Pure Desire Podcast

In this episode we sit down for a conversation with Archbishop Joseph Naumann. Together, we explore the cultural roots of pornography addiction, its impact on youth and marriages, and why the church must break its silence to offer real healing. Resources: Religious Alliance GET STARTED Summit 2026!: Register Now Free eBook: 7 Keys To Understanding Betrayal Trauma Free eBook: 5 Steps to Freedom Fro...

Can the Bible be used in ways that actually cause harm? In this episode, Neil Schori and Tabitha Westbrook join us to unpack some of the most commonly misused passages about sex, marriage, submission, forgiveness, and abuse. We talk about what these verses mean in context, how Scripture can be weaponized in unhealthy relationships, and how to recognize coercion, establish healthy boundaries, and p...

Many couples desire deeper intimacy but struggle with shame, silence, or confusion around sexuality. When faith and sexuality become disconnected, it can impact connection with God, ourselves, and our spouse. In this episode, Dr. Clifford and Joyce Penner explore how couples can reconnect spirituality and sexuality in a healthy, life-giving way. We discuss honest conversations about intimacy, heal...

Many couples long for deeper intimacy but struggle to talk openly about sex, desire, and connection. Avoided conversations can create distance, misunderstanding, and loneliness, even in marriages built on love and faith. In this episode, Jeff and Shaunti Feldhahn share insights from The Marriage Intimacy Project and explore what research reveals about sexual health in marriage. We discuss desire d...

Many young adults wonder if their past struggles will prevent them from experiencing healthy, lasting relationships. Shame, secrecy, and fear of rejection can make honest conversations about sexuality feel impossible. In this episode, John and Haley Begeman share their journey of recovery, dating, and building trust through courageous conversations about sexual brokenness. They explore the importa...

Many couples enter marriage with love, faith, and commitment but still feel unprepared for the realities of sexual intimacy. Unrealistic expectations, cultural messages, and a lack of understanding can leave couples disconnected and unsure how to build a healthy sexual relationship. In this episode, Dr. Chris and Alisa Grace explore what it takes to cultivate sexual wholeness in marriage. We discu...

Many people feel defeated when old patterns return, wondering why they keep struggling despite their desire to change. But relapse is not just a failure. It can reveal patterns that need to be understood and healed. In this episode, Robert Vander Meer explores how lasting transformation comes through renewing the mind, understanding the relapse cycle, and embracing our identity in Christ. We discu...

Good intentions aren’t always enough to overcome temptation, rebuild trust, or create lasting change. Without healthy boundaries, many people remain vulnerable to secrecy, compromise, and repeated patterns of hurt. In this episode, Brent Breining explains how guardrails are not about punishment, but protection: a reflection of God’s desire for freedom and healing. We explore how to identify person...

Secrecy and denial can quietly erode trust, intimacy, and connection in a marriage. But healing begins when what has been hidden is brought into the light with honesty, humility, and courage. In this episode, Tyler Chinchen explores what true repentance looks like beyond simply admitting wrongs. We discuss the difference between disclosure that harms and honesty that heals, the fruits of genuine c...

Shame has a way of convincing us to hide, disconnect, and believe we are alone. Yet beneath every struggle is a deeper longing: to be fully known and loved. In this episode, Dr. Curt Thompson explores how shame impacts our ability to connect, heal, and live fully through the lens of Scripture, neuroscience, and attachment theory. Together, we explore how God’s presence and the power of community r...

Recovery can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to rebuild after addiction, betrayal, broken trust, or deep personal pain. But healing was never meant to happen alone. In this Summit Roundtable, Nick Stumbo, Ashley Jameson, and Heather Kolb explore the heart behind Pure Desire Summit 2026: Rise & Rebuild, inspired by Nehemiah 2:18. They share how this theme reflects every healing journey and off...

When trust is broken, the impact reaches far beyond the relationship; it can affect the mind, body, and soul. Many partners navigating betrayal trauma feel confused, overwhelmed, and unsure how healing is possible. In this episode, Michelle Mays joins us to unpack the betrayal bind and help us understand the unique wounds created by relational rupture. Together, we explore how attachment, safety,...

In this episode, Dr. Sean McDowell unpacks why so many Christians feel stuck in compulsive sexual behaviors and how cultural messages often shape our understanding of sexuality more than Scripture. He explores common deceptions believers adopt about their bodies, identity, and desire, and why sexuality is often disconnected from faith. Together, we discuss how to reintegrate sexuality into a holis...

In today’s episode, we welcome Alan Hlavka for his first appearance and invite him to share a bit of his story and heart for recovery. Together, we explore how spiritual disciplines can serve as a powerful safeguard against pornography use and compulsive sexual behaviors—and why they’re about far more than willpower or religious routine. Alan shares real-life examples of transformation rooted in s...

In today’s episode, we explore how our sexual behaviors are shaped long before any crisis moment—and why engaging our personal story of sexual formation is essential for lasting freedom. Our guest, Sam Jolman, challenges the belief that desire is dangerous, revealing how shame, purity culture, and distorted messages about the body often fuel the very behaviors we’re trying to escape. We unpack the...

In this episode, we dive into the connection between faith, identity, and sexuality, exploring why separating sex from our life in Christ can lead to confusion, brokenness, and misplaced identity. With guest, Joshua Broome, we discuss how today’s western culture often defines worth through sexual appeal, activity, and acceptance, while God offers a radically different vision rooted in dignity, cov...

In this episode of the Pure Desire Podcast, we dive into the essential topic of emotional stability and its role in recovery, relationships, and personal growth. We explore how to assess whether we are managing our emotions or being managed by them, and why there are no inherently “good” or “bad” emotions.  Emotions are powerful indicators of deeper realities and can reveal patterns that lead to r...

In today’s episode, we explore what it truly means to pursue a “porn-proof life” from a Christian perspective—beyond willpower, rules, or fear-based accountability. We discuss why many Christians turn to pornography or other compulsive behaviors in moments of pain, stress, or loneliness, and how these coping mechanisms distort God’s design for comfort, connection, and desire. Our guests, Matthew a...

In today’s episode, we dive into one of the most tender and complex challenges couples face after betrayal: rebuilding trust that lasts. Even when sobriety is sustained and growth is evident, many spouses still feel the hidden fear that the “other shoe” will eventually drop. Our guests, Tyler and Shari Chinchen, help us unpack why trust can remain fragile, what behaviors—often unintentional—can qu...

On today’s episode, Nate and Maggie Blaylock share their expertise in helping couples navigate recovery, with a special focus on rebuilding physical intimacy after betrayal. They discuss common mistakes couples make in this area and provide examples of what can go wrong, as well as the traits of couples who successfully restore trust and connection in their sexual relationship.  The conversation e...

Register For The 2026 Summit Now! Carol Jurgensen Sheets joins us again to explore the vital role of empathy in healing relationships affected by addiction or compulsive sexual behavior. She begins by defining empathy and explaining why it’s essential for rebuilding trust and connection after discovery. Carol also discusses why many addicts struggle with empathy, often due to past modeling or copi...

Dr. Janice Caudill joins us for her first podcast conversation to explore one of the most challenging aspects of recovery: disclosure. She begins by sharing her own background and approach, then walks listeners through what an ideal disclosure process looks like in healthy recovery.  Recognizing that most couples face partial, staggered, or even forced disclosures, Dr. Janice offers guidance for n...

In today’s episode, Jason and Shelley Martinkus join us for their first podcast conversation to share their insights on navigating the ongoing challenges of healing in relationships impacted by addiction. They discuss how betrayed spouses can communicate triggers effectively, and how recovering addicts can receive this feedback without defensiveness. The conversation addresses common frustrations,...

In this powerful episode of the Pure Desire Podcast, Linda MacDonald joins us to explore the unique trauma of post-affair divorce—what she describes as a “spiritual car crash.” We discuss why the grief of being betrayed and then left carries a distinct and devastating complexity, including the deep shame, self-blame, and identity loss many survivors experience. Linda offers insight for betrayed sp...

Dr. Gary Chapman joins us for a rich conversation about loving well through The 5 Love Languages®. We begin with a helpful refresher on the five languages and explore how personality shapes the way we give and receive love. Chapman also explains the idea of the “love tank”—what fills it, what drains it, and how couples can keep it healthy through consistency, practice, and intentional effort rathe...