Marriage as Kingdom Partnership Pt 1 (Marriage as a Mission) - 319

Marriage can look fine on the outside while quietly drifting on the inside. This week, we talk about a different way to think about a Christian marriage: not as a contract built on feelings, but as a covenant built on purpose. When God designed marriage, He wasn’t only aiming for roommates who split chores and agree on the thermostat. He was shaping a kingdom partnership that carries spiritual weight, forms character over time, and reflects Christ to the world.

We get honest about how your view of marriage changes with maturity, trials, and healing. We also dig into a common trap that wrecks expectations: treating your spouse like a happiness vending machine, only to feel crushed when the “snack” doesn’t drop. Using Matthew 6:33, we walk through the right order of priorities for a Christ-centered marriage and why peace, security, and fulfillment work better as fruit than as demands. We also talk about spiritual warfare in marriage, how the enemy uses doubt and division, and what it looks like to recognize who you’re really fighting.

Then we make it practical with one of our favorite pictures: marriage as a rowing boat. Two people pulling in opposite directions require a lot of effort but make no progress. Two people aligned around God’s mission create momentum and a kind of joy that isn’t tied to perfect circumstances. If you want a purpose-driven marriage that blesses your home and spills into your church and community, take one small step this week toward “us for Him.”

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Transcript

Marriage As A Calling

Daniel Moore 0:06

Let's be honest, marriage is about a lot more than sharing a last name, splitting chores, and figuring out whose turn it is to pick what's on TV. If that's what it was, most couples would have it mastered pretty quickly. But God designed marriage with something far deeper in mind. From the very beginning, marriage was meant to reflect his heart, his order, and his purpose on the earth. It's not just a companionship, it's a calling. It's two people coming together in a covenant that carries real spiritual weight, stepping into a partnership that's meant to grow them, stretch them, and ultimately point back to him. And yes, while that calling includes love, laughter, and those everyday moments like laundry and dishes, it's also about something much bigger than just us. It's about what God wants to do through us. In this week's episode, we're diving into what it really looks like to move beyond just trying to be happy in marriage and instead build something that has kingdom impact. Because the truth is, when we make happiness the goal, we often end up frustrated. But when we make God's purpose the goal, joy follows in a way we would never manufacture on our own. We're going to talk about what it means to row in the same direction, to shift from me and you to us for him, and how a marriage aligned with God's mission becomes one of the most powerful forces for transformation, not just in your home, but in the world around you. So lean in because this isn't just about having a better marriage, it's about stepping into a greater purpose together. Welcome to Marriage Life and More. This is a podcast about marriage, Bible, and book studies, where we interview people that have inspiring stories. I'm Daniel Moore, your host. Thank you guys for joining us this week. Over here next to me is my beautiful co-host, my wife Michelle. Hey, hey. If not familiar with our show, check out our website at www.marriagelifeandmore.com for our platforms. Our YouTube and Rumble links are there. We're also on the Christian Podcasting app Edifi. And we're also on your Alexa and Google Smart Devices. You can also visit us on social on Facebook, Instagram, and X at CTGAPOnline. And if you're a fan of our show, please subscribe. Feel free to leave a comment on our platforms. Give us a thumbs up or five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and we'd be thankful to you for doing that. Well, just want to give you a reminder before we get started into this week's episode that coming up on May 9th, I'm going to be at the Somewhere in Time bookstore in Web City, Missouri, and going to be doing a book signing there. So if you live in the local area and listen to us here or follow us on social media, I'd be glad to meet you if you'd like to come in. And maybe if you haven't bought a book, I'll have all three of them there with me that uh we've got available through our ministry here. So just go ahead and come on over. It's from 1 to 3 p.m. on that Saturday, May 9th. And again, that's at Somewhere in Time Bookstore in Webb City, Missouri. And I hope to see you there. Well, this week, as uh Michelle's feeling much, much better even than last week.

Michelle Moore 3:03

Thank goodness.

