Surrender to his will and God's timing is the beginning to every good discernment - this is so true, but at the same time, so difficult! I'm joined by Stacey Sumereau to discuss this important topic and some tips for implementing it into your life! On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know that you’re called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory to God in your vocation. This podcast is hosted ...
Dec 17, 2021•31 min
If you're a sexual abuse survivor, dating and or in deep desire of changing generational patters, listen in! Kiki Rocha talks about her coaching mission that is anchored by her own story of much brokenness— incestual sexual abuse by her father, cheating, divorce, single parent mother, among other wounds. She believes women, due to the epidemic of fatherlessness, are seeing themselves, their sexuality and dating life through their unredeemed woundedness which leads to perpetuating the same genera...
Dec 13, 2021•31 min
On this episode, Maggie shares her unique journey toward marriage with her now husband of ten years and father to her three children, Jacob. This couple knows suffering. Before they were even engaged, they faced Maggie's cancer diagnosis, as well as Jacob's own health scares that led to them both having spent time at each other's hospital bedside. Once the physical healing came, the need for spiritual and emotional healing became evident and it was clear that more discernment work was needed, in...
Dec 03, 2021•31 min
Jeanette Clark, classmate with Christopher West in her Master's of Theological Studies degree from the JPII Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family and wife of the Executive Director of the TOB Institute, got married in her late 20s after a cross country move and a breakup with her future husband. Join us as we discuss her full discernment story! On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know that yo...
Nov 12, 2021•34 min
All brides and grooms want their wedding day to be special and beautiful, but did you know that this can actually be a way to glorify God with your relationship?? Join me as I talk with Stephanie Calis {of Spoken Bride Ministry!} about how to press deeply into your desire for a beautiful wedding day and how that can be a powerful witness to your guests! We also talk about her wedding planning book, which is a wonderful tool for you and your significant other to use when the time comes and a wond...
Oct 29, 2021•35 min
The ache of longing to be in your vocation can be agonizing. Amazingly, Pope St. John Paul II pressed into this theme in his discussions on what he calls original solitude. Renown Theology of the Body expert Bill Donaghy joins me as we discuss what original solitude is and why it matters to you! On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know that you’re called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory ...
Oct 22, 2021•26 min
Getting married and staying married takes an incredible amount of courage, particularly in this day and age that is so hostile to such a union. Elizabeth is joined by renowned TOB experts Damon and Melanie Owens to talk about what it takes to live a courageous marriage and what you can do now, as you’re discerning marriage, to set yourself up for success. On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know tha...
Apr 07, 2021•30 min
Liv Harrison and I continue our conversation from Episode 19 right where we left off. We discuss an approach to breakups that can be helpful to process and heal from the loss of the relationship. On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know that you’re called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory to God in your vocation. This podcast is hosted by the Theology of the Body Instiute. Learn more abou...
Mar 17, 2021•30 min
Dr. Greg Bottaro shares his incredible story of discerning out of formation for the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and into a marriage with his bride! And the turning point of his discernment that happened while watching The Truman Show. Yes, for real! This story is awesome! I can’t wait for you to hear it!! On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know that you’re called to marriage, we want to help y...
Mar 03, 2021•28 min
One of the topics that I often get emails and IG messages about is online dating. This method of meeting people is increasingly utilized as a way to connect with people outside of your immediate community, and thousands of people have met their spouse online (including one of our closest couple friends!!). I wanted to have a podcast episode to be able to direct interested people to, so I’ve invited Content Manager of Catholic Match Kateri Bean to discuss some helpful tips and tricks of how to bu...
Feb 17, 2021•17 min
Sometimes people will have a supernatural prayer experience where God gives them the assurance of who their spouse is going to be: “I just knew it was her!” Often, though, God works through a person’s reason and free will and allows them to choose whom they want to marry. This episode’s discernment story is an example of the latter. Christina Jaloway spent her 20s longing for her spouse and didn’t get married until she was 33, but man oh man did the Lord do big beautiful things during her wait! ...
Feb 03, 2021•20 min
For starters, this episode is for both men and women! 🙂 Back in the 1990s, St John Paul II wrote a Letter To Women, breaking open the beauty of femininity and completely busting the myth that women are less than men. On this episode, I’m joined by Liv Harrison to discuss a critical topic that St JPII discussed in that letter: the feminine genius. Both men and women need to understand the dignity and worth of the feminine heart in order to discern marriage well, and we hope this episode helps br...
Jan 20, 2021•29 min
Join me for this season 1 finale episode where I answer listener questions about the timing of transitioning to engagement, breakups, what to do when there is pornography in your relationship, and questions to ask each other in the pre-engagement phase! On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already know that you’re called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory to God in your vocation. This podcast is ho...
Dec 16, 2020•27 min
It’s the most wonderful time of the year...but it can also be the most painful time of the year for some people. This is true for people who have recently ended a relationship, because one of the most underrated sufferings in our current culture is that of breakups. It can be so tempting to just tell someone whom you see going through a breakup to just “move on” / “there are other fish in the sea” / “she was bad for you anyway” / “what a dumpster fire that relationship was, amiright?!” without v...
Dec 09, 2020•24 min
As our hearts turn toward Bethlehem and we prepare for the coming of Christ, I want to continue our conversation on what marriage is and what to do to prepare your heart to enter into the sacrament. I’m joined once again by Jeanette Clark to break open St. Paul’s beautiful and sometimes confusing passage in Ephesians chapter 5 about the relationship between husbands and wives. Jeanette’s gentleness and wisdom make for a wonderful discussion on a critical scriptural text for those of us who are c...
