The Legendary Marriage Podcast

Shawn and Addie share how they started their friendship as teens in a church ministry and developed their love on a spiritual and emotional level, before they ever started dating, by putting their faith first in their relationship. Because they were both enrolled in an internship and were going through college, dating was not always an option for them, even though they knew they’d marry some day. They share how as a married couple, they continue to talk about all the tough subjects like race, money and kids.  They have a strategy to pay off all debt and save to make an impact, by living off one salary. They continue to put each other and God first in their lives. Show Highlights: * Fighting suicide with love * Building trust, during a long distance relationship * Navigating a bi-racial relationship * Living off one salary to build their dreams * Saving money to create a huge impact * Talking about all the tough stuff: nothing off the table Talk About It: And now the “talk about it” segment of the show. Every week we challenge you to set a time with your spouse to have a conversation that matters. Here’s your conversation starter: What did your faith look like as a teenager? This episode sponsored by: Indecision Coach – find it on the App Store today, and bring some fun to your next date night!

Tammy and Joel started their relationship through an online service, but it only took off from there. They took the time to become amazing friends, fall in love and even share poetry and songs together. They also share challenges like getting married and immediately having no income, while navigating merging into a new mixed family. Joel will share how he and Tammy’s son forged their own relationship, but not without some struggles.  And how building a lawnmower shed challenged how they saw the balance of power in their marriage. Most of all this conversation challenges us to put petty annoyances and differences aside and love our spouse. Show Highlights:  * The joy of riding the motorcycle together * Meeting online, waiting for the right moment * Writing poetry back and forth to each other * Refusing to embrace the dating strategy for a future wife * Love notes on the fridge * Singing together * The joys of becoming a stepparent * Newlyweds with no jobs * How building a shed changed their relationship Talk About It: And now the “talk about it” segment of the show. Every week we challenge you to set a time with your spouse to have a conversation that matters. Here’s your conversation starter: What’s an element of your dating life that you’d like to reincorporate into your marriage?

Whether your house is heading back to school or just the changing of seasons, change is in the air.  Justin and Danielle talk about the challenges that come with the back to school season and how to bless your family, instead of stress them. They identify 3 key stresses including, exhaustion, schedule change and stretching the finances.  Each of these can be flipped from a negative to a positive, by embracing the new season.  Knowing yourself, loving your spouse and living on purpose can help you to come closer together in a season fraught with chaos. Show Highlights: * Attitudes quickly change from excitement to overwhelming junk show * Managing our own exhaustion and triggers can bring more joy to chaos * Shifting schedules and setting alarms can start your day off on the wrong foot * Our back to school hustle helps make our decisions for us * Saying yes or no to the PTA * How summer overspending can lead to fights * Financial conversations can be put on the back burner, but bite you in the end   Talk About It: And now the “talk about it” segment of the show. Every week we challenge you to set a time with your spouse to have a conversation that matters. Here’s your conversation starter: What is the biggest challenge/ change in this back to school season?  How do you want to face it?

Alan and Julie Briggs sit down to share some of their story, and it’s a blast. From date night themes to adoption to personality conflicts, and a shared mission to help build up leaders, Alan and Julie are just the kind of #framily we love!   About Alan and Julie Briggs: Alan Briggs is crazy about helping leaders discover who they were designed to be and how they can impact others. He curates a space for connection and collaboration among leaders called 719 Commons (719commons.com). He is the Director of Frontline Church Planting (www.frontlinechurchplanting.com), the Multiplying Pastor at Vanguard Church (www.vanguardchurch.org) and the Lead Creative at Stay Forth Designs (www.stayforth.com) where he coaches leaders and consults with organizations to discover health and reach more impact. He’s a dad to four amazing kids and husband to one amazing wife. His books Staying is the New Going (2015), Guardrails (2016) Everyone’s a Genius (2017) and The Right-Side Up Leader (2018) help leaders catch a bigger vision for their life. Julie Briggs has a Master’s Degree in Counseling and is currently working at a foster care agency in Colorado Springs. She is wife to Alan and mom to four kids (ages 14, 10, 7, 4) Julie has long been passionate about family and adoption (two of their four children were adopted). She loves studying and understanding temperament and hardwiring. Through Stay Forth Designs Julie teaches classes on the Enneagram and has also studied the Myers Briggs Type Indicator extensively. She loves helping people understand how they were built and why they function in the world the way they do. Show Highlights: * What do you want from me? * Creating themed dates * Learning from the taco * Hating the rut! * The adoption letter * Not treating each other as enemies * Appreciating each other’s strengths * Creating impact by getting leaders healthy * Danger of the slow fade Talk About It: And now the “talk about it” segment of the show. Every week we challenge you to set a time with your spouse to have a conversation that matters. The guests today shared about choosing a positive mindset. Where is a place you’ve been focusing on the negative and you’d rather choose a positive mindset? Join The Movement: Three ways to become a part of the mission of Legendary Marriage: * Subscribe, rate & review the show on iTunes. * Join the Community on Facebook * Check out our FREE resources

