Marriage in Today's World
by United Marriage Encounter
Today we are pulled in every direction, constantly connected to work, and always distracted. Take all of that and add maintaining a healthy marriage on top, and Woah. Marriage in Today's World hopes to equip and encourage married couples as they navigate the waters of our 21st-century culture. We are using what God outlined for us and the knowledge of those in the game for a while. Join us Monthly as we dive deeper into strengthening and maintaining marriages in 2022 and beyond.
Episodes
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S5 E3 What if emotions aren’t the problem?
In this episode, JT gets honest about his journey with emotions: why they're real, why they're not wrong, and why they were never designed to be in the driver's seat of your life. When feelings take charge, everything suffers. But when you learn to actually deal with them — not suppress them, not...
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S5 E2 Walking Through Grief Together
When Jerry and Carol lost their daughter, they entered a grief they never could have prepared for. In this deeply moving episode, they open up about what it looked like to grieve individually — and together. Grief doesn't look the same for everyone, even when you share the same loss, and they...
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S5 E1 52 Dates Reboot
The 52 Dates Challenge is on—but how's everyone actually doing? In this candid follow-up, the team reconvenes to talk honestly about the highs, the hiccups, and the heart behind the 52 dates in 52 weeks challenge. We swap stories about favorite dates, share what we've learned about staying...
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S4 E15 Christmas Day: Emmanuel, God With Us
Scripture: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." – John 1:14 Reflection: What does it mean to you that God chose to be with us? How will you carry the reality of "God…
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S4 E14 The Call to Love
Scripture: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." – John 3:16 Reflection: How has God's love changed you? Who in your life needs to experience love this week? Prayer for this week: God of Love, thank You...
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S4 E13 The Gift of Joy
Scripture: "But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.'" – Luke 2:10 Reflection: When have you experienced joy in an unexpected place? How can you cultivate joy this season, even amid stress or difficulty? Prayer for this…
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S4 E12 The Path of Peace
Scripture: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." – Luke 2:14 Reflection: Where do you need God's peace today? What would it look like to be a peacemaker in your corner of the world? Prayer for this week: Prince of Peace, calm the storms within…
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S4 E11 Advent Week 1: The Promise of Hope
Week 1: The Promise of Hope
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S4 E10 Advent 2025: The Wonder of the Season
Experience the wonder of the season as we sit down with kids to hear their Christmas memories, family traditions, and thoughts on Advent. Then tune in each week to journey through the themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love—anchored in Scripture and rooted in the heart of Christ’s coming. Through...
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S4 E9 Unpacking Celebration: Community Workshop
In this episode, our staff unpacks the Community Workshop from Celebration 2025, discussing the four spaces of belonging and how they apply directly to UME communities. They discuss how couples naturally progress from public connections to social friendships to personal sharing and finally to...
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S4 E8 Unpacking Celebration: Biblical Leadership (for men only)
In this episode, the men from our Marriage Encounter staff dive into the Biblical Leadership session from Celebration, featuring Greg Smalley’s men-only teaching. The guys walk through 13 key points on what it means to lead and nurture your wife in a way that helps her thrive and become her best...
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S4 E7 - Unpacking Celebration: Fully Alive (for women only)
In this women-only episode, our Marriage Encounter staff reflects on the inspiring Godly Self-Care session by Erin Smalley from Celebration 2025. The session reminded us that caring for ourselves is a God-given responsibility—so we can love others from a place of abundance, not exhaustion. The...
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S4 E6 - Unpacking Celebration: Safe and Secure (Session 2)
Some of our Marriage Encounter staff reflect on the Safe and Secure session from Celebration 2025. In the session, Greg and Erin Smalley explored how emotional safety creates space for couples to relax, be vulnerable, and truly connect. When both spouses feel secure, they can be fully known and...
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S4 E5 Unpacking Celebration: Close Pursuit (Session 1)
In this episode, our Marriage Encounter staff unpacks the first main session from Celebration 2025, titled Close Pursuit. Greg and Erin Smalley challenged couples to move beyond “roommate” mode—where routine replaces romance—and reignite the passion of being true soulmates. Our team shares their...
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S4 E4 - 52 Dates in 52 Weeks
In this episode, we dive into the importance of dating your spouse—not just occasionally, but regularly and intentionally. About half of married couples report going on regular date nights, admitting that in today’s busy culture, it’s easy for quality time to slip through the cracks. We explore…
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S4 E3 Part 2 - Q/A Session; Family Workshop at Celebration 2025
Join the MTW crew for a lively Q/A session featuring a panel of couples sharing their journey providing wisdom, love and support across generations. You’ll hear Greg and Erin Smalley along with Jerry and Carol Webb answer questions about raising kids, adult children, caring for parents, and other...