Dec 02, 2020•34 min
Hands down the most helpful clinical resources I have found to help married couples come out of the Gottman Institute. Drs John and Julie Gottman have a research based theory on why marriages succeed or fail, and it is called the Sound Relationship House. Learning these seven “floors” and two foundational “pillars” is invaluable for people discerning marriage as they seek to build a solid foundation for a healthy and happy marriage. I am joined by Florida Marriage and Family Therapist Regina Boy...
Nov 25, 2020•28 min
Fr. Blake Britton was born and raised in the Diocese of Orlando, Fla., the oldest of four children. After studying opera at an arts school and the Orlando Opera Company, he applied for the seminary at the age of 18 and earned both a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy as well as a master’s degree in Divinity. He is fluent in English and Spanish and well-studied in classical Latin and biblical Greek. He is a published author and frequent guest speaker for conferences, radio programs, podcasts, retrea...
Nov 18, 2020•28 min
Regina Boyd, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Florida, shares her discernment story, complete with tales from religious community come-and-see weekends to a surprise breakup and the healing that she sought after. We also discuss her take on navigating an interracial relationship with family and friends. This really is a fantastic discernment story, and I’m so excited for you to hear it!! On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the j...
Nov 11, 2020•28 min
The ache of being single can often leave a person tempted to think that being single is a time of being in a “holding pattern” while you wait for marriage. NO! This is such a lie! I am passionate about helping single people to see the beauty of this season of their lives, and to that end, I’ve invited Christina Jaloway, also known as The Evangelista, to dialogue with me about how to thrive while you’re single! On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if mar...
Nov 04, 2020•49 min
When discerning your vocation, it’s key to know what you’re actually discerning. In this episode, Elizabeth is joined by co-host Liv Harrison to begin the discussion of what goes into living the vocation of marriage. They walk you through the vows that the couple takes on their wedding day and break down the nitty gritty of what each one entails and what that means for your discernment. On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for ...
Oct 28, 2020•36 min
Revered spiritual director Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV, joins us to discuss the ways that St. Ignatius’ 14 Rules for Discernment of Spirits can enrich the lives of lay people, particularly those called to marriage. His new book, Discernment of Spirits in Marriage (Sophia Institute), sets the foundation for this rich discussion on the benefits of studying and digesting these rules. On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, an...
Oct 21, 2020•27 min
Raphy and Sara Feolino discerned marriage while Raphy was in the military and after one of them had a broken engagement. AND Sara’s mom introduced them after meeting Raphy at Church while Sara was out of town! This is a fantastic story of God working through surprising circumstances in order to call this couple to marriage. If you are in a committed relationship with someone long distance, are healing from a breakup, or are a mom who wants to find a good spouse for your child (😉), this episode ...
Oct 14, 2020•41 min
Mary Lenaburg, our guest in the very popular freedom from pornography episode (see link in Show Notes), is back with her discernment story! The Lord moved in big and mysterious ways as she discerned marriage and dated her future husband. Mary also offers fantastic advice at the end of the episode for couples wanting to bring glory to God in their relationships! On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already kn...
Oct 07, 2020•26 min
St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuit order, is recognized as a spiritual giant who has tremendously beneficial things to say for people who are discerning. In this episode, Fr. David Lugo, a Jesuit priest, gives us an introduction to Ignatian Discernment and discusses how St Ignatius’ work with discernment of spirits can be useful to people who are discerning marriage. On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you alr...
Sep 30, 2020•34 min
Y'all, THIS DISCERNMENT STORY IS EPIC! This couple walked through some ordinary things like navigating a long distance dating relationship, getting married at 30, one person having serious dating relationships earlier in life and the other being mostly single until they met. But, they have an EXTRAORDINARY love story! Will, an American, and Rebekah, and English woman, tell their story of discerning the vocation of marriage and how they knew that they were called to marry each other. God showed u...
Sep 23, 2020•56 min
When you’re discerning marriage, two of the best things you can spend your time doing are healing from your past brokenness and learning to be fully focused on the present moment in order to encounter God and His grace in reality. In this episode, Dr. Greg Bottaro walks us through how to do both! He defines both mindfulness and therapy and gives some wonderful tips on how both can be utilized when discerning the vocation of marriage. On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the jo...
Sep 16, 2020•33 min
Pornography is one of the greatest predators of marriage, perhaps the greatest universal threat in our modern time. Very few people, if any, are truly immune to it’s evil clutches. It’s crucial that you have a discussion with your significant other about the role that pornography has played in your life and theirs and the way that you want it handled in your future marriage. We are right here to accompany you as you have those tough conversations, beginning with our talk with Mary Lenaburg. She ...
Sep 09, 2020•43 min
One of the most powerful things you can do to discern marriage well is hone in on the virtues used most in marriage and work to grow in them. While all virtues are really necessary for the Christian life, one of the things we want to do is highlight a few of the biggies for marriage and give you tips for perfecting those virtues in your life. We start that journey today with the virtue of humility! We are joined by Jeanette Clark, a graduate of the Pontifical St. John Paul II Institute for Studi...
Sep 02, 2020•31 min
Not everyone who is discerning marriage is coming from the same place, and the different seasons of life require a different approach to discernment. In this episode, Elizabeth is joined by co-host Liv Harrison to discuss the distinct stages of discerning marriage and what a person in each stage could do to begin discerning marriage intentionally and productively. On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God’s will for you, and if you already...
Aug 26, 2020•34 min
So many of us have a longing and ache for a spouse—feeling called to marriage and yearning for relationship and love but not being in that place of total communion yet. That ache and longing is, at its foundation, a desire for Beauty. Our deep ache for Truth and Beauty points us back towards the heavens. In Episode 3, host Elizabeth Busby continues her conversation with TOB Institute's Christopher West with a focus this time on what Beauty is, why it’s important, and how to handle the profound a...
Aug 19, 2020•48 min