In this conversation, we talk with Lara McElderry, Host of the Married to Doctors Podcast.  And she dives into the unique challenges of being married to a doctor, as well as the shifts she had to have in her mindset, when it comes to equating time with love, student loan debt with stress, wealth with snobbery and finding her identity, when she had to continually leave her career behind. The Married to Doctors podcast is a space where people from all different backgrounds can find a community, explore solutions and share stories about the unique challenges that come from being in a relationship with someone choosing a career in the medical profession.  The host of Married to Doctors is Lara McElderry, who has been navigating the medical world for the last sixteen years as she’s supported her husband through medical school, residency, a specialty change, fellowship, as well as raising five boys. She hopes the podcast will inspire others to share and implement ideas for how to make successful homes happier. Show Highlights: * Falling in love over split pea soup * Does time equal love? * Debunking the myths about doctor families * Finding you identity, when you must leave your career * Doctor’s families can be shackled with debt * Power of choosing your perspective * Embracing cross country moves   About Lara McElderry Lara McElderry studied Family and Consumer Science and graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Masters Degree in Teaching. She has worked with youth and adults and has a strong interest in family dynamics.  Lara has been navigating the medical world for the last sixteen years as she has supported her husband through medical school, residency, a specialty change, fellowship, as well as raising five boys. She is the founder and podcast host of Married To Doctors. Her show is an interview based weekly podcast.  Spouses of physicians share their stories and experts share advice as Lara leads a discussion asking personal and hard questions that explore the joys and challenges of being Married to Doctors.   Talk About It: The guest today, Lara McElderry, shared about choosing a positive mindset. Where is a place you’ve been focusing on the negative and you’d rather choose a positive mindset?   Listen Now: 

The idea of intentional living is all over the place – coaches, churches, and motivational speakers love to talk about life purpose, living on mission, and making an impact in your world, but what does that really look like in the context of the average couple? Today we’re diving deep into Living on Purpose in your marriage. Show Highlights:  * The Busyness of life * Finding a Hustle * Creating your Legacy Statement * Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod * The SASHET Checkin Talk About It:  Have a conversation with your spouse, and start with a simple question: What is the Legacy we want to create together? AS ALWAYS, We are talking about all the hot topics from the podcast, and so much more over in our FREE community on Facebook. so come join the conversation at legendarymarriage.com/community Announcements:   Join the waitlist for more information about our new resource – The Family Legacy e-Course! We want to help more couples have conversations that matter, so If you love the show, then please let us know- jump on over to iTunes, to subscribe, rate and review the show so we know how we’re doing and other couples can find us. Listen Now

Loving your spouse isn’t always easy, especially when we don’t know how. It comes down to 3 things: 1. Having conversations that matter 2. Growing together 3. Doing things together. Listen in as we unpack the mysteries of love and romance, or at least give you a clearer picture of what it takes to love your spouse well. Show Highlights:  * Having conversations that matter * Growing together * Doing things together * The SASHET Checkin * Relational Needs * Erotic Blueprint Talk About It:  Have a conversation with your spouse, and start with a simple question: What does it look like for me to love you well? AS ALWAYS, We are talking about all the hot topics from the podcast, and so much more over in our FREE community on Facebook. so come join the conversation at legendarymarriage.com/community We want to help more couples have conversations that matter, so If you love the show, then please let us know- jump on over to iTunes, to subscribe, rate and review the show so we know how we’re doing and other couples can find us. Listen Now

