But I’ve been gardening long enough to know that so much growth is happening below the surface before it ever becomes visible to my eye.

Bulbs buried deep in the dirt are storing nutrients. Roots are strengthening underground. Tiny green shoots slowly emerge when the conditions are right. On the surface, it may seem like nothing is changing, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

This idea of slow, unseen progress shows up in many different parts of life: in personal growth, physical fitness, home improvement, and of course, in marriage. In all of these areas, we may wish for instant results, but the truth is, growth takes time. Progress happens through small, consistent efforts.

This is so important to remember, especially if you’re working on growing your marriage. After all, when you’re going through a period of internal growth, you can feel it—but when your spouse is growing, it’s not always something that can be seen from the outside.

That’s why I want to share a few practical thoughts about how we can remain patient and hopeful while our spouse is growing beneath the surface:

Accepting Where Your Spouse is Now

In our marriage coaching, one principle Mark and I teach is the God Tool of Acceptance. We guide couples in how to cultivate what we call an abundance mindset, as opposed to a scarcity mindset. 

Abundance sees small steps of progress and celebrates them. Scarcity focuses on what is missing. Abundance accepts the reality of who our spouse is. Scarcity views our spouse through the unrealistic expectations of who we wish they would be. 

When I see a tiny green shoot unfurling in my garden, I don’t criticize it for not being a full-grown flower. I celebrate the new growth that is happening! 

That’s how it can work in marriage, too. 

Unrealistic expectations make it easy to overlook the small but meaningful progress your spouse is making. It’s just like if you were looking down at a patch of soil from above and getting frustrated that you couldn’t see any signs of growth. 

But when you adjust your expectations to meet your spouse where they are, things level out. You’re more likely to notice and appreciate their efforts—bringing encouragement to them, and greater contentment to you. Think of this like looking at a terrarium from the side. All of a sudden, with your new perspective, you can see that little buds were sprouting under the surface all along.

Are you truly accepting your spouse for who they are right now, or is your heart harboring unmet expectations that are leading to resentment? Make the intentional choice today to relinquish control—to accept your spouse without trying to change, alter, or correct them. 

This turns your perspective to one of appreciation instead of discontent. It’s a game-changer!

READ MORE: Why Choosing Acceptance Over Expectations Opens the Door to Growth

How to Nurture Your Spouse’s Growth

If a gardener becomes impatient and stops watering seeds because they haven’t bloomed yet, the garden will never flourish. The flowers will die, and the gardener will end up feeling even more disappointed. It’s a lose-lose situation. 

In the same way, relationships still need intentional care during seasons when progress feels slow. One of the biggest mistakes we can make in marriage is withholding care and connection because we feel frustrated that growth is taking too long.

You may not be able to control your spouse’s choices, growth, or timeline. But you can control how you show up in the relationship.

So, ask yourself this important question:

Am I helping create an environment for growth? 

When you’re in a season of waiting, you can still “fertilize” your spouse, yourself, and the relationship as a whole.

You can nurture your spouse by voicing kind words of acceptance. By remaining encouraging as they try, fail, and try again. Most importantly, you can nurture them by praying for them.

READ MORE: Being an Intentional Wife: The Power of Praying for Your Husband

You can nurture yourself by pursuing personal goals that you’ve been putting to the side. By investing in your mental and physical wellness. By spending time with friends and family that make you feel fulfilled.

You can nurture your relationship by investing in quality time together, speaking your spouse’s love language, and making the marriage a safe and secure space where both spouses can show up honestly and authentically as themselves.

When we practice patience with our spouse and intentionally choose to focus on the small signs of progress, our relationship takes on an environment of encouragement, support and affirmation. This makes our spouse feel safe, and safety is the fertilizer for growth. 

Just imagine a child trying to do something scary for the first time—like riding a bike. If that child is yelled at, berated, and shamed, their fear will only grow, making it even harder to learn this new skill. But if the child is made to feel safe, and assured that they can go at their own pace, it’s only a matter of time before they are off on their own, exploring the whole neighborhood with the training wheels long gone.

Appreciating Different Seasons

Have you ever felt the warm sun of a summer’s day and thought to yourself, 

“Man, I wish it could just be like this all the time!”

