In this episode of the Awesome Marriage Podcast, Dr. Kim sits down with bestselling author Gary Chapman for a practical and honest conversation about what it really looks like to keep a marriage growing, not just surviving.

They talk about why marriages don't just "stay the same," how couples slowly drift without realizing it, and what it takes to stay emotionally connected over time. Gary unpacks how love languages can shift through different seasons of life, why assumptions create so many problems, and how simple things like curiosity, communication, and daily check-ins can completely change the tone of a relationship.

If you've ever felt like you and your spouse are just "off" lately, or you want to be more intentional about loving well, this conversation gives you real, doable ways to start moving back toward each other again.

Episode Highlights:

• Without intentional effort, connection naturally fades into distance or "roommate mode."

• Couples often miss each other because they're expressing love in ways that feel right to them, not in ways that actually land with their spouse.

• When couples stay teachable and intentional, even conflict becomes an opportunity for deeper connection.

Quotes from this Episode:

Gary Chapman:

1. "Marriage is either going to grow or regress—there's really no drifting in place."

2. "I don't talk about a perfect marriage. I talk about a growing marriage."

3. "Life satisfaction is found in relationships, not in the accumulation of things."

4. "We cannot read each other's minds—you have to ask questions and listen."

5. "The objective is not to win the argument—the objective is to find a solution together."

6. "It's no fun to live with a loser. Why would you create a loser? You're on the same team."

7. "Love has to be communicated in a way that's meaningful to the other person."

Kim Kimberling:

1. "I don't think I'll ever learn everything there is to know about Nancy in a lifetime."

2. "Marriage is an adventure because you're always discovering new things about each other."

3. "If you're not feeling loved, turn into your marriage—not outside of it."

4. "Assumptions in marriage are usually way off."

5. "The distractions we entertain today are often stealing the connection we could be building at home."

6. "There's so much value in the person God put in front of you to do life with."

7. "Small, intentional steps done consistently really do make a difference over time."

Time to Talk About it:

1. Where in our marriage are we currently growing—and where might we actually be drifting without realizing it?

2. In what ways am I trying to show love to my spouse, and are those actually the ways they most feel loved?

3. How well do we really ask questions and stay curious about each other instead of assuming we already know what the other thinks or feels?

4. What would it look like for us to build a simple daily rhythm of connection (even 10–15 minutes) to stay emotionally close?

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Awesome Marriage is on Instagram!

• Take the Love Languages test.

• Get your copy of The Love Language That Matters Most.

• Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. Unpack what scripture says about how to demonstrate love well in your marriage with our plan: Speak to Their Heart: 5 Ways to Love Your Spouse Well

• If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !

• It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer you'll receive exclusive content from Dr. Kim and Mrs. Nancy as well as our resource of the month! Become a Marriage Changer today!

In this episode of the Awesome Marriage Podcast, Dr. Kim sits down with bestselling author Gary Chapman for a practical and honest conversation about what it really looks like to keep a marriage growing, not just surviving.

They talk about why marriages don't just "stay the same," how couples slowly drift without realizing it, and what it takes to stay emotionally connected over time. Gary unpacks how love languages can shift through different seasons of life, why assumptions create so many problems, and how simple things like curiosity, communication, and daily check-ins can completely change the tone of a relationship.

If you've ever felt like you and your spouse are just "off" lately, or you want to be more intentional about loving well, this conversation gives you real, doable ways to start moving back toward each other again.

Episode Highlights:

• Without intentional effort, connection naturally fades into distance or "roommate mode."

• Couples often miss each other because they're expressing love in ways that feel right to them, not in ways that actually land with their spouse.

• When couples stay teachable and intentional, even conflict becomes an opportunity for deeper connection.

Quotes from this Episode:

Gary Chapman:

1. "Marriage is either going to grow or regress—there's really no drifting in place."

2. "I don't talk about a perfect marriage. I talk about a growing marriage."

3. "Life satisfaction is found in relationships, not in the accumulation of things."

4. "We cannot read each other's minds—you have to ask questions and listen."

5. "The objective is not to win the argument—the objective is to find a solution together."

6. "It's no fun to live with a loser. Why would you create a loser? You're on the same team."

