Answering "Devil's Advocate" Questions About French Kissing Before Marriage

In this unscripted “devil’s advocate” Q&A, we respond to real questions challenging Catholic perspectives on dating and physical intimacy—especially kissing during engagement. Is it helping discernment or sabotaging it? Drawing from St. John Paul II and real-world counseling experience, this conversation unpacks the stages of dating, the purpose of engagement, and the difference between emotional bonding and intentional formation. If you’ve ever wondered how far is too far—or how to date with clarity, freedom, and purpose—this episode offers a vision that calls you higher, not just further.Ignite Hope Discerning Marriage Retreat Info📸 Elizabeth’s Instagram👩‍❤️‍👨 If you’re seriously dating and thinking about getting engaged, check out our Next Step course to help discern if you’re both ready for engagement.Theology of the Body Institute Resources: 🔥 ⁠3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on the TOB⁠ 💬 Text TOB to (404) 647-7682 ⚡️ ⁠Support us & get access to leading TOB formation⁠ 📚 ⁠Course schedule⁠ 🏔️ ⁠Pilgrimages⁠ 🛍️ ⁠Store⁠

What if the way you’ve been “discerning marriage” is actually keeping you stuck?In this episode, Fr. Ambrose Criste breaks open a radically freeing vision of vocation, relationships, and spiritual warfare. We unpack how to tell the difference between real red flags and emotional or spiritual attacks, why fear and overthinking can paralyze your discernment, and the surprising truth that you may not need to “discern marriage” at all.We also dive into tough, practical questions—pornography in relationships, what you can (and can’t) compromise on, why “lowering your standards” might actually mean reordering them, and how to move forward with clarity and peace instead of anxiety.If you’ve ever felt stuck, afraid of making the wrong choice, or unsure how to move forward in love, this conversation will challenge you, ground you, and call you higher.📸 Elizabeth’s Instagram👩‍❤️‍👨 If you’re seriously dating and thinking about getting engaged, check out our Next Step course to help discern if you’re both ready for engagement.Theology of the Body Institute Resources: 🔥 ⁠3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on the TOB⁠ 💬 Text TOB to (404) 647-7682 ⚡️ ⁠Support us & get access to leading TOB formation⁠ 📚 ⁠Course schedule⁠ 🏔️ ⁠Pilgrimages⁠ 🛍️ ⁠Store⁠

This Q&A episode with Elizabeth dives into some of the most honest and difficult questions around love, marriage, and personal struggle. From navigating depression while remaining open to life, to the deep ache of unwanted singleness, to breaking free from pornography and building a life of virtue—this conversation doesn’t shy away from the real battles.We explore how to approach dating with courage, how to grow during seasons of waiting, what it actually means to live out God’s design for marriage and intimacy, and how to make wise, intentional decisions about work, family, and relationships.If you’ve ever felt stuck, discouraged, or unsure how your desires fit into God’s plan—this episode is an invitation to rise higher, think deeper, and walk forward with purpose.

In this Q&A episode of Discerning Marriage, Elizabeth answers questions about heartbreak, waiting for marriage, and dating with intention.What do you do when someone you love moves on without giving closure? How do you keep hope when waiting for marriage feels harder with time? And how should couples approach physical affection while living chastely?Elizabeth discusses forgiveness vs. reconciliation, why suffering can deepen hope, the importance of physical boundaries, and practical ways to stay connected in long-distance relationships.If you're discerning marriage or healing from heartbreak, this conversation offers wisdom, encouragement, and a Christ-centered vision for love.📸 Elizabeth’s Instagram👩‍❤️‍👨 If you’re seriously dating and thinking about getting engaged, check out our Next Step course to help discern if you’re both ready for engagement.Theology of the Body Institute Resources: 🔥 ⁠3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on the TOB⁠ 💬 Text TOB to (404) 647-7682 ⚡️ ⁠Support us & get access to leading TOB formation⁠ 📚 ⁠Course schedule⁠ 🏔️ ⁠Pilgrimages⁠ 🛍️ ⁠Store⁠

What if many conflicts between men and women come from misunderstanding—not bad intentions?In this episode of Discerning Marriage, Elizabeth Busby sits down with relationship researcher Allison Armstrong to explore what decades of studying men reveal about how men and women think, communicate, and experience love.They discuss why men often prioritize respect while women seek connection, how misunderstandings about feelings and support create conflict, and why chemistry alone isn’t enough for lasting love. Whether you’re single, dating, engaged, or married, this conversation offers a hopeful vision: men and women learning to understand each other so they can truly thrive together.📸 Elizabeth’s Instagram👩‍❤️‍👨 If you’re seriously dating and thinking about getting engaged, check out our Next Step course to help discern if you’re both ready for engagement.Alison's resources:Own Your Own Ultimatums webinarThe Queen's Code audiobookIn addition, your viewers can receive the following products for FREE using the promo codes and instructions below:Thrive Your Life webinarClick on "FOR ME"At check out, enter promo code AlisonThrive2025 (promo code expires 6/30/2026)Making Sense of Men: A Woman's Guide to a Lifetime of Love, Care & Attention from All Men eBook, available on the Alison Armstrong Mobile AppClick on "FOR ME"At check out, enter promo code AlisonGift2025 (promo code expires 6/30/2026)Theology of the Body Institute Resources: 🔥 ⁠3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on the TOB⁠ 💬 Text TOB to (404) 647-7682 ⚡️ ⁠Support us & get access to leading TOB formation⁠ 📚 ⁠Course schedule⁠ 🏔️ ⁠Pilgrimages⁠ 🛍️ ⁠Store⁠

Adrian Lawson from Sips with Serra joins Elizabeth to share the full story behind his marriage journey: meeting his wife in high school, dating for seven years, converting from atheism to Protestantism to Catholicism, and navigating major moral disagreements along the way. They discuss what actually changed when he became Christian, why marriage is more than “just a piece of paper,” how to handle conflict without turning on each other, what it’s like when spouses don’t share the same faith, the process of having a marriage recognized by the Church, and how perseverance in truth leads to deeper unity. This episode is about love that matures, conviction that costs something, and a marriage built on more than feelings.📸 Elizabeth’s Instagram👩‍❤️‍👨 If you’re seriously dating and thinking about getting engaged, check out our Next Step course to help discern if you’re both ready for engagement.Theology of the Body Institute Resources: 🔥 ⁠3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on the TOB⁠ 💬 Text TOB to (404) 647-7682 ⚡️ ⁠Support us & get access to leading TOB formation⁠ 📚 ⁠Course schedule⁠ 🏔️ ⁠Pilgrimages⁠ 🛍️ ⁠Store⁠

What does it look like to discern marriage in a world confused about masculinity, femininity, and commitment?In this deeply personal conversation, we explore vocational loneliness, the surprising story of the “24-year-old saints,” intentional dating, dropping the hankie with courage, and the lost art of masculine pursuit. We talk honestly about infertility, miscarriage, surrender, and how God often writes our love stories through suffering rather than ease.⁠Friendship guide⁠⁠Christopher West & Elizabeth Video⁠⁠Heart of Perfection Book⁠⁠Finding Philothea⁠⁠Finding Philothea IG⁠📸 ⁠Elizabeth’s Instagram⁠👩‍❤️‍👨 If you’re seriously dating and thinking about getting engaged, check out our ⁠Next Step⁠ course to help discern if you’re both ready for engagement.Theology of the Body Institute Resources: 🔥 ⁠⁠3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on the TOB⁠⁠ 💬 Text TOB to (404) 647-7682 ⚡️ ⁠⁠Support us & get access to leading TOB formation⁠⁠ 📚 ⁠⁠Course schedule⁠⁠ 🏔️ ⁠⁠Pilgrimages⁠⁠ 🛍️ ⁠⁠Store⁠⁠

Mari and Trey Wagner (West Coast Catholic / Ever Be Podcast) share their “behind-the-veil” discernment story—from an iconic meet-cute that started with Catholic mission and Bible studies, to the deeper spiritual battle underneath dating: learning to trust the Father, surrender the dream, and receive it back as a gift. Along the way, they get practical about emotional chastity before “official” dating and offer concrete long-distance engagement tips you can actually use.Mari's IG West Coast Catholic Website📸 Elizabeth’s Instagram👩‍❤️‍👨 If you’re seriously dating and thinking about getting engaged, check out our Next Step course to help discern if you’re both ready for engagement.Theology of the Body Institute Resources: 🔥 ⁠3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on the TOB⁠ 💬 Text TOB to (404) 647-7682 ⚡️ ⁠Support us & get access to leading TOB formation⁠ 📚 ⁠Course schedule⁠ 🏔️ ⁠Pilgrimages⁠ 🛍️ ⁠Store⁠

What if the “worst thing” that happened to you was actually God protecting your future? In this episode, Elizabeth sits down with Taylor from Candid Dating to talk about a broken engagement, the freedom to keep discerning even after the invites are sent, and how healing in front of the Eucharist can rebuild hope. Then they go straight at modern dating culture—why we’ve lost the art of conversation, how to stop treating people like commodities, and what it looks like to date in a way that’s truly human (and truly Catholic).Taylor's InstagramCandid Dating📸 Elizabeth’s Instagram👩‍❤️‍👨 If you’re seriously dating and thinking about getting engaged, check out our Next Step course to help discern if you’re both ready for engagement.Theology of the Body Institute Resources: 🔥 ⁠3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on the TOB⁠ 💬 Text TOB to (404) 647-7682 ⚡️ ⁠Support us & get access to leading TOB formation⁠ 📚 ⁠Course schedule⁠ 🏔️ ⁠Pilgrimages⁠ 🛍️ ⁠Store⁠

What if the “spicy” parts of marriage were never the point—and the real battle was for your heart? In this episode of Discerning Marriage, Elizabeth sits down with Emily & Daniel to talk spiritual warfare (and Stoneheart), long-distance discernment, why “awkward” is the wrong frame for purity and intimacy, and the practical habits that protect real love—like presence, teamwork, and a home where hearts stay soft.Sacred Spark appEmily Wilson IG📸 Elizabeth’s Instagram👩‍❤️‍👨 If you’re seriously dating and thinking about getting engaged, check out our Next Step course to help discern if you’re both ready for engagement.Theology of the Body Institute Resources: 🔥 ⁠3 FREE sessions of our flagship course on the TOB⁠ 💬 Text TOB to (404) 647-7682 ⚡️ ⁠Support us & get access to leading TOB formation⁠ 📚 ⁠Course schedule⁠ 🏔️ ⁠Pilgrimages⁠ 🛍️ ⁠Store⁠