Our thoughts are powerful. I remember the thoughts that caused me to leave my marriage twelve years ago. Those same thoughts fueled the affair I ended up having. And I’m reminded of those messages every time I spend time with a guy in crisis, because what...
I don’t really keep this a secret, but gift-giving isn’t my favorite when it comes to the holidays. Crazy, right? Don’t get me wrong. I love seeing the joy on my kids and grandkids faces when they open up something they’ve wanted and are surprised by it. I...
Mark and I often get asked a lot of personal questions over social media, through email, or sometimes even in-person. They range from our relationship, marriage, parenting, hobbies, to the more personal side of our lives. So today we are doing something we’ve...
If we’ve been connected for any amount of time, then you likely know how passionate I am about emotional health. As a “thinker” and a former “avoider,” I have finally–late in life–learned the value of feelings and emotion. Being married to someone...
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I have to work through a process to make peace with my past. I have to ask myself, “How can I make sure I don’t get stuck here? How can I move forward?” Maybe you’ve even felt like parts of your past are looming over you and that...
Dear parent who made a mistake, There’s been something on my mind lately that I’d like to share with you. I don’t know how “big” or “small” the mistake was. I don’t know how deep the roots go on the issue. We could be...
This week on the podcast, Mark and I get to dive deep into our own story in an incredible conversation with Shivonne Davis. Recently, Shivonne asked if my husband, Mark, and I would be willing to do an interview with her for her online Masterclass summit called The...
Mark and I have the opportunity to host marriage intensives in our home, and it is truly one of our favorite aspects of the ministry we do. Today I want to share with you why that is. Our marriage intensives are a 3-day marriage retreat spent at our home here in...
Mark: When marriage gets stale (and it does for all of us!), there’s a temptation to check out. We reason that if it feels like our spouse doesn’t care, then we won’t care. Or we tell ourselves that we’re the only one trying and we’re...
Do you and your spouse struggle to find the time to invest in each other? Does it seem like cleaning the house, getting your kids ready for bed, or work always get in the way? If that has been you at any point in your marriage, this episode is for you! To help me talk...
We have a line of trees along the west side of our country home. The previous owners wisely planted the trees to provide a hedge of protection against the winds that gust across the cornfields of central Illinois. Those trees serve as a visual picture of another hedge...
Welcome to our third bonus episode of the No More Perfect Podcast! I like to surprise you with a little extra, bite-size podcast goodness every once in a while that’s quick to listen to and helpful for your life. Just to say thank you! Today we want to share a...
Today we’re talking about how things that happened in the past sometimes can put a cloud over the future. You may sometimes wonder: Can I really heal? Can I move forward without shame? Can God really use me? My guest really understands these questions. She has not...
I’m really excited for the episode I have to share with you today! One of the things I enjoy the most is the opportunities I get to speak at live events. I so enjoy hanging with the people that I love to encourage – and that’s you! So today’s episode is a...
Last week on the blog, Mark shared a little bit about his journey of surrender. So this week for #MarriageMonday, I wanted to share about a journey of compassion I’ve been on over the years. Colossians 3:12–13 says, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and...
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