For most of her childhood, Laura wanted to be a boy. In her 20s, she began hormone therapy, had surgery and lived as Jake for nine years. But she could never quite shake the feeling that none of it was real. "I remember looking at the photo on my driver's license and saying, 'I'm not as happy as I think I am.'" In this episode, Laura shares her remarkable story of desperation, hope and transformation.

Guest: Laura Perry Smalts

Show notes:

• Transgender to Transformed by Laura Perry Smalts*
• Java #396 Diverse Gender Identities: How to See the People Behind the Issue
• Java #397 How to Help Families Navigate Questions About Gender Identity
• Become an AI Member

*Affiliate link. AI may earn fees.

Are you sexually mismatched in marriage? Do you feel like you're in "drive" all the time while your spouse is in neutral (or putting on the brakes)? Here's good news: You're likely closer than you think. Join us to learn about the two types of desire, "receptive desire" and "initiating desire," and how to build a bridge between to the two.

Guests: Shaunti Feldhahn & Dr. Michael Systma

Show notes:

Secrets of Sex and Marriage: 8 Surprises That Make All the Difference by Shaunti Feldhahn & Dr. Michael Sytsma*

Dr. Sytsma's practice: Building Intimate Marriages

Join Juli for Second Cup

*Affiliate link. AI may earn fees.

Teen girls and LGBQ+ youth are experiencing more sadness, hopelessness, and violence than ever before. Join Juli and Dr. Mark Mayfield, an expert in suicide prevention, to learn what you can do to help the teens in your life feel seen, loved, and valued.

Guest: Dr. Mark Mayfield

Shownotes:

The Path Out of Loneliness Dr. Mark Mayfield

Help! My Teen is Self-Injuring (PDF)

Connect with your teen using tools from Axis.org*

From the CDC: U.S. Teen Girls Experiencing Increased Sadness and Violence

*Affiliate link. AI may earn fees.

More than 50 percent of wives of sex addicts experience symptoms of betrayal trauma. Today Dannah Gresh shares how her husband's addiction affected her marriage, mind, and body.  Hear how the power of Jesus, and the right balance of biblical and clinical care, brought more than just recovery—it brought redemption. 

Guest: Dannah Gresh

Show notes:

Happily Even After by Dannah Gresh*

How to Choose a Wise Christian Counselor (Juli's blog)

Find a Christian counselor near you (FOTF Network of Christian Counselors)

*Affiliate link. AI may earn fees.

When it comes to porn, the gender gap is closing. Women (Christian women, too) are using porn and feeling alone, ashamed, and trapped in their addiction. Join us to learn why overcoming porn and sexual shame is not about changing your behavior but about allowing Jesus to transform your identity. 

Guest: Jessica Harris

Show notes:

Quenched:Discovering God's Abundant Grace for Women Struggling with Pornography and Sexual Shame by Jessica Harris*

Leave us a Rating & Review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite app.

Learn more about the God,Sex, and Your Marriage workbook

*Affiliate link. AI may earn fees.

We're just gonna to say it. There's an unspoken assumption in the Church that if you're single there must something wrong with you—and that marriage can fix it. Are you guilty of having this thought? Join the converstion about how we've idolized marriage and how we can do better.

Guest: Dr. Kutter Callaway (www.kuttercallaway.com)

Show notes:

Breaking the Marriage Idol by Kutter Callaway*

Sex & the Single Christian: What Kind of a Gift Is Sexuality if I Can't Have Sex?

Sex & the Single Christian: How To Ditch the Counterfeits and Find True Intimacy

Become an Authentic Intimacy member and get access to the webinar series

Java #443 Is Your View of Sexuality and Marriage Gift-worthy?

*Affiliate link. AI may earn fees.

Juli and her guest share wisdom and encouragement to help you give clear answers to your kids' questions about their gender and the way God created them.

Guest: Dr. Kathy Koch

Show notes:

Celebrate Kids, www.celebratekids.com

Start with the Heart by Dr. Kathy Koch*

Parenting Through Weakness (Juli's blog)

Java #396: Diverse Gender Identities: How To See the People Behind the Issue with Mark Yarhouse

Java #397: How to Help Families Navigate Questions About Gender Identity with Mark Yarhouse

*Affiliate link. AI may earn fees.

Sexual identity has become a common phrase, a personal choice, a political cause and, for many, the way we present ourselves to others (used even by tweens and teens who’ve never had a sexual experience)—and it feels like it all happened overnight. Do you ever wonder how we got here? Grab your Java and join us.

Guest: Dr. Carl Trueman

Show notes:

• Strange New World by Dr. Carl Trueman*
• The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Dr. Carl Trueman*
• Sexual Discipleship: What Is It and Why Is It Important? (Juli's blog)

*Affiliate link. AI may earn fees.

Juli Slattery opens the Authentic Intimacy inbox and tackles questions like: Should my spouse be my best friend? What do you do when your husband can't stop looking at porn? And, did God create sex primarily for men?

Co-hosts: Linda Dillow and Yvette Maher

Show notes:

Juli's blog series on prioritizing sexual intimacy.

My Husband Isn't My Best Friend (read the blog) or (listen to the podcast)

Join an online book study

Juli Slattery and Gary Thomas share wisdom and insight to keep your marriage together when the storms of life threaten to rip it apart. Grab your Java and join us!

Guest: Gary Thomas

Show notes:

• Join an online book study
• Making Your Marriage a Fortress by Gary Thomas*
• Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas*
• Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas*

*Affiliate link. AI may earn fees.