{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"505-How a Family Life Educator Took Her Marriage from Good to Great: Jen's Story","description":"How a Family Life Educator Took Her Marriage from Good to Great: Jen's Story Sometimes, the couples who join our programs aren\u2019t on the brink of divorce. They aren\u2019t fighting all the time. They actually have a good marriage. But deep down, they know it could be better. That\u2019s exactly where Jen was when she found Delight Your Marriage. \u201cWe Had a Good Marriage\u2026 But I Knew It Could Be More\u201d Jen and her husband had been married nearly 15 years. They had three young kids, a busy life, and no major marital crisis. As she put it, \u201cWe were not in conflict with each other. We didn\u2019t have any major issues that we were dealing with from our past. You know, no unfaithfulness, nothing like that.\u201d Still, something inside her longed for more. She said to us, \u201cI think the thing that drove me into it was knowing that our marriage was good, but understanding or having this feeling that it could be better.\u201d She remembered a pastor that had mentioned Delight Your Marriage to her and from there, took the leap of faith to schedule a Clarity Call. And what she discovered surprised her. Through honest reflection and intentional questions, she realized that while her marriage looked peaceful from the outside, her heart was carrying something deeper: resentment. She had no idea that this resentment had snuck into her heart, but once she saw it, she was set on rooting it out. When Self-Pity Sneaks Into a Good Marriage Not only did Jen identify resentment in her heart, but she discovered she had also been carrying self-pity. In listening to an episode of the podcast on self-pity before joining the program, she realized the topic was actually hitting her heart. [For those interested: https:\/\/delightyourmarriage.com\/393-the-sin-of-self-pity-aka-pride\/] In that moment, God started something new. Through the program, Jen learned to let go of resentment and embrace gratitude. She began to see her husband not as someone who wasn\u2019t \u201cdoing enough,\u201d but as a man faithfully serving and providing for their family. That simple\u2014but powerful\u2014shift changed everything. The Power of Peace in a Great Marriage As Jen walked through the program, she noticed a transformation in herself. Through the "heart" work, she found that her soul was also being renewed and that God was was reworking things her heart she didn't even know where there. And the result of that heart change? Peace. With Jen getting rid of the resentment, putting aside the self-pity, and bringing in appreciation, compliments, and admiration- it changed the atmosphere of their homes. Jen\u2019s husband even came home one evening during his busiest season, wrapped her in a hug, and said, \u201cThank you. I\u2019ve noticed how much more peaceful our home has been.\u201d She hadn\u2019t been trying to get him to notice\u2014but he did. What she considered a small change was actually impactful. \u201cIt was a change enough that he felt it too\u201d How God Turns a Good Marriage Into a Great One When we allow God to transform us, our marriage begins to shift. Jen said, \u201cOur connection as a result of, I think just the peacefulness in the home and between us and our gratefulness for each other has brought us closer together in intimacy\u2026\u201d Yes, even their physical intimacy changed! Before the program, intimacy was about once a week. Now? \u201cTwo or three times,\u201d she said, smiling. And not only has the frequency been upped, but they are enjoying each other more (a major win!) And it wasn\u2019t a formula or manipulation\u2014it was the result of a softened heart. A Christ-Centered Model for Marriage Transformation As a former family life educator in her church, Jen had led marriage classes before. So she was skeptical\u2014could DYM really offer something new? After completing the program, she said, \u201cI haven\u2019t encountered anything as beneficial, and that actually works as well, as what DYM does. And I think a huge part of that is because of, well, the commitment to Scripture and actually putting it into practice.\u201d Jen\u2019s favorite part? The women\u2019s small group. \u201cA place that\u2019s safe, encouraging, and honest,\u201d she said. \u201cWe prayed for each other, celebrated each other\u2019s wins, and shared struggles without fear of judgment. I\u2019ve never experienced community like that.\u201d There\u2019s Always More God Wants to Do in Your Marriage When asked what she\u2019d tell another wife who has a good marriage but knows there\u2019s more, Jen didn\u2019t hesitate: \u201cI think I would just say...wherever you are in your marriage, if you think there\u2019s room for growth, then there\u2019s probably room for growth. So go after it, go after it, go after it...I would, for sure say, do it with DYM, because I think it\u2019s... I think it\u2019s a powerful, powerful program.\u201d Jen\u2019s words remind us that \u201cgood\u201d isn\u2019t the goal. God desires great marriages\u2014ones marked by peace, gratitude, and deep connection. Wherever your marriage is at: whether you're separated and not speaking or in a good place but wanting just a little more, we know that God is still working and He can change things for good.   With love, The Delight Your Marriage Team   PS - Ready to take the leap of faith and make that Clarity Call? Don't hesitate! Schedule a free call with one of our Clarity Call advisors at delightym.com\/cc or +1 332-239-2379 PPS - Interested in having this program at your church? Check out delightyourmarriage.com\/ipt for more information on joining our Pilot Program! PPPS - Here's is what (another) recent graduate has to say about our program: "Coming in, I knew my wife felt that I was unsafe for her, and that she felt alone and unknown by me. On my end, I felt deeply regretful of marrying her, angry with her, and hopeless to ever have a joyful marriage... [Now] I've seen progress in almost every area. I have grown in my own perspective on my wife. This has stunned me, and given me more hope than I've ever felt...I sincerely have a delight toward her that I've not felt in over a decade." ","author_name":"Delight Your Marriage","author_url":"https:\/\/delightyourmarriage.com","html":"