Daniel Moore 3:04

So we're gonna do another episode here with our series on marriage as a mission, which is based on the first book that I wrote. And you can pick a copy up of that anywhere, that books are sold online pretty much Amazon, Walmart, Barnes Noble, Books a Million, all over the place. If you don't have a copy of that, there's also a succession study guide that goes with that as well. And you can get that and follow along with us here as we go through this study here on Marriage Life and more. Well, this week we're going to go ahead and continue that with episode three, as we're going to be starting that one this week. And this one is about marriage as a kingdom partnership.

Defining Kingdom Partnership In Marriage

Michelle Moore 3:51

Let's be honest for a moment. Marriage is far more than two people sharing a closet, coordinating schedules, and debating over thermostat settings. If that were the full extent of it, most couples would have it mastered within the first year. As Dan sits over here and laughs.

Daniel Moore 4:38

It's our best moment.

Michelle Moore 4:40

Yeah, that's it. That's it. From a kingdom perspective, marriage is a partnership with a purpose, a divine collaboration where two people come together to serve something greater than themselves. It's a teamwork on a God-given assignment where love, growth, sacrifice, and leadership intersect. And yes, sometimes that mission includes the everyday realities like laundry, dishes, and learning patience with one another.

Daniel Moore 5:07

And I'm gonna cut in here for just a second before you go any further. If uh at this point in your life, where you're at, and with all the years that we've been married and everything that we've been through, and even previously before we got together, so if all them lessons that you've learned through all of that as you've grown in marriage and came to more understanding of what it is, if for some reason, if at this point in your life you were actually getting married and getting ready to walk down that aisle and say I do, what would that mean be for you today going into a new marriage? What would that in your mind, what do you uh what would that mean to you as far as uh what responsibility that marriage is that you're getting ready to take on, knowing what you know now versus what you knew back when you very first started?

Michelle Moore 6:03

I think now I would definitely look at the responsibility to even remotely at its core of the values behind it, you know, the intimate relationship, it reflection of Christ, you know. Um, I think back then I didn't have any idea. I mean, it's like, oh, it's getting married, and yes, we're gonna stay together forever, you know, and serve God, but it's such a deeper, intimate relationship. Yeah, and it's self-sacrificing.

Daniel Moore 6:32

Yeah.

Michelle Moore 6:33

And it means to give than rather to s receive. And I I can say that back then, even ten years ago, probably I was more selfish than I am now. I mean, it's just it's it's a deeper relationship.

Daniel Moore 6:49

That's crazy how it takes time to learn that.

Michelle Moore 6:51

Oh, yeah.

Daniel Moore 6:52

So now I'm gonna have you continue. Okay, because this next paragraph pretty well kind of re explains that portion of what that means in a marriage. And I wanted to because I know with everything that we've been through, we've learned so much.

Michelle Moore 7:06

So what it's like for you.

Daniel Moore 7:07

It'd been the same, the same way. You know, I I I look at it, it's not just a oh, I get to marry my best friend and have a marriage now and do things together and all this fun marriage stuff. Uh it's it's actually got a deeper, more yeah, intimate meaning because when you include Christ, uh that that not only do we just have our life together in the home that we build, but we also now know how important it is to include God in that equation and how all of that wraps up together to make one big story and one big picture.

Michelle Moore 7:38

Well, and I think also even if you put God in your marriage when you first get married, whether you're young or older or whatever, I think over time as your relationship with God, it grows deeper. You mature. Yeah, it becomes more intimate. So therefore your marriage grows and grows deeper and more intimate. And I think that is just as you get older, you learn those things and you just I mean, with if you talk about a baby Christian to a mature Christian, you know, all the things that they've been through makes them who they are that day, you know. So when you first get married, you're not gonna have all that maturity.

Daniel Moore 8:17

Right.

Michelle Moore 8:17

Although Christ may be the center of it, just think about all the things that we've been through to where we're at today.

Daniel Moore 8:23

Yeah. Yeah, you definitely grow so much when you go through trials and tribulations and the valleys and the highs and the lows, all that different stuff.

Michelle Moore 8:32

And I wouldn't change all of it because it's who it's made today, but my gosh, I love our relationship.

Daniel Moore 8:38

Yeah.

Michelle Moore 8:39

Now I mean it's I mean, not that I didn't love it back then, but it's such a deeper connection and it's hard to explain. And I'm sure you that people that are older understand what I'm saying. Right. You know, it's just not the same as what it was twenty years ago.

