Restored with Corie Weathers

The Deployment Countdown with BraveCrates

 

Becky Hoy from Brave Crates joins the podcast to share how you can better your marriage even when you are apart.  Becky Hoy believes that deployment is one of the best things that has ever happened for the growth of her marriage and her own personal development. As an Army spouse whose husband has been deployed or otherwise away from home for roughly half of their seven years of marriage, Becky realized quickly that wishing away the days during deployment could not be an option for her. To share this message with other spouses Becky founded Brave Crate. She shares weekly tips and inspiration as a blogger for Brave Blog and and has curated the deployment- positive support community for military spouses called Brave Board.

 

           

 

ABOUT BRAVE CRATE

 

For military spouses, counting down to being reunited with their deployed service member can feel like a never ending journey! That's why each month Brave Crate sends a box of curated self development and personal wellness products that allow her to shift her focus away from counting the days and onto setting goals and finding joy- so that she can conquer the deployment countdown and meet her spouse at homecoming as the strongest and most resilient version of herself.  To find out more about how you can subscribe to Brave Crates or gift someone else, head over to www.bravecrates.com

A Marriage Check Up With Dr. Les Parrott

Dr. Les Parrot joins me for an episode that is all about how couples can use a tool like the Better Love Assessment to get a healthy snapshot or check up on their marriage.  Dr. Parrott is a globally sought after marriage psychologist along with his wife, Leslie Parrott also a marriage therapist. Together, they have written several books and speak on how to improve your marriage communication, reduce conflict, improve your sex life, and much more.  In this episode, Dr. Parrott shares more about the Better Love Assessment (found at www.betterlove.com) in pointing out the individual strengths in your marriage.  Better Love can be a great tool for date night discussions, working on your marriage during a deployment or separation, and even ways to talk through topics that are normally hot topics.  To find out more and subscribe to Dr. Parrott's resources, check out www.lesandleslie.com

 

The Impact of Family Readiness on Marriage

Matt joins me again for another episode where we talk about the impact of Family Readiness on the marriage. For years, decades even, the military has told families that their support makes the mission successful. Unfortunately, families are getting tired and are wondering at what cost. In this episode, Matt and I have an honest conversation on how families indeed play a pay in mission readiness but also how we can change our perspective to a more influential one that can change the trajectory of our entire family.

The Warrior with Blood on His Hands

Most of us know that there are stories of war in the Bible, but what does it say about the warriors?  In this Sunday Special, we take a look at a specific warrior in the God's story and the impact of war on his life. We will address the tough topic of "What does it mean to have blood on your hands?"  What does that say about you?  Your marriage?  When you are asked to be the good in the world, face evil, but to do so requires the willingness to take a life?  Scripture actually addresses this and I'm excited to share with you what I've found.

Forgiveness in Affair Recovery: God’s Design in Marriage

In this Sunday Special, we address the biggest faith question I get during affair recovery, which is how and when do I forgive?  Of course this is a difficult question to answer depending on the damage that has been done.  Join me as I walk with you through scripture that gives us a blueprint for forgiveness and hope for restoration.  I address:

1. What is God's purpose and design for marriage
2. How and why the enemy wants to destroy your marriage
3. What Jesus says about when to forgive, and 
4. How We are not called to repeatedly forgive without boundaries.

Sunday Special's on the Lifegiver Podcast are a chance for us to dive deeper into honest conversations regarding our faith and topics that come up in our marriage.  In the last episode of the Lifegiver Podcast, I shared with you my strategy for affair recovery.  If you haven't heard that episode, listen to it here:https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-5jwg4-b63b20

Communicating Through Change/PCS

Join Matt and I on a Saturday afternoon over coffee where we talk about our recent PCS (relocation). We talk about how it affected each of us, our marriage, kids, and ideas fro how you can communicate through big changes your own family goes through. Referenced in this talk is a previous episode on Resiliency and Maslow's Ladder

 

My Strategy for Affair Recovery: How to Move from Crisis to Intimacy Again

Betrayal, is unfortunately more common than you think- especially in the service culture.  In this episode I share with you the strategy I use to help couples work through affair recovery.  There are three phases and couples will certainly stall if not fail to recover their marriage if they miss important steps throughout the phases.  Two people, if are both willing to work hard, can rebuild their marriage after an affair and go on to have a rich relationship.  

Here are some of the resources mentioned throughout the episode:

My interview with Dr. Mike Sytsma

Here is also my podcast on "Sin in a Christian Marriage" Part 1 & Part 2 

More Resources:

• Torn Asunder by Dave Carder. There is also a workbook available for this book. (faith based)

• Unfaithful: Hope and Healing After Infidelity by Gary & Mona Shriver (faith based)

• Secrets to Surviving Infidelity by Scott Haltzman

• After the Affair by Janis Spring

•  Rebuilding Trust Video – Using the image of a “trust bucket”, Dr. Mike addresses rebuilding trust after a affair.

Setbacks in Marriage- The Podcast Episode
Women & the Tough Bible Verses– (Topic of Submission and gender roles in the Bible- Authentic Intimacy)
People Are More Important Than Marriage– Authentic Intimacy, When you shouldn’t fight for your marriage.
Sexual Intimacy and Post Affair with Mike Sytsma
How do Affairs Happen? New Life Church, Brady Boyd

Articles:

So You’ve Hit a Marriage Setback: 3 Steps
Military Marriage: When to Separate
Mike Sytsma- Betrayal & Affair Recovery (articles and video)
Protecting Your Marriage from an Affair 

Books:

Mission Ready Marriage: My Life As An Active Duty Wife Claire Wood
Sacred Spaces: My Journey to the Heart of Military Marriage Corie Weathers

Addiction & Marriage Part 2

When a good friend approached me and asked why I had not addressed addiction and alcoholism on the podcast yet- I didn't have an answer.  I could not believe this topic had not been covered yet.  As Alyssa and I talked, she shared with me that she had searched everywhere for solid information on how to address alcohol addiction in her marriage.  Ultimately, I invited her to courageously share her story.  In this two part interview, Alyssa shares how alcohol in the service culture impacts so many marriages and families and how she approached her husband on his drinking.

There are many different ways that alcohol, pornography, or many other addictions can destroy your marriage.  We won't be able to address addiction from all sides in this interview, however I am so proud of how Alyssa handled her situation.  Alyssa does a fantastic job not only respecting her husband and marriage, but also modeling healthy boundaries, asking for change, and supporting her husband through his recovery.

If you are struggling with addiction or your spouse is, there is help out there.  No couple should approach a situation like this alone.  Counseling, the military ASAP program, and 12 Step Programs in your area can provide you the help you need to navigate the complexity of addiction and recovery.