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S4 E3 Part 1 - Q/A Session; Family Workshop at Celebration 2025
Join the MTW crew for a lively Q/A session featuring a panel of couples sharing their journey providing wisdom, love and support across generations. You’ll hear Greg and Erin Smalley along with Jerry and Carol Webb answer questions about raising kids, adult children, caring for parents, and other...
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S4 E2 - Overcoming Differences in your Marriage
Differences between a married couple are guaranteed. How to navigate and work together through them depends on the work you put into it. Listen as Bruce and Debbie Martin share their challenges in this way and how they overcame them.
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S4 E1 - You Don't Get to Pick Your Blessings
If you’ve ever found yourself on an expected path, you’ll appreciate this episode about embracing life’s surprises with intention and faith. Married later in life, Nate and Susan share about processing the reality of not having children and finding contentment in the path God laid before them.…
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Advent - Christmas Day - Christ's Arrival
The Christ Candle - pure white, standing in the center of the wreath - represents the fulfillment of all hope, peace, joy, and love. Its light is the culmination of the Advent journey, symbolizing Christ's arrival as the ultimate revelation of God's promise.
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Advent - Week 4 - Love
The Love Candle burns with a warm, enveloping light that symbolizes the all-encompassing nature of divine love. Its flame represents transformation - how love can soften hardened hearts, bridge impossible distances, and bring light to the darkest corners of human experience. Like love itself…
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Advent - Week 3 - Joy
The Joy Candle burns with a vibrant, dancing light that refuses to be extinguished. Its flame represents the resilient spirit of celebration that emerges even in challenging times. Just as a candle's light becomes most visible in darkness, true joy becomes most powerful when it shines through...
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Advent - Week 2 - Peace
The Peace Candle stands as a beacon of calm, its steady flame symbolizing the unshakable tranquility that comes not from perfect circumstances, but from divine presence. Like a lighthouse guiding ships through turbulent waters, this candle represents the peace that surpasses human understanding…
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Advent - Week 1 - Hope
The Hope Candle is a flickering promise in the darkness - a small but powerful light that reminds us that even the tiniest flame can push back against overwhelming darkness. It represents the prophetic anticipation of God's promise, the first whisper of redemption breaking through centuries of...
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S3 E4 - Expecting the Unexpected
What is Advent? Advent, derived from the Latin word "adventus" meaning "coming" or "arrival," is a sacred season of anticipation and preparation. It spans the four weeks before Christmas, marking a time of spiritual reflection, hope, and expectation. Unlike the commercial rush of the holiday...
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S3 E3 - Fun Loving You
Ted Cunningham defines marriage as a man and a woman enjoying life together and he has written a book to help us find our way back to adding a dose of fun in marriage. In this episode, we'll explore the concept of the "Honor List," discuss tips for quality time with your spouse, and discover...
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S3 E2 - Blended Families
Blended families can mean new and rewarding relationships - they can also bring challenges of handling differences, priorities, and boundaries. Growing into a healthy blended family requires communication and active engagement. Listen as Carl and Peggy Priest share their own story of becoming…
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S3 E1 - Newlywed Bliss
Newly married couples radiate the simple joys of marriage that can be contagious for a seasoned couple. Listen as we talk with Johnny and Ashley Armijo about expectations, surprises, and lessons in their season of marriage. You’ll find yourself transported back to the early days of your marriage...
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S2 E7 - Reflecting on the Past + Anticipating the Future
The Bible tells us that seasons are ordained by God: seasons related to the climate, but also seasons of life. The end of a calendar year provides a moment to reflect on the past and anticipate the future. Join a few members of the in-house Marriage Encounter Staff as they do just that. You’ll be...
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S2 E6 - Grandparenting
Grandparenting is a unique God-given role with an incredible opportunity to invest in your grandchildren's lives while offering support to your children. Join our conversation with Steve and Pam Chapman as we explore this very rewarding - yet sometimes challenging job of a grandparent. No matter...
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S2 E5 - Finding Faith Together
Listen in as Jon and Tammy Fleischer share their story of coming from diverse backgrounds and learning to compromise traditions and customs, all while fighting for their marriage and finding faith through the process. You’ll be encouraged to lean into God and navigate your own differences in...
