295 // What We Do Instead Of Date Nights To Keep Our Christian Marriage Strong (Even With 4 Little Kids)

Visit LoveYourPeopleWell.com/marriage for my top resources, tips, and recommendations for 15+ years as a marriage therapist!   Episode 295 // Date nights are wonderful, but my husband and I don’t do them very regularly. Yet, we have a very happy marriage! Even during the crazy season of 4 little kids at home.    Today, I’ll share my personal experience (and my marriage therapist experience!) around how we handle date nights and what we do to keep our marriage strong.    There’s no need to cancel your date nights, but I hope these rhythms and tips that I share will help you and your husband stay connected whether the date nights are happening or not.   Let’s dive in.   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   FREE: Grab my free Conflict Resolution Cheat Sheet at LoveYourPeopleWell.com/conflict    DEVOTIONAL: Deepen your marriage communication with my “Communicating To Connect” 40-day devotional for wives - Visit LoveYourPeopleWell.com/shop/marriage40    INTIMACY: Find online Christian intimacy support in my resources list at LoveYourPeopleWell.com/marriage    RELATED ON THE PODCAST: Strengthening Your Christian Marriage In A Hard Season (EP 269)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: 29 Steamy Tips For An Amazing Married Date Night   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to behind-the-scenes family life encouragement.   Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

“Joy In The Journey” is a 40-day devotional for finding biblical joy in hard seasons of motherhood. Visit www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com/shop/motherhood40    Episode 294 // Summer is here, and it’s an excellent time for deepening your family bond and having fun together! Instead of getting distracted by the many activities, camps, trips, and summertime busyness, today I want to share some classic, easy, every-day ideas to strengthen your family relationships.    I’ll share 9 practical tips today that will help not only during the summer, but all year long. Let’s love our people WELL every day.   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   FREE: Grab my free ebook: “Building Your Mom Toolbox” at LoveYourPeopleWell.com/tools    DEVOTIONAL: Joy In The Journey is a 40-day devotional for finding biblical joy in hard seasons of motherhood. Visit www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com/shop/motherhood40    RELATED ON THE PODCAST: 5 Scriptures That Show Us What A Good Parent Looks Like (EP 235)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: 12 Easy Ways To Give More Positive Attention To Your Family   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to behind-the-scenes family life encouragement.   Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

Go deeper with the Lord with my devotional workbook “Finding Your Identity In Christ” at LoveYourPeopleWell.com/shop/identity    Episode 293 // Negative thoughts usually come with many emotions attached to them. We struggle with angry thoughts, anxious thoughts, bitter thoughts, shameful thoughts… yet, God tells us in the Bible to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”   How?! That sounds great, but it can feel impossible.   Today, I want to share some practical tips from my work as a Christian mental health counselor to help you actually live this out. Real-life action steps for how to take your negative thoughts captive, and what it looks like for our thought life to be obedient to Christ.   Ready, friend? Let’s dive in.   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   FREE: Grab my free mom journaling prompts at LoveYourPeopleWell.com/journaling    DEVOTIONAL: Go deeper with the Lord with my devotional workbook “Finding Your Identity In Christ” at LoveYourPeopleWell.com/shop/identity    RELATED ON THE PODCAST: How To Stop Negative Thinking And Change Direction (EP 271)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: The Best Exercises To Stop Negative Thinking In Its Tracks   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to behind-the-scenes family life encouragement.   Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

Dive into biblical ways to manage your anger and impatience with my “Keep Your Cool, Mama!” devotional.   Episode 292 // One of the biggest threats to happy family life is… conflict. We all deal with disagreements, but that doesn’t mean we are required to argue, get angry, and yell.   It is possible to manage conflict in a healthy, biblical way that actually BUILDS your relationship.   But it’s easiest and best to AVOID conflict when you can.    It feels better, it keeps the calm, and it doesn’t mean we are avoiding important topics - it means we are approaching them at the right time, in a healthy way, for a productive conversation.   So join me today as we look at 9 common triggers for conflict, with two acronyms that will help you remember!    hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   FREE: Grab my free Conflict Resolution Cheat Sheet at LoveYourPeopleWell.com/conflict    DEVOTIONAL: Find my “Keep Your Cool, Mama!” 40-day devotional on managing anger and impatience, at LoveYourPeopleWell.com/shop/anger40    RELATED ON THE PODCAST: End Conflict In Your Marriage Quickly (EP 252)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: 6 Tips For How To Stop Being Passive Aggressive In Your Home   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to behind-the-scenes family life encouragement.   Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

