Dating and Desire Podcast

Bridgett and Lauren sit down for an honest conversation about one of dating's most loaded phrases: "don't waste my time." They unpack where that posture comes from, why it often reveals more about our own fear than about a potential partner, and what it really looks like to date from a place of groundedness rather than self-protection.Underneath the urgency to know everything on date two is usually something tender. Maybe a fear of getting hurt, a belief that you only have so much of yourself to give, or a lingering message from purity culture that connection itself is a kind of loss. When we hand someone else the job of protecting our time, we quietly give away the discernment that was ours to carry all along.The invitation here is to take that responsibility back. Bridgett and Lauren talk about what it means to say yes to one hour, one coffee, one honest conversation without needing to know the ending. That kind of openness asks for real integrity and formation, a willingness to stay connected to yourself, trust your internal resource, and recognize when staying would require you to get small. Growth looks less like certainty and more like the steady work of choosing yourself and the other person well.For anyone dating, this is a reframe worth sitting with. What to pay attention to is the fear that tells you to pre-decide, the urge to rescue or shrink, and the moments your body is asking you to slow down. You are allowed to have needs. You are allowed to change your mind. And the more you practice showing up honestly, the more your own discernment, clarity, and self-trust become the compass you can actually follow.Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Y_bj7WSe2DoWant help applying this to your dating life?If something in this episode resonated with you, here are two ways to go deeper depending on what you need: 🩷 Work with BridgettYou don’t need more rules. You need a deeper understanding of your sexual desire.If you still feel confused about how to navigate dating without shutting down or crossing your boundaries, Bridgett helps you build sexual self-trust and honor your values→ ⁠ RECLAIM Cohort⁠ 📓 ⁠Free Guides and Ecourse⁠ → ⁠Instagram⁠ → ⁠Website⁠  💙 Work with LaurenIf you’re feeling unsure what to do next— whether that’s meeting people, choosing who to pursue, or trusting your judgment in dating, Lauren helps you move forward with clarity and confidence.→ ⁠Book a Dating Clarity Call⁠ We’ll look at your specific situation and map out your next step. 📔 Get the free guide ⁠Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing⁠→ ⁠Instagram⁠→ ⁠Website⁠

Therapist and author Andrew Bauman joins Bridgett and Lauren to explore embodiment, sexual story work, and what it really looks like to grow into healthy, connected relationships.Together, they name the difference between understanding your story and actually experiencing healing, and why the body often carries what insight alone cannot resolve. It is a thoughtful look at how awareness, formation, and lived experience all work together in the process of change.Andrew also shares his framework for how porn can shape patterns of relating over time, along with what it looks like to move toward greater integrity, connection, and wholeness in how men relate to themselves and to women.This conversation offers a clear and compassionate lens on dating, especially for women learning how to discern what is real in a partner. What to pay attention to, what genuinely reflects growth, and how to stay connected to your own sense of clarity and trust along the way.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/j64yWeceOx0About AndrewFounder & Director of the Christian Counseling Center: For Sexual Health & Trauma (CCC), Dr. Andrew J. Bauman is a licensed mental health counselor with a Doctorate from Northeastern University.His dissertation was on studying the impact of sexism and abuse on women in the Protestant Church. Andrew is the author of seven books, his newest book is called SAFE CHURCH: What Women Can Teach Us about Sexism, Abuse and Safety within Christian Community.Connect with AndrewChristian Counseling CenterWebsiteFacebookMan Land Online Community: Use code: FOUNDING for first 200 members to get 50% off membershipWant help applying this to your dating life?If something in this episode resonated with you, here are two ways to go deeper depending on what you need: 🩷 Work with BridgettYou don’t need more rules. You need a deeper understanding of your sexual desire.If you still feel confused about how to navigate dating without shutting down or crossing your boundaries, Bridgett helps you build sexual self-trust and honor your values→ RECLAIM Cohort 📓 Free Guides and Ecourse → Instagram → Website  💙 Work with LaurenIf you’re feeling unsure what to do next— whether that’s meeting people, choosing who to pursue, or trusting your judgment in dating, Lauren helps you move forward with clarity and confidence.→ Book a Dating Clarity Call We’ll look at your specific situation and map out your next step. 📔 Get the free guide Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing→ Instagram→ WebsiteChristian men sexual healing, embodiment for men, pornographic style of relating, Andrew Bauman, sexual story work, somatic therapy Christian, porn addiction recovery Christian, emotional heavy lifting men, men's inner work, purity culture recovery, healthy masculinity, sexual sobriety Christian dating, trauma and sexuality, wise adult wounded child, under-functioning men, women over-functioning relationships, Christian men's community, Man Land Andrew Bauman, dating and desire podcast, faith and relationships, Christian therapy men, how to know if a man is emotionally healthy, lust vs healthy desire, clean anger masculinity

What if the person you love can't actually meet you where you need to be met? Therapist and author Barb Hill joins Bridgett and Lauren for a conversation that reframes what Christian compatibility really requires. Barb walks through five kinds of compatibility (emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, and how they all interact) and draws a line that changes the whole dating conversation: the difference between emotional maturity and emotional capacity. One is what you know about yourself. The other is whether you can actually do something with that knowledge when a conflict hits. Barb explains why so many promising relationships stall right in that gap, and what to look for in the first three months with someone new. The conversation gets into why curiosity is the engine of long-term love, how resentment quietly kills it, and the one question to ask yourself before ending a relationship you thought was going to last. If you've ever wondered whether you're the problem, whether you're asking too much, or whether love really is enough, this one is for you.Connect with Barb Hill📕 Get her devotional: Seasons of Waiting 🖥️ Holding Space Counseling 📱 Follow Barb on InstagramComing Up:Ready to pursue purity in dating without being weird about it? Join Bridgett for RECLAIM.Next Cohort- Starts May 9th [APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW]  Want help applying this to your dating life?If something in this episode resonated with you, here are two ways to go deeper depending on what you need: 🩷 Work with BridgettYou don’t need more rules. You need a deeper understanding of your sexual desire.If you still feel confused about how to navigate dating without shutting down or crossing your boundaries, Bridgett helps you build sexual self-trust and honor your values→ RECLAIM Cohort 📓 Free Guides and Ecourse → Instagram → Website  💙 Work with LaurenIf you’re feeling unsure what to do next— whether that’s meeting people, choosing who to pursue, or trusting your judgment in dating, Lauren helps you move forward with clarity and confidence.→ Book a Dating Clarity Call We’ll look at your specific situation and map out your next step. 📔 Get the free guide Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing→ Instagram→ WebsiteChristian dating compatibility, is love enough in relationships, emotional compatibility, emotional maturity vs emotional capacity, spiritual compatibility Christian dating, intellectual compatibility relationships, physical compatibility Christian dating, curiosity in relationships, resentment in relationships, Barb Hill therapist, Barb Hill podcast, dating and desire podcast, when to end a relationship, emotional availability, conflict resolution dating, Christian dating advice, faith and relationships podcast, Christian breakup advice, getting back together after a breakup, holding space counseling, seasons of waiting devotional

Dr. Anthony Bradley joins Bridgett and Lauren to talk about what's actually driving the crisis of young men - and why the church's standard diagnosis is wrong.Bradley traces the problem past porn and video games to a formation breakdown that started with the Industrial Revolution. When fathers left for factories and children left for schools, the developmental process that shaped boys into men for thousands of years simply stopped. The church didn't recover that ground. It replicated the separation with age-segregated ministries and accountability groups built on shame.The result is a generation of men who have checked out — not angry, just resigned. And they're not pursuing women for the same reason: they don't know who they are yet, and nobody told them they were ready.Bradley's prescription is intergenerational community and a church willing to speak identity over men instead of shame.Watch this episode on YouTubeConnect with Dr. Anthony BradleyInstagramSubstackHis BooksComing Up:Join Bridgett's ⁠RECLAIM Info Party⁠ on April 18th 🎉You'll learn her most successful tool for processing sexual desire in real timeNext ⁠Cohort⁠- Starts May 9thWant help applying this to your dating life?If something in this episode resonated with you, here are two ways to go deeper depending on what you need:🩷 Work with BridgettYou don’t need more rules. You need a deeper understanding of your sexual desire.If you still feel confused about how to navigate dating without shutting down or crossing your boundaries, Bridgett helps you build sexual self-trust and honor your values→ ⁠ RECLAIM Cohort⁠ 📓 ⁠Free Guides and Ecourse⁠ → ⁠Instagram⁠ → ⁠Website⁠ 💙 Work with LaurenIf you’re feeling unsure what to do next— whether that’s meeting people, choosing who to pursue, or trusting your judgment in dating, Lauren helps you move forward with clarity and confidence.→ ⁠Book a Dating Clarity Call⁠ We’ll look at your specific situation and map out your next step. 📔 Get the free guide ⁠Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing⁠→ ⁠Instagram⁠→ ⁠Website⁠--Follow ⁠@datinganddesire⁠ on Instagram for updates and conversation: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/datinganddesire⁠--Topics covered in this episode: Christian dating, Christian men, male disengagement, formation crisis, masculinity and faith, intergenerational discipleship, men and the church, shame in church culture, men's ministry, accountability groups, attachment and addiction, father-son relationship, Industrial Revolution family, age-segregated ministry, marriage readiness, Christian marriage, dating and desire podcast, Anthony Bradley, self-resignation, video game addiction, single Christian men, Christian women dating, pursuing marriage, biblical marriage standards, married men success, church and young men, purity culture, identity in Christ, Christian podcast, faith and relationships