I’m sure we’ve all had a thought like this at some time or another. I certainly have moments when I wish my beautiful flowers could remain in full bloom all year round. 

But if that were the case, I would miss the joy that comes from tending to my garden.

It wouldn’t feel nearly as fulfilling to look out the window and see those blooms without knowing that my hard work and patience helped them grow. And it wouldn’t feel as meaningful to gift a bouquet to a friend and know they can see the time, dedication, and love poured into it.

We may wish it could be “summer” all the time in our marriage or in our spouse’s personal growth—that everything would feel easy, smooth, and free from sacrifice or effort. But that’s not reality.

There will be seasons when you have to put in the work, both individually and as a couple.

And in many ways, that’s the beauty of marriage, isn’t it?

As a gardener, I’ve had to learn over the years that every season has its purpose. If you can offer your spouse love and encouragement during the “winters” of their life—and they can offer the same grace to you—you’ll be cultivating fertile ground for a marriage that continues to flourish for years to come.

I know not everyone reading this will be a gardener like I am. But I am willing to bet we ALL have areas in our lives where we get discouraged and feel like nothing is happening. So let me say this to you (and myself!): Hang in there, and keep doing the work. Your efforts matter, even when they feel small. Don’t give up! 

And if you are reading this with a weary heart from a marriage that feels dormant like my winter flowerbed, consider if our 2.0 Marriage Intensive weekend could be a good fit for you! 

We understand how lonely and hopeless it can feel when your marriage is hurting, and we do these intensives because we love coming alongside couples so they don’t struggle alone. 

Our intensive could be for you if…

• You’re in crisis after infidelity or betrayed trust has been discovered.
• Your marriage is not in crisis, but you feel like something is missing. You want to make your relationship better, but you don’t know how.
• You’ve read books, listened to podcasts, gone to counseling, and still the same issues keep coming up to cause trouble in your relationship.
• The kids have grown up and left home and you suddenly find yourself looking at each other asking “who are you?”
• Years of struggle have worn you down. You’re resigned that nothing can ever be different.

2026 started off strong with our weekends filling up quickly, so we know the remaining 20 spots will fill up fast. If you’re ready to grow, take the chance to get a year’s worth of counseling sessions in one transforming weekend—with follow-up care as well. 

Do the work of tending your relationship now so that, like my summer garden, there can be a season of flourishing beauty in your marriage.

Have you ever noticed a tendency in yourself to put your own wants before the needs of others?

If we’re honest, that’s not an easy thing to admit. Most people don’t naturally think of themselves as selfish. And yet, when we slow down and truly examine our hearts, selfishness is something we all wrestle with at times.

Recently, Mark has felt God directing his attention to this area in his own life. What we’ve discovered is that selfishness can be sneaky—which makes it difficult to identify. It can show up as that desire to stay on the couch rather than fold the load of laundry sitting in the dryer. It could look like neglecting to show up at a friend’s party because you didn’t feel like going, even though you know it would mean a lot to them.

Selfishness takes many forms, but no matter how it shows up, it affects the state of our hearts in a very real way. That’s why we wanted to take some time to talk about how addressing selfishness is having an impact in our life, as well as offer some tips that everyone can use to tackle selfishness.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How avoiding sacrifice can cause us to miss blessings
• Four steps to address selfishness
• How self-care is different from selfishness
• And more!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Prefer to watch this episode? You can now view and subscribe to our YouTube.
• Marriage Through the Ups and Downs of Life with Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman | Episode 295
• As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.

Our Key Takeaways:

1) Deep down, we know when we are being selfish. Selfishness and self-care can tend to look similar from the outside. However, where selfishness says, “I don’t want to,” self-care says, “I can’t keep pouring out from an empty tank.” The difference is our heart’s attitude behind our response. So while others may not be able to tell if our response is coming from a place of self-care or selfishness, we know the root of our actions.

2) Selfishness can prevent us from accessing unknown blessings. Selfishness only sees how something benefits us on the surface. If we allow our selfishness to rule over every decision, then we will miss out on the not-so-obvious benefits of selfless action! In this conversation, Mark shared how his selfishness made him want to avoid babysitting our grandchildren. But because he sacrificed his time and energy to do so, he now has a bond with our grandson that he wouldn’t have had otherwise. Consider what blessings your own selfishness may be causing you to miss out on.