Daniel Moore 8:56

Right. Yeah.

Michelle Moore 8:57

So when two people stand before God and say, I do, they are stepping into something far more significant than simply committing to a lifelong relationship filled with each other's quirks, habits, and favorite streaming shows. They are entering into a covenant that carries spiritual weight and internal impact. In many ways, marriage becomes a kind of divine training ground, an environment where God shapes character, deepens faith, and teaches two individuals how to live out his love in tangible ways. Within that covenant, husbands and wives sharpen one another, encourage one another, challenge one another, and ultimately grow together in Christ. Their relationship becomes a living testimony to the world of God's faithfulness and design. The kingdom of God isn't simply looking for couples who appear happy on the surface. It needs strong purpose-driven partnerships built on faith, commitment, and a shared calling. Of course, learning to work in unity with another person, especially someone who may fold towels differently or organize the kitchen in ways that don't make sense to you may not always feel like sacred work. And at times it can feel routine, frustrating, or even exhausting. But the truth is that God often uses the ordinary moments of life to accomplish extraordinary things in our hearts and in his kingdom. Marriage lived according to God's design isn't about two individuals constantly pushing their own preferences or competing agendas. Instead, it is about becoming unified in heart, mind, and mission so that together they can pursue what God desires. In other words, the focus shifts from me and you to us for Him. That shift in perspective changes everything. So, what does it actually look like for a husband and wife to operate as a kingdom-focused couple? What does it mean to build a marriage that isn't just surviving the daily grind, but actively advancing God's purposes? Don't worry, we're not about to dive into complicated theological formulas or spiritual rocket science, because I am not that. Instead, we're going to explore practical ways that purpose and partnership work together in marriage and how a relationship aligned with God's mission can become one of the most powerful forces for transformation in the world. So buckle up, as Dean always says, because when marriages live the way God had designed it, it becomes far more than a love story. It becomes a mission.

When The Enemy Targets Your Unity

Daniel Moore 11:48

And, you know, honestly, when we as we start getting into this episode this week, I think it's something that a lot of couples don't think about whenever we get married, is how how does our marriage actually play in the factor of growing the kingdom? How does our marriages actually take a place in society where our marriage actually might make a difference in somebody else's?

Michelle Moore 12:15

No, I I would say we don't often think that. And in fact, I don't think we really thought that.

Daniel Moore 12:20

We didn't. And you know, it's taken, as we just discussed earlier, it's taken many years of being married and you know, working with other people with their relationships and their marriages and just all the different things that we see. You can take tidbits from here and there and all over the place. And as you put them together, they start creating this puzzle. This puzzle starts formulating, you start seeing the big picture. And I do think that, you know, a lot of times in our marriages, we do think of it's I'm gonna take care of me and you. That's really where we focus. And it seems like we can't get outside that bubble and outside that box. And that there is some truth to that because obviously, as a husband, I do want to take care of you as my wife. And you want to take care of me as their husband. We're our first priorities when it comes to just me and you as a married couple, but at the same time, one thing I think that we forget a lot of times in relationships, especially our marriages, is everything that you and I do for each other really reflects over into into the kingdom and what Christ would have us to do. And that gives it that much more meaning. That gives it that much more of a firm foundation to build upon. And, you know, there's I think a lot of times whenever we get into conflicts, we get into situations, Satan likes to come up and tell us that we're not worthy, first of all. And once he can successfully try to get in our minds individually, then it seems like he always kind of starts pushing over into the marriage then. And he starts putting in little arguments and you start having this discussion in your mind about does my spouse truly really love me? Does my spouse truly really appreciate what I do? Um, am I this alone on this island out here? You know, it's like he's really good at that. He's good at making us play this battle in our mind back and forth. And honestly, you know, with with you and I as an example, I think the more that we've built our marriage on a firm foundation of trying to look come at it from a Christian standpoint, from a godly standpoint, it's made it very a lot more difficult for Satan to get in between you and I. Uh, I think that I'm not saying that we never have negative thoughts, or I'm not saying that we never might have a little bit of a tiny conflict here and there or something that we have to work through. But it seems to me, just from my side of it, looking into our marriage, I think that we always approach it with a more positive stance than what we used to. And what happens when you go into things positive? You know, things usually work out.

