IMbetween Podcast on Marriage, Parenting, Faith, and Everything In Between

In Episode 149, we chat with Scott James about Celebrating Jesus in the Advent season with your family. For those of you that would like to observe Advent together as a family, but don’t know where to start, this episode is for you. Or, if you have been celebrating Advent together as a family for a number of years, but looking to do something a little different, this interview is for you too.  For...

In Episode 148, we are chatting with Karen Ehman about How to Break The Pattern of People Pleasing and Confidently Live Your Life. As we enter into the holidays, there are many times we bend over backward or say “YES!" to many situations that we look back and wish we had said no. Whether it’s packing the calendar with holiday parties, or hosting Christmas dinner for the family because “No one else...

In Episode 147, we have the great honor of interviewing Ruth Chou Simons. Y’all…this was such an incredible discussion as we jump right into why we need to stop pretending we have it altogether, the gospel of self-improvement and why we need to replace it with the gospel of life-transforming grace. We talk about growing up in a shame based household as we all grew up in first generation Asian fami...

Research shows that worry has a trickle-down effect from parent to child. Thus, it's important that parents learn how to manage their worries so that they can cultivate a more peaceful environment for their children. It is possible to give your children (both young and older) the tools for coping with worry and the ability to think differently about the problems and challenges they encounter in th...

There has been a lot of talk about personal burnout as the result of everything we have been experiencing. In the same breath, there have been lots of conversations about how we can practice self-care to improve/protect our mental health and overall well-being. And while these conversations are important, one crucial piece of the puzzle has not been highlighted enough: marriage burnout.  In Episod...

After studying thousands of couples for over 4 decades, Dr. John Gottman found that the difference between happy and unhappy couples is not how much they fight, how often they have sex, or how much money is in their bank accounts. Instead, it is how often they turn toward each other instead of turning away from one another.  In episode 144, Daniel and Christina share how the first half of their ma...

After a year of ups and downs, loss of power and control, children in and out of school, and working from home, our lives have become more chaotic than ever before. Are you ready to bring peace into your home? In Episode 143, Laura Hernandez shares with us her proven customized systems that have brought calm and order into her family of 12. If you feel like you are only reacting to your life inste...

Is it possible for you and your spouse to live in the same house, sleep in the same bed, eat dinner around the same table, be quarantined in the same space, and feel utterly alone? Absolutely. And if you feel this way, you are not alone. It happens more often than couples talk about or are willing to confess. Researcher and psychologist, Dr. John Gottman, discovered that the #1 thing couples fight...

What is the purpose behind your parenting? What are you aiming for? In Episode 141, we interview Dave and Ann Wilson about the parenting secret that changes everything. Dave and Ann share their hard-earned but easy-to-apply principles that ensure a strong parent-to-child relationship and a strong foundation for your child in every stage of their lives. Get ready to laugh until your belly hurts as...

Have you ever considered going to couples counseling, but were afraid of the unknown? The first step is often the hardest because you are not sure what to expect. In Episode 140, we interview Monica DiCristina, a Licensed Professional Counselor, about some tell-tale signs your relationship could benefit from counseling. We also discuss what to expect during your initial counseling session, how to...

Parenting isn’t for wimps, especially when it comes to navigating the crucial conversations that we must have with our kids. Jimmy and Kristin Scroggins have had plenty of crucial conversations in their lives—not only with their own eight children but with parents who are scared and seeking wisdom. In Episode 139, Jimmy and Kristin share the "conversation map” to work through any tough conversatio...

12 years ago, Emily Ley found herself with a life she didn’t love. But instead of just settling, she dug deep and did the hard work of changing her life. In Episode 138, Emily shares with us about her journey from "Unsatisfied Emily" to the founder of Simplified, a successful brand of planners and home organizational tools for busy women. Emily created a life she loves using the BUILD philosophy,...

In every conflict, there are two options: to go down the road of an argument or open the doors to a deeper conversation which can lead to a greater understanding between you and your spouse. As John Gottman’s research has shown, it doesn’t actually matter what you fight about. What matters is how you repair your relationship after the fight. In Episode 137, we want to give you the framework of how...

Toxic relationships drain us, consume our brain space, and steal our joy. We've all experienced the aftermath of a toxic person's destruction, but do we all know what to do next? In Episode 136, we interview Gary Thomas about the tall-tell signs of a toxic person and how to walk away from this relationship in freedom and without guilt. We can't let others steal our joy or our mission. Listen in to...

Do you live your life trying to avoid pain? Maybe you've pretended everything is fine even though you feel like you are crumbling inside. While most people would never choose to go through a difficult season, we have all walked through some very dark days. In Episode 135, we interview Lisa Harper about the hidden treasure of difficult times and why it's important not to fake it through the hard st...

The Enneagram is a tool that can help us grow in our understanding of ourselves and each other. In Episode 134, we want to take a deeper dive into the Enneagram as it pertains to parenting. Many teachers of the Enneagram do not recommend typing your children, so that is not what we will be doing in this episode. Instead, we will be discussing each type’s parenting strengths, certain areas each typ...

The 5 Love Languages has helped millions of relationships, marriages, and families grow in their love and understanding for one another. In a blended family, The 5 Love Languages can help build your love for each other too, but with some unique parameters. In Episode 133, we interview Ron Deal—the leading national expert and the most widely read and viewed author on blended families in the country...

Why is it so hard to say, "I'm sorry?" If you’ve been married longer than a week, you’ve probably already realized that there is no such thing as a perfect marriage. You will have disagreements, misunderstandings, hurt feelings, or trust broken. Making mistakes is what makes us human. But, when you’ve hurt your spouse, knowing the right way to apologize makes all the difference. True apologies str...

Many times we do not set boundaries because we feel the need to help others or we fear disappointing them. While helping others is not wrong, if you feel like you can’t say no because you’re afraid of disappointing the other person, or you feel like you are giving so much of yourself that you are exhausted or in deep emotional pain, it has crossed the line of helping to hurting. That’s why, in Epi...

Money is often the source of many marital conflicts and has been one of the top reasons for divorce. But, it doesn't have to be this way! In Episode 130, we interview #1 New York Times bestselling author and money expert Rachel Cruze about the money advice married couples should not ignore. When couples understand why they handle money the way they do it changes everything. You can partner with yo...

As a family, the New Year is a great opportunity to decide together what habits and rhythms of life you want to live out in 2021. It’s also a great time to come together and set some family goals for the upcoming year too. And, that’s why in today’s episode, we want to share 4 Life-Changing Near Year’s Resolutions for your family to make this year. These ideas will grow your closeness with one ano...

When the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve, many of us breathed a sigh of relief. Finally…2020 is over! Kiss me, we survived! What many of us may have not done is talk about how the last year has been because how do you put into words what 2020 has done to us? In many ways, 2020 has been traumatizing. What was is no longer what is. That much change in such a short period of time is exhaustin...

When you’re sitting down with your not-yet-born children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren, what are you going to say about 2020? And when you read through the not-yet-written history books outlining the COVID-19/coronavirus global pandemic of 2020, what lens will you be looking through? What words will you use to describe this unprecedented year? What sorrows, joys, and silver-linings will y...

Shutdowns. Stay-at-home orders. Canceled holiday plans. Christmas certainly looks different this year. And while we may feel like we can't celebrate anything, does everything need to be perfect for us to have a reason to celebrate? Can we experience joy even when we are suffering? In Episode 126, Daniel and Christina interview author and advocate, Katherine Wolf. At the age of 26, Katherine experi...

Fake news. Online rage. Canceled out. Silenced. Echo chambers. These phrases did not mean much a decade ago, but they are prevalent today. In a world that relies heavily on digital communication, it is becoming more and more difficult to tease out what is real and what is fake. In Episode 125, Daniel and Christina interview Dan Darling about the importance of "online discernment" and how you can u...