Developing Emotional Intelligence is essential to building a Legendary Marriage. It this episode, we share about how Knowing yourself is so important, and not all that hard. Show Highlights: *  Wiring and Wounding * Discovering your Core Identity * Do your Work Talk About It:  Where are your blindspots sabotaging your marriage, career and life? AS ALWAYS, We are talking about all the hot topics from the podcast, and so much more over in our FREE community on Facebook. so come join the conversation at legendarymarriage.com/community Finally: We want to help more couples have conversations that matter, so If you love the show, then please let us know- jump on over to iTunes, to subscribe, rate and review the show so we know how we’re doing and other couples can find us. Listen Now:

Every marriage goes through tough times, and crisis, but imagine being diagnosed with a life threatening illness… for a third time?  That’s what happened to Glen and Debbie Kirkpatrick, authors of Overcome: A Story of Intervention, Rescue, and Redemption; Our Cancer Survivorship Journey In this conversation, Glen and Debbie Kirkpatrick share how they met and fell in love, as a young cop and a late night waitress.  They share how quickly a set up turned into a marriage, turned into a cancer diagnosis at a very young age.  Debbie relays the ups and downs of caring for young kids and a husband with cancer, while working.  Each diagnosis came with a different mindset and a different set of treatments and blessings received along the way. Glen & Debbie share how they learned to see the joy in each moment and live the life they have, not the one they expected.  They never stopped.  They adapted, used cutting edge therapies and did it all together. About Glen and Debbie Kirkpatrick  Glen D. Kirkpatrick, and his wife Debbie make their home in San Diego, California. They’ve been married for over37 years; and have three adult sons, Terrence, Trevor, and Russell; one daughter-in-law Carmen; a grandson named Zion, and a granddaughter named Isabel. Glen is a three-time, 31 year cancer survivor living with late effects from radiation and chemotherapy. He enjoys sharing what he’s learned about how to persevere in life, the importance of finding joy in each day, and the significance of living in the moment. Glen’s wife, co-survivor Debbie K. Kirkpatrick, has served as an animal health care professional for over 35 years. She wrote the chapter “Devoted” for Overcome: A Story of Intervention, Rescue, and Redemption; Our Cancer Survivorship Journey. You can find Glen & Debbie over at their WEBSITE, and on INSTAGRAM. Show Highlights: * Dating at the 24 hour diner * Overwhelmed by the thought of death * Navigating cancer treatment together * Celebrating remission * Certain second diagnosis was death * Hospitalized for depression * What to say to friends with cancer * Establishing beautiful communication * Effect of cancer on parenting Talk About It:  Where can you find a blessing in the midst of a crappy situation? AS ALWAYS, We are talking about all the hot topics from the podcast, and so much more over in our FREE community on Facebook. so come join the conversation at legendarymarriage.com/community Finally: We want to help more couples have conversations that matter, so If you love the show, then please let us know- jump on over to iTunes, to subscribe, rate and review the show so we know how we’re doing and other couples can f...