3) Overcoming selfishness starts with awareness and ends with action. It can be hard to recognize our patterns of selfishness. However, when we examine our lives, decisions, and attitudes, it should become clear where we tend to struggle with selfishness. Once we have done that, our response should end by taking action in the opposite direction from selfishness. Where we would have previously said no to anything that inconvenienced us, we should start saying yes and acting from a place of sacrificial love.

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What emotions are clogging your heart? Is it worry? Panic? Regret? Guilt? Anger? Is there deep pain you don’t talk about because it’s buried under bitterness, worthlessness, or loneliness? Do you long for relief?

All of these feelings can keep us “stuck” for far too long. It’s time to unburden your heart and clear out the emotional baggage that has been hindering you from fully living free in Christ. My friend, Laurie Davies, knows what it’s like to feel trapped by the emotions that can build up in our hearts.

Laurie is a writer, speaker, and lay counselor who helps women deal with their “emotional accumulation.” She is the author of the new book, Emotional Hoarding: Letting Go of the Stuff That Keeps You Stuck, in which she offers practical help for decluttering our souls of unprocessed feelings.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Signs you might be an emotional hoarder
• Practical steps to address your heart
• How to recalibrate our thoughts
• And more!

Addressing our built-up emotions is hard work, but it’s so worth it when we’re able to heal wounds and experience wholeness.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Prefer to watch this episode? You can now view and subscribe to our YouTube.
• [BOOK] Emotional Hoarding: Letting Go of the Stuff That Keeps You Stuck
• Connect with Laurie on her website or Instagram
• As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.

My Key Takeaways:

1) Emotional hoarding can be intentional or unintentional. Sometimes, we might not realize we are stashing away our feelings. Other times, we may be holding on to certain feelings willingly. Whatever the case may be, it takes intentional work to eliminate the built-up clutter of hoarded emotions in our hearts. Intentionally hoarding emotions may look like holding grudges and hiding away grief. The emotional hoarding we are unaware of occurs when we fail to make space to work through smaller feelings.

2) Moving from hoarding to handling emotions practically looks like letting God’s Word convict us. One of the practical first steps Laurie gave in our conversation was to take time to uncover our feelings and regularly allow Scripture to convict us of those unhealthy emotions. If you can’t name the last time God’s Word caused you to rethink your feelings and reactions, it’s time to do some heart work.

3) There is no shame in having emotional baggage. Every single person on this planet has their emotional “stuff.” It can come from our childhood experiences, relationships, or just the challenging parts of life. It’s when we avoid unpacking our baggage that it can begin to pile up and overtake every aspect of our lives. Laurie’s book is a great resource to begin to process the feelings that have gone unresolved in your life.

About Laurie:

Laurie Davies is a writer, speaker, and lay counselor who helps women deal with their “emotional accumulation.” She is a member of the Proverbs 31 writing team and has been featured in Guideposts books and magazines. Laurie lives in the Phoenix, AZ area with her husband of 30 years. She likes to drink hot coffee, even on a 115-degree day, and has two schnockerpoo pups.

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Many couples believe in the power of prayer, but they struggle to practice it consistently—us included! In fact, 95% of Christian couples do not pray together.

There are times when we struggle to make prayer a priority like it needs to be. Whether it’s because of busy schedules, not knowing how to begin, or feeling uncomfortable praying with another person, there are so many factors that can keep husbands and wives from sharing a regular practice of prayer.

However, prayer is one of God’s most powerful tools for strengthening your marriage. Our guests for this conversation understand this well, and they are here to share practical tools that will help you and your spouse kickstart your prayer journey together.

Brad and Heidi Mitchell are the co-founders of Build Your Marriage, a ministry dedicated to helping couples create Christ-centered marriages. Out of a season of deep brokenness and God’s powerful restoration, their marriage was rebuilt. That experience became the heart of their ministry. Brad and Heidi have been married for 42 years, and they bring honest, hard-earned wisdom to the journey of developing a lasting marriage.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Some of the factors that break down marriages
• Obstacles that prevent people from praying together
• How to practice “popcorn” prayer
• And more!

