What do you get when you mix a paddleboard, high expectations, and two humans with emotions?
Definitely not the relaxing date we envisioned. But maybe... a deeper kind of win?

This was not our best date… but maybe it was one of our best recoveries.

We went on a paddleboard date thinking it’d be relaxing and fun—but being stuck on the same board triggered us both in different ways. 

Instead of letting the day spiral, we each practiced managing our own emotions without blaming the other. 

It wasn’t a romantic home run, but it was a huge sign of growth. In this episode, we talk about how emotional flooding can happen even in fun moments—and how the real win is learning to stay connected while dysregulated. 

Because the goal isn’t to never get triggered—it’s to grow in how you show up when you are.

Our Pre-Marriage E-course is like coaching from your couch. 

What’s inside?

✅ 6 bite-sized video sessions (30 min each)

✅ 50-page workbook to guide real conversations

✅ Topics on communication, conflict, intimacy, money & more

Don’t just plan your wedding—prepare for your marriage!

➡️ Buy the course  [clic

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To learn more about Jenna's HABIT REBOOT, click here:

In this episode, we’re tackling a subtle but serious issue in marriage: isolation.

What happens when your spouse becomes your only source of connection?
Spoiler: it doesn’t lead to thriving.

We talk about:

• Why consistent, same-gender friendships are crucial—especially for accountability, encouragement, and emotional health
• How couples slowly drift into “island mode” without realizing it
• The specific ways isolation often impacts men vs. women
• Why expecting your spouse to meet all your relational needs (outside of Jesus) is too heavy—and how to shift that dynamic

If you’ve been feeling disconnected or overly dependent on your spouse for all of your emotional or spiritual needs, this episode is your invitation to make a gentle, healthy change.

Our Pre-Marriage E-course is like coaching from your couch. 

What’s inside?

✅ 6 bite-sized video sessions (30 min each)

✅ 50-page workbook to guide real conversations

✅ Topics on communication, conflict, intimacy, money & more

Don’t just plan your wedding—prepare for your marriage!

➡️ Buy the course  [clic

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To learn more about Jenna's HABIT REBOOT, click here:

🎉 It’s our 16th anniversary, and apparently our marriage is now old enough to get its driver’s license. 😅

But let’s be real—
 Even after 16 years, date night convo doesn’t always flow naturally (especially when we’re tired or parenting has fried our brains).

So we decided to change that.

💬 In this episode, we:

• Answer 16 intentional + fun questions—one for each year we’ve been married
• Share laughs, real talk, and a few surprise answers
• Invite you to ask the same questions on your next date night

📝 Want the full list of questions to try with your spouse?
 Download the free Google Doc here 👉 [Click here]

Our Pre-Marriage E-course is like coaching from your couch. 

What’s inside?

✅ 6 bite-sized video sessions (30 min each)

✅ 50-page workbook to guide real conversations

✅ Topics on communication, conflict, intimacy, money & more

Don’t just plan your wedding—prepare for your marriage!

➡️ Buy the course  [clic

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To learn more about Jenna's HABIT REBOOT, click here:

Not all breakthroughs come in a flash. In this episode, we talk about the kind of transformation that happens slowly—over months or even years. The kind you don’t always see until you look back and realize, we’re not where we used to be.

We fully believe in sudden miracles. We’ve seen God move in dramatic ways.
 But in our own marriage, most of the lasting change has come through showing up when things felt stuck… choosing connection in the face of apathy… and staying present when it would’ve been easier to pull away.

If you’re in a season where growth feels slow or invisible, this one’s for you.

You might be in the middle of a miracle—you just haven’t seen the fruit yet.

Call to Action:
If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend or tag us on Instagram @zintmarriagelab. 

And if you’re walking through a slow season in your marriage, check out our coaching options at zintsquad.com—we’d love to support you.

Our Pre-Marriage E-course is like coaching from your couch. 

What’s inside?

✅ 6 bite-sized video sessions (30 min each)

✅ 50-page workbook to guide real conversations

✅ Topics on communication, conflict, intimacy, money & more

Don’t just plan your wedding—prepare for your marriage!

➡️ Buy the course  [clic

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To learn more about Jenna's HABIT REBOOT, click here:

In this episode, we talk about the often-overlooked rhythm of re-entry—what it looks like when one spouse returns from a trip and the home dynamic shifts again. 

We share how we’ve learned to treat that adjustment period with extra care, tweak our habits, and give each other grace instead of expecting a seamless snap-back to normal.

 If you’ve ever had a rocky re-entry, this one’s for you. 

You just might walk away with a few new habits to try next time one of you heads out on a solo trip.

Our Pre-Marriage E-course is like coaching from your couch. 

What’s inside?

✅ 6 bite-sized video sessions (30 min each)

✅ 50-page workbook to guide real conversations

✅ Topics on communication, conflict, intimacy, money & more

Don’t just plan your wedding—prepare for your marriage!

