Marriage and Intimacy Tips for Christian Couples: Secrets of Happily Ever After
Have you ever wondered what makes the difference between those couples who absolutely LOVE to be together and the ones who merely tolorate each other in their old age? I always want to run up to the cute old couples who still hold hands while walking down the street and ask them all their secrets to relationship success. This podcast gives me the opportunity to do just that!
I'm Monica Tanner, wife to a super hunky man, mom to 4 kids, weekly podcaster and relationship and intimacy expert/enthusiast. I help couples ditch the resentment and roommate syndrome and increase communication, connection and commitment, so they can write and live out their happily ever after love story. If that sounds like something you want, this podcast is absolutely for YOU!
Each week, I'm teasing out the principles that keep couples hopelessly devoted and intoxicatingly in love with each other for a lifetime and beyond. I'm searching high and low for the secrets of happily ever after and sharing those secrets with you right here. Sound marriage advice for Christian couples who want to live happily ever after and achieve a truly intimate friendship and passionate partnership, because an awesome marriage makes life so much sweeter. Let's get to it!
Episodes
357 episodes
Stop Fighting About Sex And Start Enjoying It with Jessa Zimmerman
In this interview with Jessa Zimmerman, we reframe desire discrepancy as normal, not a defect, and show how couples can move from pressure to play with clear tools, language, and empathy. She explains proactive vs reactive desire, why “no” shou...
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Season 5
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Episode 359
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33:22
Create Your Own Luck By Making Intimacy Lighter
In this week's episode, I'm talking about how to keep sex and connection from turning into a pressure-filled project by bringing back laughter, flirting, and lightness. I share why playfulness builds emotional safety and give three simple ways ...
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Season 5
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Episode 358
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14:51
Desire Differences are NOT Dealbreakers
This week I explore why desire differences are normal, how pressure shuts things down, and how pursuit and emotional safety rebuild connection. I share the Yes And method, practical scripts, and a simple weekly check-in to help couples design i...
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Season 5
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Episode 357
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10:22
How to Get Lucky by Creating More Emotional Safety
I'm kicking off a March series on “getting lucky” by showing why great intimacy isn’t luck at all. Real emotional safety and compassionate curiosity create the right context for desire to grow, and I'm giving you my Green Light Conversation too...
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Season 5
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Episode 356
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11:59
Dr. Gary Chapman On The Love Language That Matters Most
Today I welcome Dr Gary Chapman to explore why love languages still matter and how dialects and personality shape whether love actually lands. We share a simple love tank ritual, a practical daily connection plan, and ways to listen without fix...
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Season 5
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Episode 355
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28:59
Understanding Your Partner Doesn’t Mean Agreeing With Them
This week, I'm sharing how compassionate curiosity turns conflict into connection and why understanding your partner does not require you to agree. Practical scripts, clear definitions, and real examples show how to stay on the same team while ...
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Season 5
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Episode 354
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17:41
Valentine’s Day Doesn’t Have to End in Disappointment
This week, I'm talking about why February magnifies stress and how silent expectations turn Valentine’s Day into a painful guessing game. I share three steps, speak hopes out loud, name no‑gos, and define success together, plus simple date idea...
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Season 5
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Episode 353
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17:33
You’re Both Trying… You’re Just Missing Each Other
This week, I'm sharing why generous effort can still miss the mark and how a simple meaning check turns intention into real connection. Practical scripts, everyday examples, and a clear path to feel loved without guesswork.• early chemi...
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Season 5
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Episode 352
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17:36
How Healthy Couples Use Conflict to Grow with Dana Che
In this interview with Dana Che, we break the myth that happy couples don’t fight and show how conflict, handled well, can deepen intimacy. We share mindset shifts, practical language, and simple steps to move from defensiveness to understandin...
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Season 5
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Episode 352
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35:23
Boundaries Are What Make Intimacy Possible
Today, I'm talking about how boundaries are a loving skill that prevents resentment and creates safety, respect, and passion. Clear, simple steps show how to set limits without threats, using everyday examples and a weekly challenge to practice...
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Season 5
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Episode 351
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12:06
You Can’t Control Your Partner, But You’re Not Powerless
This episode speaks directly to one of the most exhausting parts of being in a relationship: realizing you can’t control your partner and wondering what that means for you.For a lot of people, that realization feels defeating. Like your ...
