Expedition Marriage with Chris & Jamie Bailey

Your Marriage Is Growing Something… What Are You Planting? What kind of marriage are you planting today? Most couples focus on the problems they're experiencing right now, but Scripture points us to something much deeper: every marriage is continually sowing seeds that will eventually produce a harvest. In this episode, Chris and Jamie explore the powerful biblical principle of Sowing and Reaping...

Why do you and your spouse keep having the same argument? Maybe it's not because one of you doesn't care.   Maybe it's because neither of you has the capacity to solve the problem in that moment.   In this episode, Chris and Jamie explain one of the most important concepts they've learned about relationships—the Window of Tolerance .     You'll discover why your nervous system reacts the way it do...

Most marriages don't fall apart overnight. They drift. Over time, couples can find themselves feeling more like roommates than spouses—sharing a home, raising kids, managing responsibilities, but slowly losing the closeness and connection they once enjoyed. In this episode, Chris and Jamie sit down with Tony and Alisa DiLorenzo of One Extraordinary Marriage to discuss their journey from disconnect...

Have we outgrown marriage? A growing movement says yes. Some are calling for a "Marriage 2.0"—a version of marriage that prioritizes personal fulfillment, individual happiness, renewable contracts, and self-preservation over lifelong commitment. It sounds appealing. It even contains pieces of truth. But is it actually better? In this episode, Chris and Jamie examine the growing Marriage 2.0 moveme...

Have you ever noticed that almost every message coming at you today is telling you that something is wrong?   Your body could be better. Your house could be better. Your marriage could be better. Your spouse could be better. You could be better.   The world profits from your discontentment.   In this episode, Chris and Jamie unpack how social media, self-help culture, comparison, and constant self...

Have you ever noticed that after conflict with your spouse, suddenly everything they do starts irritating you? In this episode, Chris and Jamie unpack a powerful concept called the Reticular Activating System (RAS) — the brain's filtering system that determines what gets your attention and what gets ignored. The truth is, your mind is constantly scanning for evidence to support what it already bel...

Your Communication Isn't the Real Problem in Marriage Most couples think their biggest issue is communication. But what if the real problem is what's happening underneath the communication?   In this episode, we unpack the protective patterns that sabotage connection in marriage.     The escalation. The defensiveness. The shutdown. The criticism. The threats. The emotional spirals.   These aren't...

Have you ever looked at your marriage and realized: "We're still committed… but we don't actually feel close anymore." Not because of betrayal. Not because of constant fighting. But because somewhere along the way, your friendship simply disappeared. In this episode, we're talking about the kind of marriage many Christian couples silently experience: faithful, functional, responsible… but emotiona...

Parenting is already hard.   But when you add in phones, apps, social media, and constant digital exposure… it creates a level of pressure most couples feel completely unprepared for.   As marriage counselors, we see it all the time…   Couples aren't on the same page when it comes to technology. They avoid the conversation or they feel overwhelmed and unsure where to even start   In this episode,...

Are phones, social media, and even AI replacing connection in your marriage? In this episode, we're talking about the rise of false intimacy , which is when technology gives the feeling of connection without the depth, responsibility, or vulnerability that real intimacy requires. We'll unpack: How technology is reshaping emotional connection in marriage Why scrolling, texting, and AI interactions...

Pivoting in Marriage: The One Skill That Changes Everything Life doesn't always go as planned, and when it doesn't, your marriage feels it. In this episode, we're talking about one of the most important (and overlooked) skills in a healthy marriage: learning how to pivot . This week has stretched us in real time—living in an Airbnb while helping care for our grandson after our daughter's home floo...

Blended families bring unique challenges into marriage, and if you're in one, you've probably felt it. The tension, complexity, and the emotional weight of trying to make it all work. In this episode, we sit down with Ron Deal , a leading voice in stepfamily ministry, to talk about why blended family marriages can feel so hard, and what actually helps. 00:00 Meet Ron Deal 00:55 How Ron Found Stepf...

When Wives Carry Too Much: Letting Go of Control and Trusting God in Marriage It's NOT All On You (And How to Let Go & Trust God in Marriage)   Are you carrying more in your marriage and life than God ever asked you to? So many wives live with an unspoken pressure: "If this is going to work, it's up to me." But that mindset often leads to exhaustion, anxiety, and disconnection. In this episode, we...

Many couples struggle with this moment in marriage: one spouse shares something painful, and the other immediately tries to fix it. But what if the real need isn't a solution yet? In this episode of the Expedition Marriage Podcast , Chris and Jamie talk about why emotional validation and compassionate presence are often the first step toward healing in marriage. Men are often wired to provide, pro...

Hormones don't just affect your body. They can deeply impact your emotions, energy, communication, and connection in marriage. In this episode of the Expedition Marriage Podcast , Chris and Jamie sit down with Dr. Gretchen Reis , an integrative medicine physician who specializes in hormone health for both women and men. Together they discuss how perimenopause, menopause, and hormone changes can af...

Most couples don't struggle because they don't love each other. They struggle because they unknowingly repeat small communication mistakes that slowly start dividing them.   In this episode, we break down seven common communication patterns that erode connection, increase defensiveness, and keep couples feeling misunderstood.   If you want stronger communication, deeper connection, and fewer repea...

In this episode, Larah Roberts, founder of Raising Autistic Disciples, shares gospel hope for parents navigating autism and unexpected parenting challenges. We discuss how autism affects marriage, how couples can stay united under stress, and how to faithfully disciple neurodiverse children.   0:00 - Not Our Family Moment 0:48 - Meet Larah Roberts 2:02 - Family Story and Faith 3:27 - Noticing Diff...

We've Never Shared This Before!   Every marriage has a story behind it, including ours. In this deeply personal episode, we share parts of our story we haven't fully shared before. The trials that tested us. The seasons that stretched us. The moments when we didn't know how things would turn out. And how the Lord got us through.   This episode isn't about having a perfect marriage. In fact, it's t...

If your Christian marriage feels more like roommates, it's not just you. Many couples don't stop loving each other even though they slowly stop connecting. In this episode, we explore why Christian couples stop talking , what causes emotional and spiritual distance in marriage , and how seasons like busyness, parenting, health challenges, burnout, and unresolved conflict quietly steal connection....

Most spouses know they're loved. But far fewer actually feel special . In this episode, we talk about the subtle but powerful difference between being loved and being chosen, noticed, and delighted in , and why that distinction matters more than we realize in marriage. We explore how unspoken affection, good intentions, and sacrifices can unintentionally leave a spouse feeling overlooked, even in...

The War Inside Your Marriage - And How to Win It Together What if the biggest battle in your marriage isn't between you and your spouse?   In this episode, we're unpacking the real war happening inside every marriage, which is the internal battles of pride, self-protection, fear, past wounds, and unmet desires that sabotage connection. Before you get discouraged, know that you can win this war tog...

A Biblical Playbook for Marriage: Simple Strategies That Change Everything   What if marriage wasn't about winning arguments, but about learning how to play on the same team?   In today's episode, we sit down with Al & Autumn from MarriageTeam to talk about what it really means to have a biblical playbook for marriage. With decades of marriage and ministry experience, they share how God used their...

Have you ever felt fear, heaviness, or sadness long before anything "bad" actually happened? There's nothing wrong with and you're not dramatic. But you may be experiencing anticipatory grief , and it impacts marriages far more than couples realize.   In this episode, Chris & Jamie unpack why your heart sometimes grieves before life changes… and how this hidden emotional process can affect connect...

In today's episode, we're talking about something a little unexpected coming from two marriage counselors: why you shouldn't always take our advice, or anyone else's, without checking with the Lord first. We live in a world overflowing with sermons, reels, podcasts, coaching, challenges, and self-help. So much of it is helpful… but not all of it is helpful for you, and not all of it is helpful rig...

Every marriage walks through dry seasons, times when connection feels absent, emotions run low, and apathy sets in. But a dry season doesn't mean your marriage is dying; it often means God is doing deep, unseen work beneath the surface. In this episode, we're digging into how to recognize, remain in, and receive from the wilderness seasons of marriage, and how to come out stronger on the other sid...