December 1, 2024 — Episode #48
Jerry and Becky turn the mic over to their own listeners, sharing reader-submitted advice on what it takes to build a rewarding, lasting marriage.
Drawing on years of letters and comments gathered through their Hope for the Home conferences, the couple work through listener suggestions one at a time: valuing a spouse’s opinion even when you disagree, giving your spouse more attention than you give to others or to screens, refusing to give a spouse the silent treatment, scheduling dedicated time together, and being willing to talk openly about things you don’t fully understand. They share stories from their conference counseling, including a wife who described her husband’s devotion to sports as a “sexless mistress,” and a child’s drawing that left himself out of the family portrait because he felt unnoticed. They also share an update on Becky’s new book, “The Bright Side of Blue,” releasing nationwide this month.
Topics discussed:
- Valuing a spouse’s opinion even in disagreement
- Giving a spouse more attention than screens or other people
- Avoiding the silent treatment in marriage
- Scheduling regular one-on-one time together
- Being open about things you don’t understand in each other
- A story about feeling emotionally “present but not there”
- Becky’s book, “The Bright Side of Blue”
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