The Work Behind the Vows

Have you ever looked at a couple and thought, "If anybody is going to make it, it’s them" only to find out they are getting a divorce? Welcome back to another episode of The Work Behind the Vows with Words and Julanda Taylor! Today, we are having a heavy but necessary conversation about the celebrity couples we thought would make it, and the splits that shocked us to our core. We’re talkin...

We've all seen the picture-perfect celebrity couples online and thought, "I want what they have." But do we really know what it takes to build a marriage that lasts? In this episode of The Work Behind the Vows , Words and Julanda Taylor settle into their new studio for a fun, honest conversation about what "couple goals" should actually mean. Together, they unpack the differenc...

Marriage isn't strengthened by occasional grand gestures. It's strengthened by consistent daily choices. In this episode we discuss the practical rhythms, rituals, and routines that help couples stay connected through every season of marriage. From daily check-ins and weekly marriage meetings to prayer, conflict resolution, and intentional family time, they share real examples from their o...

A lot of couples pray for a better marriage but won't do the work to become better people. In this episode of The Work Behind The Vows , Words & Julanda explore the spiritual work required to build a healthy, God-centered marriage. From conviction and repentance to prayer and obedience, they discuss what happens when God begins addressing your heart instead of your spouse's behavior. T...

Most marriage problems don't start with communication. They start with emotions that haven't been processed. In this episode of The Work Behind The Vows, Words and Julanda Taylor discuss the role emotional regulation plays in healthy relationships and why learning to manage your emotions may be one of the most important forms of relationship work you'll ever do. Together they unpack: T...

Everyone wants a strong marriage. Few people are willing to do the work required to build one. In this episode Words and Julanda dive into one of the biggest misconceptions in marriage: the belief that healthy relationships are built on a perfect 50/50 split. The reality? Marriage isn't about keeping score. It's about two whole people continually showing up, growing, communicating, healing...

Episode 11 of The Work Behind The Vows is one of the deepest conversations yet. Not every marriage problem starts with cheating, betrayal, or some huge explosive moment. Oftentimes, the real damage starts with the conversations couples never have. In this episode, Words and Julanda unpack what happens when spouses stop being emotionally honest in their marriage. They talk about the pressure to “ke...

What if the biggest struggles in your marriage didn’t actually start in your marriage? In Episode 10 of The Work Behind The Vows , Words and Julanda unpack the lessons marriage taught them that nobody prepared them for — lessons about healing, communication, accountability, grace, vulnerability, and purpose. This conversation goes far beyond surface-level relationship advice. They explore how chil...

Most couples struggle because they’re working from the wrong blueprint. That’s where this conversation begins. In this episode, Words and Julanda introduce a new series focused on one central question: Why do couples say they want healing… but avoid the work required to get it? And the answer isn’t surface-level. It’s rooted in the beliefs people bring into marriage, especially the beliefs that so...

Disconnection doesn’t always look like conflict. Sometimes it looks like silence. Like proximity without presence. Like two people sitting right next to each other…both mentally somewhere else. That’s where this conversation lives. In this episode, Words and Julanda wrap up the series by focusing on what it actually takes to move from constant digital engagement to real, intentional connection. Th...

Every couple talks about trust and why it’s a non-negotiable. But not every couple talks about what actually protects that trust. That’s exactly where this conversation picks up. In this episode, Words and Julanda dig into one word that can either strengthen a marriage or slowly break it down: Boundaries. This episode kicks off with real-life moments that most couples recognize but don’t always ad...

Being married online comes with a question nobody really prepares you for: What do you share… and what do you keep for yourselves? In this episode, Words and Julanda give real life instead of a perfect formula. They start with the everyday tension most couples feel, but don’t always talk about: One person wants to post the moment. The other is wondering why it’s even being recorded. From unapprove...

Filtered love isn’t real—it’s a curated experience for show. In this episode, Words and Julanda break down how social media creates unrealistic expectations and how those expectations quietly impact real marriages. They explore: The difference between real love and curated “highlight reel” love How comparison steals joy, gratitude, and contentment Why social media often shows practiced, posed, or...

Marriage doesn’t heal your misaligned parts. It magnifies them. In this episode of The Work Before The Vows , we break down the practical blueprint for doing the real work required to build and sustain a healthy marriage. In this episode, we discuss: • Self-work before and during marriage • Maintaining identity while becoming one • Therapy, prayer, journaling, and healthy routines • Partner work a...

Attraction doesn’t disappear—it evolves. In this episode, Words and Julanda explore how healing reshapes desire, intimacy, and connection over time, and why seeing your spouse through healed eyes changes everything. They explore: How attraction has changed over 16 years of marriage Why healed intimacy looks different than unhealed intimacy How emotional safety becomes deeply attractive Why curiosi...

The roommate season doesn’t usually start with conflict. It often starts with silence. In this episode, Words and Julanda talk through how emotional distance forms when communication stops, offenses go unspoken, and expectations are never clarified. They explore: How stress and survival mode push spouses into parallel lives Why unspoken offenses create resentment How unspoken expectations guarante...

Disconnection doesn’t always come from one big betrayal. Sometimes, it’s the “small” habits that quietly pull your heart away. In this episode, Words and Julanda talk about porn, comparison, and emotional clutter as real connection killers that often start subtle… and end with resentment steering the whole marriage. They explore: How porn can open the door to lust, comparison, and discontentment W...

Attraction doesn’t just disappear—it fades when the things that spark connection get neglected. In this episode, Words and Julanda challenge the idea that attraction is purely physical and name the subtle ways distance builds inside even committed marriages. They explore: Redefining attraction beyond sex and physical chemistry Why disconnection often masquerades as “lost attraction” How resentment...

Entrepreneurship doesn’t just test business strategy. It tests marriages. In this episode, Words and Julanda walk through the long road from creativity and passion projects to building a sustainable business that could support their family. They explore: How early creative work evolved into entrepreneurship The cost of chasing vision without structure Why financial instability fuels fear-driven hu...

Parenthood brings joy, but it also brings pressure. In this episode, Words and Julanda get honest about how having kids reshaped their marriage in ways they never anticipated, from infertility struggles to the emotional weight of raising children in a complex world. They explore: The pressure couples face when trying to conceive How infertility and delayed pregnancy impact emotional health The str...

Marriage exposes everything, including communication patterns, conflict styles, unhealed trauma, and expectations we didn’t know we were carrying. In this episode, Words and Julanda walk through how their marriage was shaped by both joy and pressure, especially in the early years. They explore: Why the first few years of marriage can feel especially intense How communication styles can escalate or...

The college years are where independence sharpens and identity takes shape. In this episode, Words and Julanda break down how personal growth, ambition, and self-discovery during this season influence attraction, expectations, and partnership long after graduation. They explore: How identity development impacts relationship dynamics The role ambition plays in attraction and compatibility Why growt...

Every marriage has a backstory—and most couples never talk about it out loud. In this act, Words and Julanda go back to childhood to explain how early environments shape the way we love, fight, forgive, and connect as adults. They explore: Why they’re having these conversations now—and why they believe marriages must be reclaimed What “The Work Behind The Vows” really means beyond the highlight re...