What are some of the major mistakes we hope couples avoid during dating and engagement? Today we’re talking all about unrealistic expectations. How can we tell when our expectations are unrealistic, and what can we do to keep them from becoming an issue in our relationships? 

This one trips up about every couple at some point, so even if you’re married, this episode will be helpful to recognize, and deal with our expectations in a healthy and helpful way. Tune in for all the details on how not to let this major mistake wreck your relationship. We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage!

Episode highlights include: 

• We share several of the common unrealistic expectations we’ve seen as well as several we’ve had in our own marriages
• How to tell if your expectations are realistic or not 

• We give a simple process to work through these together 

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

Resources: 

• Dr. Kim’s Preparing For An Awesome Marriage Online Course brings all the information he teaches in his premarital course directly to you! Use code “AWESOMEMARRIAGE” FOR 10% off! 
• We also have a FREE “95 Questions To Ask Before You Get Married”  resource to help you prepare well for marriage.
• Loving our monthly resources? Marriage Changers get instant access to every months’ new resource – and so much more! Learn more here. 
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email. 
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!

What are some of the major mistakes we hope couples avoid during dating and engagement? Today we’re talking about what it means to focus on the wrong things. What are they, and why are we saying they’re wrong?

In Dr. Kim’s counseling experience, he’s seen some things that are just not helpful for engaged couples, so today he’s telling us some of the things he sees engaged couples focusing on that aren’t helpful to their future marriage. Spoiler alert: No matter where you are today, there is hope! 

Episode highlights include: 

• What are the “wrong things” he sees couples focus on 
• What’s wrong with focusing on them  
• Some of the ways purity in dating impacts married sex 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

Resources: 

• Dr. Kim’s Preparing For An Awesome Marriage Online Course brings all the information he teaches in his premarital course directly to you! Use code “AWESOMEMARRIAGE” FOR 10% off! 
• We also have a FREE “95 Questions To Ask Before You Get Married”  resource to help you prepare well for marriage.
• Our House Prayer Cards are a beloved resource we are featuring again this month. These cards give ways to invite God into every room of your house. Learn more here! 
• The Weekly Check In Guide is a simple way to be intentional about checking in on your marriage each week. Grab the resource and get intentional today! 
• Loving our monthly resources? Marriage Changers get instant access to every months’ new resource – and so much more! Learn more here. 
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email. 
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!

What are some of the major mistakes we hope couples avoid during dating and engagement? Today we’re looking at a big one: Ignoring red flags. Thankfully, Dr. Kim has counseled so many engaged couples over the years, and has created our Preparing For Marriage online course. So today he sheds light on several common red flags and how to deal with them. Spoiler alert: No matter where you are today, there is hope! 

Episode highlights include: 

• Do red flags mean you have to call off the engagement?

• Dr. Kim shares several common red flags he sees in counseling 

• How to address the red flags - before AND after marriage

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

Resources: 

• Dr. Kim’s Preparing For An Awesome Marriage Online Course brings all the information he teaches in his premarital course directly to you! Use code “AWESOMEMARRIAGE” FOR 10% off! 
• We also have a FREE “95 Questions To Ask Before You Get Married”  resource to help you prepare well for marriage.
• Our new Conflict Solving Survey is designed to help you approach the conflict conversation in a gentle way that doesn’t end in conflict! We think this will help you approach conflict well. 
• The Weekly Check In Guide is a simple way to be intentional about checking in on your marriage each week. Grab the resource and get intentional today! 
• Loving our monthly resources? Marriage Changers get instant access to every months’ new resource – and so much more! Learn more here. 
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email. 
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!

“The storms will hit. It’s not a threat, it’s just a reality,” as Gary Thomas shares with us today.

When they do, we want our marriages to be a refuge where we take comfort. In this episode, Gary Thomas tells us how to make sure your marriage is a safe haven for you and your spouse, rather than a source of pain and conflict. His latest book tells real-life stories of marriages that overcame hardship to become a fortress.

