Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage
Did you know the Hebrew root word for marriage is the same as mess? Okay, maybe not, but it wasn’t a stretch to believe, right? This is the podcast for Christian married couples who are in the middle of a messy moment. They need to laugh. They need clear, practical advice. And they need to hear from someone with an actual degree in this thing. Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley are those people. They have reached millions of couples through their counseling practices, books, events, and work at Focus on the Family.
Episodes
How do you have sex? What does it really symbolize in your marriage? Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley delve into a deeper conversation that contrasts 'how' with 'why' with Dr. Juli Slattery. Understanding the purpose and significance of sex from a Christian perspective is crucial. We talk about the covenantal significance of sex in marriage, reflecting God's covenant with his people, and how couples can better communicate about their sexu...
Dr. Greg Smalley and Erin Smalley delve into the critical issue of supporting friends in abusive or oppressive marriages with Darby Strickland, an expert counselor and author. Darby explains an insightful definition of abuse as 'oppression,' framing it as the antithesis of God's design for marriage. The discussion addresses the common mistakes helpers make, identifies the patterns of abuse, and offers practical advice for those who...
Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley continue with the great conversation they had with Dr. Randy Schroeder about simple habits couples can adopt to strengthen their marriage. Starting with the critical role of forgiveness in healing and sustaining relationships, with specific language that you can use. We also touch on managing conflict, expressing kindness, and the value of having specific disagreement guidelines. If your marriage needs hel...
Want some practical habits for happiness in your marriage? Enter, Dr. Randy Schroeder, a licensed marriage and family therapist with over three decades of counseling experience. Dr. Schrader's key topics include the importance of meeting each other's expectations, the power of small daily habits like meaningful hugs and eye-contact with conversations. As always, we emphasize the need for continuous learning and growth in marriage, ...
Greg and Erin Smalley discuss the importance of maintaining relational skills in marriage with Roger and Kathy Lipp, who discuss their blended family and their adventures in team-building. We delve into the importance of carving out couple time, how chronic illness can reshape a marriage, and the importance of gratitude and flexibility.
How to Fight Busyness in Marriage
Do you think repairing your marriage is hopeless? On this episode of Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage, Greg and Erin feature a presentation by Bob and Jenni Paul, who explain that underneath all marital conflicts is a common cycle of reactive behavior triggered by deeper, often unrecognized wounds or buttons. Our goal is to bring awareness to these patterns so that couples are able to respond with understanding, and improve their...
No matter how long you've been married, there's some great advice in this episode! Greg and Erin discuss the challenges and opportunities in the middle years of marriage, focusing on issues like health struggles, retirement, and caring for aging parents with Larry McCall. They emphasize the importance of preventing boredom, pursuing wonder in marriage and life, and the value of counsel. Larry shares his journey of understanding the...
On this episode, Greg and Erin discuss the importance of communication, romance, and navigating challenges within marriage with Jess and Ryan Ronne; who also share their journey of dealing with grief after losing their first spouses. The Ronnes offer insights into how they balance their relationship while caring for eight children (including one with special needs), and the strategies they use to maintain intimacy and satisfaction.
...Greg and Erin welcome renown British evangelist and author, J.John and his wife Killy as they reflect on their 42-year marriage, discussing early challenges, the importance of communication, and the essential values they've embraced: respect, responsibility, romance, and resilience. They emphasize the significance of intentionally nurturing their relationship despite the demands of work and life, and share their daily routines that...
Greg and Erin know that every marriage goes through a crisis. That's why we invited Todd and Kristin Evans to share their personal journey from enjoying life as a young, carefree couple to facing the challenges of raising a child with severe disabilities, including emotional strain, grief, and marital disconnect. No matter what your challenges might be, you'll hear ways to get through the storms. We talk about the importance of com...
Get ready for a passionate edition of Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage. Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley share a message from Dan and Jane Seaborn about how their personality and lifestyle choices are completely opposite in their marriage.
Sign Up For The Free Weekly Marriage Newsletter
Are you thinking about divorce? On this episode of Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage, Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley discuss overcoming crises in marriage. They dive into the difficulties of rebuilding trust after infidelity, dealing with shame, and managing resentment. Our guests, Monty and Jeannine Mora, share their personal journey from their early years as a young pastoral couple, through a major crisis involving misaligned priorit...
Whether you’re seeking new friends or wanting to deepen existing relationships, this episode of Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage will help women and men build their respective friendships. Erin and her friends discuss how deep, supportive female friendships are vital for navigating life’s challenges, providing encouragement, and fostering spiritual and emotional growth. Then, Greg and his friend Bill discuss the uniqu...
Dr. Greg Smalley and Erin Smalley discuss various aspects of marriage preparation, adjustment, and conflict resolution with four young married employees of Focus on the Family. They share their insights and experiences about preparing for marriage, dealing with marital changes, finances, and communication styles. Whether you've been married for a long time or a short while, there's useful advice on understanding conflict as an oppo...
On this episode of Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage, Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley delve into the importance of men adopting lion-hearted characteristics in today's culture, inspired by Brandon and David Lindell's book 'Lion Hearted: A Man's Guide to Living Focused, Fulfilled, and Fearless.' We'll talk about the challenges faced by men stepping into leadership roles within their families, the significance of intentional living, and t...
Join us as we continue to discuss how to deal with conflict on Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage, with part two of our discussion with Dr. Bob Paul and Tara Lalonde. They'll share their experiences of dealing with reactive cycles in their marriages, emphasizing the importance of self-control. Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley ask about conflict styles like fight-fight, fight-flight, and flight-flight, detailing how unresolved issues can a...
In this episode of Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage, Dr. Greg Smalley and Erin Smalley discuss the importance of personal responsibility with Dr. Bob Paul and Tara Lalonde, who share their extensive experience in marriage counseling through the Hope Restored program. Bob and Tara explain concepts like the reactive cycle and the importance of seeing your spouse through the eyes of God. They also provide actionable tips for balanci...
Greg and Erin discuss maintaining a strong marriage during the transition to the empty nest phase with the one and only Dr. Gary Chapman, author of 'The Five Love Languages' and 'Your New Life with Adult Children.' We explore the emotional challenges couples face as children leave home, and the importance of communication, intentionality, and empathy in navigating this transition. Dr. Chapman shares insights on balancing personal a...
On this episode of Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage, Patricia Ashley shares a deeply personal testimony about how her marriage, once perceived as dead and nearly at the point of collapse, was revived through their mutual journey and commitment to Christianity. Over time, through shared prayer and a growing understanding of God's intentions for marriage, the Ashley's rebuilt their relationship, focusing on mutual respect and love....
Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley have a great conversation with Dr. Joannie DeBrito, about the common differences between partners that impact marriage, such as intellectual and processing differences, emotional versus logical thinking, and varying approaches to stress and grief. She emphasizes understanding and leveraging these differences to strengthen your marriage, and highlights the contrast in how men and women multitask, manage str...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.