Michelle Moore 15:00

Well, we recognize the enemy.

Daniel Moore 15:02

Right. Yeah, and that's it makes a big difference. And that's key. You know, we've got to again, we come back to what we've talked about before in other episodes. We have to figure out who are we really fighting.

Michelle Moore 15:12

Yeah.

Daniel Moore 15:13

You know, just because you and I have a conflict doesn't mean I'm really fighting you by yourself necessarily. Satan's in the middle of that trying to stir that pot too. And he's the one that's flaring this up and trying to put as much ammo as he can in there.

Michelle Moore 15:26

Yeah.

Happiness Versus Kingdom Impact

Daniel Moore 15:26

And so when it comes to, you know, being kingdom-minded in our marriage and realizing that this is really more about what we can do for Christ with our marriage, because Christ has ordained what we're involved in already. He's the one that created this marriage covenant that that you and I have between each other. So why wouldn't we want to make sure that whatever you and I do in our marriage, that we give something back to God? Right. And we try to build a kingdom like He wants us to be. And he can come and attack us, say, Well, you just need to be happy. If that means cutting church out, or if that means cutting out this ministry that God's called you to, or if that means, you know, cutting out uh being in a ministry position towards other couples to help them grow, that's the first thing Satan wants us to get rid of. He wants us to give up all those things that God's called us into so that we can be happy, quote unquote happy personally. And in all reality, though, if we actually follow God's plan and we are truly called into something, he's going to give us the sustenance to make sure that we have that happiness that we need through Christ. He replaces that personal selfish type happiness sometimes that we long for. So one of the most important mindset shifts that we have to make in marriage is moving from the constant pursuit of personal happiness to the pursuit of kingdom impact. Now, before anyone panics out there that's listening to this or assumes this means marriage is supposed to be miserable, let's go ahead and clear this up. God is not anti-happiness. He's not in heaven, frowning every time that you know you or I laugh on a date night or enjoy a peaceful evening together. In fact, scripture consistently shows that God delights in blessing his people. He wants us to be happy. But here's the truth that many couples discover once the honeymoon phase fades and real life settles in. Happiness was never meant to be the central goal of marriage. Happiness is a byproduct of living in alignment with God's purposes, not the primary mission itself. So when you look at us and the ministries that we're involved in, do you feel like that sometimes whenever we have uh some ministry opportunity with someone else and we actually help another couple or we actually, you know, help an individual maybe get through a low time or whatever, does that create happiness for you?

Michelle Moore 18:54

Oh, absolutely.

Daniel Moore 18:55

You know, I don't think God He doesn't bypass the blessings. He really doesn't. And there's I know for myself, and we you and I have talked about this before. I think one of the things that really drives me even more so, just beside the fact that I want to do ministry because God's called me to it. But the other side of that, one thing that drives me a lot in this is I enjoy helping other people. You and I know what it's like to be at the bottom of the barrel, fighting each other, not having a good relationship, not having a good marriage. And you and both you and I both have talked about this. We both hate seeing other couples go through that. And when that happens, what do we do? We try to help. Yeah, you know, we tr we try to we pray about things and pray with them. We try to, you know, come up with something that might help that God reveals to us that we can share with them. You know, we do whatever we possibly can, and that generates a happiness in us also. Not to forget, not to put to the side that you and I do do things just individually that makes us happy as a married couple, but there's a whole different level of happiness when we're able to point somebody towards Christ and help them get through a situation in their life. So the trouble begins when we unconsciously treat our spouse like a happiness vending machine. We press certain buttons like attention, affirmation, affection, maybe the occasional foot rub, and expect our preferred emotional snack to drop out every time. But when that expectation isn't met, what happens? Disappointment sets in real quickly. Suddenly, we're frustrated, we're irritated, and we're wondering if the machine is broken. The reality is that no spouse, no matter how loving or devoted, was designed to carry the weight of being the sole source of another person's happiness. When we make happiness the goal, we create expectations that marriage was never designed to fulfill on its own. And that's when couples start experiencing what we might call serious marital hangriness, spiritually hungry, emotionally cranky, and wondering why the snacks stopped coming. And you and I have talked about this before. We've been there. There's been times that you put a lot of expectation into me to be a good husband, to fulfill your needs and to make you happy. And what what did I do?

Michelle Moore 21:22

You failed.

Daniel Moore 21:22

I failed you.

Michelle Moore 21:24

This is on both sides, yeah.

Daniel Moore 21:26

You know, it and we see this quite often even in other couples, especially the ones that we work with that are having uh, you know, some serious marital issues, you'll almost always come to the point where when you're talking with them, they'll it'll always come up. They're like, Well, I expected this, but it didn't happen. You know? Or I expected them to do this when all this happened and they didn't do it. Or they said they were gonna do it and then it happened and they didn't do it, you know. We put so much on each other sometimes, I think. And That can really be a huge emotional breakdown if you're not careful. And so Jesus actually gives us the proper order of priorities in Matthew 6.33. And we want to read that for us.

Michelle Moore 22:11

Yeah, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Daniel Moore 22:18

So notice the sequence there. What's the first thing you do? You seek first the kingdom, right?

Michelle Moore 22:24

Mm-hmm.

Daniel Moore 22:24

So then the other things do what? They follow. That includes many of the things that we deeply desire in marriage, like peace, joy, security, and fulfillment. Those things are not wrong desires, but they arrive as the fruit of kingdom alignment, not as the foundation of the relationship itself. The problem appears when we begin asking the wrong question in our marriage. Instead of asking, is this making me happy? We should be asking, is this bringing God glory and helping us grow into who He's called us to be?

Michelle Moore 22:56

That's really good.

Rowing In The Same Direction

Daniel Moore 22:57

One question leads to shallow emotional waters that change with every circumstance. And that's the one, is this making me happy? The other lands to spiritual depth and transformation. Kingdom Impact requires some spiritual muscle. And yes, sometimes that means sacrificing a little personal comfort along the way. There's times, like I said earlier, and you and I have both been where God's made us uncomfortable. He's put us in situations sometimes that we're just like full of questions, like what is going on here? You know? And but later on, almost every time it seems like somewhere down the road, we figure it out. All of a sudden God reveals it to us, and we start seeing what's going on with that. So we can think of it this way: imagine your marriage as a rowing boat. If both of you grab an oar but row in completely different directions, and Michelle and I have kayaked before, we know what happens.

Michelle Moore 23:53

When we first started out, that would be so true.

Daniel Moore 23:56

You're not going to go anywhere productive when you do that. One spouse may be paddling toward the island called Unlimited Shopping and Target Runs, while the other is rowing hard towards football quiet and snacks. And that's me. The result? It's a lot of effort, a lot of splashing, and the boat's going to spin in circles. But when both spouses fix their eyes on the same destination, God's purposes, and row in unity, suddenly the boat moves forward. Even if you pass a few favorite islands along the way, you're moving towards something far greater. Philippians 2.4 reminds us to let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interest of others. So imagine how powerful a marriage becomes when each spouse prioritizes the other spiritual growth, calling, and Christ-likeness over temporary personal comfort. Now the boat isn't just moving, it's actually gaining some serious momentum. And I think a lot of times we see people that are both grabbing the oars, and we see that happening. Michelle and I have been in a tandem kayak before where they're both of us were in the same one, and we had to figure that out. Even after kayaking for a long time, we had to figure that out. Uh was it Colorado, what, two years ago, I think it was, and we went on a uh whitewater rafting thing, but we got the two men kayak, and uh it took us a little bit to figure that out because we were both kind of going against each other.

Michelle Moore 25:27

Just want you to know I finally just gave up and let Daniel didn't because we weren't, it wasn't working out well for us.

