Becoming Your Spouse's Best Friend :: [Ep. 273]

This week, we will explore the concept of friendship in marriage. Deep friendship between spouses is rare but it's achievable through consistent investment.

We will be talking about the following:

• Moving beyond surface-level interactions to genuine friendship requires actively pursuing your spouse
• True marriage friendship starts with self-evaluation and a shift from expecting friendship to offering it
• Discipleship is the foundation of marriage friendship - helping your spouse grow in Christlikeness
• The Three "sticky principles" for friendship: doing life together, helping through tough times, and telling truth in love
• Practical tips including spending intentional time together, exploring each other's interests, and caring for one another
• Connecting with like-minded couples provides accountability and encouragement

We hope by listening you and your spouse will be encouraged all the more!

P.S. Do you have a desire to serve marriages in your community or the desire to support VowsToKeep financially? If so, visit VowsToKeep.com and click on the donate link! We appreciate your support!

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For episode transcripts, click HERE.

For more marriage encouragement, visit: www.VowsToKeep.com | V2K Blog | Marriage Counseling | Insta | FB

Apple Podcast listener? Would you consider leaving us a review, as this helps more couple's to find our resources?! Leave your review HERE.

The False Promise of Happily Ever After :: [Ep. 272]

Join us this week as we debunk the entitlement myth that pervades modern marriages. We are challenging couples to reevaluate their lives through the lens of God's purpose rather than personal paradise. We will explore how cultural expectations and fairytale narratives create dangerous assumptions about what marriage should provide.

We will be talking about the following:

• Marriage wasn't designed to be perfect—it was designed to be purposeful
• God created marriage for dual purposes
• The pursuit of earthly paradise leads to disappointment and destructive behaviors
• Nothing on earth was meant to be permanent or fully satisfying
• Shifting our expectations from spouse-centered to God-centered
• Action steps needed to move forward in the right direction

We hope you are helped and encouraged! Be sure to join us next week for part four of the Powerful Pursuit series: "Why Your Spouse Should Be Your Closest Friend."

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For episode transcripts, click HERE.

For more marriage encouragement, visit: www.VowsToKeep.com | V2K Blog | Marriage Counseling | Insta | FB

Apple Podcast listener? Would you consider leaving us a review, as this helps more couple's to find our resources?! Leave your review HERE.

Becoming Your Spouse's Biggest Supporter :: [Ep. 271]

This week we explore how marriages deteriorate when the "we" transitions into "me, my, and I" as couples pursue individual interests rather than championing each other.

We will talk about the following:

• Couples often forget God's main purpose for marriage and prepare themselves for marital defeat
• We often champion our children's interests without hesitation but fail to do the same for our spouse
• Practical ways to champion your spouse include being shoulder-to-shoulder in their interests
• Giving your spouse margin to pursue their goals shows you value what matters to them
• The consequences that arise when spouses don't champion each other
• The gap in marriage grows wider when couples don't support each other's God-given missions
• Our selfish agendas often prevent us from championing our spouse's interests

We hope you will be encouraged and helped in being your spouse's champion!

Support the show

For episode transcripts, click HERE.

For more marriage encouragement, visit: www.VowsToKeep.com | V2K Blog | Marriage Counseling | Insta | FB

Apple Podcast listener? Would you consider leaving us a review, as this helps more couple's to find our resources?! Leave your review HERE.

How to Revitalize Your Marriage :: [Ep. 270]

In this week's episode we are exploring the concept of powerful pursuit in marriage, moving beyond the roommate mode to intentionally chasing after our spouse's heart with Christ-like love and passion.

We will be hitting the following:

• Breaking out of the "roommate mode" that many couples fall into during challenging seasons
• Shifting from being critical observers to becoming rescuers in our marriage relationship
• Understanding that true pursuit must be motivated by Christ's example of relentless love
• Recognizing that God uses us as tools in our spouse's life to display His pursuit of them
• Identifying where and when our spouse needs us to pursue them most effectively
• Confronting self-focus and fear as primary obstacles to powerful pursuit
• Embracing obstacles as opportunities to demonstrate commitment rather than excuses to give up

We hope you will join us and be encouraged and helped in better loving your spouse!

