Podcasts about happily even after

Thirty years ago, we never imagined we'd be navigating conversations about gender identity and sexuality with our children, but here we are. In this powerful conversation, Dannah Gresh from Pure Freedom Ministries shares biblical wisdom and practical tools to help you confidently guide your kids through today's confusing culture.In this episode, you'll discover:✅Three key Bible passages every child needs to understand about their body and identity before the world tells them lies✅How to have age-appropriate conversations about gender and sexuality without robbing your children of their innocence✅The critical difference between accepting and affirming when someone you love is walking through gender confusion✅Why your child's maleness or femaleness is directly connected to reflecting God's image in the world✅Practical strategies for responding with both truth and compassion when your kids encounter gender ideology at school or onlineReady to equip yourself with biblical truth? Grab the resources Dannah mentions in this episode to start these important conversations with confidence.Get your FREE Basic Pass to Life Skills Leadership Summit 2026 to give you confidence that your kids will be ready for adult life: https://HowToHomeschoolMyChild.com/lsls26Resources Mentioned:It's Great to Be a GirlLies Girls BelieveLies Girls Believe Mom's GuideLies Young Women BelieveLies Women BelieveIt's Great to Be a BoyLies Boys BelieveLies Men BelieveDannah Gresh is the founder of True Girl, a ministry dedicated to providing tools to help moms and grandmas disciple their 7–12-year-old girls. She is the co-host of Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth's Revive Our Hearts podcast and Revive Our Hearts Weekend. She has authored over twenty-eight books, including a Bible study for adult women based on the book of Habakkuk. Dannah and her husband, Bob, have just released a new book and limited-series podcast called Happily Even After which tells their marriage redemption story. They live on a hobby farm in central Pennsylvania.Show Notes: Introduction: A Topic We Never Imagined FacingKerry: Well hey everyone, Kerry back here with Life Skills Leadership Summit. Today I'm excited—not because of the topic, because it's a really difficult topic on sexuality and gender—but Dannah Gresh, I've just gotten to know her from a distance through podcasts and Revive Our Hearts and reading one of her books as well. But I do know that she has got a lot to say on this issue. So Dannah, thank you so much for being here. I really appreciate it.Dannah: Oh, I am so honored and delighted. Thank you for having me.Kerry: So before we get started, let me just pray for us and we'll let God guide this conversation.Father in Heaven, thank you. Thank you for today. Thank you for Zoom. Thank you that we can have a conversation and we can share it with many, many people. We thank you that you are sovereign, that you're the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and we can rest in that no matter what's going on around us. And there's a lot of mess going on around us, but we can have our hope in Jesus.We just thank you for Jesus and the bond that we have in Him through the blood that He shed for us. I thank you for Dannah being here. I pray that the things that you want said will be spoken through this conversation, that you will be glorified, and that the ones that are listening, you will just really touch their hearts and show them what types of practical steps or spending more time in the Word—whatever you want them to do—and just to be led by the Holy Spirit. We pray all these things in Jesus' powerful name, amen.Dannah: Amen.About Pure Freedom Ministries and PartnershipKerry: Okay, for those of you that don't know, Dannah has Pure Freedom Ministries and this has two parts: True Girl and Born to Be Brave. By the time y'all listen to this, you probably already heard one of my kickoffs because we do one on Sunday night before the whole week and I'll explain it.But they are our organization that we are supporting through this Summit. So we'll take the profits that we make on anyone that upgrades from free to VIP. If you upgrade to VIP, 5% of our profits will go to this organization. And then some of our speakers—you've probably heard about the ones that have chosen to—if they decide to donate 5% of their commissions, then I will match that 5% as well.So hopefully, you know, that will be just a little way that y'all can support what Dannah and her team are doing. So I just want to make sure everyone understands that before we get going.Dannah: What a blessing. Thank you so much.Dannah's Story: From Teenager to Ministry LeaderKerry: Well, let's before we start this topic, can you just tell people a little bit about yourself?Dannah: Sure. Well, I love Jesus first and foremost, and He is the best part of everything about my life. I came to know Him when I was a really little girl through Child Evangelism Fellowship five-day clubs. I just love Child Evangelism Fellowship to this day because I remember that moment when I surrendered my heart and my life to Jesus. So precious.But fast forward—at the age of 15, I was a teacher for Child Evangelism Fellowship. I was teaching Sunday school in my church to three-year-olds, and I loved the Lord like crazy. But I was in a Christian dating relationship and was blindsided by sexual temptation.I just thought that was not possible in my life because I loved the Lord so much. And it became this great shame and this great heartache of my life until I was about 26. I just really understood that even though it had been so long since I'd experienced that sin and chosen that sin, I hadn't really received the redemption and the freedom that Christ died to give me.When I did, my life changed. And I had to get out my megaphone—my proverbial megaphone—and tell teenage girls. And then as I was doing that, ministry just kind of exploded.I was praying, "Lord, let me graduate to college girls and adult women." And the Lord said, "What about my little women? What about my 10-year-olds and what about my 9-year-olds and what about my 8-year-olds?"I was like, "Lord, that's really great. Somebody needs to do children's ministry, but what about me graduating from high school girls to the older women?" And He was persistent. The Lord just kept opening doors.Before we knew it, we really are one of the largest ministries that takes biblical truth to 8 to 12-year-old girls. And now we have boys—we just added them in the last few years—through live events, box subscriptions, Bible studies, online Bible studies, at-home Bible studies with mom. We want to put mom in the driver's seat. We believe that's what God's Word says—that mom and dad belong in the driver's seat of a child's moral development.Now we fast forward to this year. We live in a time and a day and age when the government and a lot of different political entities believe that parents aren't equipped to make moral decisions about their children. Well, we still believe they are.And now I understand why the Lord has put us in this critical position. One of the things we've done really well through the years is take whatever the difficult issues of the day are—when we started, that was AIDS—and we look at it through a biblical lens.Today, that biblical lens that we look through, we're looking at the issue mostly of gender and identity. And when you think about how do we talk to an 8-year-old about that biblically without robbing them of their innocence, and also just the depression and anxiety these kids are at the tip of the spear...Teens have long been at the tip of the spear, but the enemy has moved the line backward. And now it's those 8 to 12-year-olds that really are having to grapple with things that their little hearts and minds aren't ready for. But we know how to do that in a way that's safe and biblical and most importantly keeps mom and dad in the driver's seat.The Trends We're Seeing in Gender IdentityKerry: That is so good. And I know I'm on y'all's True Girl mailing list, and so they have things and I have downloaded a few things just to find out exactly what they are. I'm giving my daughter some of y'all's books as well. I think it's the Lies Young Girls Believe, something like that. I'm not quite sure what it was.But I do have to tell you, all of a sudden I have one more connection with you because I grew up with Child Evangelism Fellowship and I became a believer at a Good News Club. I started, went to their CEF training as a teenager, and then we did the five-day clubs in Houston. So I was like, oh wow, that's so interesting. Small world.Dannah: They are a fruitful ministry. Look at us—we're passing, we're the fruit, we're passing on fruit. We're the fruit of their fruit.Kerry: My parents, they're in their 70s and 80s, and a while back they would lead Good News Clubs in the public school for like five years. They're still going on with it and all. So I love it. It does work.So okay, so we are in a just a strange time. And if you had asked us 30 years ago, we'd be going, "No way, we wouldn't be dealing with these issues." So what kind of trends are you seeing right now when it comes to gender identity and sexuality?Dannah: Well, you know, I would say heterosexual is definitely not in style. And what we see is a lot of teens claiming to be pansexual, where they're just willing to erase anything that has a baseline of truth to it and embrace everything. Basically, is what pansexuality is.A lot of teens in terms of gender are saying they're non-binary. That's just what's in style right now. And you might say, "Well, but there really is a problem. There are some kids that definitely struggle with gender dysphoria."Absolutely, that's true. Historically, we've known for decades that children—a very, very small percentage of them—are born with things like Klinefelter syndrome, fragile X syndrome. These are syndromes like Down syndrome where there are chromosomal abnormalities in that child's body.And the parents and the physicians have to work together to decide, how are we going to raise this child? Most cases, they can take a blood test and they can determine this child is clearly male or clearly female. But we have some issues that we're going to have to deal with because of these syndromes.But in most cases, they can really figure out what's happening there. And so that's the good news. But I think it's an important thing for us that we have to be compassionate because for some people that you meet on the street that you're not quite sure—are they male or female?—that's not a choice. It was something that they were born with. That's very difficult and painful. So we have to be careful.But on the other end of the spectrum, what we're seeing right now is—well, let me explain it this way. In about the year 2011, there was a shift from transgenderism being predominantly a male problem to now, it is today predominantly female. You see more teenage females transitioning than males.So the intellectually honest sociologists will say, "What happened to make that really dramatic shift happen?"And I think probably the person that's been bravest about it is a woman named Abigail Shrier. She's a journalist, not a believer as far as I know, conservative though, and yet very intellectually honest. Some parents kept writing to her and saying, "We need somebody to research this."And she brought together some of the bravest sociologists, some of the bravest intellectually honest ones. And what they found was clusters of girls transitioning. So in other words, a school district or a school or a city was seeing a lot of girls transitioning, and there were pops of this all over the United States.Now if this were a more intellectually honest occurrence, you would have seen it happening more evenly over the culture. But that's not the case. What's happening is cluster contagion. And that's what we're calling it now, which basically is peer pressure causing girls to say, "I don't feel comfortable in my body."Now let me remind you, there aren't very many of us that felt super comfortable in our body in seventh grade. But we weren't having somebody sit there next to us and telling us that might be because you're not really a girl.So I guess what we're seeing is a lot of confusion. Majority of what we're seeing is mass confusion that we need to prepare our children for and that we need to speak into truthfully. But we can't forget the compassion because there's a sliver of people struggling right now where this really is a deeply painful thing and not something that they chose.Why This Topic Is Critical Right NowKerry: That is something. So I mean, to me it seems pretty obvious, but why do you think this topic is so important right now?Dannah: Well, it's—let me say, take that from two angles. One reason it's important is because your children are being lied to, and we need to speak truth into their hearts and into their minds. We have to put so much truth into them that there's not room for the world's lies.When they see or hear a counterfeit, they immediately know, "That's not what I learned from God's Word. That's not what I learned from my parents whom I trust to be true." And they come to you and they say, "Hey, I just heard this." And you help—might not know the answers, but you help them figure out.But here's why I think it's really important, and this is why it's been important since the beginning of time. In Genesis 1:26 and 27-28, in that chapter we see God saying that He's made us in His image. And then He could have listed almost anything about us that would have made us like Him—our language proficiency, our ability to compose sonnets, our creativity, the fact that we would figure out how to defy gravity and fly to the moon. All these things about us are so God-like. Our even our emotions—animals are emotive, but not to the degree that we are.And yet God says one thing: "In the image of God He created them, male and female He created them."Our maleness and our femaleness is a distinct part of representing the image of God on this lost world. That's why it matters more than anything. And that's what our children need to know more than anything.How Parents Can Communicate God's TruthKerry: That is so good. I mean, it really is. We need to—and I love what y'all do is always going back to the Bible, you know. And this is a Christian conference. There's plenty of things out there for parents, but we want to make sure we're always going back to the Bible.So what are some things that parents could do? Like you want them to—one of the things that I know I've heard you say many times, we need to speak truth to our soul, but first we have to teach our kids what the truth is. How can parents communicate God's truth in regards to gender and sexuality and identity?Dannah: Well, I obviously encourage them to get them in the Word and some of these key passages that talk about our bodies. And I basically have three key passages that I think our kids need to study about this. I write about them in It's Great to Be a Girl. My husband and one of his co-authors writes about them in It's Great to Be a Guy. That's for kids aged 8 to 12, somewhere in that range.First one is in the book of 1 Corinthians. It says that our bodies exist to glorify God. That the purpose of our body is to glorify God. You know, we get really sidetracked and we think our bodies are for us to feel good, for us to feel pleasure, for us to look good and be this just vision of beauty or handsomeness, whatever it is.Our bodies were created to glorify God. That's why they exist—to showcase Him, to give honor to Him. That's why we dress carefully and tastefully and modestly. That's why we use language that's becoming and careful. That's why we don't get into the dark.I'm always concerned when we get into really dark-looking countenance and clothings and styles because Jesus is light and He is love and He is joy, and we want our countenance to reflect that. But my body doesn't exist for Dannah. My body exists for God.Then the second thing is the one I just mentioned earlier: Genesis 1:26 and 27, that the purpose of my body—how I glorify God—is as a female or male image-bearer. Because glorifying Him—I like to say that the moon glorifies the sun, okay? The moon doesn't have any light of its own, but it reflects the light of the sun, and that's why we have a full moon. They're so beautiful.Well, in the same way, we have to look like God. That's what glorifying Him means. And Genesis 1:26-27 says we do that best in the defined roles, the binary roles of maleness and femaleness. So they matter. They're important.And then the other verse that I think is really important is in Romans 12:1 and 2. It says, "I beg you brothers, by the mercy of God, that you present your body as a living sacrifice."So when my body, which was created to glorify God, doesn't feel like glorifying God as a female image-bearer of God, it becomes a sacrifice to God because I choose to live sacrificially according to the purpose of my body as a female image-bearer.Now I don't know that those are the only passages that your children need to get into, but those are three of the big ones that they need to memorize, dissect, be familiar with, understand. And that's going to give them more than studying all the counterfeits. That's going to give them the fuel they need for the conversations that are going to come up in their lives at one point or another.Age-Appropriate Conversations About TruthKerry: That's so good. Because we don't know what's going to happen in 20 years, you know, and what things they're going to need to know.When you think about even these three passages or talking about truth at different ages, because you've talked about 8 to 12 and then we've got teenagers, would you approach them differently or do you have any suggestions about that?Dannah: Well, with teens, of course, I'm going to be a lot more forthright. Although more and more—we just had a mom communicate with us that her child is attending a private school, not a Christian school but a private school. And just this year, the daughter came home and said, "Hey, we have Teacher X teaching at our school." And I'm not going to say the name. And it's not Mr. X or Mrs. X, it's Teacher X.And of course this mom said, "Well, do you know if Teacher X is male or female?" And she kind of said, "Well, this is what I think, but that's probably—they're trying not to look that way." So there's obviously some gender confusion there.What was really interesting is that when they have a student teacher, this parent had previously gotten a letter that said, "This is the teacher, this is what you need to know about them, I want to introduce them to you, they'll be starting on this date, they'll be ending on this date." In this case, that didn't happen.So that child is in about fifth grade. So we're not—and I've heard in my own school district of kindergarteners who are being told, "You get to pick your pronoun in my class. Maybe you weren't allowed that opportunity at home, but in my class you get to choose what you are, who you are."And so more and more we are having to have more of a conversation that we want, especially if we've chosen for our children not to be homeschooled or not to be in a space where their teaching is governed by truth. And that's not you, but it may be your friends, and it may be someone you're conversing with or having coffee with, you know, needs to know—hey, some crazy stuff is happening in some of these schools.And they don't believe it until it hits them. And then that's how this mom was. She's like, "I heard about it in California and I heard about it in this state and that state, but my state?" Yes, your state.So I think it's really important that we let them drive the questions though. So at high school we maybe are being, you know, we're talking about transgenderism, we're talking about all the different language that is used—the LGBTQ+, non-binary, binary, pansexuality.Mom, dad, you got to do some vocabulary work on this one. You've got to know the words, and that's going to help build your credibility. If you have a child who has been exposed, if you don't know a word, just say, "I'm not really sure what pansexuality is. Let's look it up and learn together, and then we're going to go to God's Word and figure out what He says about it."But when you're under, I would say 12 years old, I would just stick to God's truth. And what you're going to find, and what we have found as we have taken moms and daughters through It's Great to Be a Girl online Bible study or It's Great to Be a Guy online Bible study, is that studying it in the Bible and having mom and dad sitting there talking with you about it brings up the questions.They'll say, "I heard that so-and-so down the street has two dads," or "I heard that this friend at church has a brother who's becoming a sister." And you have the opportunity then to talk to them about that stuff.But I really like to let them drive that rather than us introducing things. And there's such a fine line there. And what I want to say is we don't—we have to be very careful about being afraid of the topic of sex because God isn't. He's not afraid of the topic, and we don't need to be afraid of it.But there are developmental phases where our children are more ready for some of these things than others. And if you can delay some of these conversations until they are developmentally ready, I think that's wise.The Importance of Reclaiming Biblical SexualityKerry: I think that's really good. And I appreciate you saying that we need to talk to them about sexuality more than just what sex is or how do we have kids, that type of thing. Because I know I heard on one of y'all's podcasts, you know, if we don't reclaim the sexuality and what's going on, the world is going to take over, which is what it's doing. And the church really does need to understand it. And if moms and dads don't, they need to do some research and stuff.Dannah: Well, and Ephesians 5:31 and 32 says, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." And then it's almost like the Apostle Paul has ADHD or something. Because it's like he changes the subject. He says, "I'm really talking about Christ and the church."And this verse probably more than any other in Scripture tells us that marriage is meant to be a picture of the love Christ has for His bride, the church. But you can see that taught from Genesis to Revelation. It's a very important picture in the body of Christ.And if we do not wake up to really protect and defend that picture, we're going to wake up one day to see the gospel completely marginalized—not just marriage, but the gospel.And I guess my question for all of us is: if sex and marriage really does represent the love of Christ, the gospel, how motivated is Satan to see that picture destroyed in our lives, in the lives of our children? We have to be vigilant. We have to be informed. And we have to be so full of grace for those moments when we mess up or our kids mess up.Navigating With Grace and CompassionKerry: Yeah. And I think you just said that—I was coughing—grace and patience. Because you're talking about having compassion for these people that are really dealing with issues. And I think sometimes the church gets so, "Oh my goodness, look at them, they have children that are homosexuals or whatever."And yet we—I mean, no, we don't tolerate—I mean there's a blend between tolerating, but we also need to show grace at times because the compassion of God is what draws people back. The kindness and stuff. Would you have anything to say about sort of where you draw the line? And not that we want to judge people, but we do want to come alongside.So we've got moms here that want to help with their kids, but then they may have people in their family or in their church or something. What are maybe some practical things that they could do to handle these situations?Dannah: Well, some practical things are teaching our kids grace. Teaching them a gracious response.Bob and I, my husband and I, discipled a young man for many years who is non-binary now. Young adult man. And we still will have lunch with him. He doesn't live locally, but when he's coming through, he still wants to visit with us and talk with us.I got a birthday text from him that said, "You're like my second mom," because we have blessed him with our love and our presence, which is genuine. It's not fake. We adore him. He is easy to talk to, intelligent. We had so many high hopes for how he would—and still do—influence people for Christ.But we do not—we accept, but we do not affirm. We accept, but we do not affirm.So he knows—one of the last big conversations we had about his journey into homosexuality and a non-binary lifestyle was very pointed where my husband said, "I believe you've been set apart, and I believe that you have different desires, and that you have to obey the Lord with Romans 12:1 and 2. You need to sacrifice your desires for the purpose of your body glorifying Christ."And it was a very pointed conversation. And we haven't talked about that since then, but he knows where we stand.So we're honest, you know. One of the things that's really a challenge right now is the question of pronouns, right? Do we use the pronouns or do we not use the pronouns?And with this individual, I avoid using pronouns because the pronouns he wants are "they" and "them." I will not do that because God's Word commands me not to lie, and it's not truthful. However, I'm not going to rub salt in a wound of all the struggles that he's walking through.So I do my best to navigate through just not using either his new name that he wants or the pronouns. He knows that's what I'm doing.I know another woman who—she did transition for nine years. She had her breasts cut off, she had hormones, she was bearded, she was talking like a guy, she lived as Jake for nine years. Her name was Laura.Her mom stayed on her knees, stayed in a prodigal prayer group. And when it came to the name—she wanted to be called Jake—her mom said, "I can't call you that, but I know it's going to offend you. Can I call you honey? I'll do that."And it was a compromise they made together. So you see, accepting but not affirming is a really important line we have to make.Because this is the question that Rosaria Butterfield asked in a recent book that she's written. I believe the title is Five Lies of Our Post-Christian Culture. But she says, "Is your church, is your home, is your family a safe place for someone to repent of their sin of homosexuality or gender—" I'm not going to call it confusion, but rebellion. Okay?Because gender confusion, I would say, is probably going back to some of those syndromes I'm talking about, right? You're going to feel some confusion when you're not quite sure how your body is showing up, right?But gender rebellion, I would say, is what my friend Laura went through. She knew she was a girl, but she wanted to stick it to her mom and stick it to God. And she did for nine years. And then the Lord got a hold of her heart.But partly, I think the Lord got a hold of her heart because her mom never accepted Jake, never accepted the lie, never used the pronouns. And yet she still loved and accepted the child.Kerry: Fine line.Dannah: So good.The Reality of Dealing With These IssuesKerry: Yeah, we've got to love. And I, for one, I mean, these aren't just teenagers. You know, I had friends whose kids have transitioned, and the parents, the mom and the dad don't even agree on the pronoun issue, you know. And that's a really hard thing.What I really like about what you just said is she communicated with her daughter and they talked about it instead of just doing this and then, you know, that child getting angry and then blocking them out of your life kind of thing. And so communication just seems to be vital as well, even if they're going down that path.Dannah: Yeah, so communication before and after is key. And it's not easy. It's hard. And there'll be tears on both sides and disagreements. But you want to walk through it in such a way that you maintain a place where they know what the truth is and they know where to come when they finally do understand what the truth is.Kerry: Yeah, I always tell—because I host a prodigal prayer group too—and the two things I'm always like, we can always love and we can always pray. You know, we cannot change them, but we can pray and we can never give up. You know, God's not giving up on us, so we shouldn't be giving up on our kids or other family.Dannah: Yeah. And you know, when it comes to praying, I find that people that I love that aren't walking with the Lord—they might be offended if I start asking them, "Who do you think Jesus is?" But they're never offended when I say, "How can I pray for you?"They might define it differently, but it keeps that door open of them knowing, "I care about your spirit. I care about your spiritual life. I care about you." They know that praying is important to me.And when I just say, "How can I pray for you?" their hearts often just flood open with things that they want prayer for.How Did We Get Here?Kerry: That's a really good point too. Okay, let's—how have we talked about all this? How do we get where we are today? Because, you know, like we said, 30 years ago we would have never thought—yeah, you know, there was homosexuality back then, but that was pretty much it. How do we get here?Dannah: Oh, I think that it's how we got here is, you know, we were an Augustinian worldview. The United States of America had this worldview that was predominantly established by Augustine, St. Augustine of Hippo. He believed that love was the highest good in humanity and that that love should be reflective of the truth of the Bible.And that really was the worldview of our culture. And that meant that there was one man and one woman marriage.And then when it really started to break down, honestly, was Freud, who felt that the highest good was sex. He thought that that was the highest need in a human body. And so the conversation started to change as Freud, who did bring us some decent diagnostic tools in terms of understanding and being more aware of our emotions and our mental health—but psychology doesn't do anything, really, if you look at the stats of recovery from psychological methods. Hardly anything outside of Jesus.I mean, single-digit recovery. In my mind, if I'm having some mental health problems, I don't want to go to a place that can give me a single-digit percentage chance of getting better.But then enter Alfred Kinsey. Alfred Kinsey came into the scene, and he was a very unwell man emotionally and mentally. And so he was really excited about the things that Freud taught and believed that he could prove that not only was his theory correct—that our highest need was sex—but that most of the sexual things that these prudish Americans thought were, quote-unquote, sinful were actually very normal behavior. Things like homosexuality and even pedophilia.And he said, "I'm going to prove that those are okay." So he did the Human Sexuality Volume 1 and Volume 2 reports. And his research was really horrific. He hired pedophiles who had been jailed for pedophilia to conduct experiments on children.And it was really child sexual abuse that was recorded in those volumes. But nobody talked about that. Nobody said who did the research and how did you get it done. At that time, it just became the playbook for the sexual revolution of the '60s.But they said, "Look, look, we do want sex. We do need sex." And then the sexual revolution—during that time, a virgin in college named Hugh Hefner read those volumes that Kinsey wrote and said—and this is a quote—"I'm going to be Kinsey's pamphleteer."And as you know, then he went on to create his pamphlet, which was Playboy, normalizing objectifying women. I'm not going to call it anything other than what it is.And so it was this—it was a lie we all wanted to believe. Not me, not you, but the culture wanted to believe because it justified their sin and their desires instead of controlling them. They could justify those sins and desires.And I think when we had about a 30-year climb to making gay marriage legal, but that was kind of a floodgate moment. You know, I feel like from the night that the White House was covered in rainbow colors until today, it's just been a floodgate of Sodom and Gomorrah-esque sin.And whereas it was this slow, steady climb for decades, now it's just a playground.Signs of Hope and BacklashDannah: Now, I am thankful that we're seeing some—I guess what I would call backlash against some of this. In Canada, this year—last year, rather—we saw the first case where a patient who underwent transgender gender reassignment surgery is suing the physician for what happened to her body.Because she said, "I came to you with a mental health problem, and when I was very mentally unwell, you told me the solution was to cut up my body." And she's suing that doctor.Tavistock, which is a gender assignment clinic in the UK, has been shut down because so many of the doctors and nurses are saying, "You only saw these patients two or three times before you let them self-diagnose that they were gender-confused and began treating them." And the doctors and nurses said, "That's not okay. We didn't adequately find out if they really did have gender dysphoria. We're just letting them self-assign."And that's still happening in the United States. But because Canada and the UK are ahead of us, I'm encouraged that we're going to start to see backlash very soon.So don't stop using the correct pronouns. Don't stop calling girls "she" and "her," and don't stop calling boys "him" and "his." Like, we are not crazy. We just feel crazy because the conversation happening in our culture is a little mad.But we are going to start to see a backlash in the next five to 10 years.Kerry: It sounds depressing, but it is encouraging.Dannah: And our hope is in Jesus, who we know can—always, just like I didn't think the education system could ever get fixed, and then COVID hit. And I was like, "Oh my goodness, look, God can do something when it looks like everything's falling apart."He can do the same thing with the gender and sexuality issues. And—excuse me—and even our hope isn't even in this world. I just have to say that. Like, more and more, as it gets crazier and crazier, it makes me hungrier for heaven and the new heaven and earth that we will know after Jesus' return.And for anybody, you know, who maybe you're listening to this and you're the one that cut up your body, you allowed that to happen—you know, when Jesus returns, the new heaven and the new earth, He's going to perfect you and receive you as He created you and fix everything that this world can't fix. And there is such hope in that.Kerry: That is so good. Thank you so much. And yes, He can. And He redeems ashes to beauty all the time. So amen.So I know y'all have some resources that I think would be helpful. Could you share a little bit about that?Resources to Help FamiliesDannah: Sure. Well, I mentioned It's Great to Be a Girl and It's Great to Be a Guy. Those are two books that we take parents and kids through an online study on, but you could do it at home. You can do it as part of a homeschool curriculum.Another book that I have is Lies Girls Believe and A Mom's Guide to Lies Girls Believe. Those go together because I think this extends beyond gender. It's a battle for truth.And the interesting thing about truth is that we know Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." He was truth. So this whole conversation is an assault on Him.And so that book, and Lies Young Women Believe, introduced teen girls and tween girls to really studying: What is truth? What does it mean? And how do I figure out when I'm believing a lie? And what God's Word says about it, and what is true?So I would say those are really important books. We're working on Lies Young Men Believe, but we also—my friend Aaron Davis just wrote Lies Boys Believe. So good tools.We've had lots of friends tell us they've used them as homeschool curriculum. And I would love to see you explore them. They are great. They really are.Kerry: I have—well, I've done Lies Women Believe. And then I will say, too, for those of you—this probably doesn't pertain to a lot of you—but they have them in Spanish. I used to work in El Salvador and go down there once a month and work with a school down there. And we started with Lies Women Believe, but they had a teen girl Bible study, so then they did the Lies Young Women Believe.I don't know if they've done the girl, but when I was looking at your site, I was like, "Oh, they have Spanish books too." So if y'all are in another country, just know that there are resources for you there as well.Dannah: So wonderful.Closing EncouragementKerry: Well, as we close, is there anything you would like to say just in closing?Dannah: Just I think it's so important right now that we are just so deeply in love with Jesus. It's one thing to know all these things in our head, right? But until it gets here...The reason we have prodigals prodigalizing and the reason we have deconstructors deconstructing is because there was a lot here, but we didn't quite maybe get it here. And so what I'm learning is that I can't push it here in the kids I'm teaching, but I can do what I need to do to sit at the feet of Jesus and minister to Him in worship, in prayer, and opening the Word.I don't want to just know the facts of what I read in my Bible this morning. I want to know that I had an encounter with Jesus.So my prayer for you is not just that you would know the facts about all these hard conversations that we're having to have right now, but that more than anything else, you would be so in love with Jesus that your heart beats to reflect His image.And so I pray that for you, and I pray that for your children too.Kerry: Oh, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Thanks for just taking a little time out of your day to be with us. I really appreciate it.Dannah: Oh, it was so good to be here, Kerry. Thank you. God bless you. I pray that you're so blessed by this conference.Kerry: Very good. Well, I am Kerry Beck with Life Skills Leadership Summit. We'll talk to you next time.

In the first episode of 2026, Heather sits down with betrayal coach Jennifer Townsend, founder of Happily Even After, to talk about what happens when trust is shattered by infidelity, emotional affairs, or pornography betrayal. Jennifer shares pieces of her own story, why betrayal feels uniquely traumatic, and what early healing actually requires—compassion, nervous system regulation, safe support, and tiny doable steps. Whether someone chooses to rebuild or leave, this conversation offers clarity, hope, and a path forward that doesn't require abandoning yourself. For more information about Jennifer and for links to access all she has to offer, please click HERE! To watch this interview on YouTube, go HERE. For more information and available downloads, go to: https://ldslifecoaches.com/ All content is copyrighted to Heather Rackham and featured coaches. Do not use without permission.  

Send us a textAfter betrayal shatters your world, finding your way forward can feel impossible without a map. Where are you on your healing journey? Where do you want to go? And most importantly, how do you get there?Drawing from both personal experience and professional expertise as a trauma-informed certified life coach, I've created the Betrayal Healing Roadmap – a comprehensive guide through the seven stages of betrayal recovery. Like a GPS for your healing journey, this roadmap helps you identify your current location so you can chart your course toward freedom and peace.The journey begins with Discovery – that shocking moment when your world implodes and your nervous system goes into overdrive. Your body remembers every detail of this trauma as you cycle through fight, flight, and freeze responses. This quickly leads to the Questioning stage, where your brain desperately tries to make sense of what happened through investigation and rumination. While natural, becoming a "professional detective" ultimately keeps you stuck rather than moving forward.The third stage introduces the toxic cycle of Blame and Shame, where the unfaithful partner often deflects their shame onto you, and you might absorb it as your own. Recognizing this pattern is crucial for breaking free. Then comes the Grief stage – mourning not a death, but the relationship you thought you had and the future you'd planned. Many try to skip grief, but feeling these emotions, including anger, is essential for healing.At the Crossroads stage, you face the ultimate question: stay or go? This decision requires clarity that only comes after some healing has occurred. Rushing this choice often leads to decisions made from trauma rather than wisdom. Whether you stay or leave, the Rebuilding stage follows – creating either a new relationship foundation based on honesty and accountability or building your independent life with renewed confidence.The journey culminates in what I call "Happily Even After" – the Freedom stage where you've reclaimed your joy and peace. Your life is no longer defined by betrayal but by what you've created afterward. You'll still experience occasional sadness or triggers, but you now have the tools to process them without getting derailed.Ready to find your place on this map and begin moving forward? Take my free quiz at lifecoachjen.com to discover which stage you're in, then let's work together to create your happily even after.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 45 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

Happily Even After | the Biggest Threat to Marriage Dave Nelson | February 16, 2025Support the showVisit our Online Campus at Online.timberlakechurch.com, which is live Sundays 9, 10:15, & 11:30am.-If you would like to partner with Timberlake and want to support our mission to spread the love of Jesus to the world, please visit https://www.timberlakechurch.com/giveonline to set up a one-time or recurring gift. You can also text “Timberlake" to 77977.- | IOS app link | | Android app link |

Send us a textRebuilding trust after an affair feels like an insurmountable challenge, but it's a journey worth taking if you're ready to heal. How do you mend a relationship that feels shattered? In today's episode of Happily Even After, I, Jen, a trauma-informed certified life coach, guide you through the emotional labyrinth of betrayal. Drawing from my personal journey and Matthias Barker's insightful "five A's" framework—Acquire, Accountability, Acceptance, Acknowledgment, and Amends—we craft a roadmap for healing, both individually and as a couple. This is not just about patching things up; it's about redefining the relationship fabric and nurturing personal growth so that trust can genuinely take root again.Honesty, transparency, and patience are not just words but the pillars of trust recovery. Whether it's setting boundaries or diving into self-awareness, these steps are not merely strategies but lifelines that can guide you through tumultuous times. We explore the importance of understanding your own emotional state before making life-altering decisions and discuss why self-healing should precede any couple's therapy. From candid personal stories to practical advice, you'll find the tools you need to navigate the aftermath of betrayal. Share this with those who might need a guiding hand and join me on social media for more insights on thriving even after the storm.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 45 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

Send us a textEver felt like the weight of betrayal and divorce is insurmountable? Join me, Life Coach Jen, as I reveal ten transformative lessons from my personal journey that promise to offer hope and healing. Through candid reflections, we'll explore the art of rebuilding an active social life, embracing the unexpected beauty of newfound companionship, and finding solace in maintaining cherished traditions, even when they feel transformed by loss. Let's acknowledge the sadness that lingers years after separation and discover how it is not only natural but can be a stepping stone toward emotional growth and renewal.Reflect on the road to self-discovery and healing, where curiosity and compassion become tools to overcome the pain of judgment and betrayal. Together, we'll redefine what a "forever family" truly means, rooted in honesty and love rather than outdated expectations. Celebrate newfound courage as we embrace new experiences and seek support when needed. For continuous inspiration and to be part of a supportive community, connect with me on Instagram and Facebook at Happily Even After, and don't hesitate to reach out for personalized guidance. Let's embark on this journey toward creating your own happily ever after.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 45 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

Embark on a transformative journey with Heidi Rain and Dug McGuirk in this inaugural episode of Happily Even After! Designed for couples who want to reconnect, reinvent, and revitalize their relationships, this episode introduces the crucial first step: creating a shared relationship vision for 2025. Whether you're navigating challenges, feeling disconnected, or ready to take your partnership to the next level, Heidi and Dug provide actionable strategies and heartfelt insights to guide you. Learn how to identify your "North Star feelings" and bring clarity to your relationship goals—without peeking at your partner's vision just yet! Plus, the couple announces their upcoming Couples Retreat, happening in March, offering a powerful opportunity for in-person growth and connection. Be part of this exciting new series, and let's work together to create your Happily Even After. Join us online weekly to learn, grow, and build the love story you deserve. Visit www.HappilyEvenAfterwithDugandHeidi.com to learn more, sign up for the retreat, and start your journey today! #HappilyEvenAfter #CouplesRetreat #RelationshipGoals #LoveAndConnection #2025Journey #ReinventYourRelationship #MarriageVision

Send us a textWhat happens when the foundation of your life crumbles overnight, and you're left to pick up the pieces? Jennifer Townsend, the inspiring voice behind the "Happily Even After" podcast, shares her transformative journey through betrayal, divorce, and self-discovery. Join us for an illuminating conversation as Jennifer recounts the emotional storm that followed the revelation of her partner's infidelity during the pandemic. With a blend of vulnerability and strength, she delves into how she moved past the insecurities and emotional abuse to make the pivotal decision to divorce after 26 years, ultimately reclaiming her self-worth and embracing a future built on self-love and personal growth.Throughout this episode, we navigate the tumultuous waters of forgiveness and healing, with Jennifer offering profound insights into mending fractured relationships, especially with family. From grappling with outdated beliefs about marriage to finding joy and freedom in the present, her story is a testament to resilience and transformation. Discover how Jennifer's podcast emerged from a lack of supportive resources, aiming to guide others towards happiness after life's most challenging events. Whether you're facing similar struggles or seeking inspiration, this conversation promises to provide the wisdom and encouragement needed to pursue happiness and healing.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 45 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

Send us a textEver felt the sting of betrayal and wondered how to piece your life back together? Join me on a heartfelt journey as I share personal insights inspired by a road trip with my daughter and Oprah Winfrey's "What I Know For Sure." Discover how recognizing personal truths can empower you to heal from a spouse's affair. You'll learn about the importance of trusting your intuition, focusing on your own healing, and understanding that infidelity is a flaw in the betrayer, not a reflection of your worth.Navigating the aftermath of betrayal is complex, but recognizing red flags and demanding genuine remorse and transparency can pave the way to rebuilding trust. We tackle the tough conversations about self-love, accountability, and processing emotions like anger and pain. Whether or not your marriage survives, embracing the fact that the affair was not a reflection of you is key to fostering self-worth and resilience.Finally, explore the transformative power of a trauma-informed perspective and the mind-body connection. By shifting from a victim mentality to one of empowerment, you can rewrite your life story with intention. Divorce doesn't have to be the end; it can be a new beginning leading to happiness and fulfillment. Dive into 13 insightful tips for recovery and healing, and join our community as we share experiences and support each other in building a resilient future. Stay connected and continue this conversation on social media under Happily Even After. Let's create a life filled with strength and joy together.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 45 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

Send us a textWhat if you could face your past with confidence and peace? In this heartfelt episode, I share my personal journey of healing from betrayal, offering insights into the delicate balance between apathy and neutrality. Join me as I recount the emotional milestone of attending my daughter's graduation, where I encountered my ex-spouse after a long time. Discover how building a strong zone of resilience within the nervous system can empower you to navigate life's challenging moments with grace. We also explore a listener's question that sheds light on the often-confused emotions of apathy and neutrality, helping you understand their distinct roles in the healing process.The path to recovery is never walked alone. Through the support of my brother and embracing shared emotions, we uncover the power of connection in overcoming feelings of betrayal and loneliness. Learn how trying new activities can breathe life into your emotional landscape, and why acknowledging all your emotions, from anger to sadness, is crucial for healing. This episode also invites you to become part of a community dedicated to creating fulfilling lives, encouraging you to reach out and share your journey. Let's continue to support each other, learn from one another, and strive for our own "Happily Even After.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 45 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

Send us a textSorting through sentimental clutter after a significant life change can be an emotional rollercoaster, but it can also be profoundly healing. After my divorce, I discovered the powerful impact that decluttering had on my mental health and overall well-being. In this episode of Happily Even After, I share my personal journey of downsizing and letting go of items that held both cherished and painful memories. By embracing this process, I found a new sense of peace and clarity, and I want to help you experience the same.We dive deep into the emotional and psychological aspects of decluttering. You'll learn practical strategies to identify and tackle clutter, set manageable goals, and make thoughtful decisions about what to keep. Our discussion highlights how recognizing emotional attachments to items can be both a challenge and an opportunity for growth. We provide innovative solutions such as creating digital records of cherished belongings and tips to avoid unnecessary purchases. Whether it's involving friends, hiring professional cleaning services, or finding ways to make cleaning more enjoyable, this chapter offers a comprehensive guide to maintaining a tidy and stress-free home.Creating a peaceful and organized living space is essential for healing, especially after major life transitions. We explore various safe methods to dispose of unwanted items, whether through selling, donating, or giving them away. I share personal experiences that underscore the emotional benefits of decluttering, plus actionable tips for involving family members in the process. From organizing small areas like a drawer to setting larger goals like clearing out the garage before winter, we aim to inspire you to achieve a more organized home and a decluttered mind. Join us on this journey to increased peace, joy, and healing, and don't forget to connect with us for more tips and support.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 30 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

Send us a textAre financial fears holding you back from taking control of your future? In today's episode of Happily Even After, we unpack the critical connection between finances and divorce, especially for stay-at-home moms. We tackle the complex emotions tied to financial independence and illuminate why mastering financial literacy is essential, regardless of your relationship status. From understanding household bills to building your own credit, you'll gain practical tips to help you navigate these tricky waters and secure a stable financial future.Financial independence isn't just for those contemplating divorce; it's a necessity for everyone. I discuss why having a credit card in your own name, being involved in tax preparation, and developing a rapport with your accountant are all steps towards financial preparedness. We'll also touch on key investment and retirement concepts, such as 401(k)s and IRAs, and the crucial task of reassessing beneficiaries and legal advisors after a separation. Empower yourself with the knowledge to take control of your finances and ensure a secure future, no matter where you stand.Overcoming financial insecurities post-divorce is a journey, but it starts with belief and practical tools. Learn how budgeting tools like Rocket Money can help you transform from a self-perceived poor budgeter to a confident financial manager. We also explore emotional spending and how to address the underlying issues driving those habits. Teaching financial responsibility to children, negotiating bills for cost savings, and other strategies are discussed to help you rebuild and thrive. Connect with me for further guidance and start believing in your ability to achieve financial independence and happiness even after significant life changes.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 30 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

Send us a textWhat if embracing vulnerability could transform your life after betrayal? Join me in this enlightening episode of "Happily Even After," where I draw from Gabor Mate's "The Myth of Normal" to share my personal journey from feeling stuck in a victim mentality to finding empowerment. Discover how looking inward and examining our own reactions instead of blaming others can prevent us from being triggered by past traumas. I recount my story of moving from a place of powerlessness to one of strength through life coaching, and encourage you to recognize and address your feelings of victimhood sooner rather than later.We'll dive deeper into the healing journey by exploring the importance of processing emotions like anger, sadness, and disappointment. Learn to identify key indicators of being stuck in victimhood, such as defensiveness and self-blame, and understand how self-awareness and a neutral coach can help you overcome these patterns. Finally, I invite you to create your "happily even after" life and share this podcast with friends. Connect with me on social media for more tips and guidance on achieving your goals, and sign up for my email list at hello@lifecoachjen.com. Let's work together to transform your life!Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 30 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

Are you truly living the life you desire, or are hidden patterns holding you back? Challenging us to rethink our understanding of freedom and personal fulfillment, we bring you a fascinating conversation with Dr. Emma Seppälä, a renowned psychologist, bestselling author, and Yale lecturer who introduces her latest book, Sovereign, which delves into the profound concept of sovereignty—not just as a political term but as a personal journey toward breaking free from the self-imposed barriers that keep us from reaching our fullest potential. Combining cutting-edge research with practical wisdom, she guides us in uncovering the often unseen obstacles that prevent us from living our best lives. You'll hear how to overcome mental and emotional traps and about the transformative power of stepping into your greatest self. Join us for an enlightening discussion that is jam-packed with insights that could change the way you approach your daily life.Listen and Learn:  What it truly means to be sovereign  How a bound self can sabotage your success and how cultivating a sovereign self can transform everything The key difference between self-criticism and self-awareness and how it could be impacting your resilience Techniques to transform bound emotions into creative energy and reclaim sovereignty The meditation session that helped Emma transform bound emotions and break a destructive habit Are hidden imprints shaping your life? How to stay sovereign and resist imprints and unhealthy messaging at work and in life  What is “positive relational energy" and how can it transform your relationships and work? The ways food, sleep, nature, and intuition profoundly impact mental health and decision-making Resources:  Sovereign: Reclaim Your Freedom, Energy, and Power in a Time of Distraction, Uncertainty, and Chaos emmaseppala.com iamsov.com https://twitter.com/emmaseppala https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB4RsignHJRDo8r4IWW1Glg https://www.facebook.com/emma.seppala https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmaseppala/ https://www.instagram.com/thehappinesstrack/ About Emma SeppäläEMMA SEPPÄLÄ, Ph.D., is a best-selling author, Yale lecturer, and international keynote speaker. She teaches executives at the Yale School of Management and is faculty director of the Yale School of Management's Women's Leadership Program. A psychologist and research scientist by training, her expertise is the science of happiness, emotional intelligence, and social connection. Her best-selling book The Happiness Track (HarperOne, 2016) has been translated into dozens of languages. Her new book is Sovereign (Hay House, 2024). Seppälä is also the Science Director of Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education.Related Episodes: 183. Permission to Feel: Emotional Intelligence with Marc Brackett 201. Fierce Compassion with Kristin Neff 227. The Science of Happy with Sonja Lyubomirsky 269. Connection Through Vulnerability with Rikke Kjelgaard 285. What Do You Want Out of Life? Values Fulfillment Theory with Valerie Tiberius 289. Happily Even After with Jonah Paquette 341. Self-Forgiveness with Grant Dewar 351. You Only Die Once with Jodi Wellman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are you truly living the life you desire, or are hidden patterns holding you back?  Challenging us to rethink our understanding of freedom and personal fulfillment, we bring you a fascinating conversation with Dr. Emma Seppälä, a renowned psychologist, bestselling author, and Yale lecturer who introduces her latest book, Sovereign, which delves into the profound concept of sovereignty—not just as a political term but as a personal journey toward breaking free from the self-imposed barriers that keep us from reaching our fullest potential.  Combining cutting-edge research with practical wisdom, she guides us in uncovering the often unseen obstacles that prevent us from living our best lives. You'll hear how to overcome mental and emotional traps and about the transformative power of stepping into your greatest self. Join us for an enlightening discussion that is jam-packed with insights that could change the way you approach your daily life. Listen and Learn:  What it truly means to be sovereign  How a bound self can sabotage your success and how cultivating a sovereign self can transform everything The key difference between self-criticism and self-awareness and how it could be impacting your resilience Techniques to transform bound emotions into creative energy and reclaim sovereignty The meditation session that helped Emma transform bound emotions and break a destructive habit Are hidden imprints shaping your life? How to stay sovereign and resist imprints and unhealthy messaging at work and in life  What is “positive relational energy" and how can it transform your relationships and work? The ways food, sleep, nature, and intuition profoundly impact mental health and decision-making Resources:  Sovereign: Reclaim Your Freedom, Energy, and Power in a Time of Distraction, Uncertainty, and Chaos emmaseppala.com iamsov.com https://twitter.com/emmaseppala https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB4RsignHJRDo8r4IWW1Glg https://www.facebook.com/emma.seppala https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmaseppala/ https://www.instagram.com/thehappinesstrack/ About Emma Seppälä EMMA SEPPÄLÄ, Ph.D., is a best-selling author, Yale lecturer, and international keynote speaker. She teaches executives at the Yale School of Management and is faculty director of the Yale School of Management's Women's Leadership Program. A psychologist and research scientist by training, her expertise is the science of happiness, emotional intelligence, and social connection. Her best-selling book The Happiness Track (HarperOne, 2016) has been translated into dozens of languages. Her new book is Sovereign (Hay House, 2024). Seppälä is also the Science Director of Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education. Related Episodes: 183. Permission to Feel: Emotional Intelligence with Marc Brackett 201. Fierce Compassion with Kristin Neff 227. The Science of Happy with Sonja Lyubomirsky 269. Connection Through Vulnerability with Rikke Kjelgaard 285. What Do You Want Out of Life? Values Fulfillment Theory with Valerie Tiberius 289. Happily Even After with Jonah Paquette 341. Self-Forgiveness with Grant Dewar 351. You Only Die Once with Jodi Wellman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for listening to Happily Even After PodcastIs it possible to rebuild trust and happiness after the devastation of betrayal? In this episode of "Happily Even After," we strip away the ten most harmful myths that often accompany infidelity, starting with the toxic notion that the victim is to blame. We shift focus to the real culprit: the insecurities and poor choices of the betrayer. Through relatable examples of well-known public figures who have endured betrayal, we emphasize that you're not alone in your experience. We further explain how coaching can be a vital tool in overcoming these false beliefs, restoring self-esteem, and fostering a path toward healing.Moving forward, we highlight the emotional hurdles and misconceptions that typically surface when trying to rebuild a marriage after an affair. From the perils of becoming a vigilant observer of your spouse's actions to the misconception that happiness is forever lost, we provide healthier alternatives and stress the importance of trusting your intuition. Forgiveness is unpacked as a crucial step—not as a pardon for the betrayal, but as a release of emotional weight. We also confront the misguided idea that remaining in an unhealthy marriage is better for the children, arguing for healthier dynamics regardless of marital status. Finally, we explore the unique nature of each situation, asserting that infidelity doesn't have to spell the end of a relationship. Join us as we work together to create your own "happily even after.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 30 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

What if you knew your friend's spouse was having an affair? Would you tell them? This episode of "Happily Even After" tackles this heart-wrenching dilemma head-on. Host Jen, a seasoned life coach, shares her deeply personal reflections and expert insights on the sensitive topic of revealing infidelity. She emphasizes the critical need for thorough verification before making any decisions and guides you through the best practices for communicating such delicate information. Jen's thoughtful approach prepares you for the myriad emotional responses that might follow, advocating for empathy, respect, and mindful consideration throughout the process.As we shift gears, the focus turns to healing and moving forward from betrayal. Jen opens up about her own journey of overcoming trauma, offering a beacon of hope for those navigating similar struggles. With her trauma-informed expertise, she extends an invitation for a free coaching call, setting the stage for your path to recovery and resilience. Don't forget to subscribe to her email list for more uplifting strategies and follow “Happily Even After Coach” on Instagram and Facebook for continuous inspiration and support. Together, let's chart a course towards a brighter, happier future beyond the pain of betrayal.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 30 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

Ever found yourself teetering on the edge of curiosity and concern, tempted to peek into your partner's phone? This episode is for those who've been in the trenches of trust issues, where the temptation to play detective in your own relationship is a real and pressing challenge. I'm Life Coach Jen, seasoned in the art of relationship navigation, and I'm here to share my take on the contentious matter of snooping through a significant other's messages. With no one else chiming in, it's just you, me, and the unvarnished truth about the pitfalls of phone-checking and how it intertwines with the delicate process of healing after betrayal.As a mom of four and a survivor of heartache myself, I draw from a well of personal experience and professional expertise to offer you a heartfelt guide through the thorny brambles of distrust. We'll unpack the pros, the cons, and everything in-between when it comes to the digital dilemmas of modern love. Discover the importance of establishing boundaries, fostering open dialogue, and committing to transparency as we navigate the rocky road to a rebuilt trust. Let's face it, the journey to "Happily Even After" isn't paved with password guesses and secret scrolls through text threads—it's built on the strong foundation of mutual respect and clear communication. So curl up and join me as we confront these complex issues head-on, with hopes of emerging stronger on the other side.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 30 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

What if our marriages could actually lead to joy and happiness? To build a strong and fulfilling marriage, it's crucial to create an environment where both partners feel valued and appreciated. Ephesians 5 highlights the importance of showing deep love and respect to your spouse. Join us as special guest speakers Phil and Diane Comer, who bring over 40 years of pastoral wisdom, share their insights in our current series, “Established.” You'll learn the importance of understanding and embracing each other's differences while maintaining a deep friendship, helping you to live “Happily Even After.”

5/12/2024 - Happily Even After (11am) - Colossians 3:18-19 - Dr Mark Hitchcock

As Life Coach Jen, I've navigated the choppy waters of a marriage without boundaries and emerged with invaluable insights that I'm eager to share with you. This episode is a treasure trove of hard-earned wisdom, offering you the tools to build and maintain healthy relationships through the power of boundaries. Inspired by Brené Brown's advocacy of setting boundaries as an act of self-love, we delve into the nine universal human needs and how unmet needs signal the necessity for clear limits. Whether you're mending trust after betrayal or simply learning to prioritize your own well-being, you'll find solace and strategy in this heart-to-heart conversation.Striking the delicate balance between safeguarding your personal space and maintaining meaningful connections can be daunting, but it's a journey worth embarking on. This episode peels back the layers on how to distinguish between setting boundaries and issuing threats, as well as the courage it takes to communicate and enforce these necessary lines in the sand. By the end of our time together, you'll understand how embracing boundaries can lead to reduced stress, improved emotional health, and a life marked by respect and self-esteem. Join me in transforming the way we approach our relationships, and let's step into a brighter, more balanced future, where Happily Even After isn't just a fairytale ending—it's a way of life.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 30 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

Heartbreak, a universal experience that can leave us feeling lost and questioning ourselves. We've all been there. It's a painful journey, that's difficult to process and navigate. In a conversation everyone can relate to, we bring in the author of Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey. Florence Williams reflects on her personal experience facing divorce and draws upon science to explain the negative impacts of rejection, loss, and loneliness. We also unravel the mystery behind our actions during heartbreak-actions that seem to defy our values and norms. Whether you are a therapist treating clients going through heartbreak or experiencing heartbreak yourself, Florence will transform your understanding of health and love by combining scientific research with self-discovery.Listen and Learn:  What transpired in Florence's personal life that led her to write Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey Tapping into the fundamental human emotion of awe The healing properties of nature, and its integral role in Florence's journey  Is divorce diabetes a thing? Do men and women have different experiences recovering from divorce? Can Takotsubo syndrome (also known as broken heart syndrome) be linked to postmenopausal women? How nature immersive experiences can lead to transformation, connection, and healing, and Florence's recommendations in your area! Resources:  Visit Florence at her website Get your copies of Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey and The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative Connect with Florence on X, Facebook and Instagram About Florence Williams: Florence Williams is a journalist, author, and podcaster. Her first book, BREASTS: A Natural and Unnatural History received the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in science and technology and the 2013 Audie in general nonfiction. The Nature Fix was an Audible bestseller and was named a top summer read by J.P Morgan. Her latest book, Heartbreak, was called “show-stopping” and “courageous” by Publisher's Weekly. She is a contributing editor at Outside Magazine and a freelance writer for the New York Times and numerous other publications. A fellow at the Center for Humans and Nature and a visiting scholar at George Washington University, Florence's work focuses on the environment, health and science. A certified forest-bathing guide and experienced workshop leader, Florence loves leading groups through nature-immersive experiences and watching the transformation, connection, and healing that results. Related Episodes 325. Unseen, Unheard, Undervalued with Janina Scarlet 289. Happily Even After with Jonah Paquette 281. Belonging Uncertainty and Bridging Divides with Geoffrey Cohen 251. Wonder with Frank Keil 249. How to Be Single & Happy with Jenny Taitz 225. Psychedelics with Brian Pilecki and Nathan Gates 126. Surviving Break-Ups and Divorce: How to Mend a Broken Heart, with Yael and Debbie 32. Social Connection: Exploring Loneliness and Building Intimacy with Debbie and Diana 199. Belonging From the Inside Out with Meg McKelvie  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Heartbreak, a universal experience that can leave us feeling lost and questioning ourselves. We've all been there. It's a painful journey, that's difficult to process and navigate. In a conversation everyone can relate to, we bring in the author of Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey. Florence Williams reflects on her personal experience facing divorce and draws upon science to explain the negative impacts of rejection, loss, and loneliness. We also unravel the mystery behind our actions during heartbreak-actions that seem to defy our values and norms. Whether you are a therapist treating clients going through heartbreak or experiencing heartbreak yourself, Florence will transform your understanding of health and love by combining scientific research with self-discovery. Listen and Learn:  What transpired in Florence's personal life that led her to write Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey Tapping into the fundamental human emotion of awe The healing properties of nature, and its integral role in Florence's journey  Is divorce diabetes a thing? Do men and women have different experiences recovering from divorce? Can Takotsubo syndrome (also known as broken heart syndrome) be linked to postmenopausal women? How nature immersive experiences can lead to transformation, connection, and healing, and Florence's recommendations in your area! Resources:  Visit Florence at her website Get your copies of Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey and The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative Connect with Florence on X, Facebook and Instagram About Florence Williams:  Florence Williams is a journalist, author, and podcaster. Her first book, BREASTS: A Natural and Unnatural History received the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in science and technology and the 2013 Audie in general nonfiction. The Nature Fix was an Audible bestseller and was named a top summer read by J.P Morgan. Her latest book, Heartbreak, was called “show-stopping” and “courageous” by Publisher's Weekly. She is a contributing editor at Outside Magazine and a freelance writer for the New York Times and numerous other publications. A fellow at the Center for Humans and Nature and a visiting scholar at George Washington University, Florence's work focuses on the environment, health and science. A certified forest-bathing guide and experienced workshop leader, Florence loves leading groups through nature-immersive experiences and watching the transformation, connection, and healing that results.  Related Episodes 325. Unseen, Unheard, Undervalued with Janina Scarlet 289. Happily Even After with Jonah Paquette 281. Belonging Uncertainty and Bridging Divides with Geoffrey Cohen 251. Wonder with Frank Keil 249. How to Be Single & Happy with Jenny Taitz 225. Psychedelics with Brian Pilecki and Nathan Gates 126. Surviving Break-Ups and Divorce: How to Mend a Broken Heart, with Yael and Debbie 32. Social Connection: Exploring Loneliness and Building Intimacy with Debbie and Diana 199. Belonging From the Inside Out with Meg McKelvie  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You were created to experience connection with God and with others. But sin separates us. Dannah explores how the pathway back to being connected to God and community is radical vulnerability. Through an exploration of her life verse, Psalm 25:14, Dannah explains why honest confession matters so much…not just in our relationship with each other, but also with God. Buy the Happily Even After book by Dannah GreshUse the coupon code “HEA” to get a free month of Covenant Eyes screen accountability.LISTEN:Episode #2 “Glorious Unfolding” of Happily Even After GET TICKETS:Attend Flourish for women with Dannah Gresh, Erin Davis, and Stephanie MartinezRECOMMENDED INTENSIVES FOR COUPLES & INDIVIDUALS:Crossroads Counseling of the Rockies with Pete Kuiper (Colorado)River Tree Center (Tennessee) Faithful &True  (Minnesota)Alongsides Care (Michigan)

We got married young and it felt like we were launching out of a starting gate with other couples we knew who got married around the same time. As the years have gone by, one of the hardest things to hear is when one of the couples we care about has fallen to sexual sin and some have even chosen to get a divorce.It's a sad reality that many marriage partners struggle against the pull of pornography. This sin is wreaking havoc on the trust and intimacy of the marriage relationship. Based on statistics, it's a sure thing that some couples listening here or sitting next to us in church are walking wounded because of this sin that is damaging their marriage.That's why we are so grateful to have Dannah Gresh join us for this episode. She shares her own story of heartbreak and marriage in her book, Happily Even After. Dannah is the co-host of the Revive Our Hearts podcast, a speaker, a best-selling author, and a wife who has experienced the power of God to redeem her marriage.In this episode, you'll hear:The physical and neurochemical impacts of pornographyWhy this is not an issue exclusive to menHope for healing and redemptionAnd more!We hope you enjoy this conversation!Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/dannah-gresh-81

When discovery happens in a marriage, a bomb goes off. Life is shattered into a million pieces and you question, “Is redemption even possible?” Author of the new book, Happily Even After, Dannah Gresh, joins us on the podcast today. She answers that question emphatically, “YES!” Redemption is not only possible, but probable when God is central in a marriage AND both partners are getting the proper help they need.RESOURCESFull Episode Video (YouTube)Happily Even After (Book)Dannah's BooksDannah's WebsiteJuli Slattery's WebsiteRethinking Sexuality Podcast Series

This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm chatting with someone whose words changed my life, Dannah Gresh. Dannah is the founder of True Girl, bringing moms and daughters closer to each other and closer to Jesus, and co-host of the Revive Our Hearts podcast. Dannah has authored over 27 books including And the Bride Wore White, Lies Young Women Believe (with Nancy Leigh DeMoss) and Lies Girls Believe. More than 20,000 leaders and 100,000 moms have taught her curriculum and over 500,000 people have attended her live events and retreats. Dannah and her husband, Bob, live on a hobby farm in central Pennsylvania. They have four adult children and four grandchildren. Key Points from Our Conversation: Dannah wrote Happily Even After about her and her husband's experience after he revealed an addiction to pornography - a more common problem than we typically believe, even in established marriages. It's easy to be upset with our spouse's actions, but they're often not personal, rather they are a coping mechanism learned in childhood. Sexual addiction can be as addictive as drugs because of the way our brains respond to the stimulant. Shame will wreak havoc in our relationships. James 5:16 tells us, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." If you want true intimacy in your relationship, it will require facing hard truths. As Christians, we believe that our marriage should reflect Jesus' love for the church. We are uniquely that picture when we choose to play the role of Jesus in forgiving our spouse. When we seek comfort through "forbidden fruits" like porn, drinking, or overeating, it's an alert that we are not finding our satisfaction in Christ. Find a Christian counselor to talk to and dig out the root of the lie that you're choosing to believe and hold it to the truth of Jesus. Sometimes it takes setting hard boundaries in order for people to recognize the depth of their actions and the effect they're having on others. If you are in a relationship that is affected by a pornography addiction or infidelity, you are not alone. Though you do need to give grace while setting difficult boundaries, you also have to tend to your own heart. If you are waiting on your spouse to heal you're heart, you've got things out of order - only God can heal you. One essential truth your relationship will need to survive is that trust is a gift you choose to give. It can be built by consistent action over time, but ultimately you must choose trust. Let's Get Real Practical: If you're holding on to a sexual secret, get help from a professional so that you can be set free. Resources: Ep.29: Lies We Believe & the Truth That Sets Us Free with Dannah Gresh American Association of Christian Counselors Connect with Dannah: website | Instagram | Facebook Connect with Rachael: website | Instagram | Facebook

If you're having a party, Bob Gresh is the guy to invite. (Dannah might be studying, though.) Bob confesses how he compared himself to Dannah and felt “less than.” But he learned to stop wearing the label of “lazy” when he began to understand the power of believing what God the Father has said about him. You can stop comparing, competing, and campaigning. Replace the lies and labels in your life with God's Truth. (And duct tape will be involved.)Buy the Happily Even After book by Dannah GreshUse the coupon code “HEA” to get a free month of Covenant Eyes screen accountability.LISTEN:Episode #2 “Glorious Unfolding” of Happily Even After GET TICKETS:Attend the Born to Be Brave tour for fathers and sonsRECOMMENDED INTENSIVES FOR COUPLES & INDIVIDUALS:Crossroads Counseling of the Rockies with Pete Kuiper (Colorado)River Tree Center (Tennessee) Faithful &True (Minnesota)Alongsides Care (Michigan)

Betrayal, especially in the sacred sanctuary of marriage, can leave us broken and shattered. As someone who has walked the hard path of healing after an unexpected betrayal in my marriage, I want to share the tools and strategies that helped me reclaim my life, my joy, and my self-esteem. You'll hear me discuss the emotional whirlwind one feels post-betrayal and the importance of acknowledging those feelings. Together, we'll explore creating a safe space for healing and the kind of self-care practices that can support your recovery.Have you ever wondered if you can trust someone again after a betrayal? Or how you can cope healthily without resorting to substances or unhelpful distractions? Join me as we discuss the importance of self-care, including sleep, nutrition, and a supportive network, in healing from betrayal. We'll uncover the harmful coping strategies, like using alcohol to numb the pain or jumping into a new relationship to forget the old one. Instead, we will focus on the beneficial habits that pave the way towards rebuilding trust.As we move further in our journey of healing, we enter the challenging terrain of forgiveness. Here, I share with you how I managed to let go of the anger and resentment that often accompanies betrayal, and instead, cultivated forgiveness. We'll touch upon understanding triggers, learning about our nervous system, and the various therapeutic practices that support healing – like breathwork, EMDR, brain spotting therapy, and life coaching. Finally, I leave you with a Q&A segment and practical action steps to help you find your own version of Happily Even After, no matter how devastating the betrayal might have been.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 30 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

Today Bob and Dannah Gresh bring you more advice from their sex therapist, Joyce Penner. You'll get practical encouragement for how to rebuild your intimacy along with a book recommendation that'll help you feel like you're not alone if you're experiencing barriers in the bedroom.Buy the Happily Even After book by Dannah GreshUse the coupon code “HEA” to get a free month of Covenant Eyes screen accountability.LISTEN:Shaunti Feldhahn talks with Erin Davis about “Why we still need sexual integrity” on Grounded Chelsea and Layton Boeve on the Liberator podcastCONTACT:Joyce Penner at Passionate Commitment for sex therapyFind a Christian sex therapist near you at Dr. Michael Sytsma's Sexual Wholeness, Inc.READ:Secrets of Sex and Marriage: 8 Surprises that Make All the Difference by Shaunti Feldhahn and Dr. Michael SytsmaEnjoy: The Gift of Sexual Pleasure for Women by Clifford and Joyce PennerThe Married Guys Guide to Great Sex by Dr. Clifford and Joyce Penner

In the wake of porn addiction, where you do turn? How do you rebuild trust after such intimate, searing betrayal? Authors Bob and Dannah Gresh share the pervasive realities of their own heartache—and their own rocky path toward healing. Scripture warns us not to trust in other people. We're only supposed to trust in the Name of the Lord our God. That's who we trust. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him.” What this is saying is that I can trust God with what's happening in my marriage, even when I can't trust Bob. So, I'm going to put all my trust in God. -- Dannah Gresh Show Notes and Resources Connect with Bob and Dannah Gresh at dannahgresh.com/ or on Instagram @dannah_gresh Buy Dannah's book Happily Even After on our shop Listen to Bob and Dannah's podcast, "Happily Even After", where they talk through the redemption and healing from addiction that they've experienced in their marriage. Interested in connecting with a Christian counselor regarding an addiction. Use this resource to get started Revitalize your marriage: 50% off Weekend to Remember Getaways, Sep 4-18! Strengthen bonds, create lasting memories. Learn more at weekendtoremember.com Intrigued by today's episode? Think deeper how to recover from addiction and move towards a healthier marriage on this FamilyLife Today podcast Find resources from this podcast at shop.familylife.com. See resources from our past podcasts. Find more content and resources on the FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network

Bob and Dannah Gresh's marriage has traveled dark roads of addiction. But they decided to participate in God's redemption story. Together, they discovered something better than romance: a love that endures, and happily even after. Show Notes and Resources Connect with Bob and Dannah Gresh at dannahgresh.com/or on Instagram @dannah_gresh Buy Dannah's book Happily Even After on our shop Listen to Bob and Dannah'spodcast, "Happily Even After", where they talk through the redemption and healing from addiction that they've experienced in their marriage. Interested in connecting with a Christian counselor regarding an addiction. Use this resource to get started Revitalize your marriage: 50% off Weekend to Remember Getaways, Sep 4-18! Strengthen bonds, create lasting memories. Learn more at weekendtoremember.com Intrigued by today's episode? Think deeper how to recover from addiction and move towards a healthier marriage on this FamilyLife Today podcast Find resources from this podcast at shop.familylife.com. See resources from our past podcasts. Find more content and resources on the FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network

Picture this: You're at a crossroads and the traffic lights are flashing - red, yellow, green. You're not sure which route to take. It was a similar situation that led me, Life Coach Jen, to a life-altering decision of attending Rick's College in Idaho, a green light moment that radically shaped my future. Imagine the power of recognizing these green light moments in your life and use them to drive forward!This episode sparks a discussion about these green light moments, opportunities that propelled us to where we are now. Drawing on insights from Matthew McConaughey's book, Greenlights, we traverse the highways of our past, identifying those pivotal turns we took. But it's not just about the past. Let's talk about setting ourselves up for more green lights, stepping out of our comfort zones, and smashing those limiting beliefs that impede our journey. We delve into the concept of defining success on our own terms and becoming the person we aspire to attract. But what about the red and yellow lights? We've all had them. We'll explore how these perceived setbacks and mistakes can actually lead to growth and personal development. We wrap up with discussions on the significance of accountability in our lives and how to create our own 'Happily Even After'. Buckle up, and let's get ready to hit the road!Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 30 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

As your friendly guide through the thorny path of acceptance, I'm Life Coach Jen, here to share insights on the human brain's inherent resistance to change and the trials that come with it. Drawing from personal experiences and the wisdom of Eckhart Tolle, I'll help you understand why accepting reality, particularly in the wake of life-altering events like divorce or betrayal, can feel like an uphill battle.Embark on a transformative journey with me as we delve deeper into the realm of acceptance and letting go. I'll share my own struggles with divorce, the tough choices I had to make, and how accepting my reality became the key to unlocking a life of purpose. You'll learn how to wield courage and discipline to accept your circumstances, how our judgement of others often mirrors our own truth, and the importance of owning your actions when embracing your reality. So, gear up as we embark on this path to creating our own 'Happily Even After'.Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 30 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

Is "happily ever after" a myth or reality? Unfortunately, most couples don't ride off into the sunset after their honeymoon. Marriage is hard, and maybe you are in a place where you feel that today.Our guests, Bob and Dannah Gresh, have been there. They decided, like Mark and I did, to participate in God's redemption story for their marriage. Together, they discovered something better than romance—a love that endures—and you can too! Whether your relationship is struggling from pornography, addiction, an affair, broken trust, or years of unhappiness, Jesus Christ can help you redeem the broken places in your marriage.We are so glad to have Bob and Dannah Gresh with us! Dannah is a bestselling author and sought-after teacher. She is the co-host of Revive Our Hearts, a daily podcast for women, and the founder of True Girl, which provides mother-and-daughter connection tools. Bob is the founder of a new model in Christian education known as Grace Prep. Dannah has recently released her book, Happily Even After, which is all about their story of battling pornography and lust together.In this conversation, you'll hear:Hope for finding "happy" after you've experienced hurtWhy it's vital to include your spouse in repentance and healingThe importance of improving your skills in marriageAnd much more!I hope you are encouraged and that this conversation strengthens your marriage!Show Notes: https://jillsavage.org/bob-dannah-gresh-158/

Feeling stuck in your ways and feeling like there's no room for growth? What if I told you that your brain holds the power to change this? Welcome to another episode of Happily Even After, where we unlock the power of neuroplasticity and the growth mindset. We'll journey through the mind and its limitless potential to adapt, change, and learn new things at any age. You'll discover how your beliefs about your abilities can shift your life's trajectory and how you can tap into your brain's power to create new neural pathways.Did you know that adversity can serve as a catalyst for growth? That's right! This episode dives into the deep end of post-traumatic growth and resilience. We'll explore the significance of understanding your nervous system, how to bounce back with resilience, and the role of a robust support network in the healing process. You're not alone in this journey. We'll discuss the importance of therapists or coaches in navigating these challenging times and how re-engaging with everyday life post-trauma could broaden your resilience threshold. But the journey doesn't stop there. We're exploring the fascinating world of the brain and its potential when harnessed correctly. Learn how to rewire your brain to become more resilient, using neuroplasticity to sail through life's challenges. By understanding our nervous system, we can become more self-aware and open ourselves to new futures. This episode is an enlightening journey packed with personal insights and strategies to help you forge your path towards growth and resilience. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn how to thrive, no matter what life throws your way. Enjoy the ride with us on Happily Even After!Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 30 min. clarity call via zoom. Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions. Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends. My website is www.lifecoachjen.com

“Happily Even After is something we can experience as we walk through our marriage relationship with prayer and with the power of God in our lives.” Bestselling author, speaker, and founder of True Girl, Dannah Gresh, talks about her new book which focuses on healing from pornography addiction and how Christ can help you redeem the broken places of your marriage. The Moms in Prayer Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit ChristianParenting.org ABOUT OUR GUEST Dannah Gresh is the founder of True Girl, bringing moms and daughters closer to each other and closer to Jesus, and co-host of the Revive Our Hearts podcast. Dannah has authored over 27 books including And the Bride Wore White, Lies Young Women Believe (with Nancy Leigh DeMoss) and Lies Girls Believe. More than 20,000 leaders and 100,000 moms have taught her curriculum and over 500,000 people have attended her live events and retreats. Dannah and her husband, Bob, live on a hobby farm in central Pennsylvania. They have four adult children and four grandchildren. SCRIPTURES  But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Ephesians 5:3 NIV Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. Psalm 119:105 NKJV “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:19-20 NKJV Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints. Ephesians 6:10-18 NASB All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16 NIV Yes, you came when I called; you told me, “Do not fear.” Lord, you have come to my defense; you have redeemed my life. Lamentations 3:57-58 NLT   LINKS Dannah Gresh True Girl   BOOKS Happily Even After   MOMS IN PRAYER New to Moms in Prayer? How to get started Follow Us on Instagram Follow Us on Facebook Support Our Mission

Avoiding some tough conversations? Let's get you the tools, approach, words, and mindset needed to confidently address the most challenging topics. Joined by guest Renee Bauer, an experienced divorce attorney and speaker, we help you tackle soured friendships, support loved ones in abusive relationships, talk to aging parents about finances, and face marital difficulties with grace and strength. Timestamps:[00:02:54] Tough conversations. [00:06:09] Unlearning cultural expectations[00:09:43] Not every relationship needs saving[00:11:38] Feeling worthy and taking action[00:15:08] Handling conflict and name calling[00:19:05] Recategorizing friendships[00:23:15] Protecting yourself and setting boundaries[00:25:17] Boundaries and self-care[00:29:29] Tough conversations and family dynamics[00:32:11] Confronting mental illness or substance abuse[00:35:07] Lessons from past relationships[00:39:31] Choosing happiness after divorce[00:43:08] Surprisingly True Useful Fun Fact #2Renee Bauer's Contact:WebsiteIGReferences mentioned:BOLD Challenge - 4 days, 4 prompts, FREE, and effectiveGet on my email list for series on time, energy, and relationshipsEffective Collective - Mastermind for overfunctioning/high-performing mothers to go from over-functioning to audaciously alignedLowering blood pressureRoad trips and snacking studyALLISON HARE'S LINKS:EFFECTIVE COLLECTIVE MOTHER MASTERMIND: Schedule a free exploratory call here.AllisonHare.com - Late Learner Podcast, personal journal and blog, danceInstagram - Steps to heal yourself, move society forward, and slinging memes and dancing (seriously, Allison is also a dance fitness instructor)Late Learner IGYouTube ChannelBlog - quick, way more personal, deeper topics - make sure to subscribeTikTok - documenting my journey one lo-fi video at a timeReb3l Dance Fitness - Try it at home! Free month with this link.Personal Brand - need help building yours? Schedule a call with me here and let's discuss.Feedback and Contact:: allison@allisonhare.com

Do you ever wonder if what's happening in your marriage might classify as abuse? Sometimes a husband is guilty. Sometimes a wife is. Why do you need to know? So you can get the right kind of help. Learn five red flags that are tell-tale signs of abuse. And meet two experts who can guide your learning curve. Buy the Happily Even After book by Dannah GreshCALL SOMEONE:If you feel you need help navigating abuse, call someone.ATTEND:Join us for a marriage weekend in the Dominican Republic with Pete KuiperLISTEN:Bob and Dannah talk with Charlynn Steinkamp on Fight for Your MarriageWATCH:Lysa Terkuerst & Leslie Vernick discuss “difficult & destructive marriages on Therapy & TheologyDannah talks with Diane Langberg on Revive Our Hearts' GroundedRECOMMENDED INTENSIVES FOR COUPLES & INDIVIDUALS:River Tree Center with Phil Herdnon (Tennessee) CrossRoads Counseling of the Rockies (Colorado)Faithful&True  (Minnesota)Alongsides Care (Michigan)Be Free (Various Locations)

We're diving into the power of awe and how it can transform our ability to lead with authenticity.In this episode, Jonah shares the incredible benefits, both physiological and psychological, that come with experiencing awe. He provides practical strategies for finding awe in our everyday lives, offering little portals we can step through whenever we need a boost. Unlike other activities, awe isn't guaranteed, but Jonah teaches us how to increase our chances of being awestruck.So, if you've been feeling stuck in the daily grind and longing for that sense of wonder, this episode is for you. Join us as we explore the intersection of leadership, inspiration, and the pursuit of awe. Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and share it with those leaders and innovators in your life who shine brightest when they lead with authenticity.Jonah Paquette is a clinical psychologist, author, and speaker who focuses on helping people achieve happier, more meaningful lives. His books include Happily Even After, Awestruck, Real Happiness, and The Happiness Toolbox.In this interview, Jonah discusses the role of awe in leadership and life, emphasizing the importance of tapping into the power of being amazed.Dia and Jonah explore the themes in Jonah's work, the focus of his therapy practice, and the leadership workshops he leads. They also delve into why awe is necessary, how it enhances our leadership abilities, and practical tips for finding more awe in our lives.Subscribe to Lead With Who You Are and join Dia Bondi on this captivating journey of self-discovery and authentic leadership.For more information about Jonah, to find all his books, and to get Jonah's weekly Newsletter with resources and updates pertaining to the science of happiness, and his free happiness e-guide, please visit his website at www.jonahpaquette.comWatch his TEDx Talks here and here. Check out all things Dia Bondi here..

Can your marriage be happy, even after…? Our guest today said that, “About 70% of men in the church are struggling cyclically or addictively with pornography, and about 30% of women. It's time to stop giving the enemy the power of our silence.” We completely agree! While this story is not easy to tell, letting light into our darkest places is how we will experience the healing God wants for us. We are so thankful that Dannah shared her story with us this week. We pray this episode is helpful to you and your marriage.  Episode highlights include:   The antidote to “I don't even know what to do” about this  Does a porn addiction always escalate? And why?  Some of the science behind why this addiction is so hard to kick  The impact of betrayal trauma on a spouse    Subscribe to Podcast Email to make sure you never miss an episode. When you sign up, you will get our 4 Week Connection Challenge for free! Plus you will get noteworthy quotes, resources, and more delivered straight to your inbox.   RESOURCES  Order Dannah's book, Happily Even After, for more of her story and insights    Protect your kids from porn with the help of  https://protectyoungeyes.com/    Click HERE to preorder Dr. Kim's new book, Love, Intimacy and Sex in the Second Half. Use the code SECONDHALFPODCAST for $5 off at checkout! You don't have to settle for a struggling marriage. The 90 Days to Save Your Marriage plan starts right where your marriage is today and helps get it on the road to healing.

It's one of the most common questions couples ask: “should we tell the kids?”  Opinions vary. Bob and Dannah tell you where they landed and how a conversation with Bob's current therapist, Phil Herdnon gave them confidence that it was the right one for them.Buy the Happily Even After book by Dannah GreshATTEND:Join us for a marriage weekend in the Dominican Republic with Pete KuiperREADCovenant Eyes provides  “10 Shocking Stats About Teens and Pornography” WATCH:Chris McKenna on a True Girl workshop titled “How to Talk to Your Kids About Pornography”RECOMMENDED INTENSIVES FOR COUPLES & INDIVIDUALS:River Tree Center with Phil Herdnon (Tennessee) CrossRoads Counseling of the Rockies (Colorado)Faithful&True  (Minnesota)Alongsides Care (Michigan)Be Free with Jonathan Daughtery (Various Locations)

Dannah Gresh is a best-selling author and sought-after speaker. In her latest book, Happily Even After, Dannah is a friend who walks beside you as she demonstrates how to forgive, live with joy, and hold your head high while Jesus Christ redeems the broken places of your marriage after suffering from things like pornography, addiction, or even an affair.  Dannah has sold over 2 million books and reaches women and girls in more than 100 countries. Her best-selling titles include And the Bride Wore White, Lies Young Women Believe co-authored with Nancy Leigh DeMoss, and Lies Girls Believe. Dannah is the co-host of Revive Our Hearts, a daily podcast for women, and the founder of True Girl, which provides mom+daughter connection tools including the True Girl podcast. Learn more about Dannah by visiting her website, https://dannahgresh.com/ Looking for more episodes on Affair Recovery?  Here are additional conversations, including more with Dr. Mike. Looking for more episodes on marriage enrichment?  Check out this page for more. Sign up for our monthly newsletter here! For more content and resources visit www.life-giver.org We want to hear from you - It helps us serve you better! Send us an email at podcast@corieweathers.com Want to work with Corie? Check out https://www.corieweathers.com/ for more info. Song Credits: "You and Me" Tamas Kolozsvari, "Invisible Beauty" by Aakash Gandhi

There is hope for your marriage! It doesn't matter if you have had a marriage that has suffered because of addiction, adultery, or unforgiveness, Jesus Christ can redeem those broken pieces and make something beautiful out of the ashes. That is what He did for our guests, Bob and Dannah Gresh. In this episode you will hear their redemption story and find practical ways to move forward as you continue to seek God's best in your marriage.   Dannah Gresh is a best-selling author and sought-after speaker. Her best-selling titles include And the Bride Wore White, Lies Young Women Believe co-authored with Nancy Leigh DeMoss, and Lies Girls Believe. Dannah is the co-host of Revive Our Hearts, a daily podcast for women, and the founder of True Girl, which provides mom + daughter connection tools including the True Girl podcast.    Dannah has sold over 2 million books and reaches women and girls in more than 100 countries. She and her husband Bob live in State College, Pennsylvania on a small farm that could be confused as a petting zoo. Horses, llamas, peacocks, chickens, goats, dogs, and cats abound. The family pastime is chasing whoever— or whatever—might be loose.   Get the Happily Even After book here  

There may have been a time when pornography seemed like just "a guy issue"; something that all guys do. However, we now know that pornography affects the body and brain similarly to heroin.Dannah Gresh experienced what many spouses are experiencing today when her husband, Bob, confessed his sexual and porn addiction. Although he was in ministry and did not want to hurt his wife, there was no other way to confess.Dannah wavered between hurt, self-loathing, and anger. She settled on the fact that she made a commitment to her husband before God to love him 'for better or for worse' and was committed to help Bob find healing.I sat down with Bob & Dannah to discuss their story, which culminated in her new book, "Happily Even After:  Let God Redeem Your Marriage". This is one of the most vulnerable and transparent interviews I've experienced. Because of their willingness to allow us to look into those areas of their life, I believe countless marriages can find the healing that they are experiencing.------------------------FROM THE SHOW:Get Dannah's Book!https://amzn.to/417KZihRebecca's Website:https://dannahgresh.com/Happily Even After Podcast:https://open.spotify.com/show/1al4PzAf04JvZx3PCnh4IiFollow Rebecca:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannah_gresh/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dannahgresh.truegirlSupport the show----------------------------------------MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST:Behind The Mike website:https://BehindTheMikePodcast.comEmail:Mike@BehindTheMike.netSUPPORT THE SHOW"Buy Me a Coffee"SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS:Sponsor a Child Through Compassion:compassioninternational.sjv.io/XYxJg4Covenant EyesGet 30-days FREE using promo code: BEHINDTHEMIKEhttps://covenanteyes.comWatch these podcasts on YouTube!Follow Us!FacebookInstagram

Bob and Dannah Gresh share how sexual sin nearly tore their marriage apart, but through God's grace and love they found healing and growth. The couple explores seven truths that lead to a redeemed marriage, getting into practical concepts like opening sharing emotions, setting boundaries, and learning to forgive and trust. Their powerful story offers hope for marriages that need a touch from God. (Part 2 of 2)Receive the book "Happily Even After" and the audio download of the broadcast "Finding Healing For Your Marriage" for your donation of any amount!Get More Episode ResourcesIf you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Bob and Dannah Gresh share how sexual sin nearly tore their marriage apart, but through God's grace and love they found healing and growth. The couple explores seven truths that lead to a redeemed marriage, getting into practical concepts like opening sharing emotions, setting boundaries, and learning to forgive and trust. Their powerful story offers hope for marriages that need a touch from God. (Part 1 of 2)Receive the book "Happily Even After" and the audio download of the broadcast "Finding Healing For Your Marriage" for your donation of any amount!Get More Episode ResourcesIf you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

More than 50 percent of wives of sex addicts experience symptoms of betrayal trauma. Today Dannah Gresh shares how her husband's addiction affected her marriage, mind, and body.  Hear how the power of Jesus, and the right balance of biblical and clinical care, brought more than just recovery—it brought redemption.  Guest: Dannah Gresh Show notes: Happily Even After by Dannah Gresh* How to Choose a Wise Christian Counselor (Juli's blog) Find a Christian counselor near you (FOTF Network of Christian Counselors) *Affiliate link. AI may earn fees.

It can be hard to find feelings of happiness in our lives. After all, life is unpredictable and we're all facing our own unique challenges. Nonetheless, it is possible to find happiness, even during difficult times.  Specializing in the science of well-being, Clinical Psychologist, Jonah Paquette is dedicated to helping us understand the significance of positive psychological principles in achieving happiness. Drawing from learnings in his book, Happily Even After: Daily Practices to Recover Joy After Hardship, Heartache, and Heartbreak, Jonah offers us practical exercises to strengthen our 'emotional fitness', reduce suffering and build resilience even amid challenging times.  Whether you're facing a challenging situation in life, or simply want to know how to cultivate more happiness and peace, this episode will provide you with actionable steps on how to do just that. Listen and Learn:  How can we expect to build happiness in the face of hardship, heartache, or heartbreak Why Jonah uses the term ‘emotional fitness' and how this skill can help you in challenging times Distinguishing between happiness and toxic positivity Practices to help you cultivate emotional fitness What is awe and how it relates to happiness How can we access the experience of awe in times of hardship Creative ways to find connection when you feel the most isolated  Resources: Get to know more about Jonah: https://www.jonahpaquette.com  Subscribe to Jonah's newsletter: https://www.jonahpaquette.com/site/contact Check out Jonah's books: Happily Even After: Daily Practices to Recover Joy After Hardship, Heartache, and Heartbreak and Awestruck: How Embracing Wonder Can Make You Happier, Healthier, and More Connected Grab your copy of all our favorite books at bookshop.org/shop/offtheclockpsych, including Yael's new book, Work, Parent, Thrive! Check out Debbie, Yael, and Jill's websites to access their offerings, sign up for their newsletters, buy their books, and more! About Jonah Jonah Paquette, PsyD, is a psychologist, author, and speaker who specializes in the science of well-being and emotional fitness. He is the author of four books including Happily Even After, Awestruck, The Happiness Toolbox, and Real Happiness. Jonah's writing aims to provide readers with practical, research-backed strategies to foster greater well-being and connection in our everyday lives. In addition to his clinical work and writing, Jonah offers training and consultation to organizations on the promotion of well-being and conducts professional workshops for clinicians around the country and abroad. He is a sought-after media contributor, having been featured regularly in print, online, radio, and podcast outlets. To learn more about Jonah and his work, visit www.jonahpaquette.com.  Related Episodes: 281. Belonging Uncertainty and Bridging Divides with Geoffrey Cohen 97. The New Happiness with Matthew McKay 192. Happier With Tal Ben-Shahar 227. The Science of Happy with Sonja Lyubomirsky 122. Taking in the Good with Rick Hanson 280. Choose Growth with Scott Barry Kaufman 211. Subtract with Leidy Klotz 275. Work, Parent, Thrive with Yael Schonbrun 251. Wonder with Frank Keil Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It can be hard to find feelings of happiness in our lives. After all, life is unpredictable and we're all facing our own unique challenges. Nonetheless, it is possible to find happiness, even during difficult times. Specializing in the science of well-being, Clinical Psychologist, Jonah Paquette is dedicated to helping us understand the significance of positive psychological principles in achieving happiness. Drawing from learnings in his book, Happily Even After: Daily Practices to Recover Joy After Hardship, Heartache, and Heartbreak, Jonah offers us practical exercises to strengthen our 'emotional fitness', reduce suffering and build resilience even amid challenging times. Whether you're facing a challenging situation in life, or simply want to know how to cultivate more happiness and peace, this episode will provide you with actionable steps on how to do just that.Listen and Learn:  How can we expect to build happiness in the face of hardship, heartache, or heartbreak Why Jonah uses the term ‘emotional fitness' and how this skill can help you in challenging times Distinguishing between happiness and toxic positivity Practices to help you cultivate emotional fitness What is awe and how it relates to happiness How can we access the experience of awe in times of hardship Creative ways to find connection when you feel the most isolated  Resources: Get to know more about Jonah: https://www.jonahpaquette.com  Subscribe to Jonah's newsletter: https://www.jonahpaquette.com/site/contact Check out Jonah's books: Happily Even After: Daily Practices to Recover Joy After Hardship, Heartache, and Heartbreak and Awestruck: How Embracing Wonder Can Make You Happier, Healthier, and More Connected Grab your copy of all our favorite books at bookshop.org/shop/offtheclockpsych, including Yael's new book, Work, Parent, Thrive! Check out Debbie, Yael, and Jill's websites to access their offerings, sign up for their newsletters, buy their books, and more! About JonahJonah Paquette, PsyD, is a psychologist, author, and speaker who specializes in the science of well-being and emotional fitness. He is the author of four books including Happily Even After, Awestruck, The Happiness Toolbox, and Real Happiness. Jonah's writing aims to provide readers with practical, research-backed strategies to foster greater well-being and connection in our everyday lives. In addition to his clinical work and writing, Jonah offers training and consultation to organizations on the promotion of well-being and conducts professional workshops for clinicians around the country and abroad. He is a sought-after media contributor, having been featured regularly in print, online, radio, and podcast outlets. To learn more about Jonah and his work, visit www.jonahpaquette.com. Related Episodes: 281. Belonging Uncertainty and Bridging Divides with Geoffrey Cohen 97. The New Happiness with Matthew McKay 192. Happier With Tal Ben-Shahar 227. The Science of Happy with Sonja Lyubomirsky 122. Taking in the Good with Rick Hanson 280. Choose Growth with Scott Barry Kaufman 211. Subtract with Leidy Klotz 275. Work, Parent, Thrive with Yael Schonbrun 251. Wonder with Frank Keil Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.