Episode 291 // Friend, we are celebrating 100,000 podcast downloads today! WOW. That is incredible. And that makes it a great time to pause and reflect together on the BIG KEYS to happy, healthy, and holy Christian family life.    Today, join me for some reflections on this online ministry as well as encouragement as we look at how to zoom in on what really matters for your family life.    With 15+ years as a marriage and family therapist, plus my own life experience as a pastor’s wife and mom of 4 little kids, I am so thankful the Lord is using my knowledge and experiences to help moms just like you!   Thank you for listening - and I hope you’ll leave a 5-star review and written review of the show right now to celebrate with me!   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   FREE: Find all my free resources at LoveYourPeopleWell.com/free    DEVOTIONAL: Find my devotionals at LoveYourPeopleWell.com/devotionals    RELATED ON THE PODCAST: A Summer Of Self-Reflection: Tips, Strategies, And Resources From A Christian Family Therapist Perspective (EP 253)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: The Ultimate Guide For How A Wise Woman Builds Her Home   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to behind-the-scenes family life encouragement.   Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

Grab the devotional workbook: Building A Home of Godliness And Joy   Episode 290 // What are the motives of your heart? Why do you focus on the priorities that you do? How are your plans shaped by the Lord?   Many proverbs focus on wisdom and how to live our lives well. But one in particular always stands out to me. Proverbs 16:1-9 reminds us so clearly that God cares about our hearts, our motives for why we do the things we do.   So today, we’re taking a look at these verses and pulling out 5 meaningful reflections that we should wrestle through with the Lord. We want to enjoy family life, and we must live intentionally if that’s going to happen… so let’s reflect purposefully with the Lord.   This is Part 9, the finale of our series “Intentional Living As A Christian Mom.” Let’s dive in.   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   EASTER: Grab my Easter Scripture resources and devotionals at loveyourpeoplewell.com/holidays    FREE: Get my free journaling prompts at loveyourpeoplewell.com/journaling   DEVOTIONAL: Dive into God’s Word for wisdom in building a happy home life with my devotional workbook Building A Home Of Godliness And Joy at loveyourpeoplewell.com/shop/home    RELATED ON THE PODCAST: Want To Enjoy Home Life With Your Christian Family? Be The Wise Woman In Proverbs 14:1.(EP 114)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: 4 Christian Journaling Prompts To Help You Build Great Family Relationships   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to behind-the-scenes family life encouragement.   Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com  

Find my Easter Scripture Cards and Devotional right here.   Episode 289 // We all want a happy home life. A happy marriage. Happy kids. A family life filled with peace, joy, connection, and fun.    It doesn’t happen by accident, friend. There’s no magic wand. We can’t think that working all day, scrolling on our phones, and feeding the kids enough vegetables will help us bond and enjoy our family.   God alone has the keys to happy Christian family life. Today, we will dive into Colossians 3 and pull out 5 specific action steps that will get us there. The Lord isn’t trying to hide his wisdom or make us suffer through trial and error in our homes. He has the words of eternal life - and the words of peace and blessing for our families.    Join me! This is Part 8 of our series “Intentional Living As A Christian Mom.” Let’s dive in.   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   EASTER: Grab my Easter Scripture resources and devotionals at loveyourpeoplewell.com/holidays    FREE: Build a Bible reading habit for yourself with my FREE 45-day guide: loveyourpeoplewell.com/holy-habits    DEVOTIONAL: Dive into God’s Word for wisdom in building a happy home life with my devotional workbook Building A Home Of Godliness And Joy at loveyourpeoplewell.com/shop/home    RELATED ON THE PODCAST: 6 Scriptures You Can’t Ignore If You Want A Christ-Like Home (EP 266)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: 5 Powerful Bible Verses To Improve Your Family Relationships   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to behind-the-scenes family life encouragement.   Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

Find my Easter Scripture Cards and Devotional right here.   Episode 288 // One of the things that really steals our joy is WORRY. No one intentionally tries to worry about things… but it sneaks up on us. It comes from every angle. It feels so normal in today’s world.   But it’s not God’s plan for his people - and it is stealing your joy and peace in family life today.   What can we do?! Well, today I want to talk through Jesus’ wisdom for us in Matthew 6. Plus, I’ll share 6 practical ideas from my counseling work that will help you with the “how to” of trying to stop worrying.   Each day has enough trouble of its own. Let’s focus intentionally on today, use this time well, and trust God to handle the rest.   This is Part 7 of our series “Intentional Living As A Christian Mom.” Let’s dive in.   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   EASTER: Grab my Easter Scripture resources and devotionals at loveyourpeoplewell.com/holidays    FREE: Grab my free Christian mom journaling prompts at loveyourpeoplewell.com/journaling     DEVOTIONAL: Dive into God’s Word for wisdom in building a happy home life with my devotional workbook Building A Home Of Godliness And Joy at loveyourpeoplewell.com/shop/home    RELATED ON THE PODCAST: God’s Promise, Peace, and Presence In Your Anxiety (EP 134)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: How To Trust God More And Worry Less   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to behind-the-scenes family life encouragement.   Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

Strengthen family life with the devotional workbook Building A Home Of Godliness And Joy.   Episode 287 // Time passes by much faster than we think it will. It can feel sad to reflect on how quickly our children are growing and how fast each season of life speeds by.    But part of the WISDOM in living intentionally is being realistic about our time. It helps us to cherish the time and take each season of life seriously.    We can’t get time back, and we can’t make it slow down, but we can make it count for everything God intends. Join me today to dive into Psalm 90:12 and find encouragement in the the moment of family life God has you in today.    This is Part 6 of our series “Intentional Living As A Christian Mom.” Let’s dive in.   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   FREE: Grab my free ebook Building Your Mom Toolbox: Get Out Of The Rut And Reconnect at loveyourpeoplewell.com/tools     DEVOTIONAL: Dive into God’s Word for wisdom in building a happy home life with my devotional workbook Building A Home Of Godliness And Joy at loveyourpeoplewell.com/shop/home    RELATED ON THE PODCAST: 10 Quick Wins For Reducing Stress And Enjoying Christian Family Life More (EP 273)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: 6 Scriptures You Can’t Ignore If Your Want A Christ-Like Home   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to behind-the-scenes family life encouragement.   Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

Biblical marriage resources from a Christian marriage therapist.   Episode 286 // I want a happy marriage. A godly marriage. What about you?   It’s not a trick question! Of course you want a marriage filled with good things. A marriage of trust, partnership, and joy.    Today, I want to share some helpful questions we can ask ourselves as Christian wives, and 4 key take-aways from Proverbs 31 and the wisdom we find there about the marriage relationship.    Enjoying our family life starts with our marriage. With intimacy, connection, unity, and faithfulness. Join me for some encouragement and tips today.   This is Part 5 of our series “Intentional Living As A Christian Mom.” Let’s dive in.   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   FREE: Grab my free Conflict Resolution Cheat Sheet at loveyourpeoplewell.com/conflict    DEVOTIONAL: Build marriage communication with my 40-day devotional Communicating To Connect at loveyourpeoplewell.com/shop/marriage40    INTIMACY: Enjoy intimacy more with private online Christian courses from Sheila Wray Gregoire.   RELATED ON THE PODCAST: Do These 3 Things Today To Build A Happier Christian Marriage (EP 230)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: 5 Powerful Bible Verses To Improve Your Family Relationships    GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to behind-the-scenes family life encouragement.   Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com