We believe this is what God wants for each marriage and what he wants for you! Don’t miss this encouraging episode! 

Episode highlights include: 

• The one thing all of the “fortress” couples have in common 

• Getting on the same page when one spouse is checked out 
• How to overcome past wounds to heal our marriage 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!

Resources: 

• Our new Conflict Solving Survey is designed to help you approach the conflict conversation in a gentle way that doesn’t end in conflict! We think this will help you approach conflict well. 
• The Weekly Check In Guide is a simple way to be intentional about checking in on your marriage each week. Grab the resource and get intentional today! 
• Loving our monthly resources? Marriage Changers get instant access to every months’ new resource – and so much more! Learn more here. 
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email. 
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!

Have you gotten bad marriage advice? We sure have! We’ve heard so many things that just aren’t helpful for marriage, but we didn’t always realize it! Trying to follow a harmful piece of marriage will damage your marriage over time. So today we call out bad marriage advice, give ways to prevent yourself from falling prey to it, and help you determine what's good advice, and what's worth tossing out. 

Episode highlights include: 

• How to tell whether it’s good advice or not 

• The downside of getting marriage advice online 

• Plus Dr. Kim answers an listener question about a spouse who refuses to go to church 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here! 

Resources: 

• Our new Conflict Solving Survey is designed to help you approach the conflict conversation in a gentle way that doesn’t end in conflict! We think this will help you approach conflict well. 
• Growing in self-awareness is a gift to yourself, your spouse, and your marriage. That’s why we created The Self Check In Guide. Learn more about this helpful resource!  
• If your marriage is really struggling, our Marriage 911 Course was designed as the emergency help you need to get back on track. Check it out today!
• Loving our monthly resources? Marriage Changers get instant access to every months’ new resource – and so much more! Learn more here. 
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies! 
• Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email.

Men and women tend to view intimacy differently, so it takes intentionality to understand one another well. We want to help the wives out this week by looking at 3 ways to do intimacy his way. How can you build these into marriage? Today’s episode will help you bring intimacy from idea into action. Tune in to learn more! 

Episode highlights include: 

• One fun way to keep the “spark” alive

• The destructive side effect of disrespect 
• Fun and simple things you can do to get more - and better - connection 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource 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! 

Resources: 

• Our new Conflict Solving Survey is designed to help you approach the conflict conversation in a gentle way that doesn’t end in conflict! We think this will help you approach conflict well. 
• Check out our Love Making Survey. This resource was designed to help make talking about sex simple - and to bring satisfying results! 
• Loving our monthly resources? Marriage Changers get instant access to every months’ new resource – and so much more! Learn more here. 
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies! 
• Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email.

Men and women typically view intimacy differently, and it takes intentionality to understand one another well. We want to help the husbands out this week by looking at 3 ways to do intimacy her way. This episode is worth repeating since it answers one of the toughest parts of marriage. How can you build these into marriage? Today’s episode will help you bring intimacy from idea into action. Tune in to learn more! 

Episode highlights include: 

• One of the most common complaints we hear from women on this topic 

• Why nonsexual touching is essential for a healthy sex life 

•  What emotional intimacy is and how to get it 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource 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!  

Resources: 

• Our new Conflict Solving Survey is designed to help you approach the conflict conversation in a gentle way that doesn’t end in conflict! We think this will help you approach conflict well. 
• Check out our Love Making Survey. This resource was designed to help make talking about sex simple - and to bring satisfying results! 
• Loving our monthly resources? Marriage Changers get instant access to every months’ new resource – and so much more! Learn more here. 
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Dr. Kim’s weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email. 

Are you part of a blended family? Having a blended family brings unique challenges and that’s why we’re so thankful for our friends Scott and Vanessa Martindale sharing their wisdom on the topic today! Scott and Vanessa founded Blended Kingdom Families, where they offer practical strategies and Biblical encouragement for blended families. Don’t miss this helpful episode! 

