The #staymarried PODCAST

Taking a vacation, no matter how much it costs, is an investment in the most important organization you will ever be a part of - your family. In this episode, Tony and Michelle will discuss the topic of rest, or more specifically taking a vacation. This simple act can do wonders for your relationship, your family, and your health but as Americans we seem to prioritize work over all else. Take a break and enjoy this episode... you can afford it.

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In this episode we tackle one of the odds that often gets stacked against couples... ADHD. Our friends Meygan and Casey Caston from Marriage 365 open up a bit and share their learnings, struggles, and triumphs on living and working together with ADD.

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People have mixed feelings about personality tests. Some reject being boxed in by a label. Some crave the insights. Then there are the tests and assessments themselves. From "Which Harry Potter Character Are You?" to the expansive Enneagram, we dig in to how these assessments can be used as tools to increase your understanding and connection in your marriage.

For more on each test we discuss, including links and our favorite resources, head over to staymarriedblog.com

Phil and Amy have been together for 18 years, have six kids, one dog and don't really remember what sleep or sanity is like. He is a pilot, she is a photographer and together, they homeschool their kids where ever the Army sends them. They currently live near Frankfurt Germany and if it was up to them, they would travel the world full time, always have friends and family with them to enjoy it and there would always be dessert.

Tony and I had a great time talking with this couple, learning how they "started out of order" and then navigated the early days of military life together all the way to their present day cycles of connection and disconnection and re-learning all the time how to properly apologize.

For more go to staymarriedpodcast.com

"Dear Tony and Michelle,
I am just coming out of 3 years of postnatal depression and lost all connection with my husband who I was blaming for all our problems. I am a child of divorce and if it wasn’t for the children I would have broken off the relationship very easily. I see things differently now and I am determined to be happy and allow and create happiness around me. I could use your help..."

In this episode we tackle this question from Maya and cover topics like blame, being a safety net, and why community matters. Find out more and submit your own question about marriage at staymarriedpodcast.com

Shawn and Dorina have been married 2.5 years and live in Central California with their three active daughters. Shawn works in financial investments and Dorina is an author/speaker. This multicultural couple loves to travel, train for marathons, and have food adventures together. If you saw them on the beach you'd never know that theirs is a love story of triumph.

After Dorina's first marriage ended swiftly, leaving her a widow and a single mother, Shawn's friendship turned affection came as a complete surprise. Their story shows us that life will never head in the same direction straight in front of us that we imagine it will. But, even when we face utter heartbreak and complete upheaval of our dreams, love wins in the end. If love hasn't won, it's not the end.

Find out more at staymarriedpodcast.com

By now we know that if we want our marriages to be healthy we have to do a better job of connecting with each other. But, the common demands of life make it more and more difficult to remember that connecting means more than living life alongside each other. We have to be purposeful.

Making connecting with each other simpler was the major motivation behind writing the book #staymarried: A Couple's Devotional. This book contains 52 chapters, one for each week of the year, and is designed as an invitation into your own marriage. In this episode, we go through one of the chapters together for the first time since the book was published - Week 17: Pay Attention - and answer the discussion questions candidly.

We were each surprised by each other's insights and responses, and we both finished the conversation feeling pretty good about ourselves and each other. We hope you do, too.

Find out more at staymarriedbook.com

In case you missed it, we're taking a short break for the holidays. We'll be back with new episodes starting January 2nd. Keep your eye on Instagram for December giveaways. Find out more at staymarriedpodcast.com