Episode 11 kicks off the D&D Debrief, a new recurring format where Bridgett and Lauren answer listener questions, recap past episodes, and preview what's coming. In this first one, they tackle four real questions: how to read whether someone is safe to date, what to do when rejection keeps happening, how to talk about different physical comfort levels, and how to tell if your desire is healthy or worth paying closer attention to. They also walk back through the first 10 episodes with personal reflections and share what's ahead for the show and their coaching practices.Watch this episode on YouTubeComing Up:Join Bridgett's RECLAIM Info Party on April 18th 🎉You'll learn her most successful tool for processing sexual desire in real timeNext Cohort- Starts May 9thWant help applying this to your dating life?If something in this episode resonated with you, here are two ways to go deeper depending on what you need:🩷 Work with BridgettYou don’t need more rules. You need a deeper understanding of your sexual desire.If you still feel confused about how to navigate dating without shutting down or crossing your boundaries, Bridgett helps you build sexual self-trust and honor your values→ RECLAIM Cohort 📓 Free Guides and Ecourse → Instagram → Website 💙 Work with LaurenIf you’re feeling unsure what to do next— whether that’s meeting people, choosing who to pursue, or trusting your judgment in dating, Lauren helps you move forward with clarity and confidence.→ Book a Dating Clarity Call We’ll look at your specific situation and map out your next step. 📔 Get the free guide Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing→ Instagram→ Website--Follow @datinganddesire on Instagram for updates and conversation:https://www.instagram.com/datinganddesire--Topics covered in this episode: Christian dating podcast, dating advice for Christians, how to know if someone is safe to date, reading red flags in dating, how to handle rejection in dating, perpetual singleness, fear of being single forever, different physical boundaries in dating, how to talk about physical limits with a partner, healthy desire vs. unhealthy desire, Christian singles, dating with faith, Christian relationship advice, how to trust your body in dating, asking someone out, Christian dating Q&A, D&D Debrief, Dating and Desire podcast, Bridgett Blood, Lauren Mathues

Bridgett and Lauren pick up where they left off in the stages-of-dating series and walk through what committed relationship actually looks like - what it requires, what conversations belong here, and what most people skip until it's too late. They define what commitment means at this stage (it's not knowing you want to marry someone - it's knowing you'd regret not finding out), and then they get into the real stuff: how to have the DTR conversation, when to bring up sexual history and mental health, what it looks like to lean on each other without becoming codependent, and why Bridgett believes every couple needs outside support before the engagement conversation even starts. They also preview part two, which will cover finances, sexual boundaries, family dynamics, and how those play out inside a committed dating relationship. If you're in the thick of figuring out whether this person is someone you can build a life with, this episode gives you a framework for how to find out.--Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/68__3-ObcLQ--If you're a Christian who wants to date with clarity and self-awareness, this is where you start.📱Follow @datinganddesire on Instagram for updates and conversation.⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/datinganddesire⁠⁠⁠⁠--Connect with Bridgett:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bridgettblood/⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bridgettblood.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠Coaching | Free Resources | RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stan.store/bridgettblood/p/get-my-valuebased-boundaries-guide-⁠⁠⁠⁠--Connect with Lauren:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/laurenmathues/⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://laurenmathues.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. Get the free guide here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://laurenmathues.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠--