Episode highlights include: 

• Dealing with high-conflict ex-spouse relationships   

• Some practical tools for clear communication 

• Plus, the one big thing you don’t want to do, but can make a huge difference! 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource 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! 

Resources: 

• Check out Scott and Vanessa’s book, Blended Kingdom Families. It’s out now, and it is SO good! 
• Find more from Blended Kingdom Families, including all of their resources at BlendedKingdomFamilies.com
• Fixing our mind on what is good, right and true is good for us and great for our marriage! Our 19 Prayers and Affirmations for Your Marriage  resource will help you do just that! 
• Our Family Prayer Challenge is designed to help you practically build a family culture around Christ, in the midst of your everyday life! 
• With the Marriage Changers Membership, you get instant access to every months’ new resource – and so much more! Learn more here. 
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Dr. Kim’s free weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email. 

What did you hope for and dream of when you got married? Is your marriage all you dreamed it would be? For so many, it is not. It’s easy to think it might be easier for other couples, but a good marriage takes time, energy, and hard work. There’s hope for your marriage no matter where you are today, because as Dr. Kim shares with us, God hasn’t given up on any marriage! 

Episode highlights include: 

• Dr. Kim’s pro tip on why he gives couples “homework”  

• Why many of us might stay distracted on purpose 

• How one spouse make a change to the marriage on their own

• Dr. Kim answers an anonymous question about how to deal with sexual temptation

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource 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! 

Resources: 

• Setting our mind on what is good, right and true is good for us and great for our marriage! Our 19 Prayers and Affirmations for Your Marriage  resource will help you do just that! 
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram and Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!
• Ready to level up your marriage? With the Marriage Changers membership yet you get all of our monthly resources, plus some other sweet benefits, like Tshirts and exclusive videos with Dr. Kim and Nancy! Learn more here!
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Get bite-sized daily doses of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email. As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Dr. Kim’s free weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email. 

{Editor's Note: Audio was repaired 11/2023.} So much of life is not what happens to us, but how we respond to it. Life is hard and it never seems to go exactly according to our plans. My grandad said that we all have the choice to either get bitter, or get better. And he lived out what it looks like to get better, even in the face of all of life’s troubles.

Today Dr. Kim shares what ongoing bitterness looks like over time, and how we can avoid becoming grouchy, grumpy, and mean! 

Episode highlights include: 

• How to know if you’re becoming more bitter 

• Practical steps to help you “get better” instead

• Tips for dealing with the difficult people in your life 

• This week’s anonymous listener question leads to a memorable story from one of Dr. Kim and Nancy’s recent dates 

We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage. 

P.S. I misquoted his age in the episode - my grandad lived to 94½ before he went to heaven last year! 

Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our “5 Days 5 Ways” Love Languages resource 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! 

Resources: 

• Trusting God Through Grief with Special Guest Stacy Henagan | Ep. 462
• A Faithful Life and Legacy - with Special Guest Ernstena Parker Wood | Ep. 496
• Setting our mind on what is good, right and true is good for us and great for our marriage! Our 19 Prayers and Affirmations for Your Marriage  resource will help you do just that! 
• Get a quick daily dose of marriage wisdom delivered straight to your inbox with Dr. Kim’s Daily One Thing email! As a subscriber, you’ll also be eligible for some awesome freebies!  
• Follow Awesome Marriage on Instagram, Facebook and find Dr. Kim on TikTok!
• Ready to level up your marriage? With the Marriage Changers membership yet you get all of our monthly resources, plus some other sweet benefits, like Tshirts and exclusive videos with Dr. Kim and Nancy! Learn more here!
• Dr. Kim’s free weekly Marriage Multiplier email brings you 4 pieces of practical marriage wisdom in one quick, easy-to-read free weekly email.