Marriage on the Daily

Julie B.
  • 5.0 (32)
  • Self-Improvement

Marriage on the Daily with Julie B is a podcast for couples in their first ten years of marriage who want practical wisdom and encouragement for building a healthy, lasting marriage. Hosted by Julie B, the show focuses on the everyday choices that shape your relationship over time. Each episode highlights simple, intentional actions that build connection, trust, and emotional safety. Through expert conversations and real life insight, Marriage on the Daily helps couples navigate communication, conflict, emotional safety, intimacy, and teamwork so they can do married well on the daily. The materials and information provided by Marriage on the Daily are for educational and informational purposes only and are not intended to constitute medical, psychological, or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified physician or licensed mental health professional regarding your specific circumstances. Marriage on the Daily disclaims any liability for actions taken or not taken based on the content shared through our website, podcast, social media platforms, or other services.

  1. 2d ago

    Walking Through Trauma Together: Staying Connected in the Hardest Seasons | Guest: Laurie Lokey

    This week on Marriage on the Daily, Julie B. sits down with trauma specialist Laurie Lokey for a tender conversation about what happens when grief, loss, illness, and other traumatic experiences enter a marriage. Laurie has spent years helping people work through trauma and shares both her professional insight and her deeply personal experience of walking alongside her late husband, Bill, through aggressive cancer. Laurie explains why trauma can push us toward fear, hypervigilance, shutting down, or numbing—and why healing requires learning how to stay present with our pain instead of running from it. For her, that meant slowing down, reconnecting with God, feeling what she was feeling, and continuing to stay emotionally connected to her husband even in the middle of his illness. One of the most powerful images from the episode comes from a visit by Bob Goff, who brought Laurie and Bill boxing gloves with their names on them and reminded them: the fight was against cancer, not each other. Laurie says grief and trauma can easily turn spouses into opponents when what they really need is to remember they are partners facing the hardship together. Julie and Laurie also talk about miscarriage, caregiving, loneliness, and what it means to truly sit with someone in pain. Laurie says people who are grieving often don’t need explanations or attempts to fix what happened. Sometimes the most loving thing a spouse or friend can do is simply be present, listen, hold them, bring a meal, or quietly help carry the weight. Laurie also shares why asking for what she needed during Bill’s illness actually became a gift to him. Even while he was sick, being given opportunities to care for her helped him feel purposeful and connected rather than only being the person receiving care. Through it all, Laurie points back to intimacy—with God, with your spouse, and with trusted people who can walk beside you. Her encouragement to couples in difficult seasons is to create simple rhythms of prayer, worship, honesty, and connection, and to protect the friendship in your marriage through laughter and play whenever you can. If you or someone you love is walking through grief, illness, loss, or a season that feels overwhelming, this episode is a reminder that you do not have to carry it alone—and that even in the hardest moments, there are intentional ways to stay connected to God and to each other.

    Walking Through Trauma Together: Staying Connected in the Hardest Seasons | Guest: Laurie Lokey

  2. Nov 3

    Grace-Filled Marriage: Loving Your Spouse the Way God Loves You | Guest: Dr. Tim Kimmel

    This week on Marriage on the Daily, Julie B. sits down with bestselling author and Grace Based Families founder Dr. Tim Kimmel to talk about what it really looks like to build a grace-filled marriage. Tim and his wife, Darcy, have been married for 54 years, and his work has helped families around the world rethink how grace can shape the way they love one another. Tim says the idea behind a grace-filled marriage can be summed up simply: treat your spouse the way God treats His people. That means building a marriage around both truth and grace—not performance, scorekeeping, or trying to earn love. Julie and Tim dig into the three inner needs every spouse carries: the need to feel secure, significant, and strong. Tim explains why love is more than a feeling, defining it as a commitment to your spouse’s needs and best interests, even when that requires saying something they may not want to hear. They also unpack four freedoms that grace can bring into a marriage: the freedom to be different, vulnerable, candid, and imperfect. A grace-filled marriage doesn’t mean ignoring boundaries or consequences. It means creating a relationship where your spouse doesn’t have to hide their quirks, weaknesses, fears, or mistakes out of fear that those things will later be used against them. Tim and Julie also talk about comparison, fear, fatigue, raising children, handling money, spiritual growth, and why trying to build a strong marriage in your own strength will eventually leave you overwhelmed. Tim reminds couples that God does allow situations we cannot handle on our own—but never anything He cannot handle. And when it comes to what couples can do every day, Tim offers one powerful challenge: stay in “heart pursuit” of your spouse. Keep pursuing their heart the way you did before the wedding—through love, attention, protection, care, and service. And above all, stay in pursuit of Jesus, because Tim says that relationship changes the way you show up for your spouse. Whether your marriage is thriving, struggling, or simply feeling more like a roommate relationship than a love story, this conversation is a reminder that grace can change the way you see your spouse, handle conflict, and write the next chapter of your marriage.

