I Love My Shepherd

Love and Respect Got to Do with It Article: https://blog.cph.org/read/everyday-faith/whats-love-and-respect-got-to-do-with-it Read Ephesians 4:32 and Ephesians 5:21. How do each verse impact the whole of how we understand love and respect within our marriages? How is respect important in a marriage? How is love important in a marriage? How do the two overlap? Which is the most challenging for you – assuming the best in your spouse, talking nicely when emotions are high, or dealing with submission in concept or reality? Wellness Exercise: How do you make decisions in your marriage? Where do you see love and respect in this process? How can you bring more love and respect, as well as grace, into this process? YouTube Video Link: https://youtu.be/xjQ2bRgJzz0 YouTube extras: Find other Always Growing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCryz1QG5wDu1HWaapevYFOIUiwXEm1IC Find more marriage and relationship resources at: https://heidigoehmann.com/relationships Follow us on social media: https://www.face

Why the First Year of Marriage is So Hard Article: https://blog.cph.org/read/family/first-year-marriage-stinkin-hard Radio spot: https://www.kfuo.org/2017/12/01/faf-120117-first-year-marriage-hard/   What memories do you have from your first year of marriage? Be sure to include at least one hard memory and one happy memory.   What kinds of things do you think can or do make that first year of marriage more growth-oriented?   How did you respect and create your own new family in your first few years of marriage? What would you do differently if you had it to over again?   Wellness exercise: What can you celebrate about one another today? Take turns telling your spouse three ways they make your life better.   More on leaving and cleaving: https://youtu.be/M7V5OIixM_I   YouTube Video Link: https://youtu.be/LLQe5E9mwG4   Find other Always Growing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCryz1QG5wDu1HWaapevYFOIUiwXEm1IC   Find more marriage and relationship resources at: https://heidigoehmann.com/relatio

Treasuring Up in Marriage Read Luke 2:16-19 What kinds of things do you think Mary was pondering or treasuring up?   What kinds of things in marriages, in general, are helpful to “treasure up”?   What kinds of things can you treasure up in your own marriage? What moments are in the treasure store of your marriage?   Wellness exercise: When you look across the difficult times in your marriage or life together, consider 2-3 things that can be treasured up from those experiences together. YouTube Video Link: https://youtu.be/3_MM6Rn38j4   Find other Always Growing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCryz1QG5wDu1HWaapevYFOIUiwXEm1IC   Find more marriage and relationship resources at: https://heidigoehmann.com/relationships   Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/heidigoehmanwrites https://www.instagram.com/heidigoehmann/ https://twitter.com/HeidiGoehmann   Hit subscribe to get the marriage conversations in your podcast or YouTube feed. Download the Talk Sheets under "Resources on Marriag

What to Do When Your Spouse Gets on Your Nerves   How do kindness and a sense of humor help when talking about difficult things or prickly things in marriage?   Read Matthew 7:3-5. What kinds of things do you think are worth discussing and getting upset about in marriage and life, and what kinds of things are not?     What is the difference between internally reflecting and responding when your spouse gets on your nerves?     Wellness exercise: Kindly discuss one thing you each do that gets on the other’s nerves and utilize the question, “Why does this bother me?” to reflect on the internal value is wrapped up in the irritability? Or consider the question, “How should we deal with this together?”     YouTube Video Link: Podcast episode: 30           YouTube extras: Find other Always Growing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCryz1QG5wDu1HWaapevYFOIUiwXEm1IC   Find more marriage and relationship resources at: https://heidigoehmann.com/relationships Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.

Love & Honor Your Mother-in-Law How does our culture represent mother-in-laws?   Read Genesis 2:24-25. Brainstorm any relationships impacted by leaving and cleaving and what impacts you see in your own marriage.   How can we care for one another in the family through the transition of leaving and cleaving?     Wellness exercise: Name a few ways your own marriage has been impacted in both positive and more challenging ways by in law relationships. Rejoice over the gifts those relationships have brought and pray over at least one of the ways those relationships are challenging.   YouTube Video Link: https://youtu.be/M7V5OIixM_I   YouTube extras: Find other Always Growing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCryz1QG5wDu1HWaapevYFOIUiwXEm1IC   Find more marriage and relationship resources at: https://heidigoehmann.com/relationships Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/heidigoehmanwrites https://www.instagram.com/heidigoehmann/ https://twitter.com/HeidiGoehmann   Hit subscribe to get

When Contempt Threatens Describe contempt in your own words. Which aspects of contempt stick out to you the most?   What does respect do for a marriage?   Consider the list of concrete ways contempt is given. Which of these strongly effect you, no matter where they are given?   Read 2nd Samuel 6:16-23. What emotions are behind Michal’s contempt?     Wellness Exercise: Watch a tv show together and watch for ways the characters show contempt in home life. Imagine ways together that they might recover from each of those moments of contempt.   Resources: Love and Respect Workbook https://www.gottman.com/blog/this-one-thing-is-the-biggest-predictor-of-divorce/   Youtube video link: https://youtu.be/_ONqehzZBEE   YouTube extras: Find other Always Growing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCryz1QG5wDu1HWaapevYFOIUiwXEm1IC   Find more marriage and relationship resources at: https://heidigoehmann.com/relationships Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/heidigoehmanwrites https://www.instagr

