Advertise on podcast: Marriage Lab

Connection, Intimacy & Sex What if the goal of your relationship isn't sex, but intimacy through connection? In this episode, we unpack God's design for sex, intimacy, and relationships—and why true sexual freedom is found in self-control, not the absence of boundaries. We talk about abstinence, pornography, physical boundaries, and the different ways men and women often pursue intimacy. More importantly, we explore how sex can sometimes create a false sense of connection, why vulnerability matters, and how intentionally pursuing one another builds the foundation for lasting intimacy. Because the deepest form of intimacy isn't sex. It's knowing and being known. To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

We talk a lot about wanting our spouse to be there for us when life is hard. But what about when life is GOOD... and they’re just not excited with you? You’re pumped about the restaurant. The trip. The opportunity. The idea. The thing you’ve been looking forward to all week. And instead of joining you in it, your spouse is neutral... unimpressed... or maybe they actually have an emotional reaction to your excitement. Your joy bumps into their disappointment, insecurity, stress, sadness or pain. And suddenly it feels like someone threw a wet blanket over something that felt really fun five minutes ago. That can be a surprisingly lonely place in marriage. In this episode, we’re talking about what happens when your spouse can’t join you in your excitement, why their emotional response doesn’t necessarily mean your joy is wrong, and how to stay connected to what’s good without demanding that your spouse feel exactly what you feel. Because sometimes intimacy looks like sharing joy together... and sometimes maturity looks like learning how to hold onto joy even when your spouse can’t meet you there. To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

Some marriage fights just aren’t worth it. Not because the issue never matters. Not because you shouldn’t have hard conversations. And definitely not because healthy couples never get triggered. But over time, we’ve learned to care a lot less about figuring out who was wrong, who started it, whose memory is correct, or exactly where the misunderstanding happened. In this episode, we’re talking through 5 marriage fights that we’ve learned not to pick up anymore — from calendar miscommunication and household responsibilities to tone, sex, and feeling controlled. Because sometimes the healthiest thing you can do in a tense moment is stop trying to solve the origin point of the conflict… and ask: What do we need to do from here? To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

Main character energy sounds empowering—but what happens when it follows us into marriage? In this episode, we’re talking about the subtle ways we can start viewing our spouse, our circumstances, and even our disappointments through the lens of the life I’m supposed to be happening.  We unpack how main character energy can keep us waiting for our “big break,” resenting the ordinary sacrifices of marriage, and missing the good life God is actually forming in us. Because the gospel offers us something much fuller, than a life where everything revolves around our happiness, fulfillment, and potential—and that might actually be really good news for our marriages. To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

What if “I told you so” is doing more damage in your marriage than you realize? What if it's actually reinforcing patterns you THINK it's dismantling?! In this episode, we explores how our need to be right—or to make sure our spouse “learns the lesson”—can quietly turn into over-functioning, control, and even boasting.  We’ll talk about giving your spouse back the dignity of learning, owning your half without managing theirs, and trusting that sometimes reality (and the Holy Spirit) can teach the lesson without your help. Because sometimes the most loving thing you can do is let yourself be right… quietly. To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

After studying generosity together, we started taking a closer look at our own relationship with money, possessions, and giving—and noticed a few things we didn’t expect. In this episode, we talk honestly about greed in a hyper-consumeristic world, the ways we’re each still growing, and how even something as good as “being a good steward” can sometimes become a reason to hold too tightly to what we have. This isn’t a polished lesson on generosity—it’s a conversation about what we’re noticing, confronting, and rethinking as we try to make generosity a deeper value in our lives and marriage. To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

Most married couples want to feel connected—they're just exhausted. So connection often ends up looking like quietly watching TV together,  tackling hard conversations about conflict or pain,  or squeezing in the occasional date night (... if time, money, and childcare all cooperate.) But what if there's another path? In this episode, we talk about one of our fav connecting rhythms as a couple: learning together.  A short book.  A Bible study.  A topic we're curious about.  It's low stakes, doesn't require someone to be "the problem," and gives us something new to explore together. We've found that learning introduces fresh ideas, reveals sides of each other we hadn't seen before, and creates meaningful conversations that aren't built around stress, logistics, or conflict. Especially after years of marriage, it can feel like you've already heard all of your spouse's stories. Learning together creates new ones. If you're looking for a practical, inexpensive, and surprisingly connecting rhythm beyond date nights and difficult conversations, this episode is for you. Click here for the study on Generosity we mentioned.  To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

What do you do when you’re losing hope in your marriage/a relationship? Not because you don’t love your spouse.  Not because you’re giving up.  But because the same painful patterns keep repeating, and you’re exhausted waiting for change. In this episode, we talk about why many of us misunderstand biblical hope, especially in relationships. We often treat hope like optimism, instant relief, or confidence our spouse will finally change. But what if hope was never meant to work that way? We explore why hope is not a feeling you wait for, but a perspective you cultivate, how to stay anchored when change feels slow, and why remembering God’s faithfulness matters in seasons of recurring pain. Because hope doesn’t always change your circumstances immediately, but it does change how you endure while waiting :)  Two Youtube Video Jenna refrenced about Hope:  #1 Video for "Remembering"  #2 Video for "Remembering" To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