Bridgett and Lauren break down the first stage of dating - the part between meeting someone and deciding whether you want to be exclusive - and they want you to stop treating it like a marriage audition. Lauren shares her three-stage framework and makes the case that six to eight dates is enough time to know if you want to move forward, as long as you're actually being yourself. Bridgett talks about what she's learned to pay attention to in those first few conversations, why she stopped leading with faith questions, and how she thinks about physical connection in this stage. The two get practical about first dates, texting expectations, navigating early disagreements, and why the ability to repair matters more than the ability to avoid conflict. If dating feels impossibly high-stakes before you've even ordered coffee, this episode is the permission slip to lower the pressure and actually enjoy getting to know someone.--Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://youtu.be/xvcStD3gDp4⁠--If you're a Christian who wants to date with clarity and self-awareness, this is where you start.📱Follow @datinganddesire on Instagram for updates and conversation.⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/datinganddesire⁠⁠⁠⁠--Connect with Bridgett:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bridgettblood/⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bridgettblood.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠Coaching | Free Resources | RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stan.store/bridgettblood/p/get-my-valuebased-boundaries-guide-⁠⁠⁠⁠--Connect with Lauren:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/laurenmathues/⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://laurenmathues.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. Get the free guide here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://laurenmathues.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠--

Your job is not your calling. Your relationship status is not your worth. And singleness is not a waiting room.Malissa Mackey has spent over a decade helping people locate themselves in a better story - one where ordinary work carries real dignity, and where identity doesn't depend on job title or relationship status.In this conversation, she and the hosts dig into what the Bible actually says about work, why the church often gets singleness wrong, and how the hunger for purpose in a career and the hunger for romantic relationship come from the same place. Her answer isn't a formula. It's a reorientation.--Watch this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hp-Lf1HIElw--Malissa Mackey has served on staff with the Ministry of Cru since 1997, working with the Campus Ministry in Detroit and Chicago for 18 years, and with the City Division for the last 10 years. She directs Faith & Work Chicago in partnership with Holy Trinity Church and leads the Holy Trinity Institute for Discipleship and Mission. She cares deeply about helping people connect theology to everyday life and work. Malissa holds a Master of Arts in Theological Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry in Theology. She loves living in the Wicker Park neighborhood, exploring the great cities of the world, and cheering on her Chicago Cubs.The Burnham Fellowship - our 9-month, intensive, whole-life discipleship cohort that runs Sep - May. We'll have some info sessions coming up this Spring. Learn more here: www.faithandworkchicago.com/whatisburnhamLearn more about other upcoming events at www.faithandworkchicago.com/eventswww.faithandworkchicago.comwww.htcinstitute.orgwww.linkedin.com/in/malissa-mackeyccc--If you're a Christian who wants to date with clarity and self-awareness, this is where you start.📱Follow @datinganddesire on Instagram for updates and conversation.⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/datinganddesire⁠⁠--Connect with Bridgett:Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bridgettblood/⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠https://bridgettblood.com/⁠⁠Coaching | Free Resources | RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide: ⁠⁠https://stan.store/bridgettblood/p/get-my-valuebased-boundaries-guide-⁠⁠--Connect with Lauren:Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/laurenmathues/⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠https://laurenmathues.com/⁠⁠Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. Get the free guide here: ⁠⁠https://laurenmathues.com/⁠⁠--

David Boyajian is a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified sex addiction therapist based in San Diego. In this episode, he joins Lauren and Bridgett to talk about what lust actually is, how it differs from normal sexual awareness, and when a pattern crosses the line into addiction.David explains the practical signs of addiction, why shame often makes the problem worse, and how the brain's dopamine system plays a role in compulsive sexual behavior. He also walks through what healthy recovery looks like, why he recommends at least 90 days of sobriety before dating, and how to have an honest conversation with a partner about your sexual history.The episode covers the difference between white-knuckling sobriety and doing real internal work, the value of group therapy and 12-step programs for men, and how confidence in your own story changes the way disclosure lands in a relationship.--Watch this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AXV48EI0Kpk--Connect with David: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/david-boyajian-carlsbad-ca/1300673--If you're a Christian who wants to date with clarity and self-awareness, this is where you start.📱Follow @datinganddesire on Instagram for updates and conversation.⁠https://www.instagram.com/datinganddesire⁠--Connect with Bridgett:Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/bridgettblood/⁠Website: ⁠https://bridgettblood.com/⁠Coaching | Free Resources | RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide: ⁠https://stan.store/bridgettblood/p/get-my-valuebased-boundaries-guide-⁠--Connect with Lauren:Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/laurenmathues/⁠Website: ⁠https://laurenmathues.com/⁠Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. Get the free guide here: ⁠https://laurenmathues.com/⁠--

