Couples Becoming Intentional | Christian Marriage, Communication, Young Marriage, Relationships

Struggling to find time to be intentional with your spouse without your kids? We’re diving into creative ways you can be intentional with your spouse and your family. We go over different times of day to spend time together, partnering with other people to watch the kids, or bringing along your family for family fun. 

Highlights: 

• Maximizing moments you already have childcare provided
• Finding activities that you and your spouse enjoy together
• Working together and navigating communication 
• Exploring new activities that stretch us 
• Childcare swapping for date night 
• Inviting kids into the experiences 
• Budget line for Family Fun

Send us an email at [email protected] with your creative date ideas! 

References: 

• Episode 8 | Taking an Adults Only Disney Trip, Anniversary Trip Recap, and Making the Most of Unexpected Events
• Episode 3 | Finding Fun & Cheap Activities To Do With Your Spouse
• The Body Keeps A Score book 
• Episode 18 | 6 Ways to Add Fun Into Everyday Moments
  
  

Submit your question at couplesbecomingintentional.com or email us at [email protected] to connect with us! 

What did you love most about this episode? Send us an email at [email protected] to let us know or DM Carrie on Instagram.

We’d also love to have you take 30 seconds to leave us a review for the show over on Apple Podcasts. We love hearing from you and would love to feature your review on the show!

Music: Higher Up by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Support the Show.

Support Couples Becoming Intentional!

• Buy us a coffee!
• Sign up for the credit card that has allowed us to travel so often! - Make sure to open the application in a new browser before starting :)

Happy Thanksgiving! Today, we’re talking all about how to cultivate a generous mindset and how practically we can live out being generous. This is a topic that is very important to us because it’s modeled for us in the life of Jesus and how sacrificial He was on our behalf. We encourage you to learn how to be generous in your finances, time and energy. 

Highlights: 

• The lie, “Once I’m _____ then I’ll be generous” 
• Scarcity vs abundance mindset 
• Provide for the practical needs around you
• The new savings account that we have 
• Living life with margin 
• Knowing where your energy comes from and when you’re at your best
• Finding practices where we can get back to reality with our body 

References: 

• Episode 9 | Managing Finances as a Couple and the Importance of Living on a Budget
• Episode 12 | Importance of Living Life With Margin & Practically Living Life Without Hustle
• At Your Best by Carey Nieuwhof 
• Episode 6 | Becoming A Lifelong Learner - Top Resources We Use To Grow Deeper With Christ and Each Other

Submit your question at couplesbecomingintentional.com or email us at [email protected] to connect with us! 

What did you love most about this episode? Send us an email at [email protected] to let us know or DM Carrie on Instagram.

We’d also love to have you take 30 seconds to leave us a review for the show over on Apple Podcasts. We love hearing from you and would love to feature your review on the show!

Music: Higher Up by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Support the Show.

Support Couples Becoming Intentional!

• Buy us a coffee!
• Sign up for the credit card that has allowed us to travel so often! - Make sure to open the application in a new browser before starting :)

We’re taking a deep dive into one of our roots, Playfulness. We’re talking through 6 different ways you can seek adventure and fun in everyday moments. We’ve got 6 different ways that we incorporate fun into our everyday lives. 

We talk all about our roots in Episode 1 of the podcast, so make sure you go back and listen to it to learn more!  

6 Ways to Add Fun into Everyday Moments

1. Silliness 
2. Fun list of activities 
3. Laughter 
4. Dance parties 
5. Spontaneous Yes
6. Friends

Submit your question at couplesbecomingintentional.com or email us at [email protected] to connect with us! 

What did you love most about this episode? Send us an email at [email protected] to let us know or DM Carrie on Instagram.

We’d also love to have you take 30 seconds to leave us a review for the show over on Apple Podcasts. We love hearing from you and would love to feature your review on the show!

Music: Higher Up by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the Show.

Support Couples Becoming Intentional!

• Buy us a coffee!
• Sign up for the credit card that has allowed us to travel so often! - Make sure to open the application in a new browser before starting :)

Today, we’re diving into all things premarital counseling. The good, bad and ugly of our experience and what you can be on the lookout for when searching for people to partner with during that season. 

Even if you’re married, this is still a great episode to tune into and learn about the importance of marriage mentors and counseling. 

If you find yourself in this season and are looking for a counselor, reach out! Jon and Carrie would love to be able to support you! Send us an email [email protected] 

Highlights: 

• Our first experience of premarital counseling - yikes!
• Investing more time and energy into counseling 
• Learning where you’re most prone to argue 
• What to look out for in future premarital counselors 
• More people you can surround yourself with in this season the better
• Difference between coaching and counseling
• What would be red flags to notice in premarital counselors/coaches 
• What WORST thing you can do during your engagement season

References: 

• We wish we knew the assessment we took with our premarital counselors; however, here is a great resource we love. 
• Questions to Ask When Preparing for Marriage 
• Tying the Knot by Rob Green

Submit your question at couplesbecomingintentional.com or email us at [email protected] to connect with us! 