7. "Love has to be communicated in a way that's meaningful to the other person."

Kim Kimberling:

1. "I don't think I'll ever learn everything there is to know about Nancy in a lifetime."

2. "Marriage is an adventure because you're always discovering new things about each other."

3. "If you're not feeling loved, turn into your marriage—not outside of it."

4. "Assumptions in marriage are usually way off."

5. "The distractions we entertain today are often stealing the connection we could be building at home."

6. "There's so much value in the person God put in front of you to do life with."

7. "Small, intentional steps done consistently really do make a difference over time."

Time to Talk About it:

1. Where in our marriage are we currently growing—and where might we actually be drifting without realizing it?

2. In what ways am I trying to show love to my spouse, and are those actually the ways they most feel loved?

3. How well do we really ask questions and stay curious about each other instead of assuming we already know what the other thinks or feels?

4. What would it look like for us to build a simple daily rhythm of connection (even 10–15 minutes) to stay emotionally close?

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Awesome Marriage is on Instagram!

• Take the Love Languages test.

• Get your copy of The Love Language That Matters Most.

• Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. Unpack what scripture says about how to demonstrate love well in your marriage with our plan: Speak to Their Heart: 5 Ways to Love Your Spouse Well

• If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !

• It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer you'll receive exclusive content from Dr. Kim and Mrs. Nancy as well as our resource of the month! Become a Marriage Changer today!

Marriage isn't supposed to be all work and no play. But somewhere between busy schedules, responsibilities, stress, and everyday life, a lot of couples find themselves feeling more like roommates than best friends.

In this episode, Dr. Kim and Nancy talk about why fun matters so much in marriage, how couples gradually lose it, and what it takes to bring it back. Whether your marriage feels stuck in a rut or you simply miss enjoying each other the way you once did, this conversation offers practical encouragement and simple ways to reconnect.

Tune in as they discuss the signs that fun has faded, why couples often settle for "fine," and how even small moments of laughter, playfulness, and intentional connection can help strengthen your relationship. Plus, you'll walk away with one simple challenge you can put into practice this week.

If your marriage could use a little more joy, this episode is for you.

Episode Highlights:

Why fun matters more than you think

What's causing the joy to fade

How to reconnect and enjoy each other again

Quotes from this Episode:

It's not exactly what we do, it's how we feel when we are doing something together.

Losing fun doesn't happen overnight. You start feeling kindof bored together so you stop laughing together. You stop talking. You quit interacting.

I don't think in a lifetime you can learn everything about your spouse. You have to stay curious.

Life isn't all about fun. But fun does sure make a lot of life go better.

If you're just coasting, you're missing out on so much of what God has for you in marriage.

Time to Talk About it:

When we dated, how would you rate our fun 1-10?

How would you rate it now?

Are we using efficiency as an excuse to neglect intentionality?

What do you enjoy doing with me (with spouse) for fun?

When is our next date night?

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Awesome Marriage is on Instagram!

• Marriage should be FUN! That's why we created this resource: 14 Days of Marriage Fun

• Has date night gotten boring? Here are some pre planned date ideas!

• Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. Intentionality is key for a healthy marriage. Commit to our free One Thing to Grow Your Marriage plan.

• If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !

• It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer you'll receive exclusive content from Dr. Kim and Mrs. Nancy as well as our resource of the month! Become a Marriage Changer today!

One of the greatest privileges we have as spouses is coming before the Father and lifting up our marriage—leaning on Him for protection, provision, and strength.

Today, special guests Brad and Heidi Mitchell join Dr. Kim to talk about how foundational prayer is for intimacy and the overall climate of your marriage. Many couples struggle to develop this rhythm—not because they don't want to, but because they simply don't know where to start.

Be encouraged today as Brad and Heidi share from their newest book, Build Your Marriage With Prayer, and talk about how guided prayers, daily readings, and reflection questions can help couples grow a consistent and meaningful prayer life together.

Episode Highlights:

Husbands don't have to know it all to lead- they can be simply willing to initiate.

Wives can come alongside and encourage their husbands to step into the role God created them for.

Don't weaponize prayer against your spouse.

