The Living Marriages Podcast | Effective Communication, Conversation Starters, Intimacy, Healthy Habits, Christian Counseling
The Go-To Podcast for Those Who Want To Rebuild Intimacy and Connection in Their Christ Centered Marriage Has the excitement of your wedding day now faded into the background? Are you so exhausted that the last thing you want to think about is your marriage? Do you and your spouse feel like ships passing in the night? If you’re craving the intimate, connected marriage God has for you, you’ve come to the right place! We’re April and Aaron Au, marriage coaches with over a decade of experience, who are on the journey to finding God’s best for our marriage while raising two young boys. We recently heard this wisdom: “If your marriage isn’t growing, it’s dying.” Yikes! That really got our attention! But if you think about it, it’s true. Marriages need direction, purpose and a common vision to thrive. If they don’t, they will inevitably drift apart. When you add the pressures of raising young children and the grind of daily work to the mix, there are even more forces that threaten to pull our marriages apart. Thankfully, God has a beautiful vision for our marriages. He wants us to cultivate and enjoy intimacy and connection in our marriage. What’s more, God wants to breathe his Spirit and life into our marriages through beautiful encounters with him in prayer and worship. In this podcast, we’ll learn about: - Simple, healthy habits that lead to effective communication and intentional conversations - The assumptions and expectations that can sabotage our marriages - How community is essential for a connected marriage - God’s heart to bring healing and wholeness to us, as individuals and as a family And of course, we’ll dive into all of the fun topics like sex, money, parenting and why you shouldn’t buy a car without talking to your spouse first. We’ll also have space to encounter God through prayer, worship and reflection through regular episodes called “Thursday Thoughts.” So join us on this beautiful journey that we call “Living Marriages.” Get in touch! info@livingmarriages.com Like the podcast? You can make a charitable donation to keep fresh content coming: livingmarriages.com
Listen on:
Episodes
Thursday Apr 10, 2025
Thursday Apr 10, 2025
On this Thursday Thought, please join us for a time of reflection and prayer as we consider the ways God is inviting us to "plant" and "tend" to the small habits in our marriage so that they may grow into the living, connected and intimate marriage he has for us!
We'll consider the "mustard seeds" in our marriages as well as invite God, our "master gardener" to come and help us tend, weed and even prune what's already there.
To read the parable of the mustard seed, click here for Matthew 13.
Grab your Bible, your journal and find a quiet space to join us and the Lord!
Want to get in touch? Send us an e-mail info@livingmarriages.com
Tuesday Apr 08, 2025
Tuesday Apr 08, 2025
I confess! I (Aaron) love big, radical things! I'm always looking for the "next big idea" that will change our lives and our marriages, the "silver bullet" or "magic formula" that will bring dramatic transformation. However, while we should not discount the big things, I've been learning the ways in which God is inviting us to discover and invest in the small things. When these are done often, with intentionality and care, they will make a big difference in our marriage.
In this episode:
We talk about how "small things" is a kingdom principal that applies to our marriages
We explore the concept of "bids" in relationships as put forward by Dr. John Gottman
We invite you to find the small things that are already happening often in your marriage and discuss where they aren't happening
Resources
A study from Penn State on how the small things make us feel loved:
https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/love-actually-americans-agree-what-makes-people-feel-love
An article from the Gottman Institute on "bids" in relationship:
https://www.gottman.com/blog/marriage-not-big-thing-million-little-things/?
A fun blog from the Gottman Institute on some of the small things couples do for each other:
https://www.gottman.com/blog/small-things-often-ingredients-happy-relationship/
Want to share with us some of the small things you do often for each other? Send us a note! info@livingmarriages.com
Thursday Apr 03, 2025
Thursday Apr 03, 2025
Have you felt at times that God has abandoned or forgotten you? - In times of grief, doubt and confusion, do you worry that he might not care for you the way he promises to in Psalm 23?
Grab your Bible, your journal and your favourite beverage and join us for this Thursday Thoughts edition of Living Marriages as April leads us in a time of reflection and prayer in Psalm 23. How can we recognize the voice of our Good Shepherd? How can we know that he is in the valley with us and, even in the midst of the darkness, that he will provide for us and for our spouse? April shares a personal story of God's presence as our shepherd through the valley of infertility.
Let us know how we can be praying for you! info@livingmarriages.com
Tuesday Apr 01, 2025
Tuesday Apr 01, 2025
Do you ever wonder where God is in the valleys of life?
If you need hope and encouragement for the journey, this episode is for you! Kyle Brooks, pastor and author of "Through the Valley: 40 Days on Psalm 23 A Lenten Devotional" is our guest.
In our conversation, Kyle candidly shares:
How he came to write a Lenten devotional based on Psalm 23
How he and his wife Stephanie navigated Kyle's cancer diagnosis and treatment while also welcoming their first child
The challenges of having a connected marriage while raising two young children
Through it all, he shares the hope and encouragement we have because, "The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing."
