Awesome Marriage Podcast

Whether you love it or hate it, you spend the majority of your waking hours doing it. And as today’s guest tells us, it’s mentioned over 800 times in the Bible: We’re talking about work.

That’s why we’re so pleased to have Jordan Raynor join us on the podcast today to talk about how your work matters to God - today, every day of your life, and for eternity. This conversation will leave you inspired and encouraged to engage well with the word God is calling you to do, every single day.

We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.

Episode highlights include:

• 3 ways your everyday work matters for eternity
• Why Jordan advocates for making an “Anti-Bucket List”
• The Biblical truths of Heaven & Eternity that NO ONE is talking about
• The “abridged Gospel” that most of us believe & the implications we miss if we do
• The practical ways these deep biblical truths will impact your marriage

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!

QUOTES

• “When we understand what God’s word has to say about work, it frees us up to be exceptional both at work and at home.” - Jordan Raynor
• “While God’s word is clear that our labor in the Lord is not in vain, it also makes clear that GOd doesn’t need you or me - His purposes will not be thwarted. He does not need us, he wants us.” - Jordan Raynor
• “I can be at peace walking away from my work at the end of the day ... because I know that if the things on my to - do list are on God’s to - do list, he’s going to complete them with or without me. That’s terrifically freeing.” - Jordan Raynor
• “Scripture mentions work more than 800 times. There’s no need to doubt whether or not God cares about your work.” - Jordan Raynor
• “When you understand that 100% of your time at home and at work matters to God, you become fully alive. And this world is desperate to see people that are fully alive.” Jordan
• “I went to Christian school for 13 years. And I remember frequently sitting in chapel, and quietly dreading the thought of heaven.
• “We are called to keep watch for Christ’s return, not by sitting on our hands and waiting for heaven to drop from the sky, but by working with our hands and joining him in cultivating heaven on earth today.” - Jordan Raynor

QUESTIONS FOR YOU

• How does the Biblical idea of stewarding your time change your daily work life?

What is a gospel perspective of sexuality? It’s hard to answer, since too often, sex is not talked about in the church. Yet it’s literally everywhere in the world around us. Most couples struggle with their sex life at some point and parents are deeply concerned about helping their kids navigate the topic in a God-honoring way in the midst of all of culture’s chaos. That is why we are honored to have Dr. Juli Slattery on the podcast today, sharing her vast knowledge and wisdom on the subject. You don’t want to miss what she has to say.

Episode highlights include:

• Why a biblical worldview of sexuality is actually very freeing
• How disruptions to your sex life can become a springboard to greater intimacy
• 4 specific aspects of God’s love that should define healthy sex in marriage
• The process to engage so you can equip your kids to navigate sexuality biblically
• Encouragement for couples who are struggling in this area

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• For more great info from Juli:
• Her newest book: God, Sex, and Your Marriage
• Her podcast: Java with Juli
• Her website: authenticintimacy.com
• Books by the authors mentioned in the episode:
• Celebration of Sex, by Douglas Rosenau,
• The Married Guy’s Guide to Great Sex and Enjoy! The Gift of Sexual Pleasure for Women, both by Cliff and Joyce Penner
• Refresh your marriage this fall with the 4th Annual Online Marriage Retreat. The retreat is live NOW! This year’s theme is Refresh: Break Through the Barriers to an Awesome Marriage. It’s packed with teaching sessions from our amazing speakers to bring you practical ways to break through the barriers that keep your marriage from being awesome. Click HERE for all the details!
• Set your marriage up for better satisfaction in the bedroom when you get your head in the game with the Think Sex Challenge!

Dr. Kim has said that prayer is the #1 most impactful thing you can do for your marriage. Today he explains why that is, and how to make it a habit in your marriage. Today we want to make praying with your spouse more approachable by sharing 4 biblical prayers to pray with your spouse that will grow your marriage.

The Bible lists a lot of reasons for marriage, and praying in line with God’s purpose and intention for marriage is very powerful.

We pray this episode is helpful for you and your marriage.

Episode highlights include:

• Why prayer is an essential act of spiritual protection against the enemy
• Why it’s so hard to get started, and how to overcome
• Healthy perspective shifts praying will provide in your marriage
• How to handle some of the uncomfortable realities of answered prayers
• The power of prayer to help you take personal responsibility

*Music for this podcast is created by Noah Copeland. Check him out here!

QUOTES

• “Praying together puts God where he wants to be in our marriage: Right in the center of it. - Dr. Kim Kimberling
• “The enemy does not want Christian marriages to work.” - Dr. Kim Kimberling
• “When you pray together you find that it unites you.” - Dr. Kim Kimberling
• “There’s a ripple effect: It’s not just about the couple, it’s about the family; it’s about the community.” - Lindsay Few
• “I am more of who God created me to be after being married to Nancy all these years than I would have been without her.” - Dr. Kim Kimberling
• “God put us together. He’s got some fun stuff for us to do. Let’s look out and let’s get this stuff going!” - Lindsay Few
• Blame is a very human response...but we all have a way we can influence the world. We do have control over how we’re responding to God’s call on us.” - Lindsay Few

QUESTIONS FOR YOU

4 Prayers to Pray together:

• Protection from the enemy of our souls
• That your marriage will sharpen you
• Pray that your marriage be fruitful
• That your marriage will be a light

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Our 21 Prayers for Building An Awesome Marriage makes it simple to make prayer a regular part of your marriage <3
• Find more prayers to grow your marriage in the 7 Prayers YouVersion Bible reading plan

This week on the Awesome Marriage Podcast we have professional counselor, speaker, and author of True Love Dates, Debra Fileta joining Dr. Kim as they talk about the foundations for healthy dating and the church's role when it comes to dating.

Debra is happily married to John and they have two beautiful children, Elijah and Ella. Debra is a licensed professional counselor who specializes in dating, marriage, and relationship issues. She is a writer and regular contributor of Relevant Magazine and Crosswalk.com as well as author of True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life.

RESOURCES

True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life is a practical book on dating and a great resource for dating couples or singles preparing to date.

Two other great resources by Debra:

21 Days to Jump Start Your Love Life

21 Days to Pray for Your Love Life

You can hear more great insights from Debra on her blog. You can also follow her on Twitter!

This is an Ask Dr. Kim segment on the Awesome Marriage Podcast. People submit their questions about love, relationships, and marriage to Dr. Kim and he answers them.

In this episode Dr. Kim answers the question: My spouse wants me home more but I have to work hard to pay the bills. What should I do?

Tune in to find out!