Most people think the “never enough” voice in their head is the thing keeping them motivated. The voice that says: You should be doing more.You’re behind.You’re wasting time.You should be further along by now.But here’s the plot twist: that voice isn’t unique to you. Almost everyone hears it. The difference is not who hears it. The difference is who builds their life around it. The question is whether you’ve mistaken it for wisdom. In this episode, we unpack the sneaky way self-contempt disguises itself as responsibility, ambition, discipline, or drive. We talk about why so many people accidentally partner with an inner critic they think is helping them succeed—while constantly moving the finish line and dismissing their growth. We also explore: • why high-capacity people are especially vulnerable to this mindset • the difference between healthy conviction and chronic internal criticism • how the “never enough” voice fuels burnout, shame, comparison, and hopelessness • why progress becomes invisible when contempt is your measuring stick • how curiosity creates transformation more effectively than self-hatred ever will To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

Emotionally raw seasons can heighten everything—especially the desire to feel seen, known, and secure. In this episode, we talk about what it looks like to build a preventative habit of anchoring your identity in God first, rather than turning to others to define your worth in vulnerable moments. Over time, you begin to realize that where you go for reassurance in hard seasons shapes not only your peace, but your relationships. This conversation is about learning to navigate those seasons with more stability, more clarity, and less unnecessary mess along the way. To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

Ever ask gradually big relationship question in the middle of an argument… and then regretted the answer? In this episode, we break down a common (but damaging) pattern: asking life-defining questions when someone is emotionally triggered. What it often looks like 👇 • “Why didn’t you invite me?” → “Do you have more fun with them?” → “So you don’t have fun with me?” → “Do you even enjoy being around me?” →“Do you even like me?” → “Are you happier without me?” → “Is something wrong with us?” → “Do you even want this relationship?” 😬 See how fast it escalates? We unpack: • Why triggered brains give exaggerated, painful answers • The “staircase” of escalation most couples fall into • The difference between curiosity vs. panic-driven questioning • What’s actually happening in your brain (emotional flooding + amygdala hijack) • Why you’re not “getting clarity”… you’re digging for pain And most importantly— the simple habit that protects your relationship: 👉 Don’t ask big questions when someone is triggered. If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation more hurt than helped, this episode will give you a better path: pause → regulate → return to clarity. To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

Phone calls with your spouse should be simple… so why do they so often go sideways? In this episode, we unpack the subtle dynamics that quietly derail connection: • unspoken expectations • not checking if the other person even has capacity • unclear intentions (are we connecting or handling logistics?) • hoping for something deeper… without saying it ...and the hurt that builds when your spouse can’t show up the way you needed—especially in the middle of a workday What starts as a quick call can quickly spiral into misunderstanding, frustration, or even conflict that leaks into the rest of your day. The good news? Most of this is preventable. We walk you through a simple 3-step framework to help you: • set clear expectations • honor each other’s capacity • and actually get what you need out of the conversation So your phone calls stop feeling like landmines… and start becoming small, consistent moments of connection (or pure logistics exchange) again. To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

In this episode, we unpack one of the most practical distinctions we teach: the difference between a need and a strategy. A need is a relational longing: connection, safety, being seen, being prioritized. A strategy is your idea of how that need should get met: date night, quicker texts, no phones at night, doing the dishes before sitting down. The problem is, most of us accidentally disguise strategies as needs… and that’s where control sneaks in. We talk about why that feels so painful (for both people), how “requests” turn into “demands” when there’s punishment attached, and why collaboration creates way more buy-in than prescriptions ever will. We'll talk about how to peel back the strategy to name the real need underneath, so you can fight less about the method and connect more around the longing. To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

Sometimes self-awareness helps us grow… and sometimes it quietly gives us permission to stay exactly where we are. In this episode, we talk about the subtle ways insight can turn into self-justification—whether it’s personality types, triggers, habits, or even love languages—and how awareness is meant to become a starting point for transformation, not a comfortable resting place. We share stories from our own marriage about conflict avoidance, travel differences, stress habits, and learning how to let understanding lead to maturity rather than excuses. If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “That’s just how I am,” this conversation will help reframe awareness as an invitation to grow—one small, intentional step at a time. To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

A story only God could write. 💔➡️❤️  Divorce, divine encounters, heart-level repentance, and a miraculous reconciliation. Listen to hear Amy's testimony of when God interrupts a story that felt finished. It will remind you all things are possible with Him.  To enter to win: share a podcast episode on your social media stories & tag me @jennazint You can enter as much as once a day. Ends Oct 21 Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAB Jenna's Summer Course Here  >>> Become a sponsor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more.  Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery CourseCouples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health CoachingBook: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn