What if the secret to a strong marriage isn't avoiding the hard parts, but actually choosing which hard parts you're willing to live with?

In this episode, Byron and Margaret sit down with Jason and Christie McMullen, a couple who have been married 26 years and have personally mentored over 100 couples through their church in the Tampa Bay area. What started as a ministry has turned into a movement, and they're bringing it all to the Beyond I Do table.

They get into the gym analogy for marriage, why butterflies and bubbles aren't enough to sustain a relationship, and two communication tools that have genuinely changed how couples fight, "clear as kind" and "the story I'm telling myself." They also talk about the difference between men as waffles and women as spaghetti, why timing matters more than most couples realize, and the one rule they implemented in their marriage that eliminated a whole category of arguments.

This one is practical, honest, and a little bit funny. You'll want to listen with your spouse.

In this episode:

• Why love alone won't sustain your marriage
• The gym analogy that reframes commitment
• "Clear as kind" — how to ask for what you actually need
• Golf vs. tennis conversations — and why it matters which one you're having
• How to maintain intimacy when life is moving fast
• The 10 pm rule and why it works
• What "friends of your marriage" are and why you need them

Dr. Jackie Black has coached over a thousand couples, and she’s clear about one thing: emotional safety is the foundation of real connection. In this conversation, we get into how couples drift apart, how “fine” becomes normal, and why the smallest moments can quietly shut a partner down.

We also talk about the difference between therapy and coaching, how to tell the truth without blowing things up, and practical ways to rebuild your “we” without forcing a big date night.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Signs you and your partner may be drifting

• Why presence matters more than you think

• The 4 daily moments that keep couples connected

• Dr. Jackie’s win-win-win model (I win, you win, we win)

• Why she says compromise doesn’t belong in marriage—and what to do instead

Connect with Dr. Jackie Black:

• Website: drjackieblack.com

• Instagram: @DrJackieBlack

Jay and Renee Linsom are back. Last time, you heard their love story, the long-distance start, the doubts from others, the wheelchair, the faith, and the commitment.

This time? You hear the storm.

Jay spent much of the past year in and out of the hospital with serious health challenges. They spent their anniversary together in a hospital room.

Four years into marriage. And already tested.

In this episode, they talk about:

• Living out “in sickness and in health” earlier than expected

• Staying connected during hospital stays

• Protecting your marriage from outside voices

• Choosing commitment when it would be easier to quit

• Building a foundation that doesn’t crack under pressure

If you've ever wondered what divorce-proofing really looks like… this is it.