The Difference Between Happiness And Joy

Daniel Moore 25:34

No, it sure wasn't. But so that's a good example of what happens in your marriage when you do that, and you just you don't work together. So Jesus himself modeled this mindset in the most powerful way possible. In the Garden of Gethsemane facing the cross, he didn't pray, Father, let's just do whatever feels easiest tonight. Instead, he prayed, Not as I will, but as you will. And that's in Matthew 26, 39. That moment reveals the heart of kingdom living, surrendering personal preference for a greater purpose. And since Scripture tells us that marriage is meant to reflect Christ's relationship with the church in Ephesians 5, that same spirit of sacrifice becomes part of the assignment. In marriage, sacrifice isn't the exception, it's normal operating procedures. Sometimes that means choosing grace instead of keeping a mental scoreboard. Sometimes it means praying together when you'd rather retreat into separate corners. And sometimes it means serving your spouse when all you really want to do is disappear under a blanket with Netflix and a bowl of snacks. But here's the kingdom secret many couples eventually discover. When we stop chasing personal happiness and start chasing God's heart together, something remarkable happens. Joy shows up in places that we didn't expect. And it's deeper than the kind of happiness that comes from good moods or comfortable circumstances. It's the kind of joy that grows through shared faith, shared purpose, and shared surrender. That's marriage with kingdom impact. And honestly, that's worth rowing for. When you think of joy, do you notice a difference in the joy that is generated between you and I's marriage and the joy that actually comes when God's a part of that?

Michelle Moore 27:15

Oh, yeah.

Daniel Moore 27:16

What what what do you see the difference there between those two kinds of joy?

Michelle Moore 27:21

I would think, you know, honestly, the joy that comes from God, it's just ever bounding. Like it always is coming out, and it's always I don't know. Sometimes when you try, like if me and you just have joy, it's just kind of I don't even want to know what the word is. It's not superficial, but it is to the point. It's like it's happy and no, but when you have joy from the Lord, it just comes out of the heart and it just overflows and it's constantly and it will always be uplifting to the other person. And I feel like, you know, you can tell the difference. I mean, I'm happy, but you can tell when I'm really happy. You know, the joy is overflowing with me, with you. And so it benefits our marriage.

Daniel Moore 28:07

Yeah. And I think sometimes the joy that just happens just with you and me, that can be so temperamental. It can be there one minute and gone the next.

Michelle Moore 28:16

That's good.

Daniel Moore 28:16

But if God is a part of the source of that joy, then it seems like a lot of times those little issues that might come up that would cause our joy to fade just doesn't happen because God's in the middle of that. He's he's our foundation at that point. And you know, I do, I feel like there is a difference between the two if we just allow God to work in our marriage and supply that joy for us. That I think that means a lot.

Michelle Moore 28:39

I think we're pretty joyful.

Daniel Moore 28:41

Yeah.

Michelle Moore 28:42

I mean, I don't it's kind of weird because I honestly, you know, when I think about it, I'm not a frumpy kind of person. And you know, I don't I don't I don't know. I just don't I'm a very joyful person.

Daniel Moore 28:57

Well, I do think that since we've worked on our marriage and we've allowed God to help us heal our wounds and the different things that's happened, I can really go back to that point where I see from that point forward, oh yeah, we've had a lot of joy in our life. And I think a lot of that was Christ generated. Oh, absolutely. Um, if we hadn't have let God come in and transform our marriage the way that He did, it'd be a lot more effort, I think, for us to keep that joy sometimes. But both of us know that we're on a mission together. Yeah. We know that God has a plan for us and He's using us, and when that happens, it gives us a whole different outlook and a whole different perspective on that. You know, here's the the beautiful irony of the kingdom of God, the very thing that people spend their entire lives chasing, personal happiness, is often waiting for them on the other side of surrender. When happiness becomes the primary pursuit, it tends to stay just out of reach, like trying to grab smoke with your hands. But when we shift our focus towards seeking God's purposes, especially within our marriage, we discover something better than fleeting happiness. We stumble into a deeper joy than we could have engineered on our own. And why is that? It's because happiness in Christ isn't something we manufacture or chase down, it's something we inherit when our lives are aligned with his design. And you know, just like you and I were just talking, that joy that we have because Christ is the one that's generating it between us, uh, that's that's a deeper joy than we could ever think of having, just doing it on our own.

Michelle Moore 30:29

And I think if you if you've ever had joy of the Lord, you know the difference. Yes, you can tell the difference. Yeah, and you can tell when you lose it. Yes. So, I mean, if you don't have never experienced that, you know, be seeking that because honestly, you can tell the difference. And you can tell it in your marriage as well.

Daniel Moore 30:49

And joy is one of the fruits of the spirit. That's right. And so if you're gonna have the spirit live inside of you, if you're gonna truly have Christ living in you and and the Holy Spirit there to guide you, you're gonna have that joy because that is a fruit that comes out of that.

Michelle Moore 31:01

There's one person that I always think of when I see this particular man, he always happy, like fist bumping people, you know who I'm talking about. Went to our old church and you know, always happy, always smiling, always laughing. And I'm just like the joy just exuberates out of him. And it's just, and he loves the Lord with all his heart, and it's just it has always intrigued me because I'm just like, I want that. I want what he has. And it's like he just it comes so naturally to him. And he's just he's an amazing man. And I'm just like, dang, he's so good. It's he doesn't even have to try. I mean, it just I mean, some of us have to try.

Daniel Moore 31:50

Yeah.

Michelle Moore 31:50

Uh some of us are, you know, not as we're stern-faced, even though we have the joy in us, but we it doesn't come across as always like joy. Right. So, but this this man, I'll just tell you guys who it is if you know it. I don't know if everybody listens, but Joey, Joey Rogers, yeah, just amazes me when I'm around him. You can see him for years, and he's next thing you know, you see him, he's hugging you, telling you he loves you, and he genuinely means it.

Daniel Moore 32:18

Yeah, yeah, he's an awesome guy. Known him since I was a kid. And he's always kind of had that demeanor about him. Uh, but especially now since Christ has came into his life and he's been living for Christ for years now, it does, it just radiates.

Michelle Moore 32:33

Yeah, and and you pick up on people like that. Like you can see, and it's like, you know, it's like, oh what he's different. Like, what's going on, you know? So I just makes you want it. Yeah.

Daniel Moore 32:44

That's for sure. Yeah, Psalm 1611 gives us a powerful reminder of this truth. You make known to me the path of life. In your presence, there's fullness of joy, and at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. So notice where the fullness of the joy is found. Where is that?

Michelle Moore 33:02

God's presence.

Daniel Moore 33:03

It's in God's presence. It's not in perfect circumstances, it's not in a flawless marriage, and it's definitely not in a spouse who never forgets to take out the trash. True joy flows from a life anchored in God's presence and purpose. That means a marriage centered on kingdom priorities will always produce greater emotional and spiritual fulfillment than one built primarily on self-centered expectations. When a couple aligns their marriage around God's mission, which is serving Him, growing in Christ, and loving one another sacrificially, they often find that God faithfully provides the joy that they were searching for all of long. It's always amazing how that happens. We finally invite God in and we allow him to take over. We become humble and we take the pride out of our life and give ourselves to Christ, and all of a sudden we start finding out there is a lot of happiness in life. There is a lot of joy to be had out there. It's just crazy how that changes. And you know, both you and I both have experienced that. You know, many people treat happiness like a destination on a GPS. They plug it into life's navigation system and assume that if they take the right path, they find the right spouse, reach the right career level, live in the right house, then they'll finally arrive. But Jesus reframed that idea completely in John 15, 11, when he said, These things I've spoken to you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. You know, according to Jesus, joy isn't something you arrive at. It's something that grows inside of you as you abide in him. In other words, joy is relational, not circumstantial. So when a husband and wife commit to building a marriage rooted in Christ, and they start serving one another, forgiving one another, encouraging one another, and growing together in faith, they often discover that joy becomes a natural companion along the journey. So the truth is kingdom living doesn't require us to give up happiness, it simply redefines it. It upgrades our understanding of joy from temporary emotional highs to lasting spiritual fulfillment. Instead of depending on mood, convenience, or perfect circumstances, kingdom joy grows stronger through faith, obedience, and shared purpose. And the best part, a marriage built around Kingdom Impact doesn't just bless the two people inside the relationship. It spills over into families, churches, friendships, and communities. It influences children, encourages other couples, and leaves a legacy of faith. Isn't it amazing how much joy can change all of that? And we would never know if we don't get out there and start pursuing God's plan for our marriage and start pursuing what he's wanting us to do and filling, fulfilling those desires of our heart that he gives us.