If you’ve never prayed with your spouse before, we hope this conversation has provided some useful tools that will help you start!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Prefer to watch this episode? You can now view and subscribe to our YouTube.
• [BOOK] Build Your Marriage with Prayer
• Connect with Brad and Heidi on their website, Instagram, or Facebook
• As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.

My Key Takeaways:

1) Prayer protects marriages. The Mitchells shared a statistic that only 1 out of every 1,152 couples who pray together ends their marriage in divorce. That’s less than 1%! When we pray with our spouse, we draw closer to one another, create more intimacy, and strengthen our shared faith. This small practice can have a huge impact.

2) Being comfortable praying with one another takes practice. There will be some awkwardness to overcome when you first start praying with your spouse. It can feel weird to try to speak to God in front of your spouse and even to merge your two prayer styles. The key is to commit to praying together for a period of time and push through the discomfort. As we practice praying together, it will soon become the new normal.

3) There’s no right or wrong way to pray. Many couples struggle to know how to begin praying with their spouse. It can feel like we don’t know the right words to say. The good news is that there is no magical phrase you have to use in order to talk to God. Many couples find it helpful to follow a devotional book like Brad and Heidi’s that provides prayers and prompts you to develop a practice of prayer. Resources like this can help you start the habit of prayer and overcome the worry regarding what or how to speak to God.

About Brad and Heidi:

Brad and Heidi Mitchell are authors, marriage speakers, and co-founders of Build Your Marriage, a ministry devoted to helping couples build a Christ-centered marriage. Out of a season of deep brokenness, infidelity, and God’s powerful restoration, their marriage was rebuilt. Brad and Heidi have been married for 42 years, and they bring honest, hard-earned wisdom to the journey of developing a lasting marriage.

Would you like to be notified by email when a new No More Perfect Podcast episode releases? Just fill in your name and email and we’ll make sure you’re in the know!

Deep down, most moms are longing for the same thing. It may show up in different ways, but at its heart, it’s simple: we want to feel seen.

We want to know our families notice the everyday moments—the effort, the sacrifices, the love that often goes unspoken. We want to feel appreciated. Valued. Remembered.

And on Mother’s Day, that desire tends to rise a little closer to the surface.

It doesn’t have to be something big or expensive. But when a gesture is thoughtful—when it reflects that you truly know her and took the time to consider what would mean something—that’s what really touches a mom’s heart.

To help give you some meaningful gift ideas this year, I asked my Empty Nest, Full Life Facebook Group to share their thoughts on what moms really want for Mother’s Day. Here are some of their responses: 

1) Quality Time

“Their TIME and PRESENCE ♥️” – Melissa

“Mostly, time spent together.” – Ruth

“A meal sitting down together.” – Rebecca

“Family hike and no phones!” – Lora

I just love how many moms asked for this gift! In fact, it was the most requested gift out of all the comments I received! Whether it’s coming over to share a meal and conversation, going to church together, or enjoying a hike, moms cherish spending quality time with their kids. Remember, the key word here is “quality!” Here are some pointers for how to make sure the time feels special for Mom:

• Set a positive mood – This doesn’t mean putting on a show or being overly nice. But it does mean that a smile and an enthusiastic spirit go a long way! It also means that Mom is the center of attention. Moms are used to being the person who has to take care of everything and everyone. If you can lift some of that responsibility off of her on Mother’s Day, it will mean the world to her.

• Be fully present – We’re all guilty of scrolling social media during a family dinner or interrupting a social outing to take a work call from time to time. But on Mother’s Day, leave the screens at home (or at least face down on the table). Avoiding these distractions can help you fully enjoy one another’s company in a way you may not have experienced for a long time. 

Too often, we can focus so much on material items that we forget how valuable it is to gift your time. One mom in my group even suggested coming over and helping with projects or gardening. Regardless of what you do together, moms long for a slice of your undivided attention.

2) Handle the Details

“I want to be pampered! Bring me breakfast, flowers, hold the door for me, drop me off and pick me up, honor moms from the pulpit, take me to lunch, and have all the details worked out!” – Beth

“Some kind of meal or activity together that they plan. I always make the plans, and it would feel so special if they thought of something.” – Julie

“Really just a day of having to do nothing. Time for church, reading, and maybe a beach walk. A family game of Scrabble and not having to prepare any meals or clean the kitchen would make the day complete.” – Jill

“I love having a Mother’s Day lunch with my crew – I just don’t want to do dishes!” – April

Moms often are the master coordinators. They make the reservations months in advance. They coordinate a place and time that works for everyone. They’re always checking in to make sure others are enjoying themselves.