Quotes from this Episode:

Kim Kimberling Quotes:

1. "The first time Nancy and I really started praying for something together and saw God show up, it was like, 'This is awesome.'"

2. "Prayer bonds us together in a way nothing else really can."

3. "Most guys feel inadequate spiritually, but prayer was never about performing."

4. "You don't have to know more than your spouse to lead spiritually—you just have to initiate."

5. "When couples begin praying together, they stop fighting against each other and start fighting for each other."

6. "Inviting God into conflict changes conflict from something destructive into something that can grow your marriage."

7. "The more we pray, the more prayer becomes part of the fabric of who we are."

8. "God wants to be involved in the middle of our everyday lives—not just the big emergencies."

9. "When you pray over your spouse, it creates empathy, connection, and unity."

10. "Prayer gives God a chance to show up in your marriage over and over again."

Brad Mitchell Quotes:

1. "A lot of men don't pray with their wives because they're afraid of looking inadequate."

2. "Men don't need to be spiritual experts—they just need to become spiritual initiators."

3. "The things you most want to lean away from are often the very places God wants you to lean in."

4. "When you pray about the issue instead of against each other, nobody wins or loses—God wins."

5. "The enemy whispers, 'You're not good at this,' because he knows how powerful prayer is in marriage."

6. "Every wife would love for her husband to stop and pray over her before the day begins."

7. "Surrendering your schedule to God changes interruptions from frustrations into opportunities."

8. "Prayer protects your marriage because it keeps both of you surrendered to God instead of fighting each other."

Heidi Mitchell Quotes:

1. "Make prayer a positive experience for your spouse, not a performance."

2. "There's really no wrong way to come before God together."

3. "Encouragement from a wife can completely change a husband's confidence in leading spiritually."

4. "If prayer becomes weaponized, couples will stop wanting to pray together."

5. "Not every thought deserves a place to stay in your mind."

6. "Ask yourself: Does this thought line up with who God says my spouse is?"

7. "Praying together helped us move from surface-level faith into authentic dependence on God."

8. "When my husband prays for me, I feel protected, cared for, and truly seen."

9. "The spiritual connection we share through prayer has become one of the greatest strengths in our marriage."

Time to Talk About it:

1. What would it look like for us to make prayer feel more natural and encouraging in our relationship instead of pressured or performative?

2. Is there an area of our marriage right now where we've been "fighting each other" instead of "fighting for each other," and how could prayer help shift that?

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Build Your Marriage is on Instagram!

• Purchase your own copy of Build Your Marriage With Prayer!

• Check out Awesome Marriage's 9 Days to Build the Practice of Prayer in Marriage

• Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. You'll love our 30 Scripture Based Prayers for Your Marriage. Check out it out with your spouse!

• If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !

• Be the first to hear about all things Awesome Marriage, receive monthly bonus content straight from Dr. Kim and Mrs. Nancy, and take advantage of big discounts by becoming a Marriage Changer!

My good friend Matt Cline is here with me today to talk through the cultural epidemic of pornography. We are diving into the deeper roots behind sexual sin, temptation, and transformation. Matt discusses why behavior modification alone isn't enough, how our view of sex shapes the way we lead and relate to others, and why isolation keeps people stuck. Explore how true freedom comes through renewing the mind, pursuing Christlikeness, and allowing God to transform us from the inside out.

Episode Highlights:

• Surface-level behavior change isn't enough—you have to deal with the root issue.

• The way we follow Christ should shape the way we think about sex and intimacy.

• Hidden sexual sin doesn't stay isolated—it affects every relationship around us.

• Sexual immorality pulls us toward selfishness instead of self-giving love.

• God invites you to live in His grace and the freedom He offers.

Quotes from this Conversation:

Matt:

• Love, living in love and engaging in sexual immorality cannot happen at the same time.

• The purpose for our sexual desire is a training ground for Christlikeness. For dying to self and stewarding our urges.

• Accountability should not be focused simply on not sinning.

• Temptation is simply an opportunity for transformation.

• I tried to quit the sin for so long without ever learning how to renew my mind. Never learning how to think like Jesus in the sexual area of my life.