What if desire isn't the problem? What if the real issue is that you've never been taught how to develop it?Jay Stringer is a licensed mental health counselor and author of Unwanted and the new book Desire. His original research on over 4,000 adults found that our longings, attractions, and even our unwanted behaviors carry real information about our stories. In this episode, he joins Bridgett and Lauren to talk about how desire shapes dating, marriage, family dynamics, and faith.Jay breaks down why most people over-develop one area of desire - career, s-x, comfort - while neglecting others. He shares his own experience of navigating family loyalty, dating, and the patterns he brought into his marriage. He explains why contempt destroys relationships faster than almost anything else, and why curiosity about your own story is one of the most attractive things you can bring to a relationship.This episode also gets into what sexual maturity looks like before marriage, why the conservative and progressive approaches to desire both miss the mark, and what it means to form your desires rather than fear them or follow them blindly.--Watch this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WrpgNB9CXIw--Connect with Jay at jay-stringer.com or on Instagram @jay_stringer_. His book Desire: The Longings Inside Us and the New Science of How We Love, Heal, and Grow is available now!Grab the book here: https://a.co/d/06rRK8CLGet the companion workbook here: http://a.co/d/0dyoF4tz--If you're a Christian who wants to date with clarity and self-awareness, this is where you start.📱Follow @datinganddesire on Instagram for updates and conversation.https://www.instagram.com/datinganddesire--Connect with Bridgett:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgettblood/Website: https://bridgettblood.com/Coaching | Free Resources | RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide: https://stan.store/bridgettblood/p/get-my-valuebased-boundaries-guide---Connect with Lauren:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmathues/Website: https://laurenmathues.com/Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. Get the free guide here: https://laurenmathues.com/--

Bridgett and Lauren think flirting deserves a reputation upgrade - especially in the church. In this episode, they talk about why most Christians have been taught to suppress one of the most natural ways we connect with people, and what it costs us when we do. They get into the fears that keep people from flirting - fear of rejection, fear of being misread, fear of being labeled "too much" - and share what has actually helped them take the risk anyway. Lauren breaks down the nonverbal side of flirting and shares research that might change how bold you're willing to be. Bridgett talks about what she's learned from practicing low-stakes connection as a single woman and why the voices that show up when you try to flirt are worth listening to. If you've ever wanted to connect with someone but talked yourself out of it before you even smiled, this one's for you.Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hSOzGp4vOGM==If you're a Christian who wants to date with clarity and self-awareness, this is where you start.📱Follow ⁠⁠@datinganddesire⁠⁠ on Instagram for updates and conversation.==Connect with Bridgett: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ | Coaching| Free Resources| RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free ⁠⁠Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide⁠⁠==Connect with Lauren: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. ⁠⁠Get the free guide here!

