Focus on Marriage Podcast

By Focus on the Family

Kids & Family

What's Focus on Marriage Podcast about?

If you’re married — or soon to be — you’ve got questions. What makes this relationship work? How do I fix it when it breaks? Where do I go when I need help? Host John Fuller and marriage experts Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley help answer those questions with practical, down-to-earth insights based on God’s design for marriage. Find answers and inspiration in every short episode of this Christian marriage podcast.

4.4

964 ratings

Download our free app to listen on your phone

LAST EPISODE

Finding Hope When You Feel ...

03.23.2023

Many spouses today feel as if there's a wall of resentment between each other. If you're in that situation, John, Erin and Greg will share about maintaining a sense of hope. Also, Jim Daly spoke with Sarah and Jeff Walton ...

Focus on Marriage Podcast episodes:

03.23.2023 Finding Hope When You Feel Resentment Many spouses today feel as if there's a wall of resentment between each other. If you're in that situation, John, Erin and Greg will share about maintaining a sense of hope. Also, Jim Daly spoke with Sarah and Jeff Walton ...
03.21.2023 When Your Spouse's Mind Won't Change What do you do when you're facing a crisis in your marriage and it feels like you're drifting apart? John and the Smalley's offer encouragement to struggling couples, and Jim Daly talks with Jeff and Sarah Walton about how they ...
03.16.2023 Finding a Common Purpose with Your Mate How do you find a common purpose in your marriage, even if you work completely different jobs? John and the Smalley's answer that question, and Jim Daly speaks with Howard and Danielle Taylor on how couples can find a purpose ...
03.14.2023 Common Problems and Letting Go of Selfishness Unrealistic expectations are common for young couples, but they're also a set up for disappointment. John, Greg and Erin share about common expectations couples have entering marriage, and how to practice selflessness in the relationship with your spouse. Featuring Mr. ...
03.09.2023 Three R's for Overcoming Temptation Our choices today will impact our marriage tomorrow. That's especially true with how we respond to temptation. John, Greg and Erin discuss how to respond when you're tempted to believe lies about your spouse. Featuring Mr. Jason and Mrs. Tori ...
03.07.2023 How Conflict Can Make a Marriage Better How do you feel about conflict? John and the Smalley's share how they feel about it, and also describe ways conflict can actually make your marriage stronger. Featuring Mr. Jason and Mrs. Tori Benham. Find us online at focusonthefamily.com/marriagepodcast or ...
03.02.2023 Two Needs Wives Have One of the best gifts a husband can give his wife is to understand what she needs. John talks with Erin about how much it means when a wife feels valued and protected by her husband. Featuring Dr. Juli Slattery. ...
02.28.2023 The Respectful Helper Wife An encouraging wife is something every husband longs for. Yet, what do you do when your husband is getting on your nerves a lot? John, Greg and Erin share about the power of encouragement and how to correct your husband ...
02.23.2023 How Pain Can Purify Your Marriage The New Testament reminds us to count it all joy when we face difficulties. Greg and Erin share with John about difficult times they've walked through in marriage, and provide some ideas for how to be patient with your mate ...
02.21.2023 Responding Well to a Crisis When you and your spouse are facing a crisis, it can either make your marriage stronger or create further challenges in your relationship. John talks with Greg and Erin about showing grace to your mate during a tough time, and ...
02.16.2023 Enjoying Sex in Your Marriage Sex is an exclusive gift meant for you and your spouse. But what do you do when physical intimacy becomes more of a challenge than a pleasure? John, Erin and Greg discuss common sexual struggles and how couples can be ...
02.14.2023 Prioritizing Physical Intimacy in Busy Seasons After you and your spouse have kids, it's easy to let things like physical intimacy become less of a priority. John, Erin and Greg address how many couples struggle with making time for romance and intimacy, and why sex is ...
02.09.2023 Subtle Spiritual Attacks Little irritations can creep in your marriage if you're not careful. Those small annoyances might also be something the enemy wants to use to divide you and your spouse. John, Greg and Erin discuss how they've learned to see the ...
02.07.2023 Staying Consistent with Prayer in Marriage Praying for your mate is one of the best practices you can develop with your spouse. But what do you do when prayer feels awkward? John and the Smalley's share things husbands and wives can specifically pray for, and overcoming ...
02.02.2023 What Showing Respect Means Every husband longs to feel respected. Yet, how can wives practically show respect? John, Greg and Erin discuss insecurities men feel and how giving respect to your husband can improve your marriage. Featuring Dr. Juli Slattery. Find us online at ...
01.31.2023 When a Husband Disappoints You Unmet expectations in marriage are where disappointments can start to creep in. John, Erin and Greg bring up common expectations couples have going into marriage, and how working through disappointment can lead to a stronger relationship with your mate. Featuring ...
01.26.2023 Formulas Don't Work for Sex
01.24.2023 Understanding Different Sexual Needs When it comes to how people define "intimacy," it's fairly common for husbands and wives to have different definitions. John and Erin discuss how men and women define "intimacy," and Greg provides some encouragement to couples where one spouse has ...
01.19.2023 Staying Together in the Tough Times When your marriage goes through a trying season, it can either make your relationship better or harder. How you respond to difficulties is what matters. John, Greg and Erin offer hope to couples who are in the middle of a ...
01.17.2023 When Your Relationship Faces Heartbreak Every marriage faces heartbreak at some point. If you or a couple you're friends with is in a challenging season, John, Greg and Erin will share how your marriage can get stronger, even through the tough times. Featuring Mr. Jeff ...
01.12.2023 When You Feel Uncomfortable with Prayer When your schedule is packed, it's easy to put prayer on the backburner. To help you in your marriage, John, Greg and Erin share what reminds them to pray for their mate, and offer hope to those who are struggling ...
01.10.2023 Praying the Lord’s Prayer One of the most famous prayers Jesus prayed is called The Lord's Prayer. John, Erin and Greg discuss how praying with your mate can improve your marriage, and they also share some of their favorite parts of The Lord's Prayer. ...
01.05.2023 Prioritizing Your Marriage in a Blended Family Making a blended family marriage work takes relying on God's love and grace. But what do you do when you're struggling to get on the same page spiritually? John and Greg provide hope to couples in blended families where one ...
01.03.2023 When Children Oppose a Remarriage It can be a very tricky situation if a parent wants to get remarried, but a child is opposed to it. John talks with Erin about how a son or daughter can respectfully speak to a parent about possibly getting ...
12.29.2022 Sex from Your Spouse's Perspective When it comes to sex, it's good to consider what your spouse wants as more important than what you want. John talks to the Smalley's about why it's not good for the marriage if you respond poorly after your spouse ...
12.27.2022 Common Misconceptions About Sex Many couples struggle to talk about sex because they fear being vulnerable. John speaks with Greg and Erin about common struggles and misconceptions couples have about sex. Featuring Mr. Gary Thomas and Mrs. Debra Fileta. Find us online at focusonthefamily.com/marriagepodcast ...
12.22.2022 When Your Parent's Marriage Wasn't Good How can you be a good spouse if your parents didn't model a healthy marriage for you? John, Greg and Erin offer hope to those who didn't come from a good family. Featuring Mr. Bob Lepine. Find us online at ...
12.20.2022 Love Like a Bulldog The wedding vows are a significant part of the ceremony, and a sign of true commitment. John talks with Greg and Erin about the importance of wedding vows, and how to stay filled with God's love in your marriage. Featuring ...
12.15.2022 Praying Through Marital Struggles Prayer is a powerful tool to help you and your spouse get closer. John speaks with Greg and Erin about the ways they've seen prayer make a difference in a marriage, and how to be honest in your prayers. Featuring ...
12.13.2022 "Lord, Please Fix My Spouse." When you're annoyed at your spouse, it's easy to pray, "God, please change my mate!" Yet, a more mature approach is learning to recognize your own flaws first. John chats with Greg and Erin about more effective ways to pray ...
12.08.2022 5 Tips for Blended Families In a blended family, the dynamics of learning to get along can be very tricky. However, with God's help, a relationship can work out in the long run. John, Greg and Erin share how a blended family can survive some ...
12.06.2022 When a Kid is Rejecting Your Spouse If a child is struggling to get along with your spouse, it can put quite a strain on your marriage. John, Greg and Erin offer some hope for people who are in between a conflict with their mate and a ...