• The amount of perversion in our faces all the time, lends to us justifying "lesser sins."

• You can get rid of the behavior but what about the worldview or the view on sex that has been established in you that you have not yet had renewed?

Dr. Kim:

• Isolation does nothing good for us at all. Isolation when we're dealing with something negative should not be something that we do.

• We give people hope because not in us and not our ministries, but in this God who created us.

• I want to know Nancy loves me even with everything out on the table.

Time to Talk About It:

1. Are there areas in my life where I've focused more on behavior management than true heart transformation?

2. How has my worldview around sex, intimacy, or temptation been shaped more by culture than by Christ?

3. When I struggle, do I tend to isolate myself or invite trusted people into honesty, accountability, and healing?

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Check out what Matt is doing at Restored Ministries

• If your marriage is struggling with betrayal, check out our course: Marriage Undefiled

Marriage was never promised to be easy, light, or always enjoyable—but when both spouses are committed wholeheartedly, it can endure even the hardest seasons. In this episode, Dr. Kim unpacks the foundational truths that help build a healthy, lasting marriage: honest communication, emotional safety, gratitude, faith, and learning how to work through conflict instead of avoiding it.

He also shares what it looks like to start fresh without carrying the weight of past mistakes and why the struggles couples face—especially in the early years—don't mean something is wrong. Whether you're newly married or decades in, this episode offers practical encouragement to help you strengthen your relationship and build a marriage grounded in a foundation that lasts.

Episode Highlights:

"Becoming" is a process and it doesn't happen at the altar.

The decisions that shape a marriage most aren't the big dramatic ones.

Keep having fun together, year after year.

If this is your second marriage- things don't have to be the same!

Quotes from this episode:

When faith is at the center of your marriage it changes the source of your security. You're no longer looking to your spouse to provide what only God can provide.

The first year is not the best year- and that's ok.

The friction you feel is not a sign that something is wrong. It's a sign that you are doing the real work of two becoming one.

Avoiding the conversation doesn't make the problem disappear.

The conversations you tend to avoid are the ones that can make or break a marriage.

Your spouse is not a mind reader and neither are you.

Communication is not a failure of love. It's an expression of it.

The cultural model asks "what am I getting out of this?" The biblical model asks "what am I bringing to this?"

Avoidance builds walls.

Couples who pray together, seek wisdom together, and bring God into the center or their disagreements have a resource that other couples just don't have.

Your spouse should feel like they can be honest with you without being punished for it. If they feel like they have to manage your reactions before they can be truthful, you've built a marriage where honesty is not safe.

Life administration isn't connection.

Gratitude is a muscle and in marriage it needs regular exercise.

Time to talk about it?

What do we expect from each other sexually?

Are we spiritually moving in the same direction?

How was conflict handled in your home growing up?

Have we let anything go unaddressed?

Are we protecting our time together?

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Awesome Marriage is on Instagram!

• Make space to talk about the marriage itself with our FREE Weekly Marriage Check in Guide!

• Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. Dr. Kim takes everyday 'traffic signs' that we all encounter and applies them to growing your marriage relationship in this plan: Traffic Signs and Your Marriage - Part 1

• If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !

• It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer you'll receive exclusive content from Dr. Kim and Mrs. Nancy as well as our resource of the month! Become a Marriage Changer today!

In a culture that constantly redefines truth, how do you build a marriage that actually stands firm?

Dr. Kim sits down with Aaron and Amy Graham to talk about choosing faith over culture and why most marriages don't fall apart overnight—they slowly drift as outside voices shape what we believe about love, identity, and purpose. The Grahams challenge couples to examine those influences, guard their identity, and remember that marriage was designed for more than just their own happiness.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that your spouse isn't meant to meet every need—and that intimacy with God is the foundation for a thriving marriage.

Episode highlights:

Drifting is a slow process.

If we are to live a life that goes against culture, we must know truth and live by it.

Marriage has a greater mission than just your happiness.

Quotes from this Episode:

The Grahams:

If the church doesn't disciple people, the world gladly will.

What does it look like to stand firm in a marriage? It's to not give the devil a foothold.

Sometimes we don't realize how we have subtly imported a secular worldview into every area of our life.