    Grace-Filled Marriage: Loving Your Spouse the Way God Loves You | Guest: Dr. Tim Kimmel

  3. Oct 27

    37 Years of Marriage: What We’d Tell Our Younger Selves with Jay Baumgardner

    This week on Marriage on the Daily, Julie B. welcomes back a very special guest: her husband, Jay Baumgardner. As they get ready to celebrate 37 years of marriage, Julie and Jay look back on the life they’ve built together and ask a simple question: what would they go back and tell their younger selves about married life? Their conversation is honest, funny, and full of lessons learned through nearly four decades together. Julie and Jay talk about walking through hard seasons side by side—including loss, health scares, job changes, financial uncertainty, and unexpected challenges—and how those experiences taught them that couples really can do hard things together. They also share why choosing not to “keep up with the Joneses” served their marriage well. Living within their means, learning to say no, building an emergency fund, and making financial decisions together helped create a sense of security and kept money stress from defining their relationship. Julie and Jay reflect on the importance of surrounding yourself with people who are further along in the journey. Early in their marriage, older couples invited them into their homes, shared their stories, modeled faithfulness, and reminded them that they didn’t have to have everything figured out. That kind of community became especially important when they later stepped into parenting. They also talk about learning to pray together, keeping a sense of humor, staying curious about each other as both people continue to grow and change, and refusing to let fear drive important decisions. Jay shares why simple, honest prayer matters more than having the “right” words, while both of them reflect on how laughter has helped them navigate life without taking themselves too seriously. And perhaps most importantly, Julie and Jay talk about the commitment they made early in their marriage to take divorce off the table as a threat or escape hatch. Through the good, the bad, and the ugly, they chose to keep asking, “How are we going to figure this out together?” Looking back after 37 years, they say they’re grateful they kept putting one foot in front of the other—and kept choosing each other. If you’re newly married, in the middle of a difficult season, or simply wondering what helps a marriage last, this episode is filled with practical wisdom, faith, laughter, and encouragement from a couple who has lived a lot of life together.

    37 Years of Marriage: What We’d Tell Our Younger Selves with Jay Baumgardner

  4. Oct 20

    How to Disagree Without Losing the Relationship | Guest: Dr. Bill Doherty

    This week on Marriage on the Daily, Julie B. is joined by Dr. Bill Doherty, marriage and family therapist, author, professor at the University of Minnesota, and co-founder of Braver Angels, for a timely conversation about how to disagree without destroying the relationship. Whether the topic is politics, religion, parenting, or something happening in the culture, difficult conversations can quickly turn into arguments—or become subjects we avoid altogether. Bill explains why one of the first steps toward healthier dialogue is remembering what you have in common and giving up the goal of changing the other person’s mind. Instead, the goal can be to understand where they’re coming from, make sure they feel heard, and share your own perspective without treating the conversation like something you have to win. Julie and Bill also explore the idea that behind many strongly held beliefs is a story. Taking time to ask how someone arrived at their viewpoint can reveal experiences, fears, and values that aren’t obvious on the surface—and can make empathy possible even when agreement isn’t. Bill offers practical tools couples and families can use in hard conversations, including speaking from your own understanding instead of making absolute “truth statements,” looking for something you agree on before focusing on the disagreement, and remembering that the person across from you is someone you love—not a stand-in for a politician, movement, or ideology you oppose. The conversation also turns specifically to marriage and the importance of intellectual intimacy—the ability to hear your spouse’s thoughts, tolerate meaningful differences, and stay emotionally connected even when you don’t see an issue the same way. As Bill puts it, closeness doesn’t require becoming the same person. And when Julie asks for one daily practice that can strengthen a marriage, Bill shares a ritual he and his wife have kept for decades: sitting down after dinner with a cup of coffee and simply talking about their day. It’s intentional, protected time that even their children came to see as a source of security. If you’ve ever wondered how to have a difficult conversation without losing the person on the other side of it, this episode offers practical encouragement to stay curious, lead with respect, listen for the story behind the opinion, and remember that relationships are worth protecting.

  5. Oct 16 ·  Bonus

    BONUS EPISODEE: 4 Conversations Every Couple Should Have Before the Holidays

    In this bonus episode of Marriage on the Daily, Julie B. is flying solo to help couples navigate one of the most complicated times of the year: the holidays. When you get married, you aren’t just combining two people—you’re combining traditions, expectations, family dynamics, schedules, and sometimes very different ideas about what Thanksgiving and Christmas are supposed to look like. Julie reminds couples that from the moment they say “I do,” they are a new family, and they have permission to think intentionally about what they want their holidays to become. Julie walks through four important conversations couples should have before the season gets busy: what the holidays mean to each of you, which traditions you want to keep or leave behind, what expectations your extended families may have, and how you’ll communicate your plans together. She also shares lessons from her own marriage, including the years she and Jay tried to make everyone happy by traveling between families—until one unexpected Christmas at home helped them realize they needed a different approach. Julie offers practical guidance for setting healthy boundaries, communicating decisions as a united couple, handling disappointment from family members without guilt, and creating new traditions that reflect the family you are building together. Before the calendar fills up, make some time to sit down with your spouse, talk through your expectations, and decide together what you want this holiday season to look like. Because even during the busiest time of the year, it’s still the little things that matter on the daily in your marriage.

  6. Oct 13

    How to Stay Connected, Handle Conflict & Keep Choosing Each Other | Guest: Gabby Thompson

    This week on Marriage on the Daily, Julie B. switches things up again as her friend Gabby Thompson returns to the podcast—and this time, Gabby is asking the questions. Married for nearly three years herself, Gabby brings questions from younger couples and newlyweds who are trying to figure out how to build a marriage that stays strong for the long haul. Together, Gabby and Julie talk about one of the biggest fears many young couples have: growing apart. Julie shares why connection doesn’t happen automatically and why couples have to be intentional about creating time to talk, learn, have fun, and keep choosing one another through every season of marriage. They also dig into how to stay connected when work schedules or travel keep couples physically apart. Gabby shares some of the simple practices she and her husband use when he’s on the road, including daily check-ins, FaceTime dates, and even a personal code word that simply means, “I’m thinking about you.” Their conversation is a practical reminder that strong marriages are built through intentional habits, not good intentions alone. Gabby and Julie also tackle recurring conflict, the pressure our culture places on personal happiness, and the importance of remembering that marriage isn’t “me against you”—it’s the two of you facing life together. Julie explains why disagreements about money, family, holidays, careers, and other issues can be completely normal, and why the way couples engage those differences matters far more than never disagreeing. The episode closes with practical encouragement for couples who want to pray together but aren’t sure where to begin. Julie offers simple ways to make prayer feel natural instead of intimidating and explains why spiritual intimacy can create a deeper connection between spouses. And when Gabby turns Julie’s signature question back on her, Julie’s daily advice is simple: play and laugh together. Whether you’re newly married, navigating a demanding season, or simply looking for practical ways to stay connected, this episode is filled with encouragement to keep choosing your spouse, keep investing in your marriage, and remember that the little things really do matter on the daily.

    How to Stay Connected, Handle Conflict & Keep Choosing Each Other | Guest: Gabby Thompson

