Afleveringen
-
Have you ever felt like you and your spouse were just glorified roommates? Like you are ships passing in the night?
We've been there! As God breathes life into our marriages, we're grateful he gives us practices and routines to help us feel more connected and thriving with each other. One of those practices is the weekly check-in.
On this episode, you'll learn the importance of this practice and why consistency and heart questions are key to unlocking the potential of this practice (along with God's Spirit of course!)
Resources:
"The Marriage Journal" by Jeremy and Audrey Roloff and Chris and Jamie Herb:
https://www.beating50percent.com/products/themarriagejournal?srsltid=AfmBOoq0fgk9udQlcTwS5qV8FPfZ1ZgVIzHs_bzQNRE8IN5QF_eg5e8_
Guidelines for a weekly check-in:
1. Find a consistent time each week and stick with it
2. Ask each other heart questions (see below)
3. Plan the coming week together
Here are some "heart questions" for your weekly check-in:
“How is your heart?”
“What brought you joy this week?”
“What did you struggle with this week?”
“Was there any ways in which I encouraged and blessed you this week Was there a way I hurt you this week?”
“How can I serve you this week? How can I pray for you in the coming days?”
Let us know how it's going! Share some of your heart questions with us: [email protected]
-
When was the last time you felt "untethered" in your marriage? Lost, disconnected, alone? This happened recently to us. Thankfully, God gave us a way through and his roadmap was Psalm 92. In this episode, we'll discuss:
The transformative power of declaring daily God's steadfast love and faithfulness in your life and marriageHow a simple practice can help you feel more anchored in God's love and careHow this practice can also help you feel more connected as a couple and a familyA suggestion for an evening Examen practice. Ask each other at dinner or before bed:
What was one "rose" from your day, one "thorn" and where did you see God's faithfulness today?
Let us know how this practice is going and how it's changing things for you and your marriage! [email protected]
-
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
-
Have you ever felt that when your spouse is listening to you, it only LOOKS like they're listening? That as soon as you're done speaking, they will unleash their advice and their opinions on you?
On this Thursday Thoughts episode, we'll discover HOW we listen matters just as much (or more) than the fact that we are listening. We'll also learn:
that "listening to understand" is more important than "listening to convince"how listening to understand can help us escape the drama triangleResources:
“In a study of two types of listening, clinical psychologist Faye Doell demonstrated how people who listen in order to understand versus listen in order to respond have higher across-the-board relationship satisfaction.”
from "Good Inside" by Dr. Becky Kennedy
https://www.goodinside.com/book/
An excellent article on the drama triangle:
https://www.idmin.org/_files/ugd/0d9c11_b989426836064bd3a9dfdfe15fe4e382.pdf
Want to get in touch with us? [email protected] and check out our new website: www.livingmarriages.com
-
"Shame is the most powerful force on the planet, apart from grace."
Katie Skurja, founder of Imago Dei Ministries, is an internationally recognized inner healing practitioner, spiritual director and marriage counsellor. We were thrilled and honoured that she could join us in this conversation exploring the devastating power of shame in our marriages and the joy and freedom available in Christ's healing work.
Topics we explore include:
What are "shadow vows" and why every couple should do themGod's grace that is available for us to turn into and confront our shame rather than hide itHow, as image bearers of God, we are like "Peanut M&Ms"When we understand the paradoxes of God, we understand ourselves and our spouses betterWhat the drama triangle is and how it threatens our marriagesResources:
For Katie's incredible conversation with children regarding the image of God and "Peanut M&M's", check out this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVTBnl5iEEg&t=310s
An excellent article on the "Drama Triangle":
https://www.idmin.org/_files/ugd/0d9c11_b989426836064bd3a9dfdfe15fe4e382.pdf
Where to find Katie, her resources and courses:
Imago Dei Ministries - https://www.idmin.org
Companying Center - https://www.companioningcenter.org
Let us know what you think of this conversation! Contact April and Aaron at [email protected]
-
When is the last time you thanked your spouse? For who they are or for something they did? Has it been awhile?
On this Thursday Thought, join Aaron as he explores another tip on creating a healthy marriage with God, this time by looking at the transformative power of gratitude in your marriage.
Topics we cover:
Why gratitude mattersHow gratitude can transform your marriage along with some of the science that backs it upHow keeping a gratitude journal transformed one man's view of his wife and his marriageResources
Gary Thomas: “Gratitude With Purpose In Marriage”
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/gratitude-with-purpose-in-marriage/
Psychology Today
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/imperfect-spirituality/202310/gratitude-could-help-your-marriage-last
Are you thankful for something in your marriage or your spouse? Please feel free to share! [email protected]
-
Do you want to know God's will for your life but you're not sure where to start? Do you want to hear his voice for your marriage but you're not sure what you're listening for?
In this episode, we explore what it means to discern God's will in the context of your marriage and how Paul provides some (uncomfortable) direction in Romans 12.
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." Romans 12:1
Join Aaron and April as we discuss:
What it means to offer your marriage to God as a living sacrificeWhy being a living sacrifice can be uncomfortable (especially when the heat gets turned up on the altar)Why we can still trust God and know his heart and will when things are getting hotHere is the discernment tool we talk about that we have used in our marriage to know if we are hearing God's voice:
https://www.prmi.org/four-discernment-tests/
Have any other thoughts, questions, ideas? How can we be praying for you? Get in touch: [email protected]
-
Are you wanting to bring some health, vitality, new life to your marriage? Are you wanting to have God at the centre of your marriage but aren't sure where to start?
Over the next 5 Thursday Thoughts episodes, we'll explore practical ideas of how we can create a healthy, vibrant marriage with God and our spouse.
On this episode, April starts at the very beginning. If you want God at the centre of your marriage, you have to see how he's already there! We'll discover:
How God is already at work in your marriageWhy we need to make space to encounter him there already (as a couple and as individuals)Some practical ideas on how we can encounter himThis is not an episode to induce guilt to becoming a "better" Christian but rather a gracious invitation from the God who loves us and desires his best for us, to encounter him in our life and our marriage.
Suggested devotional resources for couples:
https://timothykeller.com/books/the-meaning-of-marriage-a-couples-devotional
https://www.scottkedersha.com/the-ready-or-knot-prayer-guide
Suggested devotional resources for individuals:
https://timothykeller.com/books/the-songs-of-jesus
https://bibleproject.com/reading-plans/
Connect with us!
Our website: livingmarriages.com
-
Have you wondered what people mean when they say they want Christ "at the centre" of their marriage? What does it look like to hear the voice of God in our marriage, together and as individuals?
In today's episode, we are so excited to welcome our first-ever guest, Dr. John "Adidam" Littlejohn! A deeply loved pastor and internationally recognized musician, John explores with us in this fun and in-depth conversation, questions like:
If God desires to speak to us, how do we hear God's voice in our marriage?If God is at the centre of our marriage, how do we keep moving towards him, no matter where we're coming from?Does God have a vision for our marriage?We were so incredibly blessed and challenged by our conversation with John and we pray you will be too!
Find out more about John here:
https://www.adidammusic.com
https://www.instagram.com/adidammusic/
https://www.infinitusmusic.com
https://www.thekingdomlife.ca
Connect with us:
www.livingmarriages.com
-
Welcome to the first “Thursday Thought” of the Living Marriages Podcast!
Over the next several episodes, we are exploring our vision statement together: “Create a healthy marriage through encountering the living God.”
Today, Aaron reflects on the idea of “creating” in our marriages:
Why creating beauty in our marriages so important and why it’s something we rarely think aboutWhy as image-bearers of God, he’s inviting us to co-create with him in our marriagesWhat co-creating in our marriages could look like (hint: I’m not 100% sure yet but let’s be creative together!)We pray today’s episode gets those creative juices flowing for your marriage!
Check out Dr. Curt Thompson’s inspiring book “The Soul of Desire” here:
https://curtthompsonmd.com/books/
Get in touch with us! [email protected]
-
On today’s episode, you’ll get to know your hosts of the Living Marriages Podcast, April and Aaron, better!
God has given us a crazy and fun story to share:
Hear how God brought us together in some rather miraculous waysDiscover how God's best for you is WAY better than broccoli flavoured cough syrupWe'd love to hear your marriage story as well! Get in touch: [email protected]
-
Welcome to the Living Marriages Podcast - our first episode ever!
Today, you’ll hear about God’s heart for marriage and why we’re joining him on this journey of helping you create a healthy marriage through encountering the living God.
We explore:
Why our marriage of almost 14 years was doing just “fine” but maybe why fine isn’t all that God has for us.Why, if your marriage isn’t growing, it’s dying.We’ll share the vision God gave us for marriages from Ezekiel 37:
We ask ourselves and you: Is your marriage living or dry bones?What would it look like to have God breathe his life, his Spirit into our marriage?Three important questions to reflect on:
Who do you and your spouse say God is? (Is that the same or different?)Who does God say you are?Who does God say your spouse is?We look forward to journeying together with you towards the healthy, living marriage that God has for all of us!
Ezekiel 37:1-14 (ESV)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%2037%3A1-14&version=ESV
Check out this incredible conversation about the breath and Spirit of God from amazing folks at the Bible Project:
https://bibleproject.com/podcast/holy-spirit-part-2/
Get in touch! [email protected]
-
Has the excitement of your wedding day now faded into the background? Is the honeymoon over and now you’re wondering what’s next? Do you want to live your marriage God’s way but you’re not sure where to start?
If you said yes to any of these questions, you’ve come to the right place! Welcome to the Living Marriages Podcast. We are April and Aaron Au, marriage coaches.
For over a decade, we’ve been sharing some of the marriage tools and insight we’ve learned with couples, and now we’re thrilled to be able to share those with you in this podcast through fun, honest and curiosity-filled conversations.
We’ll explore topics like understanding why your spouse flipped out over nothing, why honeymoon sex is nothing like Hollywood, why you shouldn’t buy a car without telling your spouse and why men loving your wives as Christ loves the church might mean doing the laundry.
We’re also eager to continue our own journey of discovery along with you as we interview wise, Spirit-led guests in the areas of inner healing, finances, sexual intimacy and so much more! So join us on this beautiful and crazy journey of Living Marriages as we learn to love and be loved together with God.
Want to get in touch? [email protected]