But too often, moms end up being the one-person party planning committee for Mother’s Day festivities. What if you took the opportunity this year to organize and manage the day’s agenda for her? 

Now, it’s your turn to take care of her and ensure that all the details are handled so that all she has to do is show up. Moms often carry a heavy portion of the mental load, so imagine what an incredible gift it is to have all the details worked out.

Not sure how big or small to make the event? Here’s a hint: pay attention to how Mom usually plans parties for other people. The way people celebrate others can tell you a lot about how they themselves would like to be celebrated!

3) A Heartfelt Note

“A handwritten note from my son, plus a big hug!” – W.

“I think it would be nice to have some acknowledgment of love and lessons they’ve learned at home. It’s reassuring to be appreciated and remembered.” – Susan

“Personally, a potted plant or flowers to plant and a heartfelt note.” – Marla

“A handwritten card means so much! Especially when they share a happy memory they have of us together.” – Julie

“If they give me a card that seems like they put thought into what it says or write a short note expressing how they feel, that is the most precious gift of all.” – Betsy

Words of affirmation are so valuable in letting moms know that they are seen and their efforts are appreciated. 

When we were little, we may not have had the words or the perspective needed to let Mom know what she meant to us. But once you’re an adult (or young adult), you can really reflect on all the things your mom has done, and is still doing, for you. 

Taking the time to write out all the ways you felt her loving care means so much more than anything you could purchase at a store. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Share your favorite memory with Mom
• Write about the qualities you admire in her and hope to emulate
• Reflect on some life lessons she’s imparted over the years

I hope these ideas have sparked some inspiration as you search for a meaningful gift or experience to give your mom this year. 

I want to leave you with one more response I received from a mom in my Facebook group. I think it perfectly encapsulates the heart of all moms and highlights the gifts that mean the most to us. And to all the moms reading this, “Happy Mother’s Day!”

“The best gifts that keep on giving for me is the year-round love and respect I get from all four of my adult children. They are all in different stages in their own lives, some with their own families, and if all they can afford is a phone call or greeting card or a kiss on the cheek or a potted plant, then I’m the luckiest mom on the planet.”

I’m so grateful to the wonderful women in my Empty Nest, Full Life Facebook group who took the time to share their thoughts. This group has become a special place for Christian moms who are approaching—or already in—the empty nest season. It’s a space to ask questions, offer encouragement, share ideas, and find support from others walking a similar road. We’re always glad to welcome new members, so feel free to join today or pass it along to someone who might benefit.

This group was started after I wrote my book, Empty Nest, Full Life: Discovering God’s Best for Your Next, which resonated with so many moms. If you—or a mom you love—are stepping into the empty nest season, I’ve also created the Empty Nest, Full Life Course, a 4-part experience designed to help you navigate this transition with purpose, hope, and a deeper sense of peace.

First, we share our marriage coaching expertise by (1) leading conferences that equip couples to build healthier, stronger relationships, and (2) training local couples to serve as marriage coaches in their communities. 

Second, we provide ongoing support to three organizations doing vital work in Africa: Grateful Children’s Home, Butiki Children’s Ministry, and Promise International.

This February, we traveled to Uganda for the third time. As we think back over our trip, it’s challenging to pick what to share because each day had so many significant moments. But here are 5 highlights that capture the impact of this work, made possible by your support!

1) Expanding our Marriage Ministry

This was the first time we traveled with a team, and we really enjoyed sharing this experience with our group! 

Moreover, it was such a gift for Mark and I not to carry the teaching alone this time. Two dear friends who joined us on the trip—Dennis and Debbie—have completed our 2.0 marriage coaching program, and it was such a blessing to have them not only share in the teaching, but also help us train marriage coaches in Uganda.

Learn more about our training programs for aspiring Christian marriage coaches and mentors >>

It was incredibly rewarding to train local coaches and then watch them confidently put those tools into action. Because of these coaches, we know the impact will not stop when we leave Africa!

