July 21, 2024 — Episode #29

Jerry and Becky spend this episode on a simple habit with outsized impact: building your spouse up instead of tearing them down.

Becky shares how Jerry’s encouragement pushed her to finish her college degree decades after she’d started it, and the couple discusses the danger of a spouse who “eclipses” or discourages the other rather than championing their goals. They share cautionary stories of marriages that unraveled when one partner’s ambition wasn’t matched by support, and offer listeners a list of encouraging phrases to use with spouses and children alike — “I believe in you,” “we’re in this together,” “I love you,” “thank you.” They close with Jeremiah 9 and 1 Thessalonians 5:11 on comforting and building one another up.

Topics discussed:

• Encouraging a spouse toward their full potential
• The danger of discouraging or competing with your spouse
• Stories of marriages strained by ambition and success
• A list of encouraging phrases for spouses and children
• Praying for a spouse’s growth, not their control
• Jeremiah 9 and 1 Thessalonians 5:11

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