The enemy doesn't want to just tempt us to sin. He wants to reshape our identity and distort our worship.

God has designed us for intimacy and that starts in our marriage relationship.

We have to go into our marriage understanding that our spouse isn't going to solve all of our loneliness. We have to have relationship with God.

The secular lie is that we determine what truth is: my feelings, my version of the truth.

Marriage sometimes can become an idol for people when they don't have a bigger mission than just marriage. Because your marriage can become self centered- what the main mission- it's not just your happiness.

Dr. Kim:

So much of our faith is knowing that this God who created everything loves us conditionally in a culture where nobody loves us unconditionally- sometimes that's hard to get a hold of.

Selfishness is something we have to be aware of our whole marriage because we can fall into that trap.

God is never going to do anything in you that is not good for your marriage.

Time to talk about it:

Are there ideas we need to deconstruct in our marriage?

What voices are we allowing to speak into our marriage? Do they align with the Truth?

What disciplines do we need to implement to show that our marriage is a priority and to honor the union that God has brought together?

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Connect with Aaron and Amy Graham.

• Get your own copy of Unshakeable Faith

• Awesome Marriage is on Instagram!

• Make sure you're praying for your marriage! We make it easy with this prayer guide: 21 Prayers for Building an Awesome Marriage

• Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. If you know you should pray with your spouse or for your spouse but don't know where to start? Check out: 7 Prayers to Grow Your Marriage

• Unmet expectations can wreak havoc on your marriage. You need this brand new resource: The Marriage Expectations Worksheet

• If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !

• It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer you'll receive exclusive content from Dr. Kim and Mrs. Nancy as well as our resource of the month! Become a Marriage Changer today!

Have you ever gotten to the point in your marriage where your spouse felt more like the enemy than the person you committed to stand by in sickness and in health? What used to feel easy now feels tense. Conversations turn into misunderstandings. Small things feel big. Or maybe it's not conflict, it's distance. You're living side by side, but feeling miles apart.

Somewhere along the way, everything started to feel… personal. And today, we're talking about why that happens, and how to change it.

Episode Highights:

It's not you vs. your spouse. It's you both vs the pattern.

Your thought life shapes your marriage

Healing and gratitude change everything.

Quotes from Today's Episode:

One moment doesn't define your marriage.- Mrs. Nancy

The more I'm grateful for who Nancy is in my life, it's so much easier to say "no, I'm not talking this personal."

People get ticked off for so many easy things nowadays and it's easy to get sucked into that.

We don't want to look at ourselves. If I can blame Nancy then I can stay with that and not have to blame myself. God had to work on me.

Our negative thinking can take over so much of the time. That negative thought process- and I have to go back to Romans 12: 2. Renewing our mind. That's the key.- Mrs. Nancy

If there are old wounds, we have to take care of those.

Time to Talk About it:

Do you feel like I do things just to upset you? If so, how can we resolve this?

List out 5 things you are grateful for about your spouse. Share them with one another.

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Awesome Marriage is on Instagram!

• Unmet expectations can wreak havoc on your marriage. You need this brand new resource: The Marriage Expectations Worksheet

• Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. Summer is coming and the beach is calling, and the Lord can use the ocean to speak encouragement into your marriage- see for yourself Islands, Tides and the Deep: A Marriage Message from the Sea

• If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !

• It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer this month, you'll receive our brand new Marriage Expectations Worksheet. This powerful tool is going to change the way you think about and talk about expectations in your marriage.

In a culture that blurs truth and deception, marriages can easily absorb beliefs that slowly damage connection and trust. In this episode, Dr. Greg Smalley joins us to uncover the lies that are hitting marriages the hardest—and the truths that can set couples free.

We talk about why marriages are so vulnerable to these lies, how stress and unmet expectations make them worse, and how emotional distance and internal narratives shape the way we see our spouse. Dr. Smalley also shares practical ways to recognize and replace these lies with truth, plus insight from his own marriage.

If you've ever felt stuck in negative patterns or discouraged in your relationship, this episode will help you reset your perspective and refocus on what's true.

Episode Highlights:

• Why marriages are especially vulnerable to believing harmful lies—and when that risk is highest

• How stress, unmet expectations, and emotional distance distort the way we see our spouse

• Practical ways to recognize lies, replace them with truth, and rebuild connection

Quotes from this Episode:

Quotes from Dr. Kim

1. "Marriage is an adventure full of highs and lows, good and bad."

2. "We live in a culture that tells us we should be happy above all."

3. "The greatest marriage advice is to ask how can I be a better husband."

4. "I think if you do the things that we, if couples do the things we're talking about today, you are laying the foundation for those empty nest years to be something very, very special."

Quotes from Greg Smalley:

1. "Differences are never the problem. The truth is differences are beautiful."

2. "What creates true connection, what creates intimacy, is safety."

3. "I want to be the one to love her in that way by affirming her."

4. "The key is for you to become that perfect person to marry."

5. "I want my wife's heart rendered open to me."

6. "It changes our marriages when we start caring about how our spouse felt."

7. "I want to create a campfire with my wife that we just want to linger around and just enjoy each other."

8. "Instead of thinking about resolving conflict, think about how do we repair conflict."

Time to Talk About it:

What's a negative thought or assumption I've been believing about you or our marriage lately—and is it actually true?

When we're stressed or things aren't going how we expected, what stories do we tend to tell ourselves about each other?

What's one simple thing we could do this week to feel more safe, connected, and quick to repair things when they go sideways?

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Check out Greg Smalley and Focus with the Family

• Get a copy of 9 Lies that will Destroy Your Marriage

• Awesome Marriage is on Instagram!

• Make sure you're checking in with your spouse every week with our FREE Weekly Marriage Check in Guide!

• Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. Dr. Kim takes everyday 'traffic signs' that we all encounter and applies them to growing your marriage relationship in this plan: Traffic Signs and Your Marriage - Part 1

• If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !

• It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer you'll receive exclusive content from Dr. Kim and Mrs. Nancy as well as our resource of the month! Become a Marriage Changer today!

Most of us have experienced that shift in marriage—where the little quirks that once felt endearing during dating suddenly become everyday annoyances. The real challenge comes when those small frustrations start to build, creating distance, resentment, and barriers to connection. And often, it's not just the habits themselves—but the assumptions we attach to them—that carry the most power, quietly shaping how we see and respond to our spouse.

In this episode, Dr. Kim and Mrs. Nancy share practical ways to keep the small things from becoming big issues. They talk about the power of open and honest communication, setting realistic expectations, and choosing grace in the moments it's needed most—especially when assumptions threaten to take over.

Our hope is that this conversation encourages you to strengthen your connection and approach the little things in your marriage with greater understanding, intention, and grace.

Episode Highlights:

Assumptions do not help the marriage relationship.

Open communication is key to highlighting the differences in your relationship and developing an alternate way to move forward together.

Quotes from this Episode:

You begin to think God made a mistake, which He doesn't.

The way I think about Nancy, is going to impact the way I treat her.

When you start thinking negatively toward someone, just stop and lay it at the Lords' feet.

God wants us to have a good marriage. He gave it as a gift to us so He wants it to be good.

It's hard to build a case against Nancy, when I'm taking her to the Lord in prayer.

Marriage doesn't have to be complicated. God didn't create it as this maze we have to figure our way through.

Time to Talk About it:

When's the last time you prayed for the Lord to help you see your spouse the way He sees them.

Is there something you need to share with you spouse that you've been viewing negatively? Something that is going unmentioned and ignored?

Take time to write down 10 things you love or admire about your spouse. Now share it with them.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Awesome Marriage is on Instagram!

• Make sure you're checking in with your spouse every week with our FREE Weekly Marriage Check in Guide!

• Your words, your tone, your attitude- they all matter in how your spouse hears you and how connected your marriage feels. Check out our new devotional: Cut the Criticism and Cultivate Companionship in Marriage

• Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. Have negative thoughts about your spouse slowly replaced the positive ones? You need to start Mind Craft: Take Your Thoughts Captive to Transform Your Marriage today!

• If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !

• It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer you'll receive our Most Popular Resource Bundle — 10 powerful marriage tools with a combined value of $185. Become a Marriage Changer today!