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S2 E4 - Seeking and Granting Forgiveness
We often find ourselves stuck in a cycle of unresolved conflict and hurt in marriage because we don’t have a healthy practice of seeking and granting forgiveness with our spouse. Join us in this episode to hear Kendall and Cathy Thomas share useful tools for responding to your spouse when you’ve...
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S2 E3 - Parenting in Unity
Parenting certainly brings you together in marriage - but not always in the ways you expect. Children can create fun but also stress, particularly when you aren't on the same page as your spouse in parenting. In this episode, Ty and Allison Thomas share candidly about raising children as a team…
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S2 E2 - Secrets of Love and Intimacy
Join us on this episode to hear Jeff and Shaunti Feldhahn tackle two hot topics in marriage: intimacy and money. Shaunti talks about her two latest books - the newly released Secrets of Sex and Marriage, which she co-authored, and Thriving in Love and Money. Jeff and Shaunti reveal findings from...
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S2 E1 - Kickstart Your Year with Recommended Reads
The start of a new year is a great time to pick up a book to strengthen your marriage - but did you know that Amazon lists over 100,000 books on marriage? In this episode, Steve and Pam Chapman narrow that list to 5 excellent choices of books that are easy to read and cover a variety of marriage...
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S1 E8 - Celebrating Christmas
Everything that comes with The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - twinkling lights, romance, gifts - can be just what your marriage needs to add a spark to your relationship. Still, the holiday season might also add stress, expectations, and unwanted changes. Join our in-house Marriage Encounter...
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S1 E7 - Q/A Session from the It's Not Me, It's You Marriage Conference
Tune in to hear Bob and Pam answer questions from a live audience at the It's Not Me; It's You Marriage Conference hosted by Calvary Church in Muscatine, Iowa. They respond to questions on submission, expectations, balancing work/family, holiday conflict, appreciating differences, forgiveness…
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S1 E6 - Taking Care of the Soul of Your Marriage
How much of yourself do you allow your spouse to know? In this episode, Rick and Nancy Kay Grace explain that intimacy is allowing your spouse to see into you at a deeper level. Listen as they share stories of growing intimacy in their marriage and learn how you can practically do the same.
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S1 E5 - Finding the Fun in Marriage
Fun is a choice - not an outcome - and you can choose it everyday in marriage. In this episode Dan and Pat Van Vleck share personal stories about how they've chosen to intentionally add fun in their marriage. You'll be inspired to use the resources you have, be creative, and enjoy every day with...
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S1 E4 - Appreciating Differences in Marriage
Authors and Speakers Mark and Jill Savage talk honestly about their differences, struggles, and principles for keeping their marriage strong after a season of betrayal. Hear some of the behind the scenes stories of writing their book No More Perfect Marriages and get a sneak peek at the…
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S1 E3 - Marriage Mission
In addition to giving us a partner to help share the ups and downs of life, marriage gives us a partner to help spread the gospel of Christ. Tune in as Drew and Alissa Burkamper share their story of discerning God's call on their marriage to share Christ's love with others. They'll also provide...
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S1 E2 - Communicating Expectations
Have you ever considered what expectations you bring into marriage? They might be realistic or unrealistic, spoken or unspoken, but we all have them. Listen as Steve and Pam Chapman share how to communicate expectations so they bring joy and intimacy instead of bitterness and resentment.
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S1 E1 - Conquering Feelings and Emotions Together
Recognizing how we feel and learning how to communicate those feelings to our spouse in a loving way is the first step to communicating effectively in a healthy marriage. Learn from Kendall and Cathy Thomas as they share their expertise on getting a handle on feelings and emotions in marriage....
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Introduction
Life doesn’t stop so you can focus on your marriage! Listen in each month to hear from seasoned couples and newlyweds on facing the challenges of marriage in today’s culture. On today’s episode, you can meet the host and producer, get a sneak peek at what’s to come as well as learn a little about...
About this show
Today we are pulled in every direction, constantly connected to work, and always distracted. Take all of that and add maintaining a healthy marriage on top, and Woah. Marriage in Today's World hopes to equip and encourage married couples as they navigate the waters of our 21st-century culture. We are using what God outlined for us and the knowledge of those in the game for a while. Join us Monthly as we dive deeper into strengthening and maintaining marriages in 2022 and beyond.
Hosted by
United Marriage Encounter
Categories