Married By Design: Recent Episodes
Joe Gruchacz
Married by Design encourages couples to enjoy all that God has for them in their marriage relationship by providing practical, uplifting and challenging topics to consider and apply.
In this final episode, we celebrate what God has done and encourage you to apply the biblical truths and share them with others. Thanks for being part of our podcast. If you have suggestions for topics that still need to be covered, let us know. You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com. Thanks!
Life dominating sin. Are there struggles in your life that are captivating your heart and leading you to failure and discouragement? Do we have to live a life of constant struggle? That is what we will be looking out of this episode of Married By Design.We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Handling the issues that you face within the family. There’s been such an attack on the family lately. And yet God does have the answers for the major issues that the family faces. That’s what we’ll be looking out of this episode of Married By Design.
We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
The greatest struggles in a marriage relationship. There’s common issues that can either strengthen a marriage or topple it. That’s what we’ll be looking out of this episode of Married By Design.We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Are you struggling with a heart of lust? With all the ways that we are inundated with sexual temptation, how are you handling that? How do you have victory in this area of your life? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Discouragement and depression. How easy it is to fall into a struggle with depression and how many things we face in our life that could easily send us there? How do you cope with depression and live a life of victory and joy? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Welcome to Married By Design. Anger, bitterness and resentment. Those three can destroy your heart and relationships. How is it that you could handle those temptations better and live a life of grace and joy? That’s what we’ll be looking out at this episode of Married By Design.We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Do you have a discontent heart? Do you struggle with envy and jealousy? Do you find yourself dissatisfied with your life and the things of God has given you? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
How do you overcome fear and anxiety? What are the issues of the heart that you need to address and what are the practices that you need to have victory over an anxious heart? That is what we will be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Changing your actions and your words. What is the process that you need to go through to see a change in the way that you handle the issues of life? And have it not be a temporary fad but something that you practice all your life. That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Getting some traction on real change in handling the issues of life better. How do you begin to change what you do now that you have addressed your heart? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
The process of biblical change. What are the specific steps you need to take in order to address the issues of your heart that will lead to lasting change? That’s what we’ll be looking out on this episode of Married By Design.
We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Working on the heart. If you want to change anything in your life, the change has to start in your heart. But how do you work on your heart? That’s what we’ll be looking out in this episode of Married By Design.We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
This week on our podcast, we’re going to be looking at the structure for lasting change. How is it that we can actually put what we learned so far into practice and make real changes to the way that we handle the issues of life? How do we see real change in our heart? That’s what we’ll be looking at this week on Married By Design.We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
The ability to handle the issues of life is in the details. It depends on the choices that you make and the patterns in your life. Those little choices will help you thrive and handle the issues you face. That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.We are in the series entitled Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
How do you handle the issues of life? What are the building blocks to cope with any challenges that you have to face? That’s we’ll be looking out on this episode of Married By Design.We are in the series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
How can a person change so wonderfully and consistently? What are the building blocks that allow that to happen? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.We are in the series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Moving forward in your faith and handling the issues of life. What are the practices that will move you out of first gear and into fourth or fifth gear? That's what we will be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
We are in the series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
We are in the series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
In this episode, we look at the feelings in our lives. What part do feelings have in your life? Do they dominate or merely indicate deeper heart issues? Are you controlled by your emotions or are they in check? This episode concludes our look at the heart, doing and the emotions and puts each part in it's proper place.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
We have started our series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
In this episode, we look at the doing in our lives. Why do you do what you do? Why do you do what you don't want to do? Because of your heart. We can begin to look at our actions and evaluate the condition of our heart. The doing, or action we take, is not a great mystery. We often know what we should do and not do. Dealing with the heart, we can begin to get traction in what we do.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
We have started our series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
In this episode, we look at the central place of the heart. We will be looking, in the next few episodes, at the heart, the doing and the emotions and their parts in biblical change. The heart, in this episode, will be examined and seen as the source of all change. Address the heart, and your doing will flow naturally. And the emotions will be held in check.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
We have started our series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
In this episode, we look at the Helper you need to handle life's issues and make lasting change. You don't have to do it alone - you can't change alone. God has given you Helper, the Holy Spirit, to encourage you and give you the strength to make lasting change. We'll look at all He does to help us change.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
We have started our series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
In this episode, we look at how to change. We have to rely on Someone who is infinitely wiser than we are to know what choices to make to make our life all that He intended it to be. God's Word is more than sufficient to direct our path. We just need to trust His truth and follow His ways and He will make our path straight!
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
We have started our series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
In this episode, we look at the choice we all have make: will we follow our own ways and thinking, or God's ways? We can find ourselves frustrated and at a dead end because we have been following our own thinking and it is not working. Many Christians would readily agree that we should follow God's ways but they just aren't doing it. We'll give examples of that and suggest a better way - God's ways. That is what this whole series is about - really handling life's issues the way God tell us to!
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
We have started our series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
In this episode, we address the reasons that a person does not change. It is important to evaluate why change in not taking place in your life or one that you are helping. If the counselee can see the reasons and you can address them biblically, you can help them move forward in their life.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
We have started our series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
In this episode, we address the resistance that we can often have to change. What is it that can move us from accepting compromise and mediocrity in our lives to having a desire and an eagerness to change? What will help us to persevere in living out the changes that God wants in our lives?
You can reach us with comments or questions at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
We have started our series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also for you to be able to help others.
In this episode, we look at the how to get change is a high gear. We look further at the truths from the Bible that should encourage us and should be the catalyst to move the change into a higher gear. Change is exciting, and God really does want you to live a better, more fulfilled life that honors Him. That's why these realities can propel us to change and become all that God desires for us to be.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
We have started our series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose of this series is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also to be able to help others.
In this episode, we look at the foundation for change. For change to really occur, there has to be a change of heart. For change to be lasting, a person should be motivated and empowered by the Lord through a relationship with Christ. God not only wants to change the areas you struggle with, but wants to forgive you and restore your relationship with Him. That type of change will yield dramatic and immediate changes in your life.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
We have started our series entitled, Handling Life's Issues. The purpose is not only to help you handle the issues of life but also to be able to help others.
In this episode, we are starting to look at change. You can change! God gives you the ability and all the resources to change any area of your life that He desires to you to work on!
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Welcome back to Married By Design! We have had a great summer and are excited about this new series entitled, "Handling Life's Issues." It's all about helping others and making the most of the time. There are so many people around us, inside and outside the church, that need encouragement and counsel. This series will equip you to help others by providing counsel to them and helping them to know Christ and walk with Him. We'll look at how to make lasting change and cover a number of areas including marriage issues, depression, anger, and fear. So stay with us and learn how to handle life's issues and help others.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.
**Taking a siesta. What a great blessing that God gives us rest. There are great things He’s done through this podcast so far. That’s what we’ll be looking out of this episode of Married By Design.
And as we get into the summer, Jan and I have decided that we’re going to take a siesta. A siesta is a little break in the middle of the day. Wee feel like this is probably a good time for us to take some time to regroup and pray about the topics and direction of this podcast. So that’s what we’re going to do this summer. We would encourage you to provide input on our podcast and check out previous episodes you may have missed or would like to review.**
We will be taking a break until the first Wednesday in September. That means that our next podcast episode will be published on September 7. We'd love to hear from you for input or questions that you may have. Until September, have a great summer and we'll be back this fall!
**Having a fantastic second half of life. That’s what we’ve been looking at in this series. What are the principles that we need to keep in mind as we plan to live out that great adventure. That will be looking at this time on Married By Design.
In this last episode, we’re looking at how you push through the hesitancy to that take those steps that will give you a memorable life of great impact on those around you. To go for broke in your faith. This life is meant to be lived to the fullest. You see over and over in the Bible the challenge to step out in faith and trust God for great things. Expecting God's amazing work through and in us makes life exciting.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to pray with your spouse about the ministries that God is calling you too. The ways He wants you to give your life and your time and your energy. The strategic relationships He’s placed you in, the gifts that He has given you that you should use to make the second half of your life the very best that it could be. What do you need to do in response to all the resources that God has given you with an expectation that you will be a good steward?**
D**o you believe the best is yet to be? How do you view yourself and how will you view yourself as you move in the second half of your life? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
We wanted to take this week to talk about your identity. How we view ourselves and our identity as children of God is so important!**
Your identity has a significant impact on your attitudes and your expectations. This is true in all of life. And I think it’s especially true in the second half of our lives. If someone sees themself as a total failure, they will fail to live up to Gods standard or be used by God. In so many ways we need to understand the impact of our identity in Christ.
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss as a couple two or three ways that you would describe yourself today. Then think how you should identify yourself biblically. You certainly can use the ones that we suggested or look elsewhere in Scripture. Talk about those identities in Christ and make it part of your prayer time in the morning to thank God for that identity. Then begin to live that out in your daily life. Practice it now, so that as you enter or are in the second part of your life that will drive you to a greater confidence and usefulness.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**The best is yet to be. Are you looking with excitement to the future and living life that is truly thrilling and satisfying? That’s what I’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
Well, this week we’re going to look at another way that we can make the second half of life fantastic. We truly do believe that the best is yet to be. We have a sure and solid hope in eternity. Because Jesus Christ Christ died for our sins, we have a full confidence that he will receive us and we have a mansion in heaven waiting for us. And this need they have should excite us as we look at the second part of our life. This is something that excited our Lord. His desire to reach the lost and see people come to Him. In Luke 15:10, After Jesus told the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin, he said, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” We should have this same excitement as we look for the opportunities around us.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, it is again to discuss with your spouse these issues. How have the two of you as a couple been a witness for Christ? How have you done individually? What are the barriers and excuses that you bring up that have prevented you from being that light? What do you need to work through to get more effective in the second part of your lives?**
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Have you considered the incredible impact that you can have on your family and friends in the second part of your life? What are the ripples that you can start now that will have an effect on people's eternity? That’s what I’ll be looking at in this episode of Married By Design.
This week on our podcast, we’re going to move from the marriage relationship and strengthening it to encouraging you to strengthen the relationships that you have with your children and extended family. We want you to begin to think about or continue to think about your relationships with those around you and the blessing that you can be by the choices you make now.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss as a couple the blessings and influence that you can have on your children. What are the things that you need to do strategically to build into your children’s lives and be an influence on them. Consider not just your biological children but your spiritual children. What are the ways that you can make choices now to make the second part of your life fantastically exciting as you see God work around you and through you.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
How is marriage going? What are you doing to prepare for the second half of your life in regards to your marriage? That’s what we will be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
As we consider the second half of our lives, it’s important to make sure that your marriage is strong. It’s important to work at making your marriage healthy and keeping your intimacy growing with your spouse. It’s obvious, as we said before, that there are more people that are abandoning their marriage in the second half of their life. That’s very sad because you should have been building a relationship over time with the individual that God has put into your life as a partner. We'll look at how to build and enjoy a fantastic grey marriage.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to begin work on one of these areas. That’s what homework is, beginning to take what you learned and put it in practice. So here are the areas again: developing an increasing love and intimacy with each other, being committed to stay together through thick and thin and never to consider divorce, seeking out wise counsel to help strengthen your marriage, setting high standards in marriage and not settling for less, and believing that God can do the work that needs to be done. Discuss one of these areas as a couple and talk about some action points.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
**Living your best life in the second part of your life. Avoiding the midlife crisis. How do you work through the challenges and struggles that you may face? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
Whether you have had or will have a midlife crisis or just struggle through some of these issues in the middle of your life, I think it’s important to address the central theme of expectations that can creep into our minds during this time of life. Our minds can get a little wonky and we can get a little confused if we don’t understand one key principle. I think one of the reasons that these issues can come up in life is that a person lives by their own expectations rather than God's. When these issues begin to crowd in, you will not handle them well if you are driven by your own expectations and desires rather than God's. The solution is to recognize God's authority over your life and submit to His purposes.**
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss with your spouse the challenges that you’ve had in your marriage in the past. How have you struggled and how could your perspective have changed or did it change because of the truths from Isaiah 43? Use that reflection on your past to prepare yourselves for the future challenges as you go through the second half of your life. This lesson will help you to live your best life that you can for God‘s glory.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Are you excited about the future? Do you believe that the best is yet to be? We’re going to be looking at how to live a life full of hope on this episode of Married By Design.
In this week's episode, we’re going look at the reasons to have hope. What future events should fill us with a great hope and excitement? These events and experiences that will come should flavor the present. We should be like kids waiting for Christmas. Do you remember when you were a child and you looked forward with great anticipation for Christmas morning? You couldn’t wait for the time to go by before you were able to open the presents. That should be our perspective now as we have a living hope!
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to pick one of these sources of hope that we have suggested. Discuss it further as a couple and commit to memorize related verses. There are so many realities that we need to put our hope in, you may pick something that we have not covered.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Are you excited about the future? Do you believe that the best is yet to be? We’re going to be looking at how to live a life full of hope on this episode of Married By Design.
Today on our podcast we’re going to be looking at the idea of hope. Hope is anticipating a future that is better than the present. Having hope means that you can live a life of excitement and anticipation of the things that are in the store in the future. Even if things are hard right now, or you face difficulties in the second part of your life, you can still flavor those experiences with a great hope because you have a great God.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to read through these verses again and talk about how much hope you have. Discuss as a couple how much you are anticipating the future. How this idea of hope should affect your lives and your attitudes. Begin to think about and to talk about those things that you should have hope in.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Is the best yet to be? How can we have an attitude and perspective that will give us an expectation and joy about the future as we continue to mature? To have a carefree optimism? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
The first aspect we’re going to look at this week is the concept of faith. Next week we will look at hope. These two ideas are central to the Christian life and are repeatedly presented throughout the Bible. Both in the Old Testament or New Testament, we see examples of believers that had to live by faith and had to hold onto hope. And we see how these two foundations are so powerful in our lives.
These two things, faith and hope, are the source of the energy that you need to have a vital Christian faith as you mature and grow older. And we’re going to take a look at faith this week to begin to develop it in your mind.
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to read through Exodus 14 and talk about this concept of faith. Bring in other passages and discuss this idea of trusting God and knowing that He’s in complete control of your life and that He will guide you. Develop that in your mind and then begin to think about the second part of your life and how that faith will be so important to giving you the life that God intends you to have.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**Finishing well. What does it look like in life and how do we arrive there? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
In this episode we will look at some individuals in the Bible that live to ripe old ages but also lived the second half of their life with vigor and effectiveness. The question is, “What does it look like to finish well?” Last week, we looked at examples of how to finish poorly. This week we'll look at some examples that should encourage and motivate us.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss as a couple this concept of anticipating and preparing for a great second half of life. Talk about these different areas of your mental, physical, social and spiritual lives in the future. What is an area that you need to work on right now to shore up so that you’re living your best second half of your life?
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Are you excited about the future? Do you look forward to the second part of your life with eager expectation and anticipation? That’s what we’ll be looking out on this episode of Married By Design.
This week we’re beginning an exciting new series entitled, “The Best Is Yet To Be.” We will be considering a book by Bruce Peppin by that title and our series will look at the concept that we need to live life well and finish life well. That the second part of our life is not one in which we should slowly fade away, but a life in which we should be expanding, growing, and maturing with great excitement and fruitfulness.
The title is from a poem by Robert Browning:
“Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Our times are in His hand
Who saith "A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!''
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take some time with your spouse and discuss and evaluate your life now and your future life. Are you planning on finishing well? Talk about what it means to finish well. That’s what we’ll begin to look at as we go through the series. And how to get there.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Who have you been impacting? Whose lives have you made a difference in? And what does that have to do with overcoming depression? That’s what I’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
This week, we’re going to be looking at the directions the Lord gives Elijah as far as what he was to focus on. If he’s going to take his eyes off himself and the dangers from Jezebel, he needs to decide where he’s going to put his focus. And the same thing is true with us. The Lord asks us as believers to die to self, but that’s not the end of it. Not only do we put away our own interests and desires, but God calls us to focus on His interests and His purposes.
And so we see in this chapter that the Lord gives Elijah some very specific things to focus on as part of his work in the kingdom of God. We hope that, as you read through these areas, that you again will find ways to apply it in your life or encourage somebody who is struggling with depression to apply these principles in their life.
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to look at one of these areas and act. Contact your pastor and see how you can get involved in the ministry of a local church. Look for faithful people who need encouragement and connect yourself with them. Or look for somebody younger in the faith that you can invest in and be a mentor to. Any of those things can be a great source of joy and lift you out of a spiritual depression.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
If you struggle with depression, where is your focus? Is it only on your own struggles and the things you’re facing, or do you have a broader view of life and the things that God is doing around you? That’s what we’ll be looking at in this episode of Married By Design.
**This week on our podcast, we want to look at another aspect of depression-the tendency that we all have to be focused on ourselves and what we’re going through to the exclusion of all else that’s happening around us. We can fall into the trap of self-focus that can be very addicting and very harmful to our outlook. When we fall into that trap, we can miss the things that God is doing around us and lose the hope that we should have.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to spend some time in prayer and ask God to what extent you’ve been focused on yourself rather than Him and others. If that is the case, we encourage you right now to take a step and have some time of worship to focus on the Lord and love Him, or make a decision to minister to somebody around you. If you do that, we suggest that you will find your spirits begin to lift.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Ever find yourself confused, discouraged and your mind cluttered as you struggle with depression? How do you clarify those thoughts and straighten out your mind? That’s what we'll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
**This week on our podcast episode, we’re going to be looking at our thinking. When we face difficulties and trials and discouragement, part of the problem that we have is that our thinking becomes all skewed and twisted. That can send us into depression and can cause the downward spiral to accelerate.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss as a couple the ways you tend to believe the lies and errors in your life. It would be also good to ask your spouse what lies and errors you believe. Once you recognize the lies, discuss the truth that you need to think on to replace those lies. If you’re not married, I would suggest that you find a good and faithful friend to have that discussion with.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**How have you been doing it managing and working on your depression? Have you been able to encourage somebody else who is struggling with depression? What part do your own choices and sin have in depression? That’s what we’ll be looking that up at on this episode of Married By Design.
This week we’re going to look at another aspect of a relationship with the Lord. We’re going to be looking at the way that our choices to sin can affect our relationship with Him. When we walk in darkness, it will naturally lead us to discouragement and depression.**
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to evaluate your own heart. Are there areas of sin that you are tolerating? If you want further information on the process of confession and repentance, you can check out episode four in our podcast. It’s on admitting fault. When you also listen to that with episodes five and six, you see a process that you should go through that leads to real change. If you’re trying to encourage somebody that is struggling with depression and you know of a sin issue in their life, pray about gently and lovingly talking to them about that. You may be the one that God is calling to set the bone back in place so that they can be healed.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
**Are you looking at the waves? Have the challenges or failures of life got you down in the dumps? Where is God in all of this? That’s what we’ll be looking out of this episode of Married By Design.
This week we’re going to see how Elijah reconnected with his God. Certainly because he was in fear and turmoil, there was some spiritual distance from his Lord. He took his eyes off his Master and put them on the woman Jezebel that had threatened him. That sent him into a tailspin. And part of the solution now for Elijah getting out of that depression was to seek God. Looking verse eight: “he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food 40 days and 40 nights to Horeb the mount of God.”**
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss a couple of the importance of making the journey to Horeb. As you seek God and abide with Him, he will begin to change your attitudes and your perspective. It is part of the process of managing that depression and getting to a better place. If you are counseling somebody who is struggling with depression, maybe it would be encouraging them to make that trip or even walking with them through a process of reading the Word together and praying together to get them started.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Are you discouraged or depressed? Do you know somebody who is struggling with depression? What are the ways that you can help yourself or help them? That’s what I’ll be looking out on this episode of Married By Design.
Today on our podcast we’re going to be looking at another aspect of dealing with depression. We would encourage you to read through the passage of 1 Kings 19 so that you’re familiar with it. But what we want to focus on today is self care. It is so important if you’re dealing with depression or somebody around you is that you take care of yourself physically. If you are not physically well, you’re going to struggle even more with depression.
Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss as a couple these different areas of sleep, diet and exercise. Make a plan of how you’re going to work on these different areas and take care of yourself.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Are you struggling with depression? Do you have a tendency to isolate yourself or know somebody who’s struggling that is isolating themselves? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
T**his week in our episode, we’re going back to first kings chapter 19 and the struggle that Elijah had with depression. We saw the event that triggered his depression in the threats of Jezebel. This week, we’re going to look at his reaction to those threats. How does Elijah respond to the threats of Jezebel? He isolated himself. He ran away from the problem, he left his servant, and even went a days journey into the wilderness by himself and sat down under a tree. What we want to do in the session is to look at the reasons why you should turn away from isolation and running to a place to hide.
Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to apply these principles in your life. If you’re struggling with depression, we would encourage you to call out to a good friend that can support you as we’ve talked about today. Maybe you would even want to share this episode with them so they have an idea of how to help you. If you as a couple know somebody who struggle with depression, including your spouse, you can put some of these principles into practice.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**Are you struggling with depression due to the things that you’ve experienced in the past or that you’re facing right now? How can you handle those things biblically in order to move through the issues without the discouragement? That’s what will be looking on this episode of Married By Design.
Last week, we began to look at the passage in Matthew 14. We began looking at the story of the disciples in a storm. They faced the difficulty and there are a lot of principles that we can learn from that passage.This week we will continue inMatthew 14 and find some helpful principles regarding handling the waves. We all have a tendency, when the difficulties of life are upon us, to focus on the waves and the challenges. If you didn’t listen to last week's episode, we would encourage you to go back and listen.**
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss as a couple the lessons learned from these two weeks in the lives of the disciples. These include trusting and seeing the Lord for who He is, stepping out in faith and doing the things that we don’t want to do. believing that God will rescue you, and the problem of turning your eyes back to the difficulties and the waves.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.
A**re you struggling with depression due to the things that you’ve experienced in the past or that you’re facing right now? How can you handle those things biblically in order to move through the issues without the discouragement? That’s what will be looking on this episode of Married By Design.
This week we thought it was so important to look at this issue of our experiences in the trials of life that we wanted to look at another situation in the New Testament. The disciples found themselves in a very trying and frightening situation and they didn’t quite handle it the right way. The result was fear, anguish, and despair. We're going to look how they handled the crisis they were in from Matthew 14.**
Y**our mission, should you choose to accept it, is to look at some of these principles so far in this passage: forgetting about God‘s power, the importance of obedience, the reality that obedience does not always lead to an easy life, thinking correctly about God, and that He is right next to you in your struggles.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.**
W**hat are the things that can pull you down into discouragement and depression? Devastating loss can spiral you into a deep depression and we need to know how to handle that loss. That’s what we'll be looking out of this episode of Married By Design.
We want to take some time in a parallel passage related to depression because Job, like Elijah, was devastated and struggled with depression. Job lost all his worldly possessions, all his children and his health. He struggled deeply through the book and, in the end, did not have answers. But with all the bad counsel or his friends, the Lord finally tried to set him on a better path in working through all that he suffered.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to read through chapters 38 through 42 in Job. Look for what the Lord said to Job and what Job learned in the process. If you have faced a great trial that has lead to despair like Job, consider the Lord's words as directed to you. Then look back in first Kings 19 and consider how Job's conclusions in chapter 42 may have helped Elijah in what he faced.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**The ups and downs of life. The challenges and heartaches that throw us off and how to avoid the waves. That’s all be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
There’s so many verses that talk about this issue with depression. What we decided to do was to focus on one passage. What we’re going to do in the series is walk through the passage slowly and look at the different aspects of how depression arises and how we can combat it. Along the way, will bring in a lot of other cross references to put some meat on the bones.**
Joe. The main passage we’re going to focus on as series is 1 Kings 19. This passage is about the prophet Elijah and the struggles that he had. There’s just a ton of things that we can learn in this passage that I think God wants us to understand about coping with this very difficult issue.
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to sit down as a couple and discuss the ups and downs of your life. How do you react to the challenges that you face? How should you react and how you should you address them?
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**Are you dealing with depression or discouragement? Are you struggling to get through each day? Do you know somebody who is struggling with depression? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
In this first session, we’re going to be examining the struggle of depression. We’re not going to give you simplistic answers or even easy answers. What we are going to do is look over a series of weeks at this issue biblically and address the area of spiritual depression. What should the response of the Christian be? Is it really something that we are probably stuck in or are there solutions?**
Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to begin to read Psalm 42 over and over. Let the power of the Word sink into your heart. As you read it, begin to pray as the psalmist did to ask God to deliver you from spiritual depression. Maybe if you’re struggling with depression, you also need to seek out your medical doctor for an evaluation to see if there’s something going on physically.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
What are the things that God wants you to change in your life? What are you doing to move in that direction to change? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
**In between our series', we’ve decided to take a little bit of time to look at some issues that we felt were important to address. This week we’re going to look at the area of resolutions. It’s a brand new year next week. Have you decided to make any New Year’s resolutions? I’m amazed how often I ask people that question and they look at me with an indifference or with glazed eyes. New Year’s resolutions are passé and most people don’t even think about them let alone follow thru. But we want to help you to begin to think about resolutions. We suggest that resolutions (whenever they are made) and biblical and part of a growing Christian faith.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss this as a couple and come up with a few resolutions that God would want you to begin to work on in this new year. If you’re single, it may involve finding another close friend to discuss these things with and evaluate your life.**
You can reach us a marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Welcome to Married By Design. In the midst of all that you’ve been facing, you probably need some encouragement to stay the course and to not lose heart. That’s what I’ll be looking out on this episode of Married By Design.
Welcome back to our podcast. We are in between series and we want to present a number of issues to encourage you in your faith and your marriage. We started last week presenting a sermon that I had a chance to preach recently at our home church. In our counseling and general contact with people, it seems that with all that we’ve been facing and the challenges in the world today, there’s been a tendency to lose heart. To lose the wind in your sails and become discouraged and walk instead of run in the Christian life.
**I wanted to address that and look at Paul‘s encouragement in Ephesians 3 for believers. This is the second half of that message. So we encourage you to sit back, open your Bibles to Ephesians three and find some encouragement to stay strong and not lose heart.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
In the midst of all that you’ve been facing, you probably need some encouragement to stay the course and to not lose heart. That’s what we’ll be looking out on this episode of Married By Design.
**Welcome back to our podcast. We are in-between series and we want to present a number of issues to encourage you in your faith and your marriage. This week and next week, we’re going to be sharing with you a sermon that Joe had a chance to preach recently at our home church. In our counseling and general contact with people, it seems that with all that we’ve been facing and the challenges in the world today, there’s been a tendency to lose heart. To lose the wind in your sails and become discouraged and walk instead of run in the Christian life.
I wanted to address that and look at Paul‘s encouragement in Ephesians 3 for believers. So we encourage you to sit back, open your Bibles to Ephesians three and find some encouragement to stay strong and not lose heart. So sit back and take in some encouragement and reminders to keep that wind in your sails and become excited about the life that the Lord has given you!
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Effectiveness in later years, rising up with courage, challenging others to be committed to the Lord, and preserving others. This makes a great marriage between two great people. This is what we will be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
**In this last episode, we want to look at an obscure couple and see the incredible impact they had. They were living in a very difficult time but they rose to the challenges. They both had a part, as husband and wife, in standing for what was right and making a difference. To see this couple, will you look in two passages - 2 kings 11 and 2 Chronicles 23-24. We’re looking at the lives of Jehosheba and Jehoiada.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to look at one of these qualities of this wonderful couple. Discuss it and develop further in Scripture. Talk about how you can impact those around you in a way that this couple did.
You can email us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.**
The foolish and the godly married to each other. What do you do? Thats what we will be looking at in this episode of Married By Design.
Today we will look at an example of a bad marriage. Bad, not because both people were making foolish choices, but because one was so godless and foolish that it affected his wife and the entire household. Today we are looking at Nabal and Abigail, seen in 1 Samuel 25. The contrast between the two is pointed out in verse 3: It says the woman was discerning, intelligent, or sensible and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved.” Other versions call him crude, mean, surly, and evil.
Your mission should, you choose to accepted it, is to discuss these areas as a couple. Examine yourself to see if you are on the road to being a Nabal. It’s also important to look at your logs individually, then come together and be reconciled. Rarely is one person totally innocent in a marriage relationship. But if you’re in a difficult relationship, how do you respond to your spouse and also to others around you that are being affected?
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.
Finding your adequacy in Christ, practicing your faith, and extending grace and mercy. These are all qualities that a husband or wife can exhibit in order to have a great marriage. That’s what we will be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
This week we’re going to be looking at a good marriage. It’s a story of a young man and woman that were faced with a very difficult situation and yet decided to shine in it and honor the Lord. That’s often what life is really about. We find ourselves in situations where we don’t quite understand what’s going on and we have to walk by faith and in obedience.
**This is a great story about the parents of the Savior. Joseph and Mary. It’s important to note that Joseph and Mary were very young at the time that they were married. We don’t know the exact age but probably in the late teens. That in itself is amazing that they would be able to handle the situation in a way that they did at such a young age.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to choose one of these areas and discuss it with your spouse. Spend some time studying it in the Word and pray about it. You can look at your adequacy in Christ, having a heart of obedience, practicing the disciplines of the Christian religion, being involved in kingdom work, or extending grace and mercy.**
B**itterness and resentment, unbridled anger or lust, and a faulty foundation in the relationship. Those are the ingredients we will look at this week that build into an ugly marriage. That’s what we’ll be looking at on Married By Design.
This week we are looking at the relationships David had with his wives. Again, it seems very strange to talk about a husband and his wives. The original marriage was between one man and one woman. But the Israelites were so influenced by the cultures around them that they had marriages that were quite contrary to what God wanted.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take one of these areas and discuss it as a couple. There may be one of these things that resonates with the two of you. Take the time to look at this issue in the Bible and discuss it and come up with a plan of action in response. You can look at a lack of commitment, bitterness and resentment, and unbridled anger and lust, a faulty foundation in the relationship, or not standing for what is right. You can also look at the positive example of Abigail and addressing issues and helping your spouse.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Unchecked cravings, and unwillingness to listen to wise counsel, or a lack of real commitment to the relationship. These things lead to a bad marriage. That's what we'll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
The couple that we’re going look at this week is Samson and Delilah. Actually, we’re going look at Sampson's life and his relationship with two women. First his wife and then Delilah. We’re going to pick up the story starting in judges chapter 13.
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to look at one of these lessons and discuss it with your spouse. Study and discuss missing your calling, unchecked cravings, an unwillingness to listen to wise counsel, or a lack of real commitment to the relationship.
Your can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.**
Walking with God, caring for your spouse and being teachable. These are all qualities of a great marriage. That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
This week we’re looking in the book of Ruth. It’s the Old Testament story of the courtship and marriage of Ruth and Boaz. If you want to see an inspirational example of two people walking with God and their union and marriage, Ruth and Boaz would be the one to study. As we have, we want to break down some of the principles that we can learn from both Ruth and Boaz. And we want to challenge you to think about those qualities and strive towards them.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take one of these character qualities again and study it. Discuss it with your spouse and look deeper into the Scriptures to understand how to put it into practice. You can look at the area of faithfulness, being willing to do the hard work, being spiritual and full of faith, having a deep care for your spouse, and being teachable and humble.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
**Doubting God, relying on your own reasoning, blame shifting. These are all practices that lead to a very ugly marriage. That's what we will be looking at on this episode of married by design.
This week we're going to look at an ugly marriage. We actually spent some time discussing whether this couple falls under the ugly or bad marriage category. Certainly the effect of their choices were bad and evil. We are living with the consequences of their sin. We’re going to be looking at Adam and Eve.**
**Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to look at one of these areas and discuss it as a couple. Dig deeper into the Scriptures and study the topic and talk about how you can work on it for the health and growth of your relationship. You could look at the area of doubting God, relying on your own reasoning, having a lack of discernment, the passive husband, and blame shifting.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Selfishness, pretense and deception. These are all traits of a bad marriage that ends badly. That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
This week, we’re looking at a bad marriage. Actually for this couple, we don’t have a lot of information about their whole life. We just see this one situation. But it tells us a lot about their choices in their marriage. It’s the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. I think we would do well to take some time to look at this passage and to learn some of the choices they made and try to avoid the traps they fell into.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take one of these areas and study and discuss it as a couple. You can look at the lying and deception, pretense, collusion, or the hardened heart.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Lifelong intimacy and closeness with your spouse. To really be one and all that God intended you to enjoy through that. That’s what I’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
We’re going to be looking at the wonderful example of Aquila and Priscilla. There’s actually not a lot written about them in the Bible. They are mentioning a number of places and we will develop some principles from the places that they are mentioned.
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to look at one of these areas and again discuss it as a couple. Being joined at the hip, supporting others, counseling, teaching, or hospitality. How do you need to practically work to strengthen your togetherness and your ministry to others?
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Deception, multiples loves and the passive husband. These are a recipe for an ugly marriage. That's what we'll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
In this weeks episode, we’re going to look at an ugly marriage. Again, this couple generally was following the Lord and God was going to use them greatly. But they also made some foolish choices that led to a very ugly marriage relationship.
It’s a story of Jacob and Rachel. Well, I guess I should say not just the story of Jacob and Rachel, but the story of Jacob and Rachel and Leah and the two handmaids that Jacob ended up having as his wives. That in itself shows you that there was a lot of foolishness involved in this marriage and a lot of damage that was done as a result.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to read through these chapters of Genesis and discuss the foolishness Jacob and his wives demonstrated. There is the good example of Jacob’s love for Rachel. But there is the deception, the issue of multiple loves, using ungodly methods to get what you want, the passive husband. If one of those resonates at all, study it in more detail in the Bible.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
How devastating can unchecked desires, refusal to follow God‘s ways in choosing other gods be on a marriage? That's what we are looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
**This week, in keeping with the title of that movie, we’re going to look at a bad marriage. These bad marriages again are ones in which the husband and/or the wife are evil and make choices that are quite contrary to God‘s intention and his Word.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to pick out one of these areas in which Ahab and Jezebel were a bad example. A heart set on evil, the encouragement to do wrong, having other gods, being unreachable, ignoring God and unchecked desires. Study it and discuss it as a couple. Talk about how you can not follow that example but in fact do the exact opposite.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com1**
What good encouraging examples do you know of that challenge you to have a great marriage? Purity, servanthood, and deep affection will make for a great marriage. That's what we'll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
T**he first couple we’re going to look at is one that’s a good example. This couple is inspiring in the way that they went through the process of getting married and from what we see they had a great marriage. We’re going to be looking at the relationship of Isaac and Rebekah starting in genesis 24. We’re going to walk through these chapters of Genesis and look at this couple and see the choices that they made that yielded good fruit.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to pick one of these areas and discuss it as a couple. You can look at the importance of receiving counsel, servanthood, purity, having a common faith, being spiritual, or deep affection. Dive into God's word related to the issue and really study it. Come up with a few action points to put it into practice.**
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Do you learn from your mistakes? Do you learn from the mistakes of others and the good examples they set? That’s what we’ll be looking at this week on Married By Design.
We want to observe individuals in the Bible and learn from their mistakes. Learn from the choices they make. See the consequences of the choices they make. One of the great treasures of the Bible is that we are able to see peoples lives put on display and learn from them. We can learn from the good, the bad, and the ugly in the Bible. And we’re going to be looking specifically at marriages that were good, bad, and ugly. more specifically, we’re going to look at individuals who fell into those categories and their marriages suffered as a result.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take some time as a couple and discuss marriages in the Bible that stand out to you. Think about and talk about the lessons you can learn. As we begin to look at these different marriages, pray as a couple that God will teach you from these examples and others in the Bible, and that you would Strive to be a good example of a good marriage and not a bad or an ugly one.
You can email us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
I**f you are in a marriage in which you were together but alone, when and how should you try to address issues in the relationship? That’s what I’ll be looking out on this episode of Married By Design.
As we have gone through the series, we suggested that you should be the influencer rather than being influenced. We have examined the way that you treat your spouse. We have suggested how to cope with issues like loneliness and discontentment. Now, as we close out the series, we want to look at the way in which you should address issues with your spouse.**
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to begin to pray about speaking the truth in love to your spouse. Make sure that you’re walking in the Spirit, and look for those opportunities to speak God's Word into their life. But don’t forget about the need to pray for them fervently and consistently.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
How do you handle not having everything that you desire? Would you describe yourself as content in your circumstances or grumbling and always wanting something more? That’s what we’ll be looking at in this episode of Married By Design.
This week we’re going to look at how to overcome discontentment. Last week we saw an example of discontentment. This week we’re going to be looking at a number of Scriptures that will move us away from that discontent heart to a heart of trust and thankfulness. That’s the only place to be if you want to live with peace in your heart, at peace with your spouse, and at peace with God.
Y**our homework, should you choose to accept it, is to study and learn how to be content. Review the scriptures that we covered and the concepts. Start to journal about those things and review those often. And ask the Lord to change your heart.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
How do you handle not having everything that you desire? Would you describe yourself as content in your circumstances or grumbling and always wanting something more? That’s what we will be looking at in this episode of Married By Design.
We’re going to be looking today at how you deal with the disappointment. How you can, when things don’t work out the way that you hoped, still move forward and be encouraged. And be content.
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to read through the passage in Numbers 11 and begin to pray through these different issues related to discontentment. Read through the passage a number of times and begin to pray for God to give you a heart that is the exact opposite of the Israelites there.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Are you in a marriage in which you were together but alone? Are you struggling with loneliness in a strained relationship? That’s what I’ll be looking at on this episode of married by design.
Marriage **can be a very lonely place. Because of that disconnect spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and even physically, you can feel separated and isolated. And so we began to look the last two weeks at this idea of loneliness and how to address it biblically. We have suggested that though there will be some loneliness in that relationship that can’t be totally taken away, there are certainly some things that you can do to mitigate that loneliness. We are looking again at God's Word for solutions to loneliness.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to begin to really pray about your connection with others. Your spouse first of all and then with those around you that you need to have in your support network. What do you need to do in order to make those connections? For others, the question to ask is, “is there someone around me in need of connection that is struggling with loneliness?“ What can I do to respond and meet that need?
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Are you in a marriage in which you are together but alone? Are you struggling with loneliness in a strained relationship? That’s what I’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
We’ve been looking in the Bible for the answers to deal with loneliness. Last week we began to look at the ways that God connects with man. God is never lonely in the Trinity, but His desire for connection and fellowship with us is a pattern for us to follow. We have a lot to learn from the Lord including the way that He builds that relationship with mankind.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to begin to really pray about your connection with others. Your spouse first of all, and then with those around you that you need to have for your support network. What are the things that you need to do in order to make those connections? For others, the question is to ask is, “is there someone around me in need of connection that is struggling with loneliness?“ What can I do to respond and meet that need?
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Are you married but lonely? How can someone overcome loneliness? That’s what we'll be looking at on this episode of married by design.
How are someone in such a marriage to cope with the disappointment and the loneliness that they may experience in a marriage that is not all that God would have it to be. That’s what we want to look at in this episode. Loneliness. We’re going to look at biblically how to combat loneliness. How is it that somebody who is isolated can move toward a place of connection with others? It’s not something that happens automatically without any effort. But it’s something that can happen and we want to look at the Bible for the answers.
F**or your homework, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to begin to really think through these issues and those that we’ll talk about next week. It may seem uncomfortable to be transparent, or to care about your spouse when maybe they don’t care for you, but it’s essential if you want to come out of loneliness and be more connected. You have to stretch yourself in a world that is so isolated with so many distractions and excuses for avoiding real deep relationships. Pray about it. Talk to some close friends about it and get some wise counsel to see how you could come out loneliness.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
If you’re in a marriage in which you are together but alone, are you stuck and struggling in a particular area? If you’re trying to encourage somebody in such a marriage, are you aware of the traps and pitfalls that they may face? That’s what we looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
**Today we want to deal with some common roadblocks and pitfalls one may encounter when trying to walk this lonely road in a way that pleases the Lord. It can be a real challenge to navigate through such a relationship. We are human and can find ourselves getting stuck in certain areas that can render us ineffective and struggling. This week we want to look at one special passage in Hebrews 12:12-15 - a great passage for seeing our way through some of the pitfalls that can keep us from pursuing God and a godly marriage when we feel we are going it alone.
Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to pick one of these roadblocks that specifically applies to you. Memorize the verse in Hebrews that relates to it and begin to study it on your own. Ask others that you’re close to for other verses and insight into this issue. If you’re trying to help somebody in a difficult marriage, you may see what in these verses verses what they are struggling with. Pray specifically about that issue and pray for opportunity to talk to them about it.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Together but alone in a marriage relationship - who is the influencer and who is the influenced? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
Paul wrote in Romans 12:2 that believers should not be, “conformed to the world, but transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” To show what is good and acceptable and perfect by not conforming but by being transformed. Not allowing the environment to force you into a godless mold.
What a challenge for the spouse whose partner is not following the Lord. There could be such a tendency to take the easy way out and just fit in. Or to bow to the pressure of their spouse and conform to their expectations, attitudes and lifestyle.
**Your homework, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to read through Daniel 1- every day if needed, to get into your thinking the high call on your life to not conform but to be transformed. Pray that God would make you a Daniel. If you are encouraging someone who is married but alone, pray for them in this regard and consider sharing one idea that we have looked at this week.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**Are you in a marriage where you are together but alone? How are you treating your spouse that is struggling? Your choices of how you respond to them can either help them move to a better place or drive them away. That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
This week on our podcast, we’re going to look at how to treat the spouse that is distant and checked out. How do you treat someone who is sabotaging the relationship or has pulled back and has no interest in working things through?**
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take one of these areas and pray over it, memorize a verse related to it and begin to put it into practice. If you are supporting someone who is in that situation, pray for them and suggest they listen to this episode.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Are you together but alone in your marriage relationship? How have you been coping with that? Do you feel like you’re able to live your life or is it weighing you down so much that you’re barely able to function. That is what will be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
This week, we want to give you some suggestions if you’re facing that marriage struggle. We said last week that there are no quick fixes or easy answers. We wish that we could wave a wand over your marriage relationship and fix everything and have your spouse respond in the way that God would want them to. You probably know by now that is not going to happen immediately. God certainly can do work and you need to believe that God will do the work, But you have to face the here and now. You have to be encouraged and reminded to think about how you walk through this difficult situation and how you deal with the heartache.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to study this passage in 1 Samuel 1 yourself. Note the points that we made and if you are struggling your marriage, begin to practice them one-by-one. If you know somebody who is together yet alone in a marriage, just begin to pray for them about these different aspects of coping with their heartbreak. It may not be something that you talk to them about, but it can be something that can lead to powerful prayer and help for them in their heart and life.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.
**How is your connection with your spouse? Do you feel like the two of you are on the same page and work towards the same goals? Or do you feel like you are together and yet you’re alone. Or do you know somebody who is in that situation? That’s what I’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design
We’re starting a new series this week and entitled “Together But Alone.” We felt like it would be important to address the situation that some can find themselves in where they are married but there’s some sort of disconnect between them and their spouse. They are living together with their spouse, sharing the same space, the same schedule, but at the same time they are alone. They may be alone spiritually. They may be alone emotionally or physically.**
**Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to just to spend some time in prayer either for yourself if you are facing being together and yet alone, or if you have somebody in your life that has been struggling through that. Just pray for yourself or for them. Ask God to begin to work in them and to carry them and give them the wisdom they need.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.**
What is the purpose of your life? Is there some focus and motivation for you to live each day that propels you forward and gives you an excitement and light in life? That’s what we’ll be looking at in this episode of Married By Design
**God created you for a purpose— to fulfill His desires and His mission here on earth. That starts with that relationship with Jesus Christ and believing that he died for your sins. God wants to give you a new heart and a new life and a new purpose at centers on Him. And that purpose and that focus bring excitement to our lives. That’s the purpose that can get us up in the morning and keep us motivated and keep our light bright. Our ability to impact others lives spiritually and to make a difference in their eternity is the most important reason for life.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to sit down and discuss as a couple which of these two areas to focus on. God has a mission for you, and it’s just a matter of deciding whether evangelism or discipleship should be the area you focus on right now. Discuss that as a couple, pray about it and study it in the word. Make a commitment to each other and encourage each other. When you begin to see God work in greater ways through you, you will live a life of radiance.**You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Are you living a radiant life and shining God‘s light? Do you have off days and times which honestly you are not shining God‘s light? That’s what I’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
There are going to be some days where we just to have a bad day. Some days we don’t even understand why, but we just feel a little bit off, a little bit grumpy, a little bit dim - our light does not shine maybe the way that it should or it could. We want to look at that in this episode. Why is it that that happens? And what can we do about it?
Your homework for this week, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss with your spouse the common causes of “bad days.” Look at the past when you’ve had days that you really struggled and see if there are any patterns. If there are, talk about the biblical solutions to address the issues that lead to those kinds of days. Addressing those issues will help you to live a life of more consistent radiance.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Are you living a life that is radiant? Are you making choices that are helping you to lead a life of light for gods glory? How does your involvement with other people either make you light or darkness? That’s what I’ll be looking at on this episode of married by design
We want to look today at the importance of fellowship. Especially because of Covid, so many people have gotten detached from each other and from fellowship. If you have gotten detached from other believers and from your church family, you probably have no problem seeing the negative effect it has on your spiritual life. When we become isolated, we become vulnerable and weak in our faith and our light seems to dim. As things are starting to open up now, we want to encourage you to make the most of fellowship in every aspect.
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss as a couple your fellowship with other believers. Maybe the first step is going to church each week. But you need to expand on that. What are the opportunities that you have to be connected with other believers? Maybe it’s going to a Bible study. Maybe you need to invite another strong Christian couple over for dinner. Why don’t you invite somebody out for coffee? It may even be somebody that’s some distance from you that you can talk to on phone regularly. Are you taking advantage of the events at your church to meet other believers and develop relationships? Let me just underline one thing. I would not encourage you to view social media as fellowship. While there are some benefits to things like Facebook, it hardly allows you to be really connected with other believers. You need to decide as a couple those ways to really be connected with other believers to encourage you.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
A**re you living a life of radiance? Are you allowing things in your life and your heart that will dim that light the Christ wants to shine through you? That’s what I’ll be looking at in this episode of Married By Design.
Nothing will rob us quicker of our light and radiance than allowing sin in our life. That’s why Paul deals with that right before he talks about being filled with the spirit. We’re going to be looking at the earlier passage in Ephesians chapter 5 and the challenge to think about whether we are living a life that God can use. This is where our spouse is so incredible. They are the ones that will pray for us and should encourage us to pursue righteousness and a life that honors Him.
For your homework, your mission should you choose to accept it, is to review as a couple verses that clearly define who you are as children of God. Maybe the two of you need to work on memorizing some of these verses. This will begin to get in your mind clearly who you are and will begin to affect the things that you do and the choices that you make. As we said, examine your own life and work with your spouse on turning the corner on some of these things and becoming the light that God wants you to be.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Are you living life as a couple for God's glory and impacting others? Are you stirring each other up to live empowered by God’s Spirit that naturally and effortlessly is a life that is radiant? That’s what we will be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
**We are all going to be controlled by something. It could be by wine, lust, by anger, any other thing that we can choose to follow. Or we can be controlled by God Spirit. That word controlled in Ephesians 5 has to do with being filled with. When somebody is filled with wine they’re controlled by it. The wine makes them do things that they wouldn’t do otherwise. When somebody is filled with the Spirit, they are controlled by Him. And the result is that they shine brightly and live a life of radiance.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make a regular practice in your quiet time of reviewing Ephesians 5:18, examining your life for things that would darken you and asking for God to fill you with His Spirit. I f you do this, you’ll be amazed how conscious you become of His leading during the day and the power that you have to live the life of light and radiance. Talk about this as a couple and pray for each other that you would be filled and led by God's Spirit.**
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
A**re you living a life of light and radiance? Are you a child of prayer and see the powerful result of prayer in your heart and attitudes? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
We’ve been looking at how we can live the radiant life. It involves time and devotion as you saw in the life of Moses. It involves getting into the word and having a renewed perspective on the power of God‘s word to give us and excitement and radiance. In this episode, we’re going to look at the power of prayer and how prayer can take a person who is struggling in their faith and begin to give them a radiance and a strength it is beyond their own ability.**
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to spend some time as a couple or as an individual in prayer to God. Make that time of prayer meaningful and connect with Him, expecting Him to work in your heart and to answer your prayers and to give you a life that is radiant.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
David writes in Psalm 34 that "those who look to him are radiant." Are you living a radiant life? Are you allowing God’s Word into your heart and mind and which will make you radiant? That’s what will be looking at on this episode of married by design
**In this episode, we’re going to look at the power of God’s word to enable us to live a radiant life. We would suggest to you that the reading, study, and meditation of God’s word will lead you to live a radiant life. In Jeremiah 15:16, the prophet Jeremiah declares, “your words were found and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by Your Name, oh Lord, God of hosts." There’s the powerful impact of the word of God on an individual. God‘s word became, “a joy and a delight of his heart.“ The effect of God’s word on the prophet Jeremiah was joy and delight. There was a radiance.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to set aside that time with the Lord as we said in the last episode. Come back to the word and pray that God would make it living and active to you. Come to it with an eager expectation and God will reward that diligence and commitment by granting a joy and a radiant life. Work together as a couple to encourage each other to do this and provide space for each person to have the opportunity. This is where your marriage relationship is vital.
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Do you have a life that is radiant? Do you have an excitement and exuberance about life that is evident to those around you? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
**We want to look at some other verses that point to this idea that the more that we have our eyes fixed on Jesus, the better off we will be and the more radiant our lives will be. And then we’re going to look at how to keep our eyes fixed on Him.
So here’s what we’re suggesting. That you set aside a block of time a couple times a week to go into a prayer closet or somewhere where there are no distractions and just spend time with the Lord looking to Him. As we said, you may need to carve out time for your spouse so that they can do that, including taking care of the kids. If you work on the schedule together, you can have that time and purposely put aside all the other things that you could be doing. Expect to meet with Him. Maybe you have to move past the idea that your time in the Word and prayer is just something that you do out of habit and you, “just try to find some time to get it in." We’re going to look at the Word and prayer as part of developing a radiant life. But those things are included in this idea of looking to Jesus. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to set aside that time with the Lord.**
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Are you living a radiant life? Are you living in such a way that you are enjoying God‘s goodness in your life and having an impact on others? That’s all be looking out in this episode of Married By Design.
We’ve entitled the series, “The Radiant Life." It’s all about understanding biblically what it means to live in God‘s presence and, as a result have a life that radiates His glory. That’s the best and only place to be as a Christian. In the midst of all the problems and struggles that we have, we can live radiant lives because of Jesus Christ and all that He has done for us. We’re going to begin to look at this idea of living a radiant life. From there, will look at how we find that radiant life and the way that God will use the radiant life in the lives of those around us.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to pick one of the verses or passages that we looked at this week and commit it to memory as a couple. As you memorize the verse, pray it back to the Lord and ask him to make you a light and to have a life that is radiant. It’s God’s desire for you, so you can be sure that he will answer you.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
**Husbands, how are you doing at cherishing your wife? You are called to be an example and a blessing to your wife. This is probably one of the most significant ways that you can enhance the romance and affection in your marriage. This is what will be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
I know, I know, we said that this series on "Falling Back In Love" was completed. But this past week, we were talking about the series and discussing whether we had covered everything that we wanted to. In that discussion, Janet encouraged me to look at the idea of the husband cherishing his wife and how important it is in the marriage relationship. Talk about enhancing intimacy in love-the idea of cherishing and nourishing is key! So we decided to take one more week and look at this concept in Ephesians 5.**
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Would you say that romance is alive and well in your relationship? Do you find that you are affectionate with your spouse? That’s what I’ll be looking out on this episode of Married By Design
**In this last episode in the series, we want to look at the physical affection and love that a husband and wife should have for each other. This is part and parcel of the marriage relationship. What we’re referring to is not just the sexual union between the husband and the wife, but all the little things that you should do to express your love and affection for your spouse every day. These things are vitally important for your romance and your overall relationship.
Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to pick one of these physical expressions of love and begin to really work on it. If it’s holding your wife’s hand, make it a point during your week to do just that. If it’s back rubs or snuggling, make it a priority. Talk about these areas as a couple and begin to express your love for each other.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**How are you doing at loving your spouse? Have you set up roadblocks in the way that you respond to your spouse that are strangling the love and romance in the relationship? That’s what we’re looking at in this episode of Married By Design. This week, we’re going to be looking in 1 Corinthians 13:8. Let me read that for you. “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”
Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to take one of these areas and examine your own heart. Maybe you should share with your spouse that you love them and discuss areas that you need to work on. When you choose to love your spouse and care for them, you provide the best foundation for romance in your marriage relationship. Go at it!**
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Has your love and affection for your spouse been growing over time? Or have there been roadblocks that you have set up in the relationship that are deadening your romance? That’s what I’ll be looking at in this episode of Married By Design.
We have begun to look at the roadblocks to romance in the marriage relationship. And we’ve been looking in 1 Corinthians 13 at Paul’s description of love. If you fail to act in love towards your spouse, you will set up frustration and will kill any romance that could be developing. We want to continue looking at those elements of love.
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to choose one of these areas that we looked at this week in 1 Corinthians 13. I’m sure you’re listening to this because you want to see your marriage blossom in the romantic intimacy that God intends. In order to do that, you have to come face-to-face with your lack of love for your spouse. That means evaluating where you have come up short and confessing that to your spouse and asking their forgiveness. You have to turn the corner in these areas and begin to actually love them. As you do, you may see that love for your spouse increases.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**Have you begun to see an improvement in your romance in marriage? Have you hit some roadblocks in developing your affection for your spouse? That’s what I’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
We began to look at Paul‘s description of love and all that we should be doing in our marriage. If we fail to follow Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 13, we will not be loving our spouse in our actions and will not feel the resulting affection for them. This is what we called the road blocks to romance. We can make choices to treat our spouse in an unloving way, and it has a definite effect on the relationship.
Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss these different areas of love with your spouse. Examine your own heart and your practice to see if you’re falling short and throwing cold water on your romance. If you’re even more adventurous, ask your spouse if you are struggling in any of these areas. If you are, your homework is to begin work on that area and apply yourself to loving your spouse.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**How’s your love life? Are the things that you’re doing and not doing that are throwing cold water on your relationship with your spouse? That’s what we'll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
We’re going to begin to walk through this passage in first Corinthians 13. We will be focusing primarily on verses four through eight. That section of scripture is a wonderful passage to commit to memory. If you desire to see your marriage relationship grow and blossom, it would be very helpful to set your mind on the truth of how God wants you to love. We can set up roadblocks by disregarding what Paul writes in this passage. The more you practice these verses, the more that you will be following what God says and you will see the fruit in your relationship.
Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to take one of these two areas that you need to work on. Sit down with your spouse and confess your need to work on this and ask them to pray for you. Memorize this verse in 1 Corinthians and maybe Colossians 3:12 also. As you memorize a verse, try to live it out in a way that you treat your spouse this week.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
So how do you talk to your spouse? Does the way that you talk to your spouse enhance your love relationship with them or does it detract? We have an incredible opportunity to love our spouse through the words that we say to them. That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
**We want to lay out some foundational principles of our speech. We can find so often that we forget these basic principles that, if we practice them, will build into our marriage and strengthen our love for each other. And if we don’t follow them, it will lead us to frustration and frustration for our spouse.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to set aside some time individually to think about the things that you appreciate and love about your spouse. You need to have a deep reservoir of areas of appreciation that you can draw from when you are talking to your spouse. Maybe make out a list in a journal of all the ways that you appreciate your spouse. Not just the things they do, but as Solomon and his bride did, their physical beauty, their character, and how much they mean to you. With that list, make it a point every day to speak as Solomon and his bride did, to your spouse.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**Do you feel like your love is growing for your spouse? Are there distractions and interests that take you away from the love and affection you should have? That’s what we’re going to be looking out on this episode of married by design.
In this episode, we’re going to look at the distractions to love. This is the other half of the coin of building into the marriage relationship. On the one hand, you need to have focused time for each other to set your heart on your spouse. This week, we’re going to look at not having our focus and energy on anything besides our spouse. If our heart and our mind are elsewhere, this will detract from our love and affection for our spouse.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take some time and examine your heart as to whether there is some other love that is preventing your singular and deep affection for your spouse. That may also be something that you need to talk about as a couple. Are there foxes that you’re allowing in your vineyard that are eating your grapes?
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**So, how is the romance going in your marriage? Would you say that you are more in love with your spouse than you were last year? How do you cultivate that affection and love? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
One of the verses that we looked at last week in song of Solomon was in chapter 2, verse 13 and 14. We want to look at that again, especially at the idea of how important it is to spend time zeroing in on your relationship to cultivate that romance and affection for each other.
Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to set a 1 to 3 time. A specific, weekly scheduled block of time for the two of you to build into your relationship. Whatever you want to do during that time. Only it has to be about developing your love and relationship.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**Is your love and passion for your spouse growing and maturing over time or do you feel like the romance has faded away? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss with your spouse the state of your marriage. Do you love each other? How is that expressed? Do you have a passionate love for each other as we saw in Song of Solomon? Why or why not?**
**And here’s a bonus assignment. I think it was probably nine years ago now that I was convicted about need to grow in my love for my wife. We had been married obviously for decades, and I did love her, but I felt like I needed to grow in that love for her. I committed to pray that God would help me to love her more. Over time, things changed in my life and in our relationship that allowed me to love her more sacrificially. And as a result, I began to have a deeper affection, admiration, and desire for her. I would encourage you to begin praying daily that God will give you greater love for your spouse that would be expressed in your actions and would be seen in your heart for them.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Do you want that one thing that will begin to set all other parts of your life in order? Sound like a bold promise? That's what we'll be looking at this week on Married by Design.
I wanted to talk about this week is the power of creation and what impact it should have on every human being alive. If we have a clearer and more complete understanding of who God is and that he’s there, it will impact the way that we handle things such as the challenges that we’ve gone through. It will have an impact on our ability to relate to our spouse and to love them and cultivate that romance back in our relationship. Our understanding of God should impact every aspect of our lives.
**Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to spend an hour outside in his creation just listening and enjoying all that he’s created around you. It’s amazing that you don’t have to go to the mountains or to the beach for that. And every place that we are His handiwork is seen. And as you review those things, reflect back on who He is and that He is.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**It has been a real struggle during coronavirus to be connected. Do you feel lonely and isolated? Do you feel like you’re well beyond all that we’ve gone through and want to get back to real life? That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
In this last episode we’re going to look at the issue of isolation and how important it is that we be connected. Isolation has been one of the central struggles of people during the last year. Not just parents and adults, but children have felt the hard blow of isolation due to coronavirus. We want to look at that biblically and provide some suggestions of how to overcome the isolation.**
You have some incredible opportunities to encourage, teach, accept, pray for, and share with others! Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to pick one person or a couple that you are going to start contacting on a regular basis to connect with and encourage. I think that you’ll find that you’ll be blessed as much as they are.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
**Do you feel like you’re growing as an individual? Do you feel like there are areas of your life that you are improving in and are you in a process of developing every area of your life? Have you thought about why you should even do that? That’s what I’m going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
We want to encourage you to move on in your life to grow and develop as an individual despite the challenges that you face. This is actually a perfect time to focus on improving yourself and growing in the different aspects of your life for God‘s glory. You have more time at your disposal and you also have a spouse that God is giving you to encourage you to become all that God wants you to be.
Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to pick one of these areas and make resolutions. Discuss this with your spouse and set up plan of how you’re going to move forward and press on to lay hold of that for what you were laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Make those resolutions a matter of prayer every morning in your quiet time and review those resolutions every morning before you go through your day.**
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
**How are you doing at loving others? Do you find yourself struggling in your love not only for others but also for the Lord? Has this time of coronavirus and all the challenges left you a little bit listless and cold in your relationship with God? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
The greatest commandment is to love the Lord your with all your heart all your soul all your mind and all your strength. So our question for you is, how are you doing in your love for God? Do you have an affection and passion for Him-a desire to be with him and an excitement about his presence in your life?
Your mission should you choose to accept it, is to take some time and think about your own love for the Lord. Is it growing stronger and more vibrant, or is it waning and fading away. This is something that you would want to talk to your spouse about. What are the actions that you need to take in order to put Him first again in your heart? This is the one priority that needs to be first and central. The treasure in the field and the pearl of great price. Maybe you need to get counsel from your pastor or someone else to encourage you to turn back to the Lord.**
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Do you find yourself consumed with things that you’re going through and the challenges that you’re facing? Do you see this as a time to try to maintain and protect rather than thrive and impact others? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of married by design.
I**mpact in other peoples lives. That’s what we began to look at in last week's episode on love. Love in a biblical sense of sacrifice and care for others that are in need.
Your homework, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to do one of the two things. First is to go through the list in 1 Corinthians 13 as a couple and take the time to read each part of love and discuss whether you are actually practicing it with each other. The other option is to discuss as a couple and plan out how to act in love by caring for another person. There are going to be practical, specific and sacrificial steps that you will need to take if you’re going to love those around you and make an impact in this time.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**Do you find yourself consumed with things that you’re going through and the challenges that you’re facing? Do you see this as a time to try to maintain and protect rather than thrive and impact others? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design. In this episode, we will look at the idea of love as the antidote to self-focus in the midst of all that we’re going through.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss with your spouse this concept of love and sacrifice. Talk about one person or family that has a great need right now that you can respond to. Recognize it may take a personal sacrifice of time, money, or emotional energy. Commit to responding to that need in love this week. You’ll be amazed how that will give you a new perspective and energy!
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Welcome to Married By Design. With everything going on in 2020, do you find yourself struggling with discouragement or depression? Isolation, losses that we have experienced, and the fact that it looks like it will go on for sometime can really affect the way that we feel. That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
**In this episode we’re going to be looking at the specific areas that we should have hope in. Fixing our minds on these areas will help us to move up above our feelings of discouragement. Hope again is something that we look forward to in the future. This is a challenge because we want it right now and can be easily discouraged when things aren’t working out the way that we want.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write a comprehensive list of all the areas of hope. What are the things that you need to set your mind on that you are anticipating and expecting. We shared a lot of scriptures in this episode that tell of the great promises of God that we can put our hope in. Write those things out and discuss them as a couple. Think about those things and meditate on those things during the day. If you find yourself struggling with discouragement, pull out that list to review the things that will fill your mind with hope. Our mind should be filled with those things that we hope for. That’s why this podcast was a bit longer -there is so much that we have to hope in!
You can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
With everything going on in 2020, do you find yourself struggling with discouragement or depression? Isolation, losses that we have experienced, and the fact it looks like it will go on for sometime can really affect the way that we feel. That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
From the news, to struggles at work, relationship issues and even our own minds, these things can have a profound effect on the way that we think and the way that we feel. We can find ourselves down in a pit or sliding toward a pit of discouragement. It’s been noted that suicide has increased significantly since the issues related to COVID-19 began. That statistic underlines the deep struggle and discouragement that people face because of job loss, isolation and the stresses and difficulties of what we are going through. With all we are facing, it would seem only natural that we would be discouraged and disheartened about the things that are going on. And yet, as we discuss in this episode, it doesn’t have to be that way.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to begin to evaluate where your focus is: on the present struggles or on your anticipation of things that are yet to be. Where is your mind during the day? It would be good to sit down with your spouse some during the week and discuss where you focus your mind. Especially if there’s a day that you feel discouraged, it would be good to think about the things that you’ve been focusing on. I would suggest to you that on the discouraging days you were focusing on the problems rather than on the things that you hoped for.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
**Do you live in fear and anxiety because of the challenges of 2020? Do you find your mind troubled by a feeling that things are out of control? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
In The last episode, we began to look at the idea of building our faith to overcome fear. This is significant right now because so many people are captivated by fear and worry about present dangers around us and the future of our country and our own lives. Today we are looking at all the things that we should fill our minds with to overcome fear!
Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to work with your spouse and discuss the following. Write a list out of the things that are causing fear and anxiety. Once you have the list, look at the attributes of God and the truth from the Word that disspells those fears and addresses issues that are causing you to be fearful. On the list, write an attribute of God next to each fear you listed. Review this each morning as you prepare for the day and come back to that list when those fears sprout up in your mind. Learning to counter your fears with the trustworthiness of God is a powerful weapon against the enemy and the evils of this world.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
**Do you live in fear and anxiety because of the challenges of 2020? Do you find your mind troubled by a feeling that things are out of control? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
We have been looking at the challenges that we’ve been facing in this year of 2020. We’ve entitled the series us versus 2020 because we’re looking at the ways that us, the husband and wife, can help each other to thrive during this very challenging time in our lives. This week and next week we’re going to look at the area of faith. Faith in a living and saving God is desperately needed in this world today. Especially in 2020. A.W. Tozer wrote, “Faith is all-important in the life of the soul.”**
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take some time with your spouse and begin to think about the greatness of God. Look at passages and stories in the Old and New Testament that demonstrate that God is an awesome God. Also recall together how you have personally experienced God’s goodness and faithfulness. Your faith will be built up when you have a greater and bigger picture of how incredible He is and how He is in control of everything. You’ll remember how He is able to take the most hopeless situation (such as the Israelites trapped at the Red Sea) and turn it into a deliverance.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
H**ave you ever thought about how influenced and affected you are by the things that you set your mind on? We can often allow things to capture our attention without thinking about the impact that it has on the way that we live and our attitudes during this year of 2020. That’s what we’re going be looking at on this episode of Married By Design. In today’s episode we’re going to look at the other side of the coin. We looked in the last episode at the negative, detrimental things that we take into our minds that do affect the way that we live. In this episode, we’re going to turn the corner and look at all the positive things that we could choose to set our mind on.
Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to discuss as a couple the things that you should set your mind on. God‘s Word, things that you’re thankful for, other truths are the things you need to fill your mind so that you can thrive and be effective in the here and now. Write those things out, and keep them on a card or a piece of paper near you during the day. When you begin to feel discouraged, pull out the list and remind yourselves of those things so that you can refocus your mind.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**
Welcome to Married By Design. How are you doing through 2020? What are the things you’ve been thinking about and focusing on and what has been the effect of that focus on your heart and in your attitudes? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design. We have to begin to practice things differently in our lives if we expect to navigate through the challenges of this year and look to 2021. We need to think about what we think about. Our mind is a powerful thing and God has given us the ability to think and reason in order to handle the issues of life and really trust him. What we think about does make a difference.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to set aside some time with your spouse and discuss the things that have been captivating your thought life over the last week. Good things or bad things? Things that build up or things to tear down? That could be a great start to actually being conscious of where you set your mind during the week as preparation for the shift to control your mind and setting it on the best things.
You can contact us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
How are the two of you doing in the midst of all the things that have been going on this year with the coronavirus, with the riots, with the conflict and politics? We’ve begun a new series entitled us versus 2020 - looking at the issues that we are facing this year and seeing how significant it is that we are in a marriage relationship that can help us not only survive this time but actually thrive. We'll be looking again at Ecclesiastes 4 and the practical insights into how to enjoy the power of us. That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take one of these two areas and begin to discuss them with your spouse. Ask the question, “are we really keeping each other warm?“. Or ask a question, “When we are under attack from someone, do we lift each other up?”
If you have questions or want to contact us, you can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.
How are the two of you doing in the midst of all the things that have been going on this year with the coronavirus, the riots, the conflict, isolation and politics? We’re beginning a new series entitled us versus 2020 - looking at the issues that we are facing this year and seeing how significant it is that we are in a marriage relationship that can help us not only survive this time but actually thrive. That’s what we’ll be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
Your homework, should you choose to accept it, is to pick one of these two areas-either the area of being more productive together in your work in and outside the home or lifting up your spouse when are struggling. Take some time in the evening to discuss one of these: how are you doing at it now and how can you improve so you can see the power of us.
If you’d like to contact us, you can reach us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com. Next week, as I said, will look again at the idea of the power of us.
We are excited to start a new series in our podcast entitled "Us vs. 2020." With all the challenges of Coronavirus, the riots, politics and isolation, we thought it would be helpful to address some of the issues that many are facing and provide some encouragement. "Us" - the husband and wife relationship, is the key factor is providing a way not only to survive this year but also thrive as we go into 2021.
In this first session, we share a message that Joe preached recently at Grace Baptist Church in Lemoore. Make no mistake, thriving in this crisis is not about hunkering down in our homes but seeing the opportunities to help others. This message will encourage you to see the hope that we can and should have and will set the tone for the rest of our series as we look at issues including fear, discouragement and isolation through this wearying time!
If you would like to contact us, email us at marriedbydesign01@gmail.com
Do you find as a couple that you are able to resolve issues and actually come to a plan together so that you can work on improving your relationship and not face the same issues over and over. Or do you argue about things and never really see any significant long-term changes? That’s what will be looking at on this weeks episode of Married By Design
**We’ve been looking for some weeks at the method of resolving conflict. Each of these steps is very important to develop unity as a couple and really understand issues thoroughly. In this episode we’re looking at the idea of how to actually come to an agreement. Then In that unity, to lay out a plan to address the issue that started the whole argument.
You can reach us at Marriedbydesign01@gmail.com**.
How are you at communicating clearly to your spouse? Do they really understand what you think? Do you find your spouse receptive to the things that you’re saying or is there confusion and a disconnect? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design
**We’ve been looking at the way to resolve conflict in a marriage relationship. This involves actually dealing with the damage of the argument and clearing the air so that you’re able to really communicate in a productive way. With the emotions, logs, and resentment put aside, you can begin to talk about the issues. Last week we looked at the idea of listening and how important it is to really develop that skill so that you can understand your spouse. As a couple, you need to sit down and discuss issues that need to be resolved. Going into that time, if you have a heart to really listen, it will go a long way to resolving issues and reaching unity as a couple. In this episode, we are looking at the art of communicating clearly.
Your homework, should you choose to accept it , is to set aside a time and work on communicating with your spouse. Don’t pick a hot topic, but pick something that you do want to communicate and go through this process and check to make sure that your spouse really understood what you have said.**
Do you feel like your spouse really listens and understands what you’re trying to say? Do you feel like if they would listen to you that you would finally see progress in your relationship? Let me turn it around: how are you at listening? How would your relationship change if you really listened? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design
**We have been looking at ways to resolve conflict. We have been studying God’s method of resolving issues in the marriage relationship so that you can begin to make progress in your relationship with your spouse. In order to really resolve the conflict and not see it again, there needs to be clear and significant communication between the two of you. With real healthy communication, you can proactively deal with issues that will prevent you from ever having to deal with these things in the future. Wouldn’t it be great to have a relationship with your spouse that is conflict free and rarely infused with frustration or miscommunication? That’s what we’re starting to look at again today in this episode. And we’re going to start by looking at how to listen effectively.
So here’s your mission this week should you choose to accept it. Set aside some time to listen to your spouse. Maybe set a timer for 30 minutes and only listen. Repeat back to them what they said to see if you’ve actually heard them. And thank them and spend the next few days thinking about what they said. If both of you practice this, I think you will be able to make real progress on resolving issues in your relationship!**
You can contact us at Marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.
Do you see your relationship improving over time? Do you feel like you are making the necessary changes to create a sweeter intimacy or do you feel hopelessly locked in the same reoccurring bad habits that leave you disappointed and frustrated. That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design
**We’ve been looking at the practice of resolving conflict. So many times in marriage, there are repeated arguments and frustrations that begin to characterize the whole relationship. It’s important to learn how to biblically work through these issues and actually to move forward in your relationship. In this episode, we’re going to be looking at the idea of repentance and what it means and how practical and relevant it is in our marriage.
Your homework is to pick one area that you struggle with in your own life that you need to turn from. Draw up a concrete specific plan of how you are going to work on not doing that anymore and in fact doing exact opposite. We said recently I want to say it again, please do not go onto the next episode until you’ve done this. You need to become a doer of the word and really change your life for the benefit of your spouse and your marriage and for your relationship with Christ. If you don’t repent and actually change, you will just keep the same pattern in your marriage and you won’t fulfill God‘s purposes of the blessing for each of you and the honoring of God.**
You can contact us at Marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.
Do you struggle with letting go of past offenses and the things that your spouse has said and done? Do you tend to stew over those things and see that it affects your relationship? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
**We’ve been looking at how to resolve conflict in your marriage. We’ve discussed the need to cool down, look at your own faults, and confess your logs. This week we are looking at the area of forgiveness. Forgiveness is essential in any relationship and necessary in order to move past conflict.
Your homework this week may be hard. But if you are going to move forward in a relationship it heal it, you need to work at applying this truth. Your application this week is for the two of you to ask forgiveness from any sins that have not been taken care of and to choose to forgive each other.**
Feel free to contact us at Marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.
**Ever notice how much energy you spend in an argument with your spouse pointing out their faults? Let me ask you a question: how much time do you spend looking at your own sins. How much time do you spend working on yourself by first admitting your faults as a process of the change that you need? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
Your mission this week is to take the logs list you created and confess these sins to God and then to your spouse and ask them to forgive you. Also, any time this week you sin against your spouse, confess it right away rather than letting it fester.
If you have questions, you can contact us at*Marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.*
**Ever notice how much energy you spend in an argument with your spouse pointing out their faults? And have you noticed how it doesn’t resolve anything but just adds fuel to the fire. That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
Once we settle down we need to look at ourselves. Even in that cooling down time you can begin to evaluate your errors and missteps. The problem is that it goes against our natural inclination to look at ourselves. In this episode we look in detail at the process of looking at our own faults/sins in the conflict so that we can resolve these issues.
Your homework (if you choose to accept it) is to set aside some time to make your own logs list. Really stop and honestly write down the ways you have sinned against your spouse and ask God’s forgiveness. We’ll talk about this more next week, but then consider going to your spouse and admitting your logs and asking their forgiveness. I would challenge you to commit to one week of looking at your own logs and not your spouse’s and see how the conflict dissipates. You will be amazed how that can break down the walls and accelerate the process of reconciliation.**
Do you ever find yourself stuck in an argument with your spouse with apparently no way of escape? Do you feel like there’s an underlying unresolved resentment and frustration in your relationship? That’s what we’re going to be looking at on this episode of Married By Design.
**In this episode, we are looking at the first step in resolving conflict - cooling down. That’s the hardest thing because we get pulled into the emotions of the moment. It’s not hard to imagine something setting us off - something said or done that lights a fuse that seemingly can’t be put out that quickly leads to an explosion. We'll look at the practical steps to cool down so that you can productively address the issues.
Your homework (if you choose to accept it) is to put that plan in the practice from Psalm 4:4-5. The next time you have a “discussion” with your spouse and you feel the temperature rising in yourself or your spouse, you need to make the choice to step back and cool off. You can do this and you must if you want your marriage to thrive and honor the Lord.**
Welcome to the pilot episode of Married By Design . Have you ever thought to yourself, "why is being married so hard and frustrating and disappointing at times? This is what we will be discussing this week on Married By Design.
**We have seen some amazing changes take place in couples marriages as they sought out God's design for marriage and put in the practice His truths. When God designed marriage, He did so with specific purposes in mind and He also gave us the practices that we should follow to achieve a great marriage. The key to really finding satisfaction in our marriage relationship is to understand God's design and obey His direction.
Homework - Ask yourself the question and your spouse, "who’s purposes am I focused on in this relationship and who’s methods and design and my following?" Mine or Gods?**
We would love to hear from you at Marriedbydesign01@gmail.com.
Next week on Married by Design we will start looking at resolving conflict. Really and completely