What happens when you have 2 kids under 2 years old, you adopt one more—right?  Well that’s just what today’s guests did.  Even though their families were sure they’d gone crazy, Ruthie and Jon felt STRONGLY that God was calling them to adoption, so they began the process… And that’s where the story gets interesting…   About Ruthie & Jon Hart: Ruthie and Jon Hart, parents to 3 littles that came to them in 3 years. Ruthie is a stay at home mom with an addiction to anything monogrammed and have recently launched a side business to fuel her creative juices. Jon loves classic cars, basketball, and getting on the floor with the kiddos. They are an adoptive family and love sharing our story and how God has strengthened their marriage through the adoption process. As a couple they love to be active together, traveling, eat at hole in the wall restaurants, and play games… lots of games. You can find Ruthie and Jon over on Instagram. Show Highlights: * How Dating an intern changed Jon’s life * How God called them to adoption through their friends * The Importance of friends’ support through the adoption process * Dealing with the loss of their adopted baby * Hopping a plane to Vegas on a Friday night * Loving to share Gideon’s adoption story * Splitting night feedings 50/50 for the first time Talk About It:  What is something God has put into your heart and He continually calls you to do?  Even though it may be risky. AS ALWAYS, We are talking about all the hot topics from the podcast, and so much more over in our FREE community on Facebook. so come join the conversation at legendarymarriage.com/community Finally: We want to help more couples have conversations that matter, so If you love the show, then please let us know- jump on over to iTunes, to subscribe, rate and review the show so we know how we’re doing and other couples can find us. Listen Now:

Do you and your spouse ever dream of cashing it all in, and traveling around the world? What could you experience? What could you learn about the world, and about each other? Is it possible? Well, today’s guests, World travelers, Matt and Nikki Javit share their insights from 2 years of living that dream together. About Matt and Nikki Javit: Founders of Passport Joy, Matt and Nikki Javit share a blog and a podcast while on their full-time journey around the world.  Their goal is to immerse into the local culture, explore beautiful places and give back and help others along the way. On February 21, 2017, with a single backpack each, they flew to Santiago, Chile with the one-way ticket that would start their journey around the world. They are checking off bucket list locations like Machu Picchu, Galapagos Islands, The Sistine Chapel, and The Taj Mahal, and creating new exciting lists every week on where we want to explore next. During our stays, they find creative ways to keep down their costs (we are on a budget), get involved in the communities, and network with locals while having a blast! Their story as a traveling couple is a bit different from others that are doing the same because they’ve been married for 12 years, saved like crazy to make it happen, and have worked for an extended period in the corporate setting, before embarking on the journey. You can find Matt & Nikki at their WEBSITE, on Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin. Show Highlights: * 2 guys and 2 girls enter a bar …and both come out with their soulmates! * How do you know this is your forever person? * How Istanbul planted the seed for a lifetime of travel * Banking savings to save for travel * Be present where you are * Importance of traveling with the sun * How to determine the next city to explore * Travel food for a vegan? * Tricked into eating a goat’s head * Unsafe corners of the world   Talk About It: What would it look like if you and your family could take an epic adventure, with no restraints? Next Steps: AS ALWAYS, We are talking about all the hot topics from the podcast, and so much more over in our FREE community on Facebook. so come join the conversation at legendarymarriage.com/community Listen Now:

Do you ever find yourself holding back important stuff from your spouse?  Maybe you don’t say the thing that needs to be said.  Maybe you don’t fully let go in the bedroom.  Maybe you’re just trying not to rock the boat.  That fear is keeping you from having that intimacy and connection you desire.  Today’s guest, Chief WildWoman Tonya Whittle shares how we can turn fear into courage. In this conversation, Tonya shares how her past led to her continuing to bring fear into her marriage, with holding and isolating from her husband.   Tonya shares the 5 main fears we are letting harm our marriages –  fears of intimacy, trust, being seen, vulnerability,  and rejection are creating a wall that stop us from having a true, deep, intimate connection with our spouses.  We will talk about how to step out of fear and fully step into courage and change the entire landscape of our marriage.   Show Highlights: * Fear can look like freeze mode * Past triggers current day fear * Conscious vs. unconscious sex * Sharing your sexual past with your spouse * Saying the hard things * Bringing anger to your spouse, because of a past event Talk About It: If you’ve been walking on eggshells lately, it might be time to have a courageous conversation. Set a time with your spouse, when you can both focus, and talk it out. Don’t let isolation creep into your relationship! Next Steps: AS ALWAYS, We are talking about all the hot topics from the podcast, and so much more over in our FREE community on Facebook. so come join the conversation at legendarymarriage.com/community Listen Now:

