—together? Dan and Kay are offering our listeners a FREE budgeting class that breaks down the same principles and tools they've used to help over 1,100 households find financial clarity and peace.

📲 Sign up for the free class here: 👉 https://www.centseifinance.com/duane-and-nadine-a-purpose-driven-marriage/

Whether you're just starting out or trying to recover from past money wounds, this class will give you the practical steps to move forward with confidence and unity.

If you've ever found yourself overwhelmed by the countless invisible tasks of running a home and family, you're not alone. This week on A Purpose Driven Marriage, we're joined by author and relationship expert Dr. Morgan Cutlip for an eye-opening conversation about the mental load—what it is, why it disproportionately affects women, and how it silently strains marriages.

Dr. Morgan unpacks the emotional toll of carrying the mental load and offers compassionate, research-based tools for couples who want to create a better balance at home. From understanding why women often absorb more of the household responsibilities, to practical ways to bring your spouse into the conversation without blame, this episode is filled with wisdom, encouragement, and real solutions.

We also dive into her new book, A Better Share: How Couples Can Tackle the Mental Load for More Fun, Less Resentment, and Great Sex, where Dr. Morgan helps couples tackle mental load for more connection, less resentment, and yes—even better sex. Whether you're a wife who feels unseen or a husband who wants to better understand and support your spouse, this episode will deepen your empathy and strengthen your relationship.

🟡 In This Episode, We Cover:

• What the mental load really is—and how to recognize it

• Why women tend to carry the bulk of it (even when both partners work)

• How the mental load impacts emotional and sexual intimacy

• The parent-child dynamic that drains desire and closeness

• A powerful script for starting the "mental load" conversation without conflict

• Why "oneness" means tackling this challenge together

• Dr. Morgan's heart behind writing A Better Share

Dr. Morgan Cutlip is an author, relationship expert, and cofounder of MyLoveThinks.com. Known for her down-to-earth and research-backed approach, she empowers couples to navigate the hardest parts of relationships with clarity and compassion. Dr. Morgan holds a master's in Human Development and Family Science and a doctorate in Counseling Psychology. She's the author of Love Your Kids Without Losing Yourself and her latest book, A Better Share, releases nationwide April 8, 2025.

Follow her on Instagram at @drmorgancutlip and learn more at www.drmorgancutlip.com.

📘 Get your copy of A Better Share 🔗 Learn more and follow Dr. Morgan: https://drmorgancutlip.com 📲 Follow her on Instagram: @drmorgancutlip

Know someone who's carrying more than their share of the mental load? Send them this episode! Let's help more couples understand the invisible weight—and how to lighten it together.

Is your marriage built to last—or to be left when it no longer meets your expectations? This week on A Purpose Driven Marriage, we're unpacking a foundational question: 👉 Are you living out your marriage as a contract… or a covenant?

In a culture that glorifies self-fulfillment and exits at the first sign of discomfort, we're diving into the difference between the world's view of marriage and God's design. Through candid conversation, biblical truth, coaching insights, and real-life reflection, Duane and Nadine walk you through:

• What it means to have a contractual mindset vs. a covenantal mindset

• How contract-thinking leads to insecurity, conditional love, and emotional distance

• What the Bible teaches about covenant love (Genesis 2:24, Ephesians 5, Malachi 2:14)

• Why covenant love is about giving, not receiving

• How even secular studies—including those from Dr. John Gottman—support the benefits of covenant-style commitment

• How your view of marriage shapes your communication, intimacy, and long-term resilience

• Why covenant marriages don't just bless the couple—they shape generations

• Contract marriages say: "If you do this, I'll do that." Covenant marriages say: "Even if you don't, I'm still here."

• God's model for marriage is sacrificial, not transactional.

• The covenant mindset provides security, purpose, and spiritual alignment.

• You can shift from self-protection to selfless love—and your marriage will thrive for it.

• 0:00 – Intro: Marriage by God's Design

• 2:45 – Culture's Contractual View of Marriage

• 6:15 – "I'll stay as long as I'm happy" – The Danger of Conditions

• 9:00 – How a contract mindset creates emotional insecurity

• 12:40 – What is a covenant marriage, really?

• 14:00 – God's blueprint: Ephesians 5 & sacrificial love

• 17:30 – When one spouse is struggling—what covenant commitment looks like

• 20:50 – Even if you're not a Christian, covenant principles still apply

• 21:45 – Research: Commitment = Relationship Success (Gottman, UVA, JFP)

• 24:00 – "Interested" vs. "Committed" mindsets

• 30:00 – Choosing love rooted in God, not performance

• 32:00 – A marriage that builds legacy for generations

• 34:00 – Listener challenge + closing encouragement

✨ Follow us on Instagram & TikTok (@apurposedrivenmarriage) for daily marriage tips ✨ Want to work together? Book a coaching session at https://apurposedrivenmarriage.com/ ✨ Found this helpful? Send it to a friend or leave a review! It seriously means so much 💛

After 26 years of marriage, I've learned a lot—about love, family, communication, intimacy, faith, and what it really means to grow through every season together.

In this heartfelt episode, I'm sharing 26 real, honest, and practical tips I'd give to any wife who wants a stronger, more connected, and purpose-driven marriage. Some are serious. Some are funny. All of them are real-life tested and come from lessons I've learned as a wife, a mother, and a woman determined to keep building a marriage that thrives.

Whether you've been married two years or twenty, there's something here for you.

✔️ Why your marriage foundation matters more than anything ✔️ The truth about sex and connection after decades together ✔️ How to fight fair and know when to call a timeout ✔️ Why your husband needs to feel respected, appreciated, and desired ✔️ The power of believing the best about your spouse ✔️ How friendship, support, and laughter make all the difference ✔️ And so much more…

💖 This episode is for every wife who's serious about building a marriage that lasts. And if you've got a notebook nearby, you might want to take a few notes!

💌 What's one tip that's helped you in your marriage? Hit reply and share—I'd love to hear from you.

✨ Follow us on Instagram & TikTok (@apurposedrivenmarriage) for daily marriage tips ✨ Want to work together? Book a coaching session at https://apurposedrivenmarriage.com/ ✨ Found this helpful? Send it to a friend or leave a review! It seriously means so much 💛

🎉 We're celebrating 26 years of marriage! 🎉

In this special anniversary episode, Duane shares 26 powerful lessons he's learned as a husband over the past 26 years of marriage. From leadership and communication to the importance of date nights, conflict resolution, and even why sharing food is an act of love (apparently!), this episode is packed with wisdom, laughter, and real-life marriage truths.

If you're a husband, this is your must-listen playbook for growing in marriage. And wives—feel free to share this with your spouse! Who knows? He might just pick up a few gems. 😉

🔥 What You'll Hear in This Episode: ✔️ The #1 thing every wife wants from her husband (even if she doesn't say it!) ✔️ Why saying "I'm sorry" doesn't make you weak—it makes you a better man ✔️ The surprising connection between chores and romance (hint: "choreplay" is a real thing!) ✔️ How to keep your wife feeling loved and cherished—even after decades together ✔️ The importance of protecting your marriage from outside influences ✔️ And so much more!

We'd love to hear from you! Husbands, what's a marriage lesson you've learned that has strengthened your relationship? Drop us a comment or send us a message!

📌 Stay Tuned! Next week, Nadine will share her 26 lessons from 26 years of marriage! You don't want to miss it.

✨ Follow us on Instagram & TikTok (@apurposedrivenmarriage) for daily marriage tips ✨ Want to work together? Book a coaching session at https://apurposedrivenmarriage.com/ ✨ Found this helpful? Send it to a friend or leave a review! It seriously means so much 💛

Do you ever feel like you and your spouse are two ships passing in the night? Between work, kids, responsibilities, and life's never-ending demands, finding quality time together can feel impossible. But it doesn't have to be that way!

In this episode, we're sharing five powerful, time-management hacks to help busy couples stay connected and keep their marriage thriving—even when life gets hectic. From weekly marriage meetings to no-tech family time, these strategies will help you prioritize your relationship without sacrificing your responsibilities.

Whether you're juggling careers, parenting, or just struggling to find quality time together, these tips will help you make time for love, deepen your connection, and create a marriage that lasts.

✅ Why busyness can trick you into feeling productive while damaging your relationship ✅ The #1 mindset shift that makes balancing love and life easier ✅ 5 time-saving hacks to ensure you stay connected with your spouse ✅ Practical ways to schedule and protect quality couple time ✅ How to automate, delegate, and outsource to create more margin for love

✨ Follow us on Instagram & TikTok (@apurposedrivenmarriage) for daily marriage tips ✨ Want to work together? Book a coaching session at https://apurposedrivenmarriage.com/ ✨ Found this helpful? Send it to a friend or leave a review! It seriously means so much 💛