The couples we met were eager to grow their marriages. They were engaged, responsive, and hungry to learn. We heard them share how they have continued practicing what they learned from our very first conference—doing the hugs, prioritizing connection, having safe conversations, and spending intentional time together. Conversations like these remind us that every bit of time and investment in this marriage ministry is deeply worthwhile.

2) Opening a Medical Clinic in Namasagali

We had the privilege of opening a medical clinic in the very remote bush village of Namasagali.

This was a project we did in partnership with Promise International, building the clinic and then stocking it with $2,000 of medical supplies, as well as cabinets and shelving for secure storage.

The people were so excited and appreciative because they have not had easy access to medical care. Many of these families have special needs children, and in Uganda, disabilities are viewed as a curse. This makes it even more challenging to obtain quality medical support. 

During our time at the clinic, we were not only able to celebrate an opening ceremony, but also see the clinic in operation.

This is a part of Uganda that has no accessible medical care so being able to provide much-needed medical care to them by linking arms with Promise International was an incredible gift!  

3) Purchasing Property for an Orphanage

Spending time with Musaazi Enoch at the Grateful Children’s Home was so encouraging.

Enoch runs the home, and he has dedicated his life to caring for children. Mark and I affectionately call him our “adopted Ugandan son.” We were also able to see “Little Mark” (a young boy who we got the honor of naming after Mark on our trip last year) who is getting so big!

Our team created a Vacation Bible School program for the children, allowing them to do crafts, learn about Jesus, and experience the joy of learning together.

We also got a tour of the home. Upon returning home, one of our team members decided to help Enoch purchase the remaining buildings in the enclosed area where they live. This will provide them even more space and security!

One of the most meaningful moments was when Enoch showed us the title to the property we helped him purchase to build a farm, moving toward the shared goal of helping the home become as self-sustaining as possible.

Seeing Enoch’s name on that paperwork and the pride on his face was unforgettable. His personal journey from being an orphan on the street to a landowner caring for 24 children is a powerful picture of God’s provision and redemption. With your help, we are so grateful to be part of equipping him to live this 2.0 life and change the lives of many others as a result!

4) Opening a New School

One of the beautiful things about The Life 2.0 Foundation is our opportunity to bridge the gap between needs our ministry partners in Uganda identify and resources in the US that can meet those needs. 

In January 2025, we observed the obstacles to education at the Butiki Children’s Home. The children were learning in a structure with no solid walls. Many sat on the dirt floor because there were not enough chairs and desks. The dormitory was a rented facility, and the beds lacked nets to protect from malaria. 

Returning to the states, we prayed that God would help us change this. We found help from donors and a foundation grant to build a new school for the Butiki Children’s Ministry. As the construction efforts progressed, we made plans to attend the school’s Grand Opening during our February 2026 trip. You can see the grand opening video here.

Arriving at the new school, we quickly realized that the facility exceeded anything we had imagined. When we visited, we saw rows of sturdy desks, brightly colored chairs, and tidy new dormitories with clean showers and latrine facilities. Circles of children raised parachutes that flapped in the wind as joyful voices shouted and laughed in celebration. The school isn’t just a school, it’s an entire campus—with a chicken farm, dormitories, and so much more. Seeing this transformation, we were overwhelmed at the thought of the lasting impact it would bring. 

See a short video of the before and after transformation of this school >>

5) Delivering Items from our Amazon Wishlist

In the US, we can buy virtually anything we might need through a simple trip to Walmart. 

Life in Uganda is very different. 

Many challenges limit access to the basic supplies we take for granted. For instance, many people have no transportation option besides walking.

What joy it gave us to be able to bring suitcases of donated items from our Amazon Wishlist! We included everyday necessities like toothbrushes, tylenol, and clothing. We also added fun activities for the kids to play with like soccer balls, bubbles, and play-doh. 

Everywhere we shared these gifts, they were met with deep gratitude.

We also saw God meet very specific needs in ways we didn’t expect!  

At the medical clinic, after stocking the shelves with anti-seizure and other specialized medications, we rolled in suitcases filled with the Amazon Wishlist donations so many of you helped provide.