Support the show

For episode transcripts, click HERE.

For more marriage encouragement, visit: www.VowsToKeep.com | V2K Blog | Marriage Counseling | Insta | FB

Apple Podcast listener? Would you consider leaving us a review, as this helps more couple's to find our resources?! Leave your review HERE.

Finding Hope in a Troubled Marriage :: [Ep. 269]

This is part 2 of our Irreconcilable Differences series. We pray this episode will offer hope to marriages that seem broken beyond repair. We will explain how God's grace extends to every relationship regardless of how toxic or damaged it may appear.

In this episode, we will cover the following:
• No marriage is beyond reconciliation when brought to God for help
• Transformation can begin with just one spouse, even if the other isn't on board
• God created marriage with a bigger purpose than just survival
• Six commitments for marriage restoration
• Practical actions to implement in daily life

As always, we hope and pray you are encouraged and helped by what you hear!

Support the show

For episode transcripts, click HERE.

For more marriage encouragement, visit: www.VowsToKeep.com | V2K Blog | Marriage Counseling | Insta | FB

Apple Podcast listener? Would you consider leaving us a review, as this helps more couple's to find our resources?! Leave your review HERE.

Rethinking Irreconcilable Differences :: [Ep. 268]

Have you reached a point where you think your marriage is beyond repair? Well, we are so glad you are here because in this episode we tackle the critical crossroads many couples face when considering divorce due to "irreconcilable differences" and offer (encouraging!) biblical wisdom for those feeling their marriage is beyond repair!

In this episode, we are covering the following:

• How couples develop a "my way or the highway" dynamic through unspoken rules and expectations
• Using the biblical story of Jonah to understand God's perspective on seemingly hopeless situations
• Six crucial questions to ask before considering divorce
• Understanding that God's grace covers both your sins and your spouse's sins
• How to correct incorrect thinking
• Recognizing that many marriages that seem beyond repair can be restored through God's intervention!

Listen today! Join us again next week as we talk more about Irreconcilable Differences where we'll explore six commitments to help save your marriage.

Support the show

For episode transcripts, click HERE.

For more marriage encouragement, visit: www.VowsToKeep.com | V2K Blog | Marriage Counseling | Insta | FB

Apple Podcast listener? Would you consider leaving us a review, as this helps more couple's to find our resources?! Leave your review HERE.

How Our Selfish Demands Sabotage Our Marriage :: [Ep. 267]

We are exploring the happy wife, happy life concept in marriage on this week's episode! We are talking about how demanding our way in marriage creates a prison of pride that damages relationships and rejects God's design for mutual service.

We will touch on the following:

• Pride makes us label things as "mine" and expect others to maintain our standards
• Phrases like "happy wife, happy life" enable selfish demands rather than godly love
• God warns of consequences but often allows us to experience what we demand
• Humility is the antidote - shifting from "meet my needs" to "how can I serve?"
• Understanding your spouse's heart helps prevent the demand cycle
• Consistently affirming and serving creates an environment where demands become unnecessary

Come listen today and be encouraged in building a biblically healthy marriage!!

Support the show

For episode transcripts, click HERE.

For more marriage encouragement, visit: www.VowsToKeep.com | V2K Blog | Marriage Counseling | Insta | FB

Apple Podcast listener? Would you consider leaving us a review, as this helps more couple's to find our resources?! Leave your review HERE.

In this week's episode, we reveal a powerful three-step process for rebooting your marriage when it's bogged down. Our hope is to teach you how to better help your marriage thrive.

We will cover the following points:
• The importance of honesty and honestly reassessing our hearts
• Recognizing pride and its effects
• Remembering who God is and who we are in Him
• What creates and makes a divided heart
• What walking in freedom looks like and requires

If your marriage needs a reboot, we hope you will join us and find hope and encouragement today!

Support the show

For episode transcripts, click HERE.

For more marriage encouragement, visit: www.VowsToKeep.com | V2K Blog | Marriage Counseling | Insta | FB

Apple Podcast listener? Would you consider leaving us a review, as this helps more couple's to find our resources?! Leave your review HERE.