What did you love most about this episode? Send us an email at [email protected] to let us know or DM Carrie on Instagram.

We’d also love to have you take 30 seconds to leave us a review for the show over on Apple Podcasts. We love hearing from you and would love to feature your review on the show!

Music: Higher Up by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the Show.

Support Couples Becoming Intentional!

• Buy us a coffee!
• Sign up for the credit card that has allowed us to travel so often! - Make sure to open the application in a new browser before starting :)

This episode is FUN! Jon and Carrie ask each other random questions so we can learn more about the other person. If you’re ever stuck on new ways to spark conversations with other people in your life, grab out the notes section in your phone and jot down these questions for later. They’re sure to bring out fun and engaging conversations with those you love! 

Send us a message and let us know how these questions sparked great conversations in your life! 

Questions: 

1. If you had a whole day with nothing to do and no to-do list, what would you do? 
2. What’s one thing you wish you were secretly good at? 
3. If you had a pet elephant, what would you do with it? 
4. What is the best compliment someone can give you?
5. What’s your favorite movie?
6. What’s a movie you can watch over and over again and not get sick of?
7. What was your first impression of me? First thing you noticed about me? 
8. What is your dream car? 
9. What’s a crazy thing that you’ve done? 
10. If you were given 1 million dollars TAX FREE what 3 things would you do with it? 

Submit your question at couplesbecomingintentional.com or email us at [email protected] to connect with us! 

What did you love most about this episode? Send us an email at [email protected] to let us know or DM Carrie on Instagram.

We’d also love to have you take 30 seconds to leave us a review for the show over on Apple Podcasts. We love hearing from you and would love to feature your review on the show!

Music: Higher Up by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the Show.

Support Couples Becoming Intentional!

• Buy us a coffee!
• Sign up for the credit card that has allowed us to travel so often! - Make sure to open the application in a new browser before starting :)

This is part TWO of our parenting series (go back to Episode 14 to see part one)! In this episode we’re walking through different resources we’ve used to support us in our parenting journey. WE’RE NOT PERFECT! We want to make that crystal clear that we’re always going to be growing in this area and learning more about how we can raise our kids (and the kids we influence) to love Jesus and others. 

If you work with kids or spend time with kids, these are helpful tips and strategies to use with them. 

REMEMBER: Even if you're a perfect parent, your kids will not perceive it as perfect. GIVE YOURSELF GRACE. 

Your kids will be hurt by you, apologize quickly, and point them back to Jesus. 

Highlights: 

• Learning to parent in the same and different ways than your parents 
• Responding over reacting 
• Remembering the order of importance of relationships
• Recognizing birth order 
• Love and Logic takeaways 
• Importance of giving options 
• Natural rule follower vs rebel 

“Questions spark curiosity, statements create resistance” - Love and Logic

References: 

1. Love and Logic
2. Green Bay, WI Love and Logic Facilitator  
3. How Child Raise Parents by Dan Allender
4. A Mother Far From Home Podcast with Rachel Norman 

Submit your question at couplesbecomingintentional.com or email us at [email protected] to connect with us! 

What did you love most about this episode? Send us an email at [email protected] to let us know or DM Carrie on Instagram.

We’d also love to have you take 30 seconds to leave us a review for the show over on Apple Podcasts. We love hearing from you and would love to feature your review on the show!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the Show.

Support Couples Becoming Intentional!

• Buy us a coffee!
• Sign up for the credit card that has allowed us to travel so often! - Make sure to open the application in a new browser before starting :)

If you currently do not have kids and have been asking yourself, “when is the best time to start having kids?” This is for you! Just like with marriage, we don’t believe anyone is really “ready” to have kids. Sometimes (like us) it’s unexpected or you’re choosing the right time to have kids based on benchmarks you and your partner have decided. 

Highlights: 

• How we decided we actually wanted kids 
• The mental preparation for having a child 
• Kids force you to mature quicker
• Experience is the best teacher
• Finding the right people to partner with on the journey 
• Why we ending up loving having kids young 
• How can you use the season you’re in to look more like Jesus 

References: 

1. How Child Raise Parents by Dan Allender
2. A Mother Far From Home Podcast with Rachel Norman 

Submit your question at couplesbecomingintentional.com or email us at [email protected] to connect with us! 

What did you love most about this episode? Send us an email at [email protected] to let us know or DM Carrie on Instagram.

We’d also love to have you take 30 seconds to leave us a review for the show over on Apple Podcasts. We love hearing from you and would love to feature your review on the show!