To find out more about Kyle, his devotional and podcast, please check out the following:
https://kylebrooks.substack.com/
https://www.tapestryoakland.org/
https://www.multiracialministry.com/
If you'd like to connect with us for prayer or with some feedback, suggestions or questions about the podcast, we'd love to hear from you! info@livingmarriages.com
Thursday Mar 27, 2025
Thursday Mar 27, 2025
How would you answer these two questions about intimacy in your marriage?
Is it safe to love?
Is it safe to be loved?
If you have positive answers, join us in thanking God that you are able to both give and receive love in your marriage!
If you struggle, as many of us do, please don't lose hope. God is for you and your marriage and he wants you to be able to give and receive love in the fullest expressions of intimacy in our marriages.
Grab a journal and your Bible, your favourite beverage and find a quiet space to reflect and pray together and to hear God's heart for the intimacy and connection he has for us in our marriage.
If you'd like to connect and have us pray with you or walk with you in some way in your marriage, we're here! info@livingmarriages.com
Tuesday Mar 25, 2025
Tuesday Mar 25, 2025
When we use the word "intimacy," our culture (and even our churches) have conditioned us to think of what happens in the bedroom, of sexual intimacy.
While sexual intimacy is an integral part of marriage, it is not the full picture of what God has created us for and invited us into. There is so much more to intimacy and today's episode is meant to get the conversation going on what intimacy in marriage can look like beyond the bedroom.
According to Eric Erickson, intimacy is the potential someone has for connectedness and it hinges on 3 things:
Commitment
Vulnerability
Communication
Two important questions we ask about intimacy in marriage:
Is it safe to love?
Is it safe to be loved?
Resources:
This is a bit of a technical paper (but still very approachable) and is a good look at Erickson's ideas on intimacy:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2733523/#:~:text=As%20such%2C%20Erikson%20emphasized%20three,communicate%20inner%20thoughts%20and%20feelings.
A link to Henri Nouwen's essays on Intimacy:
https://archive.org/details/intimacyessaysin0000nouw
Have questions or need prayer? Get in touch with us: info@livingmarriages.com
Thursday Mar 20, 2025
Thursday Mar 20, 2025
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10
It is fairly clear that marriages in our society are under attack. In Episode 16, we learned from Braden and Kristen Hafner of Family Life Canada that two of the enemy's strategies to destroy our marriages are subtle: difference and drift.
Please join us in this Thursday Thought as we spend time together and with the Lord:
reflecting on how difference and drift might be creeping into our marriage
praying for God's strength, grace and wisdom to overcome
Grab a journal and your Bible, find a quiet spot for some reflection and prayer and join us as we seek God together for our marriages!
Tuesday Mar 18, 2025
Tuesday Mar 18, 2025
Difference and Drift. These 2 things can be subtle but deadly for our marriages.
Have you discovered some differences with your spouse that have left you discouraged? Do you find yourself drifting further and further apart from your partner?
We're so excited to share our conversation with Braden and Kristin Hafner of Family Life Canada about God's hope for our marriages!
On this episode you'll hear:
Why marriage matters to God and us
How differences and drift can sabotage our marriages
How there is hope and healing in Christ for our marriages
How the small habits can really bring transformation
If you'd like to find out more about Braden and Kristin's work with Family Life Canada (including more information about the weekend getaways) please click here: https://www.familylifecanada.com/
What are some "honeymoon habits" that you and your spouse enjoy? Let us know! info@livingmarriages.com
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
As we have wrestled with what Thursday Thoughts episodes could be about, God has brought some fresh vision! What would happen if, every Thursday, we had the space and time to reflect on God's wisdom from that week's Tuesday teaching and pray that God would bring that wisdom to life in our marriages?
On this episode:
Aaron shares God's vision from Ezekiel 37 for why this two-part approach might make sense
We take some time to reflect on where we're at with God and in our marriage
We also take time to pray that God would breathe his life and Spirit into our marriages, to bring the hope and healing we desire
For Thursday Thoughts moving forward, we encourage you to find some time and space where you can listen and enjoy some reflection and prayer. Grab a warm beverage and your journal and join us as we seek God together for our marriages!
Tuesday Mar 11, 2025
Tuesday Mar 11, 2025
Have you ever paused to consider, that your marriage matters to more than just you and your spouse?
In episode 4 of the podcast, our guest, Dr. John Littlejohn said this: "Marriage is about what glorifies God."
On today's episode, we look at why our marriages, although they are for our good, also have deep kingdom significance. We'll hear:
How our marriages can be the best "relational apologetic"
Aaron confess his selfishness in his marriage to April
How understanding God's purpose in our marriage can pull us out of selfishness
If you'd like to find out more and begin experimenting with a Marriage Mission Statement, here is a resource to help you get started. (We'll have more on this in future episodes.)
https://drkimblackham.com/marriage-mission-statement/
To connect with us, share some thoughts or questions with us, send us an e-mail! info@livingmarriages.com