One suitcase contained multiple boxes of antifungal cream tubes. When Dr. Zach saw them, he nearly cried. He shared with us that 80% of the children and adults who come to the clinic have a fungal problem on their scalp.

“This will make them so much more comfortable!” he said.

We had no idea that a common over-the-counter medication could make such an impact in the everyday lives of the Ugandans. But God knew!

Join Us in this Vital Work

We hope this brief glimpse of highlights shows the impact the Life 2.0 Foundation has created in Africa. With your support, we are improving relationships, enabling medical care, and enhancing education for those in need of hope and tangible help! 

That’s why we’d love to invite you to partner with us on a monthly basis.

The Life 2.0 Foundation allows our African partners to meet vital needs such as school fees, food, and healthcare for sick children who need to visit a doctor. In Uganda, any medical care must be paid in advance. Without funding on hand to cover the fee of a doctor visit, the threat of death from typhoid and malaria is even greater. Your monthly gift helps us ensure that finances will not be a barrier to children receiving care. This is just one example of how we have been able to use our resources to improve and impact lives in Africa.

In 2026, we’re aiming to build a team of 50 committed monthly supporters to sustain this work. We can’t do it alone! Would you consider being part of that goal? We’d love to have you join our monthly team!

Click here to donate!

We had a record number of Marriage Intensives at the beginning of this year! For each intensive, we host a couple at our home for a whole weekend so that we can give them our undivided attention and really dive deep. As we worked with these couples, we were reminded of some of the themes that pop up over and over in relationships.

One of the biggest ones? Anger. Anger is a normal part of life, but how we handle this emotion makes all the difference. Anger protects us, helps us guard against danger, and empowers us, but too often, anger is misused. This issue is at the core of so many of the marriage conflicts we see.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The consequences of anger being misused
• Practical steps to understand anger
• How to take our feelings to God
• And more!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Prefer to watch this episode? You can now view and subscribe to our YouTube.
• [BOOK] Anger: Taming a Powerful Emotion
• As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.

Our Key Takeaways:

1) Consistent, repetitive anger takes away emotional safety. This is the danger of unhealthy anger. When anger gets out of control and one partner lashes out, it may not inflict physical harm, but the wedge it drives between you and your spouse is significant. The person on the receiving end often feels a lack of emotional safety and may be on edge while they wait for the next outburst to occur.

2) Anger, when used correctly, causes us to move into action. We like to say that there are no bad emotions. All emotions were created by God for a purpose. Anger serves to protect, react against injustices, and tell us when something is wrong with the world around us. We can feel a righteous anger in response to something that grieves God. Don’t try to shut down anger completely—recognize how to channel it in a positive way instead of letting it get out of control or bottling it up.

3) Practice pausing. Pausing in the moments you experience anger does a few things. First, it allows you to check in on what you are feeling at that moment. Next, it gives you time to assess what you are experiencing and whether the feeling is accurate. We will often assign meaning to a situation based on our past. When this happens, we end up with an inaccurate view of the current situation and respond based on our perception rather than what is actually happening. If you find it difficult to pause in the moment that anger flares up, take some time when you are calm to review the last time you had an outburst in anger. Journal about what you felt and what was at the root of your anger. Continue to do this until you are able to pause as soon as the feeling comes up.

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In the business world, the ones who make it to the top are often high-achieving, ruthless, and confident. They’re calculated risk-takers. All of these characteristics can help professionals move up the ladder—but they don’t always translate well in those same people’s personal lives. In fact, when people try to take the strategies that bring them workplace success and apply them at home, they can end up harming their marriages.

On the inside, high achievers often fear rejection and shy away from vulnerability—which can make it hard to achieve the close, loving relationships they desire.

This was the experience of today’s guest. Lantz Howard is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and a trained marriage therapist who helps leaders live in their true identity so they can experience more intimacy, more sex, and more connection with their spouse.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why business strategies don’t apply at home
• The importance of uncovering your needs
• Practical tips for escaping a performance mindset in marriage
• And more!

If you or your spouse is a high-achieving type, you won’t want to miss out on this conversation!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Prefer to watch this episode? You can now view and subscribe to our YouTube.
• Connect with Lantz on his website, Instagram, or LinkedIn
• When Wounds Drive Achievement — Insights from Patrick Lencioni on Episode 129
• Whole Hearted Leadership Podcast
• As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.