Will You Fight for Me? What do you each remember most about your wedding?   In what ways do you fight for one another in your marriage?   How is forgiveness part of fighting for one another in marriage?   How do you show each other you are fighting for one another? Wellness exercise: Make a list together of three things you value together in your marriage and discuss concrete ways you fight for these things in your marriage, or new ways you can prioritize them in your marriage.   YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/hqIwmHkAyks   YouTube extras: Find other Always Growing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCryz1QG5wDu1HWaapevYFOIUiwXEm1IC   Find more marriage and relationship resources at: https://heidigoehmann.com/relationships Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/heidigoehmanwrites https://www.instagram.com/heidigoehmann/ https://twitter.com/HeidiGoehmann   Hit subscribe to get the marriage conversations in your podcast or YouTube feed.   Download the Talk Sheets under "Resources

Three Places to Never Argue Questions: Where have you argued and it hasn’t gone well?   When and how have you experienced struggles in arguing in any of the three places: Riding in the car In the bedroom (especially preparing for bed) In front of other adults   What value is there in letting an argument rest a bit? Why is this hard at times?     Wellness exercise: Consider what are two of your “hot button” topics that often lead to arguments in your house and use Galatians 5:13-15 to pray for these two topics.     Arguing in front of children article: https://blog.cph.org/read/everyday-faith/argue-front-children-naked-unashamed-disagreement     YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/NE90yRjctKI   YouTube extras: Find other Always Growing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCryz1QG5wDu1HWaapevYFOIUiwXEm1IC   Find more marriage and relationship resources at: https://heidigoehmann.com/relationships Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/heidigoehmanwrites https://www.instagram.com/heidig

A Marriage that Bends Questions: What magic answers are out there for marriage? What magic answers do you think people utilize to get to marriage growth?   How can 1st Corinthians 8:1 inform our marriages?   What things in the world attempt to “break” our marriage? Where is the comfort in knowing that God doesn’t break us or our marriage?   How do you get the oxygen of Christ into your marriage, even as He is already a part of it when we don’t see it in the busy every day?   YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/7XMkDYYnpks   Wellness exercise: Whether it takes 1 minute or 30 minutes each day, identify one way to add a little more Jesus into your marriage every day for the next week or month.   YouTube extras: Find other Always Growing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCryz1QG5wDu1HWaapevYFOIUiwXEm1IC   Find more marriage and relationship resources at: https://heidigoehmann.com/relationships Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/heidigoehmanwrites https://www.instagram.com/heidigoe

Why Repair Attempts Matter Questions: What topics of things poke at us and start a negative slide or cycle in arguments?   How do you usually switch gears or change focuses when you are having an argument and need to relieve some pressure from the conversation?   What repair attempts might you use intentionally? What repair attempts might you be using subconsciously?   Wellness exercise: Create a catch phrase or code word to utilize as a repair attempt that you can use intentionally and then practice using it for one week at least.     *iCarly show reference: https://icarly.fandom.com/wiki/IWant_My_Website_Back   YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/G6WvVt2ZNt0   Find Always Growing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCryz1QG5wDu1HWaapevYFOIUiwXEm1IC   Find more marriage and relationship resources at: https://heidigoehmann.com/relationships Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/heidigoehmanwrites https://www.instagram.com/heidigoehmann/ https://twitter.com/HeidiGoehmann   Hit subscr

Grouchiness in Marriage   Questions: What makes you grouchy? Especially in marriage, keeping a household, and family life?   How does the law motivate in marriage, or does it?   How does the gospel motivate more fully or better in marriage? What does the gospel look like when you’d like to see a change in your marriage?   Wellness exercise: Identify one change you’d like to see in your marriage. Consider what the Law would communicate about that problem and what the Gospel communicates about that problem. Where might you start with a Gospel oriented solution?   YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/t1xItqqh1dE   Find Always Growing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCryz1QG5wDu1HWaapevYFOIUiwXEm1IC   Find more marriage and relationship resources at: https://heidigoehmann.com/relationships Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/heidigoehmanwrites https://www.instagram.com/heidigoehmann/ https://twitter.com/HeidiGoehmann   Hit subscribe to get the marriage conversations in your podcas

Who are Your Marriage Rockstars?   Who do we look to in our culture(s) or as couples to tell us what marriage should look like or be like?   Read John 6:67-68. Where does God tell us to go?   What difference does the Word of God make in discerning what our marriages should look like?   Who are your marriage rockstars?   Wellness exercise: If you currently have marriage mentors, give them a call, a card, or a text to say hello and check in. Try asking them a question like, “Who taught you what you know about marriage?” or “What Bible verses or passages have been helpful for you to understand marriage better?” If you do not have marriage mentors, identify together who might make a good couple to ask for mentoring from… then ask. Define what that relationship will look like for both couples involved – is it casual - just watching to grow - should there be check ins, etc?     YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/dJoFd0Hv5Sk Podcast episode: 22     YouTube extras: Find other Always Growing videos: https://www.yout

The Power of Pursuit   What are your communications like on a day to day basis?   What parts of the statement, “Pursuit is still necessary,” do you agree or disagree with?   What benefits are there to still pursuing our spouse in marriage?   Song of Songs 8:5-6   What gets in the way of sacrificially pursuing our spouse, both personally and for people in general?   Wellness exercise: Consider two ways you can sacrificially pursue your spouse this week and engage in carrying one of them out in the next seven days.    YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/SfGpVXWP0Xc Find other Always Growing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCryz1QG5wDu1HWaapevYFOIUiwXEm1IC   Find more marriage and relationship resources at: https://heidigoehmann.com/relationships Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/heidigoehmanwrites https://www.instagram.com/heidigoehmann/ https://twitter.com/HeidiGoehmann Hit subscribe to get the marriage conversation videos in your podcast or youtube feed. Download the Talk She

Always Growing...in Marriage Riding the Storms   What storms of life come into people’s marriages?   What kind of storms or changes have you experienced in your marriage?   Matthew 8:24-25   How can we remind one another we are in it together?   Wellness exercise: Practice praying together once a day, holding hands, for 5 days straight.   YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/g-ccQmXC-Ls

The Marriage Sandwich   What might your marriage sandwich check-ins look like?   What rituals of connection do you already have?   How does your stage of life impact your ability to connect and check in with one another?   How do you ease the transitions in your days?   Wellness exercise: Consider times you have connected well and other times you have not connected well. Acknowledge both to one another and ask God to forgive the hurts and praise Him for the successes.   YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/w02kj_wai0s Reference: gottman.com

Marriage and the Fallen World   How does the culture around you view people?   How do you think those cultural views impact marriages, your own and others? In other worlds, why does the fallen world matter in marriage?   John 1:16   What opportunity do you see in recognizing the fallenness in your own marriage? Where do you see grace alive in your marriage?   Wellness exercise: Consider three ways you can bring more grace and forgiveness in your marriage today.   YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/G1qFctomDZ8   Find more marriage and relationship resources at: https://heidigoehmann.com/relationships Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/heidigoehmanwrites https://www.instagram.com/heidigoehmann/ https://twitter.com/HeidiGoehmann     Download the Talk Sheets under "Resources on Marriage" at https://heidigoehmann.com/relationships

Same and Different   What is the same about the two of you?   What is different about the two of you?   Ephesians 2:10   What are the tattoo discussions in your marriage?   How can do we grow by talking things out and how do we grow by letting something go for a time?   Wellness exercise: Celebrate your sameness and your differences together today in some way.   YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/R6bbcf_9NPc

Unpacking the baggage of the word “Church” What is it? Body of Christ, believers, gathering around the Word together The church in transformation Very basic: Matthew 18:20 local community Gathering/meeting together Moderate concept: Little c and Big C Church The family unit as mini-church Encouraging and building one another up Hebrews 10:24-25 Acts 2:46-47 Colossians 3:16 Advanced: We will all look different as individuals and as churches We have different functions and contexts Romans 12:4-5

Question of the day: Is God too serious? God has a sense of humor, which is one of the reasons we have a sense of humor.   Why do we have a hard time seeing God as playful?   Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” Psalm 126:2 Psalm 126   God’s promise of salvation includes our mourning turning to laughter. Laughter is good for our physical and mental health.   Ecclesiastes 3:4: “A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”  There is a time for everything, including laughter We are created by God to have a sense of humor it’s good for our physical and mental health   He who sits in the heavens laughs Psalm 2:4 Psalm 2 This is not yin/yang. There is no equal power. God laughs at our attempts to live our own way. It’s better to live his way.   Question of the day: Is God too serious? God has a sense of humor, which is one of the reasons we have a sense of humor.   Why d

Episode 15 – Ten Minutes of Journey Growth-orientation of the faith walk: God bringing me from where I’m at to where He wants me to be.   Long history of journeying in Scripture, since the garden of Eden and onward:   Hebrews 11:9-11   1 Chronicles 29:15 – Old Testament understanding of journeying Distraction culture, good tools, and dialing into the journey   Journey through many different landscapes Looking for different directions   Proverbs 3:5–6 Proverbs 16:9   We anguish over making the right decisions sometimes too much. Take the next faithful step, and trust that God’s got this. Romans 8:28   Moving to thinking spiritually Ephesians 2:19-20