24 Things We've Learned in 24 Years of Marriage

Episode notes

A pastor and a licensed counselor put 24 years of marriage in a bucket of numbered slips. Forty-five seconds to a minute to explain each one. Go short or go long, and you do not get the point.

This is not a lecture. It is 24 things Daniel and Marie Cox have actually had to live. Pray when you are struggling. Do not use vulnerability as ammunition. Laugh together. Your spouse cannot meet every emotional need you have. And your spouse is not your enemy.

In this episode

• Pray together, especially when you are struggling
• You can disagree and still be deeply in love
• There will be seasons when one of you carries more of the load
• Talk about money before money becomes a problem
• Never use vulnerability as ammunition later
• Forgiveness doesn't mean pretending nothing happened
• Physical intimacy is more than physical
• Learn how to apologize without adding the word but
• Your children shouldn't become the center of your marriage
• Ministry can strengthen a marriage, and it can also put enormous pressure on one
• Don't compare your marriage to someone else's marriage
• Give each other room to grow
• Don't keep score
• Love is a decision, not just a feeling
• Some arguments aren't worth winning
• Assume the best before assuming the worst
• Don't make permanent decisions during temporary emotions
• We're still learning how to love each other well
• Laugh together
• Your spouse cannot meet every emotional need you have
• Protect your marriage from outside voices
• Your spouse will change, and you need to keep getting to know them
• Date your spouse even when life is busy
• Your spouse isn't your enemy

If your marriage feels like a scoreboard, this one is for you.

Pastor Daniel Cox & Marie Cox · Cultural Connections
https://www.culturalconnectionspodcast.com
Calvary Baptist Church, Englewood, Florida · https://calbaptist.net

Scripture

1 John 1:7 · Ephesians 4:32 · Proverbs 27:6 · Galatians 4:16 · Proverbs 11:14 · Proverbs 17:22

Chapters

• 0:00 24 years, 24 things
• 0:46 Ground rules
• 1:46 Pray together
• 2:45 Disagree and still be in love
• 4:11 Seasons when one carries more
• 5:30 Talk about money
• 7:15 Vulnerability is not ammunition
• 9:00 Forgiveness is not pretending
• 10:22 Intimacy is more than physical
• 11:44 Apologize without but
• 13:09 Children are not the center
• 13:33 Ministry and pressure
• 15:56 Don't compare your marriage
• 17:32 Room to grow
• 19:01 Don't keep score
• 20:11 Love is a decision
• 21:41 Some arguments aren't worth winning
• 22:42 Assume the best
• 24:11 Temporary emotions
• 25:45 Still learning to love well
• 26:58 Laugh together
• 28:36 Your spouse is not your Messiah
• 29:49 Protect from outside voices
• 31:28 Your spouse will change
• 34:04 Date your spouse
• 35:00 Your spouse isn't your enemy
• 36:55 Close

If this helped, send it to a couple you love. Not as a lecture. As a reminder you are on the same team.