Michelle Moore 36:00

Right.

Daniel Moore 36:01

And I'm just so thankful that even in you and I, in our relationship and our marriage, I'm I'm so thankful for that joy that you and I have. Um, because not only do we now have a joy of being with each other, but we love serving together.

Michelle Moore 36:15

Yeah.

Daniel Moore 36:16

We love there's things that we couldn't do on our own that we can do because it's you and I.

Michelle Moore 36:21

Yeah.

Final Encouragement And Next Steps

Daniel Moore 36:22

And I'm so thankful for that because there it there is a limitation sometimes. Now, God will give individual people a calling. I have no doubt about that. But there are some things that it takes a couple to do. And when you can get a couple together that's on the same mind frame, uh so many things can happen. So as we wrap up here, that's the kind of joy that God designed marriage to produce. It's not the fragile kind that disappears with stress or unmet expectations, but the resilient kind that grows stronger the more two people walk with Jesus together. And when a husband and wife pursue that kind of purpose side by side, they discover something amazing. The deeper they live for Christ, the richer their joy becomes. So I think that's a good way to wrap up the episode for this week. Do you have anything to add to that one?

Michelle Moore 37:13

No.

Daniel Moore 37:15

I just I just want to encourage everybody out there, if you're having issues in your marriage and that happiness isn't there, and that joy isn't there, um, you know, Michelle and I both know that that can happen just because of life. We know life happens and we totally understand that, but that's still something God can handle. If you go to Christ, you go to God and you put it at his feet, he will make sure that as long as you're putty in his hands, let him be the potter and you be the clay. You know, God can fix so many things. Michelle and I are a perfect example of that. And I'm just so thankful for the joy that the Holy Spirit has put inside of me. And I love watching even, you know, my wife Michelle over here. I just I love watching her because she um has a joy that just comes out of her. And it's just so neat to watch, you know, people be like a magnet. They just come to her for a lot of things, they have a trust in her and things that she will say. And we know that a lot of times that's not just something that you would come up with if it wasn't for Christ in you. And I'm just thankful that that you follow God and a lot of the things that you say. And I know there's a lot of people out there that appreciate that as well. Uh, next week, when we come back, we will finish up part two of this episode here on Marriage as a kingdom partnership. So don't forget that you can visit our website at marriagelifeandmore.com, and there you'll see all of our platforms we're on. You can email us, uh, send a message to us through the website, and please subscribe and share. Especially share. That's what helps this podcaster grow and help other people, help other couples and things that they may be going through. And uh, we'd just appreciate that if you would do that for us. So, as we wrap up this episode this week, here's the truth that we want to leave with you. Marriage was never meant to be sustained by feelings alone, it was designed to be anchored in purpose. When two people commit not just to loving each other, but to pursuing God together, everything begins to shift. The frustrations, they don't magically disappear, and the challenges don't suddenly vanish, but they take on a new meaning. Instead of pulling you apart, they begin to shape you, refine you, and draw you closer, not just to each other, but to Christ. A kingdom-focused marriage isn't perfect, but it is powerful. It's a relationship where grace is practiced daily, sacrifice becomes normal, and unity becomes the driving force. And when you begin to live with that us for him mindset, you'll find that your marriage isn't just surviving, it's moving forward with purpose and impact. So, as y'all go this week, we want to challenge you. Take one step, just one, toward aligning your marriage more with God's purpose. Maybe it's praying together, encouraging your spouse in their walk with Christ, or choosing unity in a moment where it would be easier to pull apart. Small steps in the same direction create real momentum. And remember, you're not just building a life together, you're building something that can echo into eternity. So thank you for joining us this week on Marriage Life and More. And if this podcast encouraged you, please be sure to share with another couple who needs it. And don't forget to subscribe so that you don't miss the next episode and what's coming next. Well, that's going to be all for this week, and we pray as we go that your marriage is stronger and your walk with God is closer after this episode. This is an extension of Connecting the Gap Ministries, and we pray that you have a blessed week.