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you this very special Father’s Day roundtable conversation. Listen in Justin’s conversation with 3 other fathers as we talk  about growing up in different eras, celebrating our fathers, and talking about the challenges of fatherhood today. Being a dad can be tough, and I (Justin) am so blessed to have a bunch of other guys in it with me. Today’s show is just an honest, raw conversation about fathers and fatherhood with 3 of the best guys I know. Show Highlights:  A boy’s first dog Getting to know dad as an adult Favorite Dad memories The importance of showing up Don’t be an angry dad Seeing Dad’s humanity Giving kids a sense of identity Being a compass Talk About It:  Have a conversation with your spouse about what wisdom you want to pass along to your kids. Next Steps: AS ALWAYS, We are talking about all the hot topics from the podcast, and so much more over in our FREE community on Facebook. so come join the conversation at legendarymarriage.com/community Listen Now:

Are you getting enough rest? How often do you find yourself exhausted – even despite a good night’s sleep. Our Guest today, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is the author of Sacred Rest, and she’s here to tells us about the 7 different types of rest, and how you might be missing out.  We’ll explore how being well rested is the best way to bring your whole self to your marriage. About Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is a board-certified internal medicine physician and has an active medical practice near Birmingham, Alabama. She received her B.S. in Biochemistry at the University of Georgia and graduated with honors from Meharry Medical College in Nashville. She has been an adjunct faculty member at Baker College and Davenport University in Michigan teaching courses on health, nutrition, and disease progression. She is an international media resource on the mind, body, spirit connection and featured in Prevention, MSNBC, Women’s Day, Redbook, First For Women, and numerous other media outlets.You can find Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith at her Website, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Show Highlights: * Sleep alone can not leave you fully rested * There are 7 types of rest * Practicing body fluidity * Mind dumping is a must * Expressing emotions to a friend is restful * Importance of eye to eye contact * Does your spouse really drain you? * Pruning the toxic people * Declaring the past as “good” * Importance of silence Talk About It: What you have “in the tank” is what you bring to your marriage and your conversations. If peopel are driving you crazy, check your levels first. Take the REST QUIZ and discuss how you can try your top 2 needed types of rest. Next Steps: AS ALWAYS, We are talking about all the hot topics from the podcast, and so much more over in our FREE community on Facebook. so come join the conversation at legendarymarriage.com/community If you’re curious about StrenghtsFinder, you can get the StrengthsFinder 2.0 Book w/ 1 Assessment Code HERE. And Additional StrengthsFinder Assessment Codes HERE. Listen Now:

In this conversation, StrengthsFinder Coach Eric Williams reveals the 3 myths we believe about bringing the strongest version of ourselves to our marriage and life. We’ve been believing that we are always changing, able to strengthen areas of weakness and become a well-rounded person and NONE of those are true. During this conversation we learn how to leverage our spouses strengths, as well as our own to make our team and unstoppable force.  By focusing on weakness and trying to change the other person, we are effectively hitting our head against a wall.  Eric gives us a fresh perspective to bring out the best in both of us. Show Highlights: * Focus on your strengths, not weakness * Relating better to one child than another * Strengths vs. skills * How to wield your strength in an area of weakness * Reasons you should not be a soccer coach * Do you change as you get older? * Your strengths may be where you’re irritating others * Judging people based on your own strengths About Eric Williams: As a StoryBrand Certified Guide, Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, and experienced Marketing and Communications professional, Eric uses the power of story and proven methods backed by the Gallup organization to develop and implement communication and leadership development strategies that help individuals and teams understand each other in order to be more engaged at home, at work, and in their relationships. You can find Eric at his Website, on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. Talk About It: Take some time this week and discuss this episode with your spouse. Here are the 4 talking points to get you started: 1. You get the best of me when… 2. You get the worst of me when… 3. You can count on me to… 4. Here’s what I need from you… Next Steps: AS ALWAYS, We are talking about all the hot topics from the podcast, and so much more over in our FREE community on Facebook. so come join the conversation at legendarymarriage.com/community If you’re curious about StrenghtsFinder, you can get the StrengthsFinder 2.0 Book w/ 1 Assessment Code HERE. And Additional StrengthsFinder Assessment Codes HERE. Listen Now: