Doing Marriage Well

Happy Thanksgiving From Our Home to Yours!

Paul and Lori spend Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends, grateful for home‑raised food and the blessings of living in community. They reflect on how shared life asks for sacrifice — less privacy and more conversation — but yields deep mutual support.Using examples like sharing vehicles when money is tight, they show how sacrifice strengthens relationships and makes marriage and family life richer. This short episode celebrates gratitude, community, and the rewards of giving.

Things You Should Never Sacrifice for Your Marriage

This episode explores the vital things you should not surrender for marriage: your faith, core beliefs, family ties, friendships, and healthy personal dreams. Drawing on biblical warnings about unequal yoking and real-life examples, it explains how slow compromises can erode your identity and faith.Learn to recognize red flags like isolation and pressure to cut off loved ones, how to set necessary boundaries with toxic people, and how to balance sacrificial love with staying true to who you are. The message emphasizes thoughtful, faith-informed choices that help couples grow together without losing themselves.

One-Sided Sacrifice: When Your Spouse Can't (Or Won't) Share the Load

This episode explores what happens when one partner makes most or all of the sacrifices in a marriage — whether due to selfishness, immaturity, illness, or an agreed choice that becomes unbalanced.Practical guidance covers expressing frustration, grieving losses, keeping an "us" perspective, setting boundaries, avoiding enabling, caring for yourself, seeking wise help, and maintaining spiritual practices. The message: sacrifice can help save a marriage, but it must be realistic, healthy, and supported.

Sacrifice for the Marriage, Not Just the Spouse

In this episode Paul explores the idea of sacrificing for the marriage itself — the "one flesh" union — rather than only for one's spouse. He explains how prioritizing what's best for the marriage changes decisions and gives practical examples like protecting boundaries, prioritizing date nights, and making hard choices about friends or moves.Through discussion, prayer, and real-life examples, Paul shows that intentional sacrifices help protect and grow a lasting marriage.

Healthy Marriages Don't Have An On/Off Sex Switch

This episode explores how healthy marriages treat sexual connection as an integrated part of everyday relationship life, rather than a separate “on-off” event. It describes how low-level sexual warmth, affectionate touch, and organic desire help partners feel seen and desired without pressure.
Practical points include accepting varied expressions of intimacy, learning to say “not now” without fear, and taking time to shift habits so sex flows naturally through daily life, improving connection for both high- and low-drive partners.

When You Can Leave, and When You Can't

Paul uses the "wrong door" metaphor to show how some life choices are reversible, but marriage is a covenant that usually calls for staying and repairing the relationship unless serious issues like adultery, abuse, or abandonment occur.He encourages non-judgmental communication, patience, prayer, and seeking help when needed, urging couples to commit to making their marriage a healthy, lasting place to live together.

Your Schedule Doesn't Lie: Make Time for Your Spouse

Doing Marriage Well — November 19, 2025: This episode explains how our schedules reflect our true priorities and why making time for your spouse matters. It covers making time for kids in meaningful ways, setting aside time for date nights and conversation, and prioritizing a healthy sexual relationship.Paul’s message is simple: you can’t do marriage well if your spouse isn’t a priority, so choose to make time for what matters most.

Whose Lane Is It, Anyway?

On the November 18, 2025 episode of Doing Marriage Well, Paul explores the idea of staying in your own lane—respecting boundaries in marriage, parenting, work, and church. He explains why intervening without authority or invitation causes conflict, and how to recognise true emergencies when stepping in is appropriate. 
Paul offers practical reminders—ask whether it’s your ‘circus’ or ‘monkey,’ avoid unnecessary criticism, and focus on your responsibilities to keep relationships healthier and less stressful.

Being the Spouse Your Partner Needs

In this episode of Doing Marriage Well, Paul explores what it means to be the spouse your partner truly needs. Rather than aiming for a perfect marriage, he encourages couples to observe, adapt, and intentionally shape their relationship so two unique people fit together over time.Paul shares how small sacrifices, stretching beyond comfort, and smoothing rough habits create a stronger bond. He reminds listeners that every marriage is different—find what matters most to your spouse and work steadily toward a marriage you both love.

Are You Being Honest About Why You Want Sex?

This episode explores the real reasons people seek sex in marriage, including motives we admit and those we hide. It encourages honest self-reflection about multiple possible motivations and recognises that some reasons feel uncomfortable but are not necessarily wrong.
The host offers practical suggestions: identify your motivations, discuss them with your spouse before or after sex, avoid using sex manipulatively, and work toward mutual understanding, so intimacy can meet both partners' needs.