COMMITTED HEARTS

What happens when you love your spouse… but you just don’t feel like it?

You don’t feel like talking. You don’t feel like serving. You don’t feel like being affectionate. You don’t feel like being intimate. Some days, you may not even feel like being married.

In this episode of the Committed Hearts Podcast, William and Donna Porter have an honest conversation about why marriage cannot be built on feelings alone.

Feelings change. Life happens. Stress happens. Frustration happens. But love is more than a feeling, it’s a decision.

They discuss what it means to show up for your spouse even when you don’t feel like it, why sacrifice and selflessness are essential in marriage, how unresolved feelings can become the new normal, the importance of communicating when something is wrong, and why you shouldn’t allow temporary emotions to override a commitment you made.

Sometimes the feelings need time to catch up with the decision.

And when something deeper is going on, healthy communication matters. Talk about it. Understand each other. Make adjustments together.

But don’t let every changing emotion determine the direction of your marriage.

Your feelings may change. Your commitment doesn’t have to.

Keep your hearts committed. ❤️

Welcome to Committed Hearts, a weekly podcast for engaged and married couples who want to build a strong, lasting, and God-centered relationship, without pressure, perfection, or churchy overload.

Hosted by The Porters, pastors, marriage counselors, and partners for more than 25 years, each episode blends real-life stories, faith-shaped wisdom, and practical tools couples can apply right away.

You’ll hear honest conversations about communication, connection, conflict, intimacy, and spiritual growth, delivered with grace, humor, and zero judgment.

Whether you're newly engaged or decades into marriage, Committed Hearts will encourage you, challenge you, and help you grow together emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

Because great marriages aren’t found, they’re intentionally built, one committed heart at a time.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Marriage can be beautiful—and still be difficult.

What happens when two different personalities, backgrounds, habits, families, expectations, and ways of doing life come together under one roof?

In this episode of the Committed Hearts Podcast, William and Donna Porter get transparent about some of the difficult seasons they experienced in their own marriage and how those challenges ultimately helped them grow stronger individually and together.

They talk about blending a family, learning how to become one, dealing with differences, letting go of selfishness, growing in maturity, taking responsibility for your own responses, and learning how to hear difficult things about yourself without immediately becoming defensive.

Sometimes the difficult season isn’t there to destroy your marriage. It can reveal where growth, healing, communication, discipline, and greater unity are needed.

The goal isn’t for everything to always go your way. The goal is to become unified enough to say, “It doesn’t have to be my way or your way—we’re going to find a way that works for us.”

If your marriage feels difficult right now, remember:

Difficult does not mean impossible.

You can grow through this season. You can become stronger. And you can come out of it more unified than you were before.

Keep your hearts committed. ❤️

Welcome to Committed Hearts, a weekly podcast for engaged and married couples who want to build a strong, lasting, and God-centered relationship, without pressure, perfection, or churchy overload.

Hosted by The Porters, pastors, marriage counselors, and partners for more than 25 years, each episode blends real-life stories, faith-shaped wisdom, and practical tools couples can apply right away.

You’ll hear honest conversations about communication, connection, conflict, intimacy, and spiritual growth, delivered with grace, humor, and zero judgment.

Whether you're newly engaged or decades into marriage, Committed Hearts will encourage you, challenge you, and help you grow together emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

Because great marriages aren’t found, they’re intentionally built, one committed heart at a time.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Who says the honeymoon has to end?

A honeymoon may start with a trip after the wedding, but the honeymoon mindset can last throughout your entire marriage.

In this episode of the Committed Hearts Podcast, William and Donna Porter talk about intentionally keeping romance, excitement, intimacy, laughter, and fun alive long after saying “I do.”

They discuss how couples can create romantic moments without spending a lot of money, turn an ordinary night at home into a getaway, rekindle the spark when marriage starts feeling routine, use creativity and imagination in intimacy, and make the decision to enjoy each other again—even after years of marriage.

Life gets busy. Children, work, responsibilities, disagreements, and everyday routines can easily push romance to the side. But the honeymoon doesn’t have to be a one-time event.

Sometimes you simply have to change your mindset, create the atmosphere, and start again.

You don’t have to wait for a vacation.
You don’t have to wait for an anniversary.
You can start your honeymoon again today.

Keep your hearts committed. ❤️

Welcome to Committed Hearts, a weekly podcast for engaged and married couples who want to build a strong, lasting, and God-centered relationship, without pressure, perfection, or churchy overload.

Hosted by The Porters, pastors, marriage counselors, and partners for more than 25 years, each episode blends real-life stories, faith-shaped wisdom, and practical tools couples can apply right away.

You’ll hear honest conversations about communication, connection, conflict, intimacy, and spiritual growth, delivered with grace, humor, and zero judgment.

Whether you're newly engaged or decades into marriage, Committed Hearts will encourage you, challenge you, and help you grow together emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

Because great marriages aren’t found, they’re intentionally built, one committed heart at a time.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

When did you and your spouse stop touching each other?
Not sex. Not even necessarily foreplay. Just the everyday affection that says, “I love you. I care about you. I still want to be close to you.”
In this episode of the Committed Hearts Podcast, William and Donna Porter talk about the power of physical touch and why affection can become the “emotional glue” that keeps a marriage connected.
From holding hands and hugging to a hand on the shoulder, waist, or simply reaching for your spouse, small touches can communicate love, safety, security, care, and desire without saying a word.
They also discuss why every touch shouldn’t come with an expectation of sex, how affection throughout the day can strengthen intimacy later, what to do if your spouse isn’t naturally affectionate, and why past experiences can sometimes make physical touch difficult to receive.
If affection has disappeared from your marriage, somebody can take the first step.
Touch can be conversation without words.
Keep your hearts committed. ❤️

Welcome to Committed Hearts, a weekly podcast for engaged and married couples who want to build a strong, lasting, and God-centered relationship, without pressure, perfection, or churchy overload.

Hosted by The Porters, pastors, marriage counselors, and partners for more than 25 years, each episode blends real-life stories, faith-shaped wisdom, and practical tools couples can apply right away.

You’ll hear honest conversations about communication, connection, conflict, intimacy, and spiritual growth, delivered with grace, humor, and zero judgment.

Whether you're newly engaged or decades into marriage, Committed Hearts will encourage you, challenge you, and help you grow together emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

Because great marriages aren’t found, they’re intentionally built, one committed heart at a time.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Have you ever tried to talk to your spouse and felt like you were talking to a wall?

Communication is essential in marriage—but simply talking isn’t enough. How you say it, when you say it, your tone, how well you listen, and whether you actually understand how your spouse communicates can completely change the conversation.

In this episode of the Committed Hearts Podcast, William and Donna Porter have a candid conversation about learning how to communicate with the person you married.

They discuss why “we need to talk” can immediately create tension, what happens when one spouse is a talker and the other is more direct, choosing the right time for important conversations, staying on topic instead of bringing up five old problems, listening to understand instead of just waiting to respond, and why unresolved issues shouldn’t be allowed to pile up.

You don’t have to communicate exactly the same way—but you do have to learn how to communicate with each other.

Some conversations will be difficult. Some will be fun. But in a healthy marriage, the conversations are necessary.

Keep your hearts committed. ❤️

Welcome to Committed Hearts, a weekly podcast for engaged and married couples who want to build a strong, lasting, and God-centered relationship, without pressure, perfection, or churchy overload.

Hosted by The Porters, pastors, marriage counselors, and partners for more than 25 years, each episode blends real-life stories, faith-shaped wisdom, and practical tools couples can apply right away.

You’ll hear honest conversations about communication, connection, conflict, intimacy, and spiritual growth, delivered with grace, humor, and zero judgment.

Whether you're newly engaged or decades into marriage, Committed Hearts will encourage you, challenge you, and help you grow together emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

Because great marriages aren’t found, they’re intentionally built, one committed heart at a time.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Remember when you couldn’t stop flirting with each other?
Before marriage, there were compliments, playful conversations, affection, laughter, and plenty of effort to make each other feel special. But somewhere between work, bills, children, responsibilities, and everyday life, couples can stop doing the very things that helped them fall in love.
In this episode of the Committed Hearts Podcast, William and Donna Porter talk about the three F’s every marriage needs: flirting, flattering, and fun.
They discuss why romance shouldn’t stop after “I do,” learning what makes your spouse feel desired and appreciated, communicating about affection and intimacy, continuing to compliment each other, and why keeping things playful can help prevent your marriage from turning into a roommate situation.
And if the flirting and fun have already disappeared? You can start again.
Your spouse should still feel wanted, chosen, attractive, and special to you.
Flirt. Flatter. Have fun. And keep your hearts committed. ❤️

Welcome to Committed Hearts, a weekly podcast for engaged and married couples who want to build a strong, lasting, and God-centered relationship, without pressure, perfection, or churchy overload.

Hosted by The Porters, pastors, marriage counselors, and partners for more than 25 years, each episode blends real-life stories, faith-shaped wisdom, and practical tools couples can apply right away.

You’ll hear honest conversations about communication, connection, conflict, intimacy, and spiritual growth, delivered with grace, humor, and zero judgment.

Whether you're newly engaged or decades into marriage, Committed Hearts will encourage you, challenge you, and help you grow together emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

Because great marriages aren’t found, they’re intentionally built, one committed heart at a time.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Once you say “I do,” your decisions don’t only affect you anymore.

In this episode of the Committed Hearts Podcast, William and Donna Porter talk about developing an “us” mindset in marriage, understanding that the choices one spouse makes can positively or negatively impact the entire relationship.

They discuss why communication before major decisions matters, what happens when one spouse acts without considering the other, rebuilding trust after a bad decision, forgiveness, taking responsibility, and learning how to move forward together when the consequences affect both of you.

Whether it’s money, work, family, trust, or major life decisions, marriage requires us to stop thinking only in terms of “me” and begin asking, “How will this affect us?”

And when mistakes have already been made, the goal isn’t to stay stuck in blame, it’s to communicate, take responsibility, forgive, rebuild, and decide together what happens next.

Everything is us. ❤️

Keep your hearts committed.

Welcome to Committed Hearts, a weekly podcast for engaged and married couples who want to build a strong, lasting, and God-centered relationship, without pressure, perfection, or churchy overload.

Hosted by The Porters, pastors, marriage counselors, and partners for more than 25 years, each episode blends real-life stories, faith-shaped wisdom, and practical tools couples can apply right away.

You’ll hear honest conversations about communication, connection, conflict, intimacy, and spiritual growth, delivered with grace, humor, and zero judgment.

Whether you're newly engaged or decades into marriage, Committed Hearts will encourage you, challenge you, and help you grow together emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

Because great marriages aren’t found, they’re intentionally built, one committed heart at a time.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

You can be sitting right beside your spouse and still feel completely alone. In this episode of the Committed Hearts Podcast, William and Donna Porter talk about the difference between simply being physically present and being emotionally, mentally, and relationally present in your marriage. They discuss how phones, work, stress, distractions, emotional distance, and unresolved issues can slowly cause spouses to check out of the relationship, even while they’re still living in the same house. You’ll hear why undivided attention matters, how emotional absence can create loneliness and distance, why difficult conversations shouldn’t be avoided, and what couples can do when one person feels like they’re carrying the marriage alone. Being married isn’t just about being in the same room. It’s about continuing to show up for each other. So ask yourself: Are you really here? Keep your hearts committed. ❤️

Welcome to Committed Hearts, a weekly podcast for engaged and married couples who want to build a strong, lasting, and God-centered relationship, without pressure, perfection, or churchy overload.

Hosted by The Porters, pastors, marriage counselors, and partners for more than 25 years, each episode blends real-life stories, faith-shaped wisdom, and practical tools couples can apply right away.

You’ll hear honest conversations about communication, connection, conflict, intimacy, and spiritual growth, delivered with grace, humor, and zero judgment.

Whether you're newly engaged or decades into marriage, Committed Hearts will encourage you, challenge you, and help you grow together emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

Because great marriages aren’t found, they’re intentionally built, one committed heart at a time.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

“You’re not the same person I married.”

At some point in almost every marriage, one or both spouses may feel that way. People change emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, spiritually, and professionally—and those changes can affect the entire relationship.

In this episode of the Committed Hearts Podcast, William and Donna Porter talk about what it means to stay committed while your spouse evolves into a different version of the person you originally married.

They discuss emotional changes, career and financial growth, aging, weight changes, physical intimacy, self-esteem, and why couples must learn to adjust to the adjustments instead of expecting each other to stay the same forever.

Marriage isn’t about loving only the version of your spouse you met years ago. It’s about learning how to grow, communicate, adjust, and keep loving each other through every season.

If you’ve ever looked at your spouse and thought, “You’ve changed,” this conversation is for you.

Keep your hearts committed. ❤️

Welcome to Committed Hearts, a weekly podcast for engaged and married couples who want to build a strong, lasting, and God-centered relationship, without pressure, perfection, or churchy overload.

Hosted by The Porters, pastors, marriage counselors, and partners for more than 25 years, each episode blends real-life stories, faith-shaped wisdom, and practical tools couples can apply right away.

You’ll hear honest conversations about communication, connection, conflict, intimacy, and spiritual growth, delivered with grace, humor, and zero judgment.

Whether you're newly engaged or decades into marriage, Committed Hearts will encourage you, challenge you, and help you grow together emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

Because great marriages aren’t found, they’re intentionally built, one committed heart at a time.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Love matters in marriage, but so does honor.

In this episode of the Committed Hearts Podcast, William and Donna Porter talk about why honor, respect, and order are such important foundations for a healthy marriage.

They discuss what it means to honor your spouse even when you’re frustrated, how dishonor can show up through tone, body language, words, and attitude, and why trying to force your spouse to change often creates even more conflict.

You’ll also hear practical examples of what honor can look like in everyday marriage, from the way you speak to each other to serving, helping, showing consideration, and respecting the role your spouse holds in your life.

If your relationship has been filled with frustration, disrespect, or constant tension, this conversation will challenge you to stop focusing only on changing your spouse and begin asking, “How can I bring more honor into this marriage?”

Honor may be quiet, but it can be one of the most powerful forces in your relationship.

Keep your hearts committed. ❤️

#MarriageAdvice #ChristianMarriage #RespectInMarriage

Welcome to Committed Hearts, a weekly podcast for engaged and married couples who want to build a strong, lasting, and God-centered relationship, without pressure, perfection, or churchy overload.

Hosted by The Porters, pastors, marriage counselors, and partners for more than 25 years, each episode blends real-life stories, faith-shaped wisdom, and practical tools couples can apply right away.

You’ll hear honest conversations about communication, connection, conflict, intimacy, and spiritual growth, delivered with grace, humor, and zero judgment.

Whether you're newly engaged or decades into marriage, Committed Hearts will encourage you, challenge you, and help you grow together emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

Because great marriages aren’t found, they’re intentionally built, one committed heart at a time.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.