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: https://livingmarriages.com
Listen on:
Episodes
Thursday Jun 12, 2025
Thursday Jun 12, 2025
On this Thursday Thought, we reflect on what it means to be blessed. We'll discover how being blessed is not about what we have (or don't have) but rather the presence of God in our lives.
We reflect on Stanley Hauerwas' invitation to consider the Beatitudes, those beautiful "Blessed are..." from Matthew 5 and what this might mean for our marriage:
Too often the Beatitudes are turned into ideals we must strive to attain. But Jesus does not tell us that we should try to be poor in spirit, or meek, or peacemakers. He simply says that many who are called into his kingdom will find themselves so constituted.
Stanley Hauerwas, "Jesus Changes Everything"
Next Steps
In this episode, we share the story of our journey through infertility. We understand that the journey of infertility is painful. We also know that you might be in the middle of another journey of pain or confusion. We'd love to be able to hear your story and pray with you. Please feel free to reach out to us by clicking here.
You can also e-mail us: info@livingmarriages.com
Want to support this non-profit ministry with a charitable donation? Please visit our website http://livingmarriages.com
Tuesday Jun 10, 2025
Tuesday Jun 10, 2025
How many times have you heard someone say, "I'm so blessed..." when they're referring to having something they desire? Does that mean that someone who doesn't have what they desire isn't blessed?
On today's episode, April and Aaron share their 3 1/2 year journey through infertility and how God met them in the midst of their journey, even though they couldn't always sense him. You'll also hear how God taught them what true blessing is (hint: it's not in what you have or don't have).
Whether you are on the journey of infertility or not, this episode points to the lovingkindness of the God who meets us in the midst of our pain and confusion.
Next Steps
We understand that the journey of infertility is painful. We also know that you might be in the middle of another journey of pain or confusion. We'd love to be able to hear your story and pray with you. Please feel free to reach out to us by clicking here.
You can also e-mail us: info@livingmarriages.com
Want to support this non-profit ministry with a charitable donation? Please visit our website http://livingmarriages.com
Thursday Jun 05, 2025
Thursday Jun 05, 2025
Join us for this Thursday Thought as we:
find out how Aaron and April's fun date went
reflect on our friendship with our spouse
consider how God might be inviting us to invest in that friendship with fun
We'll meditate on Proverbs 17:22 together and pray God's grace and blessing on the friendship in our marriage.
If you have a story of something fun you like doing in your marriage that we can share with our listeners, please click here!
Or you can e-mail us: info@livingmarriages.com
Tuesday Jun 03, 2025
Tuesday Jun 03, 2025
Recently, we have been reminded of the importance of fun and friendship in marriage. To make sure we have time to invest in some of that fun ourselves, we're keeping the episode shorter and asking for your help!
We'd love to hear from you about one way you and your spouse have fun in your marriage We'll share your ideas in an upcoming episode.
You can click right here and get in touch with us: https://livingmarriages.com/contact#httpslivingmarriagescomcontact
Or e-mail us:
info@livingmarriages.com
God bless!
Thursday May 29, 2025
Thursday May 29, 2025
We were so inspired by our conversation with Your Bible Coach Keith Ferrin in episode 36! Who knew that reading our Bibles could be helpful AND fun!
On this Thursday thought, we spend more time in reflection about what it means that time with God in the word is "relational", not just "informational" and we pray that you may grow in intimacy with God and each other through your time in his Word.
Ignatian Gospel Contemplation Resources
A helpful short video that explains the practice of gospel contemplation: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-contemplation/
Another helpful website with further explanations and guided examples of Ignatian gospel contemplation: https://www.lindsayboyer.com/ignatian-meditation
Next Steps
Would you like to explore some of these ideas further or would you like prayer for your marriage? We'd love to journey with you in that so get in touch! info@livingmarriages.com
We need your prayers and support to keep this non-profit ministry going. Please consider how you could partner with us. To make a charitable donation, visit: http://livingmarriages.com
Tuesday May 27, 2025
Tuesday May 27, 2025
"We expect the Bible to be true, we just don't expect it to be good."
Keith Ferrin
Anybody who has grown up in the church has been taught that reading our Bibles is an important part of being a follower of Jesus. The problem is that many of us don't know where to start or if we have, how to stay consistent with it. These problems follow us into our marriages where, with the busyness of life and young families, bible reading habits either disappear of feel burdensome.
Today's guest, speaker and Bible coach Keith Ferrin, offers insight into this problem, helping us move from seeing Bible reading as a burden to the joy God has meant it to be!
On this fascinating episode we discuss:
A mindset shift from an informational to a relational approach to Scripture
A methodology shift that will help us understand and enjoy what we read
How Bible reading that is enjoyable and alive can transform your marriage and family
To find Keith and his excellent resources, please visit:
https://www.keithferrin.com/
He also has a wonderful YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@keithferrin
If you'd like to connect with us to ask for prayer, coaching or to give us feedback or suggestions, we'd love to hear from you! info@livingmarriages.com
You can also visit our website to find out how you can support this non-profit ministry with a charitable donation: http://livingmarriages.com
Thursday May 22, 2025
Thursday May 22, 2025
Grab a pen, your journal, your Bible and your favourite drink and join us for this Thursday Thought!
Today, Aaron shares a reflection on what unity is from God's perspective and how it's been his heart for humanity since the beginning of time. He also prays that we'd discover what it means to have Christ at the head of our marriage and that we'd find a "togetherness" as we confront problems.
Resources
Check out Tim Mackie's excellent bible study on the idea of "One Flesh" from The Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/classroom/adam-to-noah/sessions/15
Next Steps
We'd love to hear from you! If you'd like prayer for your marriage, would like us to journey with you in your marriage or have feedback or ideas for us, get in touch: info@livingmarriages.com
Support our non-profit ministry! If you'd like to help keep new episodes of the podcast coming, please visit http://livingmarriages.com to make a charitable donation. Thank you!
Tuesday May 20, 2025
Tuesday May 20, 2025
"We are on the same team!"
This one simple truth has the power to transform our marriages and bring us greater unity. Yet, it is a truth that eludes us as so often we find ourselves seeing our spouse as the problem, rather than being able to confront the problem together with our spouse.
In this episode, we chat about:
How easy it is for us to forget that we are on the same team
God's invitation to shift our mindset to one of unity
How making the time and effort to connect with one another is an important key to unity
We also discuss the Edmonton Oilers latest Stanley Cup playoff run and what we can learn in our marriages by Leon Draisaitl playing good defence.
Next Steps
We'd love to hear from you! If you'd like prayer for your marriage, would like us to journey with you in your marriage or have feedback or ideas for us, get in touch: info@livingmarriages.com
Support our non-profit ministry! If you'd like to help keep new episodes of the podcast coming, please visit http://livingmarriages.com to make a charitable donation. Thank you!
Thursday May 15, 2025
Thursday May 15, 2025
Do you believe that God has "better" for your marriage? Do you want to join God in discovering all he has for you?
In Episode 32, we heard from Ron and Amanda Falk about how God has invited them on the journey to discovering the freedom and sanctification he has for them in their marriage. It hasn't always been easy or smooth but it has been good.
On today's Thursday Thought, we follow up with some reflections on what sanctification might and might not be in marriage and we pray for the humility and grace we need to be open to what God wants to do in our marriages.
Grab your Bible, journal and your favourite drink and join us as we seek God's heart for our marriage!
Next steps
If you'd like prayer or support for your marriage, or even find a marriage mentor, we'd love to connect with you: info@livingmarriages.com
Please consider supporting this non-profit ministry through prayer and charitable donations. You can find out more at our website: http://livingmarriages.com
Tuesday May 13, 2025
Tuesday May 13, 2025
Counselling is often seen as a "last ditch" attempt to save a marriage that is in crisis. But what if that wasn't the only time seeing a counsellor could be beneficial?
Today's guests, Ron and Amanda Falk, began seeing a counsellor when things were actually pretty OK in their marriage and have enjoyed incredible growth and fruit in their marriage because of it!
In today's episode we chat about:
The benefits of counselling in helping them understand themselves and each other better and how their communication has improved
How counselling did help in a time of crisis as well
God's heart for marriage as a place of hope and freedom and their call from God to become marriage mentors
Resources
One tool that they mentioned has been helpful for them is the "Ultimate Intimacy App" designed by a Christian couple. You can find more information on that app here:
https://ultimateintimacy.com/
To become a marriage mentor (or find mentors) in Canada, please visit:
https://www.familylifecanada.com/become-a-homebuilder/#become-a-marriage-mentor
Next Steps
If you'd like to get a hold of us, we'd love to hear from you: info@livingmarriages.com
We are a non-profit ministry and need your prayer and financial support to keep this podcast going! Please consider supporting us http://livingmarriages.com