12.01.2022 Sex and Healthy Expectations Almost every disappointment in marriage can be traced to an unmet expectation. The same is true about sex. John, Greg and Erin offer some hope to wives who are struggling to enjoy sex. Featuring Mrs. Debra Fileta, and Mr. Gary ...
11.29.2022 Designed for Mutual Pleasure Almost every disappointment in marriage can be traced to an unmet expectation. The same is true about sex. John, Greg and Erin offer some hope to wives who are struggling to enjoy sex. Featuring Mrs. Debra Fileta, and Mr. Gary ...
11.24.2022 Expressing True Humility to Your Spouse Have you ever done something nice for your spouse, but deep inside, you were hoping for a compliment? We've all been guilty of that in some way. John, Greg and Erin share about the importance of humility in marriage, and ...
11.22.2022 Being Kind When You Feel Like Being Mean There are times when it's easy to be kind to everyone else, but rude your spouse. What do you do in those moments? John, Greg and Erin discuss things they've learned from a famous passage on love, 1 Corinthians chapter ...
11.17.2022 When You Struggle to Pray for Your Spouse You and your spouse want a marriage that honors God. Yet, how can you make time for things like praying together when your schedule is full? John, Greg and Erin provide some ideas for making time for prayer, even when ...
11.15.2022 Compassion and Restoration for a Porn Addict If you find out your husband is struggling with porn, your initial reaction might be very negative. However, shaming your mate is not the solution, God's grace is. John, Greg and Erin offer a word of hope to wives whose ...
11.10.2022 Communicating with Your Spouse About Sibling Rivalries If two of your kids aren't getting along, it can cause a lot of stress in your marriage. John, Erin and Greg discuss times when their kids haven't gotten along, and offer hope to couples who are in blended families. ...
11.08.2022 Loving Your Blended Family Millions of people today are in a blended family. While some of those relationships can be very good, many are facing a lot of challenges. Greg, Erin and John give some hope to couples who are struggling with the pain ...
11.03.2022 What Sex Needs to Be Sex is part of God's beautiful design for marriage. Yet, many people today are walking into marriage with a sexual secret. John, Erin and Greg provide some insights on how sex can benefit a marriage, and where to find help ...
11.01.2022 Sex & a Heart Connection Sex is about so much more than just a physical connection. It's also about connecting your heart to your spouse's heart. John, Greg and Erin offer a helpful idea for husbands regarding physical intimacy. Featuring Mr. Gary Thomas and Mrs. ...
10.27.2022 Defining God's Love We all want to feel loved. Yet, real love isn't the same as it's typically portrayed in entertainment. John and Greg discuss the beauty and the difficulties that come with marriage, and why it's a relationship worth pursuing. Featuring Mr. ...
10.25.2022 Good & Bad Definitions of Love It's easy to say, "I love you," during the dating phase of a relationship? But, what does that phrase truly mean. John, Greg and Erin offer a perspective on why saying, "I love you," is a significant phrase to use. ...
10.20.2022 When a Wife Struggles with Porn Troubling statistics indicate that pornography addiction is not just a problem for men, but a lot of women are also struggling with it too. John, Greg and Erin discuss how a husband can respond if a wife confesses she's battling ...
10.18.2022 Confessing the Embarrassing Secret If you're struggling with pornography, it can be easy to say to yourself, "I'll never tell someone." However, true healing for your marriage happens when you bring a secret into the light. John, Erin and Greg explain why confessing a ...
10.13.2022 Adjustments for Blended Couples Every marriage goes through a lot of changes at the beginning. That is especially true for blended family couples. John, Greg, and Erin discuss changes that blended families have to walk through, and provide hope to those who struggle with ...
10.11.2022 Loving Your Spouse's Kids A unique challenge that couples in blended families face is trying to win the approval of your spouse's children. John, Erin and Greg share how blended family couples can be patient, as they're trying to make their marriage work. Featuring ...
10.06.2022 When You Don't Have the Talk Physical intimacy is a very significant part of your marriage. Yet, it's a topic that many couples are uncomfortable discussing. John, Erin and Greg explain how you can show your spouse grace, when a sexual problem is happening in the ...
10.04.2022 An Eternal Perspective for Your Marriage One day, the story of your marriage on earth will come to an end. While that may seem sad, recognizing that reality can be a huge motivator for treating your spouse well. John, Erin and Greg discuss how having an ...

Older episodes