How often do you intentionally stop to praise your spouse? To recognize and affirm their character or actions? Many of us probably cringe at answering these questions because we know we could do better!

If you struggle to feed your spouse praise regularly, this episode is for you. Listen in as we share some practical steps we all can take to criticize less and affirm and build up our spouse more.

TAKE THE "US TIME" CHALLENGE

Make it your goal to praise your spouse more this week!

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK

Did you enjoy this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/team-us/id1565819107)

TEAM US RESOURCES

• Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment, and Cooperation in Marriage (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/)
• FREE Team Us Study Guide (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/free-team-us-study-guide/) 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Do you remember the “Anyone can cook” catchphrase from the film Ratatouille? Well, we believe anyone can record a podcast—including you and your spouse. Listen in as we share some ways podcasting together has strengthened our marriage, and we think it can strengthen your relationship too.

TAKE THE "US TIME" CHALLENGE

Record a podcast together! It doesn’t have to be long, fancy, focused on marriage, or even distributed on iTunes. You can record it for family and friends and simply post it on your social media feed. And be sure to tag us when you do!

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK

Did you enjoy this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/team-us/id1565819107)

TEAM US RESOURCES

• Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment, and Cooperation in Marriage (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/)
• FREE Team Us Study Guide (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/free-team-us-study-guide/) 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Parenting can be wonderful, but it is also demanding and exhausting. We have four kids—we get it! It can be easy to put our spouse and marriage on the back burner. But today, we’re encouraging you not to do that!

Listen in as we share three practical reasons why your marriage relationship needs to take the highest priority after your relationship with God. (And know, this is a conversation full of grace for whatever parenting season you are in!)

TAKE THE "US TIME" CHALLENGE

Spend time together! If your schedule and current parenting stage don’t easily allow for a date, find time together at home. Sit on the couch or back porch and talk. Take a walk, or have a fun conversation while you drive. The point is not to put your relationship on the backburner!

TEAM US RESOURCES

• Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment, and Cooperation in Marriage (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/)
• FREE Team Us Study Guide (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/free-team-us-study-guide/)

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• “I’m 99% Mother and 1% Wife — And It Has to Be That Way” at GoodHousekeeping.com (https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenting/a31760/balancing-mother-and-wife/)
• “I’m 49% Mother and 51% Wife — And It Has to Be That Way” at iBelieve.com (https://www.ibelieve.com/relationships/i-m-49-mother-and-51-wife-and-it-has-to-be-that-way.html)

CONNECT WITH TED AND Ashleigh

• Website (https://ashleighslater.com/)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ashleighslater_author/)
• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ashleighslaterauthor)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What kind of couple do you want to be 5, 10, or 20 years from now? We recently spent a week surrounded by couples who are older than us, and we asked ourselves this exact question. Listen in as we share our thoughts on how you can grow older together and love the couple you become.

Take the "Us Time" Challenge

Ask yourself: What kind of couple do we want to be in 5, 10, or even 20 years. Then come up with a game plan to start becoming that couple. 

Team Us Resources

• Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment, and Cooperation in Marriage (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/)
• FREE Team Us Study Guide (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/free-team-us-study-guide/)

Connect with Ted and Ashleigh

• Website (https://ashleighslater.com/)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ashleighslater_author/)
• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ashleighslaterauthor)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever thought, “My marriage would be a lot easier if my spouse had a personality more like mine”? If so, you’re not alone. We’ve all had moments where something about our spouse’s unique wiring annoys us. Listen in as we talk about what you can do in those moments when your spouse’s personality drives you nuts.

Take the "Us Time" Challenge

Pick one of the popular personality tests out there and take it with your spouse. Then talk about your results and share something positive about your spouse’s personality that now makes more sense to you.

Team Us Resources

• Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment, and Cooperation in Marriage (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/)
• FREE Team Us Study Guide (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/free-team-us-study-guide/)

Connect with Ted and Ashleigh

• Website (https://ashleighslater.com/)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ashleighslater_author/)
• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ashleighslaterauthor)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you and your spouse ever been on a getaway together or a family vacation and it didn’t go so well? We can relate! Today we’ll share a few of our stories, list some reasons you might be experiencing conflict away from home, and give you five marriage survival tips to help you vacation-proof your marriage. 

Take the "Us Time" Challenge

This week, look back at a previous vacation that maybe didn’t go so well. Talk and laugh about what you could have done differently. Focus on your own behavior and attitudes, not your spouse’s.   

Links Mentioned in This Episode

• “Your Daily Routines Aren’t Mundane—They’re Actually Keeping You Sane and Healthy (It’s Science)” from RealSimple.com (https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/benefits-of-routines) 

Team Us Resources

• Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment, and Cooperation in Marriage (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/)
• FREE Team Us Study Guide (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/free-team-us-study-guide/) 

Connect with Ted and Ashleigh

• Website (https://ashleighslater.com/)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ashleighslater_author/)  
• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ashleighslaterauthor) 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What if every time you go out on a date with your spouse, all you talk about is work, bills, schedules, and — if you have them — kids? As vitally important as those things are to discuss, we chat about how you can have a date-night conversation that’s NOT about work, bills, schedules, or kids. Listen in as we share four steps you can put into practice.

Take the "Us Time" Challenge 

Go on a date night and practice these steps. Make sure you and your spouse each pick out a conversation starter or two that you want to ask the other.

Links Mentioned in This Episode

• “15 Things Happy Couples Talk About That Draw Them Together” from LifeHack.com (https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/15-things-happy-couples-talk-about-that-draw-them-closer-together.html)
• Karen Ehman’s free printable, “Getting to Know You Again Date Night Questions” (https://karenehman.com/freebies/) 

Team Us Resources

• Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment, and Cooperation in Marriage (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/)
• FREE Team Us Study Guide (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/free-team-us-study-guide/)

Connect with Ted and Ashleigh

• Website (https://ashleighslater.com/)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ashleighslater_author/)
• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ashleighslaterauthor) 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

On this episode, we’re doing something a little different! Instead of hearing from us, you’ll listen in on a conversation we had with Todd and Brooke Tilghman. Todd is best known as the Season 18 winner of NBC’s The Voice, and what we really love about their story is that if it hadn’t been for Brooke, Todd would have never auditioned for the show. Talk about teamwork!

Todd and Brooke are high school sweethearts who have been married for 24 years and are the parents of eight kids. They wrote a book called Every Little Win, and Todd recently released a new single called “Dig My Grave.” Join us as we talk with Todd and Brooke about practical ways your marriage can go the distance.

Take the "Us Time" Challenge

This week, look for small opportunities to spend time connecting with your spouse. Maybe it’s on a ride to the grocery store, taking a walk together in your neighborhood, or doing the dishes.

More from Todd and Brooke Tilghman

• Visit Todd’s website (https://toddtofficial.com/)
• Get Todd and Brooke’s book, Every Little Win: How Celebrating Small Victories Can Lead to Big Joy (https://amzn.to/41n0tjV)
• Follow Todd on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/toddtilghmanmusic/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/todd_tilghman/)
• Follow Brooke on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/brooketilghman/)    

Team Us Resources 

• Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment, and Cooperation in Marriage (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/)
• FREE Team Us Study Guide (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/free-team-us-study-guide/)

Connect with Ted and Ashleigh

• Website (https://ashleighslater.com/)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ashleighslater_author/)
• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ashleighslaterauthor)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever heard of the game “In So Many Words”? We play it to kick off this episode on communication. But while word games can be fun, sometimes communication in marriage is frustrating. We’ve all felt it! So, how do we navigate it?

Listen in as we talk about communication killers that might be frustrating conversations. We also share three steps you can take when talking to your spouse is a challenge.

Take the "Us Time" Challenge 

Google communication games for team-building. Pick one to play with your spouse.

Links Mentioned in This Episode

“5 Communication Killers and How to Avoid Them” (https://www.altaredmarriage.com/5-communication-killers-and-how-to-avoid-them/)

Team Us Resources

• Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment, and Cooperation in Marriage (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/)
• FREE Team Us Study Guide (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/free-team-us-study-guide/)

Connect with Ted and Ashleigh

• Website (https://ashleighslater.com/)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ashleighslater_author/)
• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ashleighslaterauthor)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

On this episode, we originally planned to share with you safeguards you can put in place to protect your marriage. But, as Ted says, that’s been done—a lot! So instead, we turn the topic on its head and discuss what you can do to ruin your marriage.

Listen in as we share four things you might be doing to hurt your relationship. You’ll hear why each of these is destructive and why we definitely don’t recommend doing them!

4 Ways You Can Ruin Your Marriage {We Don’t Recommend Them}

1. Have close friends of the opposite sex
2. Stop communicating and start burying issues
3. Focus on the negative
4. Stop connecting

Take the "Us Time" Challenge

Focus on the positive in your spouse, and be sure to share with them what you see!

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Loving Him Well: Practical Advice on Influencing Your Husband by Gary Thomas
• “Break Free from Temptation” message from Chad Moore at Sun Valley Community Church (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fu9g-1yIaI&ab_channel=SunValleyCommunityChurch)

Team Us Resources

• Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment, and Cooperation in Marriage (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/)
• FREE Team Us Study Guide (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/free-team-us-study-guide/)

Connect with Ted and Ashleigh

• Website (https://ashleighslater.com/)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ashleighslater_author/)
• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ashleighslaterauthor)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.