➡️ Buy the course  [clic

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To learn more about Jenna's HABIT REBOOT, click here:

Birthdays—love them or dread them, they can be a surprisingly tense topic in marriage. 🎂 From unspoken expectations to last-minute letdowns, these special days often carry more emotional weight than we realize. In this episode, we’re diving into the highs and lows of celebrating birthdays with your spouse, sharing our own birthday wins and major misses over the years.

You’ll hear about:
 ✅ The silent pressure & expectations that often ruin birthdays
 ✅ Why no one should be the designated party planner for life 🎉
✅ How to openly communicate what you actually want for your birthday (without disappointment)
✅ A simple habit that can transform how you and your spouse handle celebrations

If birthdays have ever felt like a minefield in your marriage, this episode is for you! Plus, we share some funny personal stories—including the time Aaron got Christmas-colored storage bins for Jenna as a birthday gift. 😬

Listen in and learn how to make birthdays a joy instead of a battle!

Our Pre-Marriage E-course is like coaching from your couch. 

What’s inside?

✅ 6 bite-sized video sessions (30 min each)

✅ 50-page workbook to guide real conversations

✅ Topics on communication, conflict, intimacy, money & more

Don’t just plan your wedding—prepare for your marriage!

➡️ Buy the course  [clic

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To learn more about Jenna's HABIT REBOOT, click here:

In this episode, we’re tackling the hidden ways we sabotage our own connection in marriage—especially when we expect our spouse to read our minds. No matter what it is, waiting for them to magically meet our unspoken needs is a passive approach that creates distance instead of intimacy. We’ll explore why taking the risk to express what we truly need leads to deeper belonging, even when it feels vulnerable. Join us as we break down how to move past the fear of rejection and start building the connection you actually want.

Our Pre-Marriage E-course is like coaching from your couch. 

What’s inside?

✅ 6 bite-sized video sessions (30 min each)

✅ 50-page workbook to guide real conversations

✅ Topics on communication, conflict, intimacy, money & more

Don’t just plan your wedding—prepare for your marriage!

➡️ Buy the course  [clic

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To learn more about Jenna's HABIT REBOOT, click here:

In this episode, we talk about our respective styles of processing how we are feeling. Aaron is an external processor, needing to externalize what's he's feeling in order to understand it. Jenna is an internal processor, needing time to internally mull over what she's feeling in order to understand it. These two different styles can make conflict unnecessarily difficult unless you know how to work with them. We'll share the growth paths for each to avoid the common pitfalls in relationship.

Links from episode:

Attachment Styles Episode

That's What She Said Tool Episode

Core Emotion Wheel

Our Pre-Marriage E-course is like coaching from your couch. 

What’s inside?

✅ 6 bite-sized video sessions (30 min each)

✅ 50-page workbook to guide real conversations

✅ Topics on communication, conflict, intimacy, money & more

Don’t just plan your wedding—prepare for your marriage!

➡️ Buy the course  [clic

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To learn more about Jenna's HABIT REBOOT, click here:

In this episode, we continue our conversation about changing how we show up in conflict by focusing on the choice we have in how we respond to our spouse’s pain. When your spouse shares hurt, are you holding out your compassion cup, or are you holding out your identity cup? We explore how defensiveness often signals that we’re interpreting their pain through the lens of our own identity and fears, rather than listening with genuine compassion. The truth is, we can only find our identity in God, not in how our spouse’s emotions reflect on us. Tune in as we discuss how to let go of defensiveness, embrace vulnerability, and choose compassion in the midst of conflict to build a stronger, more loving connection.

Our Pre-Marriage E-course is like coaching from your couch. 

What’s inside?

✅ 6 bite-sized video sessions (30 min each)

✅ 50-page workbook to guide real conversations

✅ Topics on communication, conflict, intimacy, money & more

Don’t just plan your wedding—prepare for your marriage!

➡️ Buy the course  [clic

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To learn more about Jenna's HABIT REBOOT, click here:

Most people use Courtroom tactic when in conflict in their marriage or in other relationships. 
In this episode we unpack why this strategy is ineffective for real transformation. We get stuck "lawyering up" and end up adding pain to the initial incident. 

In this episode, we talk about where the real power is for transforming your marriage. It's found in the counter-intuitive grace and mercy in the Kingdom and out of the courtroom. 

Do you really believe The Kingdom Jesus pitched in the sermon on the mount- has the power He claimed? If so- why are we not ditching our worldly attempts at navigating conflict for the upgrade that's available to us!

Our Pre-Marriage E-course is like coaching from your couch. 

What’s inside?

✅ 6 bite-sized video sessions (30 min each)

✅ 50-page workbook to guide real conversations

✅ Topics on communication, conflict, intimacy, money & more

Don’t just plan your wedding—prepare for your marriage!

➡️ Buy the course  [clic

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To learn more about Jenna's HABIT REBOOT, click here: