Every year millions of men and women stand in front of their friends and families and pledge a life-long love for each other. The question is, do they know what they’re getting themselves into? The answer is often a resounding “Nope!” Mark and I sure didn’t know...
“We cannot avoid pain, but we can avoid joy. Our inward joy does not have to reflect our outward circumstances. The pursuit of joy is a matter of choice.” – Mary Southerland I recently shared that quote on Facebook and had someone reply, “But...
“This is what it comes down to: Do we trust Him?” I love that quote from today’s conversation. Have you experienced worry, anxiety, or fear in this last year? Are those things taking up entirely too much space in your heart? For most of us, the...
38 years ago, we said “I do.” It was a hot summer day. I wore my mother’s wedding dress and the tux Mark wore was made of wool (what were we thinking?). We knew so little about marriage. Every anniversary we celebrate is huge because they are hard-won celebrations. I...
It’s vacation season, isn’t it? My feed has been full of ocean pictures and sandy beaches lately! And while all that ocean scenery is beautiful, can you imagine if you built your family a house right on the beach? Not along the beach, but right on the sand itself. ...
Do you ever feel fear when you look towards uncertainty in the future? Your children’s futures? Stepping out into a new vocation? Schools opening back up? Your marriage? Many of us live with anticipation but also great anxiety about what the future might bring...
Welcome to our second bonus episode of the No More Perfect Podcast! I like to surprise you with a little extra, bite-size podcast goodness every once and a while that’s quick to listen to and helpful for your life. Just to say thank you! And today we’re...
This week on #MarriageMonday, we’re sharing a response we shared with someone who recently reached out to us. If your marriage also feels dead in some ways right now, we want you to know that you’re not alone. Dear Mark and Jill: Our marriage feels dead....
Jill: Welcome back to #MarriageMonday! Today, we are taking a look at the power of our words. Our words are powerful, and that power can be used both positively and destructively. When Mark and I think of our marriage before crisis and our marriage after crisis, we’ve...
I’m not enough. I’m unlovable. I can never get it right. I’m not wanted. I’m better off alone. I’m better off dead. I deserve this. It’s my fault. All of these phrases are statements that many of us struggle with to some degree. And they are fueled by something called...
So many of us don’t like the story God is writing in our lives. Circumstances that are out of our control often take over our thinking and hold us back. So how do we come to grips with the pieces of our story we wish weren’t there? How do we silence the...
Do love and money clash in your marriage? Is this just a subject you tend to avoid? If so, you’re not alone! It’s actually rather common for couples to experience frustrations around this topic. Today on the podcast, I’m so excited to welcome my...
A heads-up: As the title of the episode suggest, we’ll be talking openly about sex in this conversation. If you’re around little ears in any way, you’ll probably want to use headphones. 🙂 Are you and your husband at opposite ends of the spectrum when...
Do you have someone in your life who’s difficult to love? It might be a sister-in-law, a sibling, a friend, neighbor, or co-worker. It could be a hard family season and your hard-to-love person is your spouse or even one of your children. When our marriage went...
At times, life is unfair. Sometimes we go through pain–physical, emotional, and relational. Loss and grief become real. Life unravels and comes “undone” in a way we never imagined. There’s no one better to talk about the undone life than my...
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