My Key Takeaways:

1) Vulnerability is the path to intimacy. High achievers can struggle to show what they consider to be weaknesses to their spouse. They have often gotten to where they are by doing things themselves. Help from others may not have been part of the equation, and so they have learned to be self reliant—losing touch with the part of themselves that knows how to lean on others for support. While these people may view vulnerability as a liability, it’s important for them to remember that their spouse will never know who they truly are if they don’t open up and let down their guard.

2) Start with knowing yourself. Before you can share yourself with your spouse, you have to uncover the root of who you are—your past, your needs, your desires. Many of these things may be buried under the surface if they did not serve you in your profession. In order to have a deep, intimate relationship with your spouse, it’s important to take the time to reconnect with these parts of yourself.

3) Strategize about how to stay connected at home. This is where your business sense can be an asset! What if you wanted your marriage to improve in the next quarter? The next year? You would make a plan for how you were going to see your marriage profits soar! Sit down with your spouse and strategize how to intentionally spend time together, investing in your relationship. These could be more serious dates where you share your needs, wants, and desires. Or it could simply be building connection and intimacy by doing something fun together.

About Lantz:

Lantz Howard is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), trained marriage therapist, and podcast host. For over 20 years, he has been helping leaders experience freedom. Lantz guides executives, business owners, and CEOs to lead from their true identity so they can experience more intimacy, more sex, and more connection with their spouse. He’s been married for 21 years and is raising four daughters. Lantz resides in Denison, Texas, where during his free time, he likes to adventure in the mountains, run in Spartan Races, or explore his new hobby of surfing.

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A mother’s job is to teach her children to not need her anymore. The hardest part of that job is accepting success.

We pour our lives into our kids. We sacrifice, lose sleep, and make sure they have everything they need, only to have them one day leave to live on their own without us. My guest understands this feeling as a parent with one foot in and the other foot out of the launching phase.

Cristina Wright is an author, former homeschool mom, wife, and mother of two. Her first book, Launch Them Well, helps moms navigate the emotional rollercoaster of watching their children grow into young adults—while also empowering those kids to thrive in independence.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Guidance on how to launch your kids well
• Why your identity should involve more than your role as a parent
• How to process the grief that occurs after your child launches
• And more!

This is a topic I am passionate about, and I felt so blessed by the wisdom Cristina had to share!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Prefer to watch this episode? You can now view and subscribe to our YouTube.
• Connect with Cristina on her website
• [BOOK] Launch Them Well: A Mom’s Journey of Surrender and Purpose
• [BOOK] Empty Nest, Full Life
• As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.

My Key Takeaways:

1) Launching our children isn’t a one-day event. When we think about launching our children, we think about the day they graduate high school, when they head out of state for college, or when they move into their first apartment. While this is certainly a big step in launching, the process actually started long before that day. From the day we bring our children home from the hospital, we are preparing them to be adults. We teach them about consequences, emotional regulation, laundry, building a budget, and so much more. There are thousands of little events leading up to that day that help our children get ready to launch and navigate adult life on their own.

2) Prioritize your emotional health. It’s normal for you to experience grief after launching your child. After all, you are essentially being fired from your job! However, if you don’t take the time to nurture your emotional health, you may interpret their independence as a rejection. Instead of letting this process harm your new relationship with your adult child, take your emotions to a trusted friend, counselor, or your spouse to process.

3) Your new goal is connection. Before our children launch, we have an important role in their lives—to correct behavior, nourish their souls, and prepare them for the future. Now that that work is done, our focus shifts to building connection. This might mean withholding judgment for decisions they make that we don’t agree with, and no longer swooping in to save the day when things go wrong. I’ll be the first to admit this is easier said than done! When the urge to say something disapproving rises up, I like to remind myself that I’m now a member of the “keep it shut” club.

About Cristina:

Cristina Wright is an author, former homeschool mom, wife, and mother of two. Her first book, Launch Them Well, helps moms overcome the emotional rollercoaster of watching their children become young adults while empowering their young adult children to thrive in independence. A Texas native who currently calls Colorado home, Cristina loves Jesus, waterskiing, tacos, and reading.

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