You love each other. You love Jesus. So why is communication already this hard? Newlyweds Loreen and Emmanuel Garilus get refreshingly real about communication for newlyweds—mismatched expectations, conflict, family backgrounds, and those “Couldn’t you just text me?” moments. How do you learn to understand your spouse without making your way the right way—or letting little frustrations quietly become big ones?

Show Notes and Resources

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What if you and your spouse had regular conversations that left you feeling encouraged? Bill and Pam Farrel talk with Jim Daly about how to do something called a marriage meet up. Then, Erin and Greg explain why scheduling time to talk together can lead to greater marital satisfaction. Find us online at focusonthefamily.com/marriagepodcast or call 1-800-A-FAMILY
Marriage Meet Ups (Bundle)
Focus on Marriage Assessment
Strengthen Your Marriage With a Meet Up
Improve Your Marriage by Asking the Right Questions
Wife Wants Better Communication in Marriage: A Guide for Mentors

How does your child learn and process information? Cynthia Tobias and Jim Daly explore different learning styles kids have. Also, John and Danny provide encouragement for if your child is struggling with discouragement because he or she is struggling to learn things in school. Find us online at focusonthefamily.com/parentingpodcast. Or call 1-800-A-FAMILY.
The Way They Learn
Take the 7 Traits of Effective Parenting Assessment
Discovering Your Child's Learning Style (Digital)
Counseling Consultation and Referrals
Learning Styles: Different Kinds of Smart

Jim Daly shares a story about Gavin Stone, a young man who proves that the way to live in a world that operates on love and grace is to become a person of love and grace.
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Matthew 9:35-38 shows Jesus going throughout cities and villages, not staying in one place, moved by compassion for people who were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. The harvest is plentiful, He said, but the laborers are few. That call to labor is not limited to what happens within church walls. A kitchen can be a prayer room. A living room can be a sanctuary. A park, a library, and a splash pad can be holy ground. Raising children to know God, cultivating seeds of faith in young souls, teaching little hands to do kind things and change the world for God's glory — this is sacred and significant work. It may look nothing like serving on a worship team or greeting guests on a Sunday morning, but it is kingdom labor of the highest order. And the deepest truth in all of it is this: the labor is not what changes the world. His is. We are simply the vessels, emptied of ourselves and filled with nothing but His mercy and grace, offered faithfully in whatever ordinary and extraordinary places He has placed us.

Today's Bible Verse

"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
— Matthew 9:37-38, ESV

Ponder Today

1. Kingdom labor happens everywhere, not just inside a church building. Jesus went throughout cities and villages, moved by compassion wherever He found people in need. Our calling to labor for His kingdom follows the same expansive, boundary-crossing pattern.
2. The ordinary places we inhabit are holy ground. A kitchen, a living room, a neighborhood park — wherever we bring God's love, hope, and truth, that place becomes a site of kingdom work. Location does not limit calling.
3. Our labor is not what changes the world — His is. The most freeing realization in any season of service is that we are vessels, not the source. Being emptied of ourselves and filled with His mercy and grace is the whole job description.

A Prayer for You Today

Lord, I cannot thank You enough for the honor of laboring for Your kingdom. Thank You that I get to witness Your goodness and teach it to hearts outside the church walls. Your love, hope, and joy are ours to access no matter where we are, and it is our calling to share such gifts wherever we go. Let us remember this in the routine places we inhabit and the extraordinary places that big adventures take us. Let us follow You with boldness and enthusiasm and labor with humility and intentionality. We love and praise You, Lord. In Your holy name, Amen.

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Some days it feels like there’s a ton of different voices in your head—each one saying something different. Which do we listen to? One says, "Do this," while another says, "No, stay here," and then guilt, fear, or another emotion gets added to the mix. In this episode, we’re talking about where those competing thoughts and emotions can come from and how to make sense of them without automatically believing, obeying, or shutting them down. 

We’ll look at the different parts of our inner experience, why emotions, predictions, beliefs, and needs aren't all the same thing, and how our past experiences can influence what feels loudest in the moment. Most importantly, we’ll talk about what it looks like to bring all of those voices before the Holy Spirit, allowing them to be heard without allowing them to lead. 

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN 

[00:00] Why It Can Feel Like You Have Conflicting Voices Inside 

[02:00] Understanding the Different Parts of Your Inner Experience 

[05:00] Emotions, Predictions, Beliefs + Needs Aren’t All the Same 

[08:00] When Your Past Experiences Get Loud 

[10:00] Bringing Your Inner Noise to God Instead of Shutting It Down 

[14:00] Letting Every Voice Have a Seat—but Not the Head of the Table 

[17:00] Knowing What to Process With God + What to Bring to Someone Else 

[20:00] Taking Your Thoughts Captive Under the Authority of Christ 

RESOURCES: 

Emotional Confidence Club 

This month's Emotional Confidence Club topic goes deeper into how to make sense of the different voices inside, what to do when one voice gets especially loud, and how to discern what God may be asking you to do. The club takes these concepts beyond learning and helps you actually practice them in real-life situations alongside other Christian women. 

Learn more: AliciaMichelle.com/club 

RELATED EPISODES: 

Ep 374: 5 Types of Emotional Overwhelm—Which Are You Experiencing? 

Ep 373: What Is Emotional Regulation (And Why It's More Than Calming Yourself Down)  

Ep 372: Why Managing Overwhelm Is Where Emotional Healing Begins  

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