The Living Marriages Podcast | Effective Communication, Intimacy, Healthy Habits, Christian Counseling, Christian Parenting
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 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
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Why is it that our marriages can sometimes feel like the loneliest of places?
On this episode, we explore God's heart and design for community and why that is so critical to us having healthy, hopeful marriages. We chat about:
How community is part of God's character and how Jesus had community
The kind of community God is inviting us into with people outside of our marriages
The differences between "sharing" and "vulnerability" in these friendships
The book by Justin Whitmel Earley that we quote A LOT from in this episode can be found here:
https://www.justinwhitmelearley.com/
Get in touch and let us know how you've found community you can be vulnerable with: info@livingmarriages.com
Our website is: www.livingmarriages.com
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
Do you struggle with the shame of sexual addiction and brokenness in your marriage? Have you been hiding a pornography addiction from your spouse, even if you know it's destroying your marriage?
There is good news: God has not given up on you or your marriage!
Our guest today, Matt Cline of Restored Ministries, has been given an important assignment by God: to help bring hope and healing to marriages that have been broken by sexual shame, addiction and trauma.
In our conversation, you'll hear:
A story of how a prayer for God's favour in marriage led to a husband's hidden sexual sin coming into the light so that there could be healing and restoration
A question of whether accountability partners are everything we've made them out to be
The role of the Holy Spirit in putting sexual sin to death and bringing restoration and healing in a marriage
To connect with Matt and find out more about the amazing work God is doing through Restored Ministries, check out his website: https://www.restoredministries.ca
If you have any thoughts, questions or episode ideas, we'd love to hear from you: info@livingmarriages.com
Thursday Feb 27, 2025
Thursday Feb 27, 2025
Have you ever felt like you and your spouse were just glorified roommates? Like you are ships passing in the night?
We've been there! As God breathes life into our marriages, we're grateful he gives us practices and routines to help us feel more connected and thriving with each other. One of those practices is the weekly check-in.
On this episode, you'll learn the importance of this practice and why consistency and heart questions are key to unlocking the potential of this practice (along with God's Spirit of course!)
Resources:
"The Marriage Journal" by Jeremy and Audrey Roloff and Chris and Jamie Herb:
https://www.beating50percent.com/products/themarriagejournal?srsltid=AfmBOoq0fgk9udQlcTwS5qV8FPfZ1ZgVIzHs_bzQNRE8IN5QF_eg5e8_
Guidelines for a weekly check-in:
1. Find a consistent time each week and stick with it
2. Ask each other heart questions (see below)
3. Plan the coming week together
Here are some "heart questions" for your weekly check-in:
“How is your heart?”
“What brought you joy this week?”
“What did you struggle with this week?”
“Was there any ways in which I encouraged and blessed you this week Was there a way I hurt you this week?”
“How can I serve you this week? How can I pray for you in the coming days?”
Let us know how it's going! Share some of your heart questions with us: info@livingmarriages.com
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
When was the last time you felt "untethered" in your marriage? Lost, disconnected, alone? This happened recently to us. Thankfully, God gave us a way through and his roadmap was Psalm 92. In this episode, we'll discuss:
The transformative power of declaring daily God's steadfast love and faithfulness in your life and marriage
How a simple practice can help you feel more anchored in God's love and care
How this practice can also help you feel more connected as a couple and a family
A suggestion for an evening Examen practice. Ask each other at dinner or before bed:
What was one "rose" from your day, one "thorn" and where did you see God's faithfulness today?
Let us know how this practice is going and how it's changing things for you and your marriage! info@livingmarriages.com
Thursday Feb 20, 2025
Thursday Feb 20, 2025
Have you ever felt that when your spouse is listening to you, it only LOOKS like they're listening? That as soon as you're done speaking, they will unleash their advice and their opinions on you?
On this Thursday Thoughts episode, we'll discover HOW we listen matters just as much (or more) than the fact that we are listening. We'll also learn:
that "listening to understand" is more important than "listening to convince"
how listening to understand can help us escape the drama triangle
Resources:
“In a study of two types of listening, clinical psychologist Faye Doell demonstrated how people who listen in order to understand versus listen in order to respond have higher across-the-board relationship satisfaction.”
from "Good Inside" by Dr. Becky Kennedy
https://www.goodinside.com/book/
An excellent article on the drama triangle:
https://www.idmin.org/_files/ugd/0d9c11_b989426836064bd3a9dfdfe15fe4e382.pdf
Want to get in touch with us? info@livingmarriages.com and check out our new website: www.livingmarriages.com
Tuesday Feb 18, 2025
Tuesday Feb 18, 2025
"Shame is the most powerful force on the planet, apart from grace."
Katie Skurja, founder of Imago Dei Ministries, is an internationally recognized inner healing practitioner, spiritual director and marriage counsellor. We were thrilled and honoured that she could join us in this conversation exploring the devastating power of shame in our marriages and the joy and freedom available in Christ's healing work.
Topics we explore include:
What are "shadow vows" and why every couple should do them
God's grace that is available for us to turn into and confront our shame rather than hide it
How, as image bearers of God, we are like "Peanut M&Ms"
When we understand the paradoxes of God, we understand ourselves and our spouses better
What the drama triangle is and how it threatens our marriages
Resources:
For Katie's incredible conversation with children regarding the image of God and "Peanut M&M's", check out this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVTBnl5iEEg&t=310s
An excellent article on the "Drama Triangle":
https://www.idmin.org/_files/ugd/0d9c11_b989426836064bd3a9dfdfe15fe4e382.pdf
Where to find Katie, her resources and courses:
Imago Dei Ministries - https://www.idmin.org
Companying Center - https://www.companioningcenter.org
Let us know what you think of this conversation! Contact April and Aaron at info@livingmarriages.org