Music: Higher Up by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Support the Show.

Support Couples Becoming Intentional!

• Buy us a coffee!
• Sign up for the credit card that has allowed us to travel so often! - Make sure to open the application in a new browser before starting :)

If you’ve ever been in the stop where you’re thinking to yourself I just don’t understand them!! Then this episode is for you. This concept was one of the biggest things that impacted our relationship (and we wish we knew about it sooner.) Understanding how God created you and uniquely designed you to be is CRITICAL when you’re in relationships with anyone. Spoiler alert: God did not create everyone to be identical. Imagine how boring life would be if that was the case?! 

Taking the time to use and understand the tools that we’ve used (and the ones that you love) is a great way to love those around you in a deeper way.  

Highlights: 

• How our lives changed once our son was born 
• Not allowing yourself to stay inside of your personality “box”
• Leaning into one another's strengths 
• Using assessments to show us how we can look more like Jesus 
• Your personality should not be used as a sword or a shield 

References: 

• DISC assessment
• 4 Animals Personality Test
• CliftonStrengths Finder 
• Your Enneagram Coach - Take the Assessment 

Rapid Fire: 

• What is your favorite fall activity? 
• Candy corn, yes or no?
• What is your favorite Halloween movie?

Submit your question at couplesbecomingintentional.com or email us at [email protected] to connect with us! 

What did you love most about this episode? Send us an email at [email protected] to let us know or DM Carrie on Instagram.

We’d also love to have you take 30 seconds to leave us a review for the show over on Apple Podcasts. We love hearing from you and would love to feature your review on the show!

Music: Higher Up by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the Show.

Support Couples Becoming Intentional!

• Buy us a coffee!
• Sign up for the credit card that has allowed us to travel so often! - Make sure to open the application in a new browser before starting :)

Are you constantly feeling stressed and overwhelmed? Always running from one thing to the next without stopping? Or maybe you look at your calendar and feel the busyness and wonder if this is “just how life will always be,” then this episode is for you. 

Today, we’re diving into one of our family roots of living an unhurried life and living life with margin. We talk about a recent experience where we slipped back into a hustle mentality and the things that opened our eyes to what was being sacrificed. 

“My faith and my family were sacrificed at the cost of this life I thought I could achieve” -Carrie

“Sometimes good is the enemy of best” -Jon

Highlights: 

• Becoming aware of your hurried life 
• Practical example of our hustle season
• How living in margin creates an intentional life 
• Importance of learning how to say no 
• Recognizing opportunities as a “heck yes” rather than a “yes” 
• Reacting over responding to situations 
• Seeing the blessing of a closed door 
• The red flag of being roommates 
• How burnout affects your body 

Rapid Fire: 

• What is one thing you’re looking forward to with fall?
• Favorite fall candy?
• What was one of your favorite Halloween costumes growing up?

References:

• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
• To Hell with the Hustle by Jefferson Bethke
• When Less Becomes More with Emily Ley
• The “heck yes” principle from Patrice Washington 
• The calendar notecard principle with Jefferson Bethke 
• Fight Hustle, End Hurry Podcast with Jefferson Bethke and John Mark Comer 

Submit your question at couplesbecomingintentional.com or email us at [email protected] to connect with us! 

What did you love most about this episode? Send us an email at [email protected] to let us know or DM Carrie on Instagram.

We’d also love to have you take 30 seconds to leave us a review for the show over on

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the Show.

Support Couples Becoming Intentional!

• Buy us a coffee!
• Sign up for the credit card that has allowed us to travel so often! - Make sure to open the application in a new browser before starting :)

One of the things we have been intentional with in our relationship is taking time to get away just the two of us. We know that when we invest in time together, we’re being intentional about strengthening our relationship! We’re modeling it for our kids that mom and dad actually WANT to spend time together and have FUN! Plus, when kids come, have them involved in family vacations! 

From this episode, we’d love to see you plan your own couples/family getaway (or staycation) and make it something that you look forward to every year.

Highlights: 

• Importance of taking couples only trips
• Making the most of the time for adventures
• How trips impact your family life
• How to make trips happen for you and your family 

References: 

• Byron and Natalie at Couples Co-Op Podcast
• Libby and Luke at The One Where We Talk Podcast

Submit your question at couplesbecomingintentional.com or email us at [email protected] to connect with us! 

What did you love most about this episode? Send us an email at [email protected] to let us know or DM Carrie on Instagram.

We’d also love to have you take 30 seconds to leave us a review for the show over on Apple Podcasts. We love hearing from you and would love to feature your review on the show!

Music: Higher Up by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the Show.

Support Couples Becoming Intentional!

• Buy us a coffee!
• Sign up for the credit card that has allowed us to travel so often! - Make sure to open the application in a new browser before starting :)