Therapist and author Sam Jolman joins Bridgett and Lauren to unpack what most Christians were never taught about sexual arousal - and why it matters for dating, marriage, and your relationship with your own body. Sam defines sex as a form of play and awe - something the church rarely frames that way. He explains arousal non-concordance, breaks down how arousal and desire actually work, and offers a grounded, faith-informed perspective on how to relate to your body without shame. What this episode covers:The difference between arousal and desire - and why confusing them leads to shameWhy noticing beauty in another person is not the same as lustWhat "stewarding your arousal" looks like in real life, including after breakupsHow men tend to disconnect from their hearts around sex, and women from their bodiesWhy the "point of no return" myth harms both men and womenHow setting clear physical boundaries in dating creates safety and presence - not restrictionWhy being able to talk about a sexual experience out loud is a sign you've built enough trust to participate in itThe story of a husband who stopped during sex because his wife seemed distant - and why that matteredHow to respond to your own arousal with curiosity instead of panic or suppressionBridgett shares her own experience navigating arousal and grief after a breakup, and the three discuss practical ways to have honest conversations about physical boundaries in Christian dating.Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/drL1Mf5hhYE==If you're a Christian who wants to date with clarity and self-awareness, this is where you start.📱Follow ⁠⁠@datinganddesire⁠⁠ on Instagram for updates and conversation.==Sam Jolman, therapist and author of The Sex Talk You Never Got, gives honest, practical answers rooted in Scripture and decades of counseling.Connect with Sam💻 Sam’s article on blessing arousalSubstack |  samjolman.substack.comInstagram |  @samjolman Website | samjolman.comArticle "How to Bless Arousal"==Connect with Bridgett: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ | Coaching| Free Resources| RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free ⁠⁠Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide⁠⁠==Connect with Lauren: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. ⁠⁠Get the free guide here!

Longing makes dating feel risky because something real is on the line. In this episode, Bridgett and Lauren discuss the fears that surface when desire goes unmet - including the lies about God's character, your appearance, and your worth. Lauren explains how she rebuilt her sense of beauty apart from whether any man chose her. Bridgett shares how she learned to stop putting all the weight of her longing on one person. They also talk about saying what you need early, how to handle misalignment without making the other person the enemy, and why courage matters more than outcome. Honest, grounded conversation for anyone who takes both faith and relationships seriously.==Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/he76ms6jlE0==If you're a Christian who wants to date with clarity and self-awareness, this is where you start.📱Follow ⁠@datinganddesire⁠ on Instagram for updates and conversation.==Connect with Bridgett: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠Website⁠ | Coaching| Free Resources| RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free ⁠Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide⁠==Connect with Lauren: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. ⁠Get the free guide here!

Many Christians grew up hearing that desire was dangerous. That their bodies couldn't be trusted. That rigid rules were the path to purity.In this episode, biblical trauma-informed coach Courtney Leo unpacks four specific distortions that came out of purity culture—and how they continue to affect both singles and married people today.Courtney, Bridgett, and Lauren discuss:Why desire and lust are not the same thingHow shutting down sexual arousal often shuts down joy and delight tooThe difference between managing your body and living in itWhy boundaries rooted in fear don't protect you - they isolate youThey also tackle the hard question of what sin actually means when Scripture is clear in some areas and personal conviction matters in others.If you've ever felt numb, confused, or ashamed about what you want, this episode offers a path back to trust - with your body, with the Holy Spirit, and with yourself.==Watch this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HPsTyidXrwM==📱Follow ⁠@datinganddesire⁠ on Instagram for updates and conversation.==Connect with Courtney: Website | Instagram | Coaching==Connect with Bridgett: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠Website⁠ | Coaching| Free Resources| RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free ⁠Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide⁠==Connect with Lauren: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. ⁠Get the free guide here!

Your past shows up in your dating life whether you acknowledge it or not.In this introductory episode, hosts Bridgett Blood and Lauren Mathues share who they are and why they created Dating and Desire. Bridgett is single, a former pastor, and now a sexual story work coach. Lauren is married with two kids and has coached Christian singles since 2018. Both have wrestled with insecurity about whether their life stage qualifies them to speak on this topic—and both decided to show up anyway.They discuss what "story work" means, why attraction isn't something to be ashamed of, and how this podcast will approach dating with honesty, faith, and practical wisdom.If you're a Christian who wants to date with clarity and self-awareness, this is where you start.==Watch this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Oxc9oXb5Yuc==📱Follow @datinganddesire on Instagram for updates and conversation.==Connect with Bridgett: InstagramWebsite | Coaching| Free Resources| RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide==Connect with Lauren: Instagram | Website Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. Get the free guide here!

The Dating & Desire Podcast helps Christian singles and dating adults navigate faith, sexuality, and relationships with honesty and hope. Hosted by coaches Bridgett Blood and Lauren Mathues, we explore sexual formation, emotional safety, and integrity in dating through real conversations with pastors, therapists, and relationship experts. Because your desire is holy, your body is good, and your story matters.First episode premieres January 27, 2026 on this podcast platform and YouTube.