Christians are often taught a lot about how not to have sex before marriage, but not nearly as much about how to actually build a healthy sex life once they're married.

So in this episode, we're talking about the practical side of sex in Christian marriage: how to approach your wedding night without putting too much pressure on it, why good sex is more about selflessness than performance, how to figure out what you actually like and communicate that to your spouse, and what engaged couples should know about contraception before marriage.

We also get into one of those very unromantic-sounding questions that can actually be really helpful: should you schedule sex in marriage?

If you're engaged, newly married, or preparing to have sex for the first time on your wedding night, this is a practical conversation about building an awesome sex life together.

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Christian marriage isn't just about building a happy life together, it's a partnership with a purpose. In this episode, Tim and Bella talk about how to build a marriage intentionally around serving God, exploring topics such as developing a shared mission, vision and values, creating habits that support what matters most, and asking how your home, money, careers, gifts and time can be used for God's Kingdom.

Marriage shouldn't only make life better for the two people in it. A strong Christian marriage should make you stronger together, better equipping you to faithfully love the people God places around you. You've decided who you're going to marry, now it's time to decide how you're going to live.

What does your fiancé actually have a right to know before they marry you?

Past sin. Present struggles. Criminal history. Addiction. Sexual history. Things you've hidden. Things you've healed from. Things you desperately hoped never come up.

In this episode, we're talking about how to handle the hard disclosures before marriage, and how to do it with honesty, wisdom, and courage. We unpack the difference between privacy and secrecy, past sin and present sin, and healthy disclosure and unnecessary oversharing. We also talk about how to respond when someone discloses something difficult to you and what sincere disclosure actually looks like.

Secrets don't keep, and sometimes the only way through it is through it.

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Conflict in marriage is inevitable, but destructive conflict doesn't have to be.

In this episode, Tim and Bella unpack what healthy conflict in marriage actually looks like: how to establish rules for better arguments, stop small disagreements from turning into conflict snowballs, navigate taboo or difficult topics, and communicate well when emotions are high.

Whether you're engaged, newly married, or years into marriage, this conversation offers practical tools for resolving conflict, improving communication, handling disagreements, and building a healthier marriage by showing up to hard conversations well equipped and pre-prayed! Previous Unpopular Episodes on Conflict and Communication:

https://sites.libsyn.com/608335/all-that-talking-and-still-no-clarity-how-to-communicate-effectively

https://sites.libsyn.com/608335/communication-simplified-how-to-ensure-your-conversations-really-connect

Doing Family Right Podcast 004: Rules of Engagement

https://www.doingfamilyright.com/podcast-04-rules-of-engagement-how-to-have-a-fair-fight/

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Invitations have gone out, deposits are paid, and families are excited, but are you? Engagement is not just a countdown to a wedding; it is a final season of discernment for a marriage. And it's not the time to explain away serious relationship problems solely because calling off a wedding is inconvenient.

Join Tim and Bella as they ask the sometimes unpopular question, "Is this relationship healthy enough to build a marriage on?"

You expect marriage to bring big adjustments: sex, money, family, communication, learning how to build a life together. But sometimes the greatest tension comes from the surprisingly small things. How often you clean, how you spend a Saturday, or what a "reasonable purchase" is.

In this episode, Tim and Bella unpack the big expectations couples bring into marriage, the little assumptions they may not even realize they have, and how to reframe expectations into opportunities for growth and grace!

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Ever wondered what "two becoming one" means on a spiritual level? In engagement season, you are not just planning a wedding, you are preparing to become one life, one home, and one spiritual unit.

But what does that actually look like?

Do you need to pray together every night? Start doing devotions as a couple? Who should take the lead on making this a priority? In today's episode, Tim and Bella chat about the building blocks for creating a firm, spiritual foundation from which you can pour into the lives of others!

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In this special episode, Tim and Bella take a few moments to share a heartfelt encouragement with couples who are in or near the engagement season of life.

As always, you can drop us a note at [email protected]! Send us a message, ask a question, or share a topic you'd like to hear about!

During engagement, you are planning the wedding, but even more importantly, you are preparing for your future marriage. Learning how to have fun, awesome, and continuous date nights should be a high-priority task for the longevity and romance of your future marriage. Join Tim and Bella as they chat about tools to future-proof your date nights in marriage, such as Happy Camper Dates, Standing Dates, and Unlocking the Keys to Your Heart.

Get ready to take notes, as this episode is filled with practical ideas and foundational principles for successful dating in marriage!

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In this episode, Tim and Bella talk practically about money as you prepare for marriage: saving, tithing, budgeting, debt, generosity, and the everyday habits that shape a couple's financial future. If you're interested in growing in your financial stewardship, this conversation is a great place to start! Let's unpack approxmiatly 10 principles for how to think and act when it comes to money matters.

Drop us a note at [email protected]! Send us a message, ask a question, or share a topic you'd like to hear about!