Do you have a book you’ve read that you feel like everyone should read? For us, that book is Enough by Sharon Jaynes. It was on our shelf 12 years ago when Mark and I were restoring our marriage. Even though it is written for a female reader, Mark read it and was...
God is known as “the Comforter,” but in times of pain, it can be hard to feel like He is near to us. Those who experience ongoing pain know all too well that it reaches far beyond the physical body. Pain is felt emotionally; it’s felt spiritually, relationally, and...
We cannot heal what we don’t admit is broken. Yet too many of us pretend, perform, and try to appear perfect which keeps us striving instead of thriving. That’s a journey that I used to be on myself! I often say that my books are a result of my mistakes and personal...
Welcome to another bonus episode of the podcast! Mark and I like to share these bonus episodes every once in a while, and their purpose is to give you some quick encouragement and support that you can apply to your life. In this episode, we want to share something...
When it comes to conflict in relationships, things can get messy. It doesn’t matter if it’s a marriage relationship, a parent-child relationship, or even a friendship. Conflict has a way of dividing and destroying if we don’t have the necessary skills to repair...
In our journey through life, we tend to think of surrender as a negative thing. For instance if I surrender, I’ll be taken prisoner in some way. Our American culture even teaches us to value our freedom and independence above all else. However, the reality is...
You may recall that Mark and I are doing marriage training in Uganda for pastors and their wives. In case you missed it, you can hear the whole story here in Episode 135: To Uganda with Love. To make sure you continue to receive encouragement and value for your...
You may recall that Mark and I are doing marriage training in Uganda for pastors and their wives. In case you missed it, you can hear the whole story here in Episode 135: To Uganda with Love. To make sure you continue to receive encouragement and value for your...
If there is one principle I have learned in nearly 40 years of marriage, it’s the principle that love is a choice. It’s a decision. It is not a feeling. Dr. Gary Chapman believes that as well because Love Is a Choice is the name of his newest book. Dr. Gary Chapman is...
When Mark and I went through the dark season in our marriage, it’s no surprise that we sought out counseling. However, what most people find surprising is that our counselor focused more on untangling our childhoods than our skills as a couple. That was exactly what...
For those of us who are married, we would testify that there are times when marriage is hard. There are ups and downs and challenges that we face while learning how to blend two lives into one. You may often hear Mark and I talk about that in this space. Relationships...
In today’s gotta-have-it-all culture, exhaustion and hurry seem to be a badge of honor. We hustle hard, strive even more every day, and believe our “superhuman” tendencies are amazing, but the truth is they are alarming! So what does it take to rock the boat enough to...
Today, Mark is joining me to talk about the subject of personal growth. It’s no secret that we did a lot of work on our marriage that we now affectionately refer to as “Mark & Jill 2.0”. But what you might not hear us talk about specifically as much is how much...
Today, Mark is joining me to talk about an important, though often forgotten, topic: listening. Listening is a skill that takes practice, focus, and a willingness to set aside our thoughts and engage with others. It’s not always easy, but when we put in the effort,...
Trigger Warning: Before we introduce you to my guest and the topic for this episode, I want to let you know that we discuss suicide and the circumstances leading up to it in this episode. If this could be a trigger for you, please consider listening with a friend or...
