The Family First Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#114: 4 Secrets You Must Know About Your Spouse (Podcast) Aug 09, 2016

Show notes

For many years, our family went to the lake house of our close friends. We always did a lot of water skiing there. My parents were part of a water ski show when they were young and I inherited their love for the sport. When it was my turn to ski, I always wanted Susan to go.

The post #114: 4 Secrets You Must Know About Your Spouse (Podcast) appeared first on Mark Merrill's Blog.

#113: 4 Ways to Crush Comparison in Marriage (Podcast) Aug 02, 2016

Show notes

The topic we will be discussing today is increasingly becoming more of an issue in relationships and in marriages – a lot of it has to do with technology and this is what it is: comparison.

If you feel like the marriage grass is greener on the other side when you look at other couples, it could be that you’re not watering your own lawn enough and spending too much time looking at theirs.

The post #113: 4 Ways to Crush Comparison in Marriage (Podcast) appeared first on Mark Merrill's Blog.

#112: 4 Strategies to Help Solve Your Marriage Problems (Podcast) Jul 26, 2016

Show notes

Think back to when you first started to pursue your spouse. It required commitment, hard work, and imagination. If winning them over required that back then, why does it surprise us when neglect hurts our relationship after we walk down the aisle? They wouldn’t have married you if you took them for granted. Why risk everything now?

The post #112: 4 Strategies to Help Solve Your Marriage Problems (Podcast) appeared first on Mark Merrill's Blog.

#111: 6 Things That Keep Couples Connected (Podcast) Jun 14, 2016

Show notes

Every husband and wife want to feel connected with one another…but sometimes busyness, the daily grind, stress and strain can get in the way and cause a feeling of NOT being connected…and when that happens, “marriage drift” sometimes occurs and you drift farther and farther apart without even knowing it.

The key to staying connected is to be intentional. 6 things you can be intentional about…

If your marriage is good, these six things can help you grow closer. If your marriage is so-so or even worse, they could help you give it a push in the right direction towards bonding time with your spouse. It’s important to stay connected as a couple and Susan and have learned these 6 things in our 27 years of marriage…

The post #111: 6 Things That Keep Couples Connected (Podcast) appeared first on Mark Merrill's Blog.

#110: 5 Bad Behaviors Your Kids Must Conquer (Podcast) Jun 07, 2016

Show notes

As parents, we always wonder if we’re doing this thing, called parenting, right…doing everything we should. And what do you do when your child starts exhibiting some bad habits and behaviors at a very young age? Lying, cheating, showing disrespect…

Dealing with those bad habits can take thought and energy that can wear parents out. However, if left unchecked, they can grow into major problems down the line. It is important to engage the problem now in order to save them and us from more intense pain in the future. Here are some bad kid behavior issues that you need to break early.

It’s important to break bad behaviors early so Susan and I will be discussing 5 bad behaviors your kids must conquer on today’s show:

The post #110: 5 Bad Behaviors Your Kids Must Conquer (Podcast) appeared first on Mark Merrill's Blog.

#109: How to Overcome Loneliness in Marriage (Podcast) May 31, 2016

Show notes

Today's topic is one that affects really every marriage if you've been married for any length of time. It's about loneliness.

As humans, we are not meant to be isolated. We all crave deep and lasting connections with other people. But we know it’s possible to feel alone in the middle of a crowd, and it’s possible to sleep in the same bed with someone for years and still feel lonely. Many of us never expect to be lonely in marriage, hoping that our spouse will be the lifelong companion who saves us from loneliness.

The post #109: How to Overcome Loneliness in Marriage (Podcast) appeared first on Mark Merrill's Blog.

#108: Forgiveness: What It Is and What It Isn’t (Podcast) May 24, 2016

Show notes

So, let’s say that you’ve been wronged…wronged by your spouse, child, close friend or coworker. You thought you could count on them. You thought you could trust them. They let you down. It hurts. The pain runs deep inside you. What makes things worse, you didn’t deserve it. You didn’t deserve the deed. It wasn’t your fault. Every day the painful video plays inside your head. You cannot erase it from your mental hard drive. Bitterness, resentment, and anger all start to flood your emotions.

The post #108: Forgiveness: What It Is and What It Isn’t (Podcast) appeared first on Mark Merrill's Blog.

#107: 7 Things to Avoid When Fighting with Your Spouse (Podcast) Apr 19, 2016

Show notes

On today’s podcast, Susan and I are going to be talking about a topic that affects each and every one of us.

Many couples we’ve talked to through the years, especially newlyweds, assume that arguing in marriage is bad, counterproductive, and to be avoided at all costs. In reality, conflict is unavoidable, and how a couple fights during their arguments is actually more important than if a couple fights. We want to discuss some "sucker punches" you must stop throwing when fighting with your spouse. And, don't hit below the belt.

The post #107: 7 Things to Avoid When Fighting with Your Spouse (Podcast) appeared first on Mark Merrill's Blog.

#106: 4 Ways Parents Discourage Their Kids (Podcast) Apr 12, 2016

Show notes

Over the years, Susan and I have learned that all 5 of our children , now all in their 20s, all need one thing and that’s encouragement. We have good intentions and try to help; and, as parents, we may think we’re encouraging our children, but it can actually feel like criticism to them. Sometimes their every desire is to please us and we, in turn, crush their spirit. Susan and I both have made these mistakes so we want to share those with you.

As you try to help your kids be their best, be sure you’re not actually implementing one of these 4 ways of discouraging your kids.

The post #106: 4 Ways Parents Discourage Their Kids (Podcast) appeared first on Mark Merrill's Blog.

#105: 6 Ways to Push Your Spouse Away (Podcast) Apr 05, 2016

Show notes

It’s so easy to push your spouse away without even realizing it. On several occasions, I’ve pushed Susan away and created a distance between us with my critical and condescending words. And Susan would tell you that she’s pushed me away by texting and posting when I wanted her attention.

So we hope that by listening to these 6 ways to push your spouse away on today's podcast, you’ll actually learn how to pull your spouse toward you---not push away.

The post #105: 6 Ways to Push Your Spouse Away (Podcast) appeared first on Mark Merrill's Blog.

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