  7. Oct 6

    Growing Closer to God in Every Season | Guest: Stasi Eldredge

    This week on Marriage on the Daily, Julie B. is joined by author and speaker Stasi Eldredge on the release day of her new book, The Ladder of Love, for a deeply encouraging conversation about intimacy with God, identity, and what it looks like to grow in your relationship with Him through every season of life. Stasi shares why knowing God is about so much more than knowing facts about Him. It’s about knowing Him personally and intimately—and allowing His love to become the foundation for everything else in our lives. She also offers grace for the busy seasons when spiritual rhythms don’t look the way we think they “should,” reminding listeners that God understands our humanity and remains faithful even when all we have to offer is a few minutes. Using the framework from The Ladder of Love, Stasi walks through the different ways Scripture reveals our relationship with God: as clay in the hands of the Potter, sheep cared for by the Shepherd, devoted servants, beloved children, siblings, friends, the Bride of Christ, and ultimately partners with Him in bringing His Kingdom into the world. Along the way, Julie and Stasi talk about healing distorted views of God, letting go of comparison, receiving His love, and embracing the unique person He created you to be. The conversation also turns toward marriage, where Stasi shares wisdom from 43 years with her husband, John. Her daily advice for couples is refreshingly simple: play together. Find something you both enjoy and intentionally make space for lighthearted fun without turning every moment into a serious conversation. And for couples wondering if marriage is really worth the work, Stasi offers a resounding yes. After walking through difficult seasons of her own marriage, she says the pursuit of God, healing, and one another’s hearts has made their marriage “gold”—and that it has been worth every tear, every try, and every prayer. If you’ve ever felt spiritually inadequate, disconnected from God, unsure of who you are, or simply exhausted by the demands of life, this episode is a beautiful reminder that God isn’t asking for perfection. He wants your heart—and there is always more of His love to discover.

    Growing Closer to God in Every Season | Guest: Stasi Eldredge

  8. Sep 29

    How to Grow Together Without Losing Yourself | Guests: Greg & Erin Smalley

    This week on Marriage on the Daily, Julie B. is joined by longtime friends and marriage experts Greg and Erin Smalley for an honest, practical conversation about what it really takes to build a healthy marriage over time. Greg serves as Vice President of Marriage and Family Formation at Focus on the Family, while Erin is a therapist in private practice—and together they’ve spent decades helping couples strengthen their relationships. Greg and Erin open up about the rocky beginning of their own marriage and the baggage they each brought with them. From Greg’s deep fear of failure to Erin’s struggle with feeling “not good enough,” they explain how unresolved wounds and tender spots from the past can quietly shape the way couples react to one another. Their encouragement: become aware of your own “stuff,” stay curious about what’s happening beneath the surface, and keep choosing growth. The conversation also tackles one of the biggest misconceptions about marriage—the idea that “two becoming one” means losing your individuality. Greg and Erin explain why a healthy marriage makes room for three things to flourish: you, your spouse, and the relationship you share. They talk about supporting one another’s dreams, honoring differences, and creating a marriage where both people have a voice and room to become who God created them to be. Julie, Greg, and Erin also explore power struggles, control, conflict, and the importance of remembering that most hurts in marriage aren’t intentional. Instead of assuming the worst, couples can extend grace, ask better questions, and even use humor to reset when things get tense. To close, Erin challenges couples to spend just 10 minutes a day checking in at a deeper level—asking how their spouse is really doing and what’s weighing on them. Greg adds that you can’t give what you don’t have, so learning how to rest, recharge, and care for yourself is also an important part of caring for your marriage. If you’ve ever wondered how to stay connected without losing yourself, how to navigate your differences, or how to keep growing together through changing seasons, this episode offers practical encouragement for building a marriage where both people—and the relationship itself—can truly flourish.

    How to Grow Together Without Losing Yourself | Guests: Greg & Erin Smalley
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Trailer

5
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

Marriage on the Daily with Julie B is a podcast for couples in their first ten years of marriage who want practical wisdom and encouragement for building a healthy, lasting marriage. Hosted by Julie B, the show focuses on the everyday choices that shape your relationship over time. Each episode highlights simple, intentional actions that build connection, trust, and emotional safety. Through expert conversations and real life insight, Marriage on the Daily helps couples navigate communication, conflict, emotional safety, intimacy, and teamwork so they can do married well on the daily. The materials and information provided by Marriage on the Daily are for educational and informational purposes only and are not intended to constitute medical, psychological, or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified physician or licensed mental health professional regarding your specific circumstances. Marriage on the Daily disclaims any liability for actions taken or not taken based on the content shared through our website, podcast, social media platforms, or other services.

Information

  • Creator
    Julie B.
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Julie B.
  • Show Website
    Marriage on the Daily

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