When was the last time you and your spouse actually dreamed together?

In today’s episode, we're unpacking what it means to have God’s vision for your marriage, not just goals, but a Kingdom-driven purpose that shapes every decision, prayer, and plan.

We're sharing practical ways to strengthen your marriage by celebrating wins, addressing weaknesses, forgiving quickly, and speaking life over each other. Because when you trade drifting for divine direction, your marriage comes alive again.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re just surviving day to day, this episode will reignite your wonder, restore your joy, and remind you that God’s plans for your marriage are far greater than anything you could dream up.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why every marriage needs a shared vision from God
• How to create intentional goals that align with Heaven’s plan
• The importance of speaking words of life over your spouse
• What Joseph and Daniel teach us about holding on to heavenly vision
• How forgiveness and servanthood open the door to miracles in marriage
• Why “what you focus on grows” is the secret to lasting connection

💬 Favorite Quotes

Scriptures Mentioned

• Proverbs 29:18 — Where there is no vision, the people perish.
• Colossians 3:1–3 — Set your affection on things above.
• John 14:12 — Greater works will you do.
• Matthew 5:6 — Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.

❤️ Challenge for This Week

During your next date night, skip the talk about bills and schedules.
Instead, dream together.
Ask: What’s God’s vision for our marriage in this season?
Write it down, pray over it, and start walking it out, together.

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🙏 If this episode encouraged you, share it with another couple who could use some hope today.

In this honest and faith-filled conversation, we unpack one of the most common struggles they see in marriages today: the trap of being too busy to truly connect. From chasing success to juggling work, business, and family, it’s easy to let busyness steal your peace, your purpose, and your partnership.

They dive into biblical truth and practical strategies for setting boundaries, creating balance, and putting first things first, God, marriage, and family. You’ll hear real talk about what happens when work comes before your spouse, why boundaries matter more than balance, and how to build a schedule that honors both your calling and your covenant.

If your home has felt more like a business meeting than a safe haven lately, this episode will help you realign, reconnect, and restore peace in your marriage.

Key Takeaways

• Busyness ≠ Fruit of the Spirit — Productivity without peace leads to burnout, not blessing.
• Boundaries over balance — You can’t please God or your spouse if you’re constantly overextended.
• Connection over competition — Your marriage isn’t a scoreboard; it’s a covenant.
• Peace + Profit can coexist — When you trust God with your time, He multiplies your results.
• Make home your haven — Plan non-negotiable family hours, date nights, and digital detox days.

Scripture References

Episode Quote

Practical Tips from Ali + Joshua

• Set non-negotiable family hours and stick to them.
• Use a shared digital calendar (like Hearth or Google Calendar) to align schedules.
• Plan one family trip per quarter to reset and reconnect.
• Schedule weekly date nights, even if it’s at home after the kids go to bed.
• Take a digital Sabbath each week, no phones, no work, just family.

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🙏 If this episode encouraged you, share it with another couple who could use some hope today.

This week, Joshua and Ali dive deep into one of the most powerful biblical principles for marriage, love and respect, straight from Ephesians 5:33.

Husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loves the church. Wives are called to respect their husbands. When both are lived out intentionally, it creates a strong, unshakable foundation for a marriage made in heaven.

From real stories of their early years together to practical ways they’ve grown as husband and wife, this episode is both fun and deeply convicting. Whether you’re newlyweds or 20 years in, this conversation will encourage you to honor God’s design and model His love within your marriage.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear:

• Why respect is vital for husbands to feel supported and trusted.
• How unfailing, God-kind of love brings security and joy to wives.
• Real talk on communication, finances, decision-making, and love languages.
• Practical ways to show respect and love daily, from small notes to big moments.
• How to break generational patterns and model a godly marriage for your children.

📖 Scripture Reference:

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🙏 If this episode encouraged you, share it with another couple who could use some hope today.

In this heartfelt and practical episode, Joshua and Ali dive deep into one of the most powerful keys to a thriving, God-centered marriage: forgiveness. Whether you're navigating postpartum chaos, travel stress, leaky pipes, or just the everyday tension of life together, being quick to forgive can turn a 10/10 conflict into zero in a moment. 

They share real stories from their off-the-grid adventure (including flooding the bathroom… four times), unpack biblical wisdom, and offer practical tools to regulate your emotions and respond with grace instead of grudge.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why forgiveness is the “hub” of a healthy marriage and how Jesus models this for us.
• Simple, science-backed tools (like “3-2-1 breathing” and box breathing) to calm your nervous system before reacting.
• How modeling humility and forgiveness impacts your kids and shapes their future relationships.
• The difference between meekness and weakness and why meekness is actually bridled strength.
• Practical language to de-escalate conflict, ask for forgiveness, and build your spouse up instead of tearing them down.
• How love, respect, and forgiveness work together as divine principles for a “marriage made in heaven.”

Scripture References:

• Matthew 6:14–15 — “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
• Luke 7:47 — “He who has been forgiven much loves much.”
• Ephesians 5 — Love & respect in marriage.
• Proverbs 31 — Honoring and building up your spouse.

💍 Subscribe to Marriage Made in Heaven wherever you listen to podcasts, so you never miss a weekly walk with us.

🙏 If this episode encouraged you, share it with another couple who could use some hope today.

This week we unpack why joy is a choice and how laughter acts like medicine in your marriage (Proverbs 17:22). From ditching unrealistic expectations to practicing playful connection, we share simple habits that keep your home light, loving, and led by the Holy Spirit, no matter the messes, schedules, or grease-fire burgers life throws your way.

What You’ll Learn

• The theology of joy in marriage: Why “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10) is more than a verse, it’s a daily decision.
• Mindset > moments: Life is 10% what happens, 90% how you respond, how choosing gratitude changes outcomes.
• “Stick to the good”: A Romans 12 practice to shut down nitpicking and nourish admiration.
• Playful rhythms that bond you: Banter, inside jokes, sibling threads, and saying, “If it’ll be funny later, it’s funny now.”
• Kid culture you’ll want to copy: Let children’s joy reset the tone of your home.
• The joy killers to avoid: Gossip, slander, and airing grievances online—and what to do instead.
• Words that build: Speak to the king/queen in your spouse; use affirmation to shape atmosphere (James 3).

Practical Ways to Laugh More (and Fight Less)

• Make joy a habit: Put a sticky note on the fridge, “How can we laugh more today?”
• Create playful rituals: Share a “highs only” dinner recap, swap GIFs during tough days, revive a silly inside joke.
• Write tiny love notes: Lunchbox, Bible, toothbrush mirror; 1–2 lines of gratitude or flirty fun.
• Plan micro-fun: Quarterly family adventures (camping counts!), and 24-hour birthday getaways for just the two of you.
• Babysitter swaps: Lower the cost of date nights by trading childcare with friends.
• Reframe the moment: Spaghetti on the floor? Make a smiley face first; clean up second.
• Choose a better story: Late work night ≠ rejection. Lead with curiosity, gratitude, and connection.
• Model repair: If you snap, apologize in front of the kids, show them how joy returns after rupture.

Scriptures Mentioned

• Proverbs 17:22 — A merry heart does good like a medicine.
• Nehemiah 8:10 — The joy of the Lord is your strength.
• Psalm 16:11 — In His presence is fullness of joy.
• Romans 12:9–21 — Cling to what is good.
• Galatians 5:22–23 — Joy is fruit of the Spirit.
• James 3 — The tongue’s power to bless or burn.

💍 Subscribe to Marriage Made in Heaven wherever you listen to podcasts, so you never miss a weekly walk with us.

🙏 If this episode encouraged you, share it with another couple who could use some hope today.

Building a business and a marriage is already a lot of work. Add in babies, toddlers, and all the chaos of raising littles and it can feel impossible to balance it all. In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on how we’ve learned (sometimes the hard way!) to support each other’s careers while raising four young kids.

From ramen noodle budgets and long-distance PhD seasons to explosive business growth and juggling speaking engagements with nap schedules, we’ve lived it. And through it all, we discovered what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to staying unified in marriage while pursuing God-given callings.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• The backstory of starting a multimillion-dollar business with a 1-pound miracle baby in the NICU.
• Why seasons of sacrifice are part of marriage and how to get through them together.
• The power of schedules, non-negotiables, and respecting each other’s work time.
• How to avoid the trap of unrealistic expectations as a spouse and parent.
• Why communication and prayer are the foundation for balance.
• Lessons we wish we’d learned sooner about saying “yes” and “no.”

Our Takeaway for You:

You can pursue big dreams and raise little ones without losing your marriage in the process. But it takes intentional communication, realistic expectations, and putting family before business opportunities.

At the end of the day, your marriage and kids are eternal; your business isn’t. Do things God’s way, and you’ll see blessing in every area of your home.

✨ If this episode encouraged you, don’t forget to subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more couples can find hope for their marriage.

💍 Subscribe to Marriage Made in Heaven wherever you listen to podcasts, so you never miss a weekly walk with us.

🙏 If this episode encouraged you, share it with another couple who could use some hope today.

Finances are one of the biggest stressors in marriage and we’ve lived it firsthand. In this episode, we open up about losing a multimillion-dollar business, the lessons we learned about financial planning, and the strategies that helped us rebuild peace and unity in our marriage.

From knowing your numbers and setting a financial plan, to investing wisely, and even watching the words you speak over money, this episode is packed with real, raw, and faith-filled conversation to help you and your spouse thrive financially and spiritually.

Whether you’re living paycheck to paycheck or looking to build surplus and multiple streams of income, these principles will help you move from financial stress to financial strength.

• 0:00 – Introduction
  Why finances are such a major stressor in marriage.
• 2:15 – Our story of financial loss
  Losing a multimillion-dollar business and the reality check that followed.
• 5:08 – Step 1: Know your numbers
  How tools like YNAB, Rocket Money, and working with a fractional CFO transformed our finances.
• 9:45 – Step 2: Start investing
  Lessons learned from Ali’s dad, Jack Bogle’s Common Sense Investing, and simple ways to grow wealth.
• 14:30 – Planning for success
  Why couples need a financial plan, goals, and discipline, just like in health and marriage.
• 17:22 – Step 3: Speak life over your finances
  The power of words and breaking free from a poverty mindset.
• 20:55 – Teaching kids about money
  Passing on wisdom about tithing, saving, and generosity.
• 22:30 – Final encouragement
  You’re not alone, practical steps to take today to move from stress to strength.

Resources & Mentions:

• YNAB – You Need A Budget
• Rocket Money
• The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by Jack Bogle
• Dave Ramsey – Emergency Fund Principle
• Diana Nette – Fractional CFO

Connect with Us:
💌 Questions or need encouragement? Message us, we’d love to help.
🌟 Share this episode with a couple who could use hope in their finances!

💍 Subscribe to Marriage Made in Heaven wherever you listen to podcasts, so you never miss a weekly walk with us.

🙏 If this episode encouraged you, share it with another couple who could use some hope today.

In this week’s Marriage Made in Heaven podcast, Joshua and Ali get real about the three keys every marriage needs to thrive: passion, protection, and provision. From weekly date nights to guarding intimacy and supporting one another emotionally, this episode will encourage you to pursue your spouse with fresh intentionality and keep your marriage rooted in God’s design.

If you’ve been craving more spark, unity, and peace in your marriage, this is your invitation to start today.

Episode Highlights

0:00 – Welcome & Introduction
Kicking off Episode 11 with real talk about marriage keys: passion, protection, and provision.

1:35 – Passion: Pursuing Your Spouse Intentionally
Joshua shares about keeping the spark alive through dating, intimacy, and consistent pursuit.

4:20 – Wives, How to Respond Well
Ali opens up about her own mistakes early in marriage and how she shifted from frustration to partnership.

7:05 – Practical Date Night Tips
Why showing up ready, dressed up, and intentional makes a difference for both spouses and even impacts kids.

10:44 – Kids Catch What You Model
How your commitment to date night teaches children the value of prioritizing marriage.

13:00 – Protection: Guarding Your Marriage
Defending your spouse against outside opinions, gossip, and unsolicited advice.

15:12 – Protecting Against Sexual Temptation
Why intimacy is critical, how to communicate needs, and the dangers of neglecting this area.

18:40 – The “Once a Day” Challenge
Funny (and powerful!) testimonies from wives who embraced daily intimacy and saw transformation at home.

21:02 – Provision: More Than Finances
Joshua explains provision as emotional, spiritual, and physical support, not just money.

23:10 – Tracking Her Needs
A candid story on why Joshua tracks Ali’s cycle to provide better emotional support.

25:25 – No Excuses, Just Growth
Challenging husbands (and wives) to drop excuses like “I’m not emotional” and start cultivating tenderness and passion.

26:40 – Final Encouragement & Prayer
Ali and Joshua close with a prayer and a call to invite God’s divine order into your marriage.

27:47 – Closing & Next Episode Teaser

If this episode blessed you, hit subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another couple who needs encouragement today.

💍 Subscribe to Marriage Made in Heaven wherever you listen to podcasts, so you never miss a weekly walk with us.

🙏 If this episode encouraged you, share it with another couple who could use some hope today.

In this episode, we take you behind the scenes of our Marriage Made in Heaven groups, where couples are experiencing real breakthroughs by getting transparent and leaning into God’s wisdom.

We share the top three struggles that nearly every couple faces (intimacy, finances, and communication), and the powerful story of one spouse who found freedom through confession and transparency. You’ll learn why being real before God and each other is the key to lasting change, and how to bring joy, laughter, and grace back into your marriage.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying a U-Haul of baggage into your relationship, this episode will encourage you that today can be a new day for your marriage.

• 0:00 – 2:00 | Welcome from the Family Ranch + how couples are opening up in Marriage Made in Heaven groups
• 2:01 – 4:30 | The index card exercise: why anonymity leads to honesty in marriage struggles
• 4:31 – 7:00 | The top 3 struggles every couple faces: intimacy, finances, and communication
• 7:01 – 9:10 | A powerful moment of confession that led to freedom and breakthrough
• 9:11 – 11:30 | Letting go of baggage: not keeping a record of wrongs in your marriage
• 11:31 – 13:20 | Practical tools for communication, forgiveness, and seeking godly counsel
• 13:21 – 15:00 | Why laughter, humility, and perspective are keys to a joyful marriage
• 15:01 – 16:51 | Final encouragement: today can be a new day for your marriage

💍 Subscribe to Marriage Made in Heaven wherever you listen to podcasts, so you never miss a weekly walk with us.

🙏 If this episode encouraged you, share it with another couple who could use some hope today.

What does it actually look like to keep your marriage “in heaven”? In this episode, Joshua and Ali get real about the daily disciplines and spiritual principles that build a marriage rooted in Christ.

From showing up at church to carving out Bible + prayer time, walking in humility, and practicing quick confession and forgiveness, this conversation is filled with practical encouragement and raw honesty.

Whether you’re newly married, engaged, or decades into your covenant, you’ll walk away with fresh reminders that keeping your marriage in heaven means keeping your eyes on Jesus and your hearts submitted to the Spirit.

✨ Expect real talk, biblical truth, and some practical rhythms you can put into place starting today.

Timestamps

• 0:00 – 2:05 | Welcome & today’s big truth: to have a marriage made in heaven, you need to keep it in heaven
• 2:06 – 5:20 | Submitting to Jesus, walking in the Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit in marriage (Galatians 5)
• 5:21 – 8:40 | The role of church: why showing up, serving, and being accountable to pastors matters
• 8:41 – 11:10 | Daily rhythms: Bible reading, prayer, gratitude, and setting the tone for your home
• 11:11 – 13:45 | Ali’s story: meeting Joshua at church + the power of discipleship in community
• 13:46 – 16:55 | Walking in love and humility: how to respond with patience instead of pride
• 16:56 – 19:20 | Practical tips: post-its, mirrors, Bible apps, and waking up early to prioritize the Word
• 19:21 – 21:30 | Opposites attract: celebrating strengths instead of trying to change your spouse
• 21:31 – 23:10 | Confession + forgiveness: rebuilding trust and healing through honesty
• 23:11 – 24:22 | Final encouragement: your marriage is worth fighting for; keep it Spirit-led, humble, and Kingdom-focused

Call to Action

Thanks for joining us for another episode of Marriage Made in Heaven! 💕

👉 Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.
👉 Share this episode with a friend or couple who needs the reminder that their marriage is worth fighting for.
👉 And if you need prayer or encouragement, reach out, we’d love to walk alongside you.

Together, let’s keep building marriages that reflect heaven.

💍 Subscribe to Marriage Made in Heaven wherever you listen to podcasts, so you never miss a weekly walk with us.

🙏 If this episode encouraged you, share it with another couple who could use some hope today.