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Season 5
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Episode 350
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12:26
How Do You Want to Show Up This Year?
I'm setting a bold focus for this new season: choose who we will be in hard moments and build relationships with no regrets. I share five common end-of-life regrets, turn them into learnable skills, and give you a clear assignment to craft one ...
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Season 5
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Episode 349
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15:36
The Game-Changing Gift Evree Spouse Will Love with Founders Justin and Natalie
A great massage shouldn’t end with a mad dash to the shower. This week, I'm talking with Justin and Natalie Weeks, the creators of Evree, to share how a single sticky night pushed them into a six-year journey across labs, ingredients, and count...
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Season 4
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Episode 348
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25:22
Finding Wisdom In The Wound with Tony Miltenberger
We explore how prolonged stress can turn small cracks into deep canyons and how couples can explore those canyons together with empathy, curiosity, and clear practices. Tony shares tools for moving from emotional reactions to intentional respon...
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Season 4
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Episode 347
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34:37
How to Create More Intimacy Through Communication with Nick and Amy McKinlay
Today, we're talking about how Christian couples can build deeper intimacy by turning awkward silence into simple, safe conversations. Nick and Amy McKinlay of Ultimate Intimacy share research-backed prompts, healthy masculinity traits, and way...
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Season 4
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Episode 346
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35:45
A Simple Relational Skill That Makes Communication So Much Easier
What if a single, gentle question could turn tense moments into real connection? That’s the promise of “contracting,” a simple consent-based habit that replaces surprise talks with intentional, focused conversations. We walk through how this ti...
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Season 4
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Episode 345
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12:57
Shoveling Sh*t Together: How Kass and Mike Built Companies, Raised Kids, and Kept Their Marriage Intact
What if the real love story isn’t candlelight and grand gestures, but calendars, clarity, and courage under pressure? I sit down with Kass and Mike Lazerow—longtime partners in life and business—to unpack how they navigated Web 1.0 startups, gu...
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Season 4
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Episode 344
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34:29
Marriage is the Ultimate Team Sport: How to Create a Winning Team
What if the fastest way to a stronger marriage isn’t compromise, but better teamwork? After celebrating a number-one Amazon launch, I took a hard look at what actually helped us get there—clear roles, honest communication, and a shared commitme...
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Season 4
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Episode 343
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18:57
Debunking Bad Marriage Advice with My Son and Daughter-In-Law Jake and Livvy
Today's interview is with my oldest son, Jake and his new wife, Livvy to chat about the new book I wrote for them and unpack five of the most common myths that sabotage new marriages and trade them for simple habits that build trust, respect an...
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Season 4
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Episode 342
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32:59
Debunking Sex Myths in Marriage
Bad sexual advice is one of the top reasons couples struggle early in marriage, often because most grow up with distorted expectations about what a healthy sex life looks like.• Sex advice is usually messed up because the topic is taboo...
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Season 4
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Episode 341
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14:34
Detoxing from Bad Marriage Advice
A marriage advice detox can transform your relationship by eliminating harmful myths and replacing them with practical communication skills. Bad marriage advice like "never go to bed angry" or "happy wife, happy life" often sounds good but lead...
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Season 4
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Episode 340
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12:10
Moving From Approval to True Intimacy in Marriage with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife
Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife explores how moving beyond validation-seeking creates deeper, more authentic intimate connections in marriage, explaining that true intimacy requires embracing differences rather than demanding constant agreement.
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Season 4
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Episode 339
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42:17
Incompatibility is the Leading Cause of Divorce AND It's a Myth
Conflict and differences in marriage don't mean you married the wrong person; they simply mean you're two human beings from different backgrounds working together to build a life. Statistics show "incompatibility" is the leading cause of divorc...
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Season 4
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Episode 338
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13:59
Stop Listening to These 5 Pieces of Common Marriage Advice
Marriage advice is everywhere, but much of it is outdated, misguided, or flat-out harmful to your relationship, no matter how well-intentioned it may be.• Happy couples don't fight - FALSE: Conflict is like exercise for your relationshi...
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Season 4
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Episode 337
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19:18
What If Everything You Learned about Marriage is Wrong?
Traditional marriage advice often sounds wise but can secretly damage relationships when applied to modern marriages. In this episode, we examine five common marriage myths that might be undermining your relationship and explore healthier alter...
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Season 4
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Episode 336
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18:43
