The Grace Marriage Podcast

Your First Ministry Is Your Marriage

What happens when ministry becomes more important than marriage? In this episode, Brad Rhoads sits down again with Pastor Jamus Edwards of Pleasant Valley Community Church to talk honestly about the danger of sacrificing your marriage on the altar of ministry. Jamus shares how early ministry success masked unhealthy priorities at home, how his wife Annie felt lonely and neglected, and how God used conviction, repentance, and intentional marriage investment to reorder his life. This conversation is especially important for pastors, ministry leaders, and anyone whose work or calling has quietly become more important than their spouse. In This Episode: * Why ministry can quietly become an idol * How pastors can unintentionally neglect their spouse * Why saying “no” is essential for a healthy marriage * The danger of fearing people more than fearing God * Why your home reveals more than your platform * How marriage health affects ministry health * Why churches need leaders who model marriage investment 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more couples discover the hope of a grace-filled marriage. 🔑 KEY IDEAS: * Your spouse should never be sacrificed for your calling * Ministry success does not excuse marriage neglect * Pastors must learn to say no for the sake of their families * A healthy marriage gives credibility to spiritual leadership * The church should encourage leaders toward their spouse, not away from them * Working on your marriage is hard, but neglecting it is harder LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING??  ✅ Subscribe & Share – Help us spread the message of grace-based marriage by subscribing to the Grace Marriage Podcast and sharing this episode with friends or family. ✅ Join Grace Marriage – Ready to invest in your marriage? Visit GraceMarriage.com to learn how proactive marriage care can transform your relationship. ✅ Leave a Review – Your feedback helps us reach more couples who need encouragement. FOLLOW US: 📌 Facebook: facebook.com/gracemarriage 📌 Instagram: instagram.com/gracemarriage 📌 YouTube: youtube.com/@grace_marriage

Why Every Church Needs Marriage Ministry

What happens when churches prioritize children and youth ministry, but neglect marriage? In this episode, Brad Rhoads sits down with Pastor Jamus Edwards of Pleasant Valley Community Church, the founding church of Grace Marriage, to discuss why marriage ministry is essential to healthy churches and thriving families. Jamus shares how poor ministry priorities damaged his own marriage early in pastoral ministry, how ongoing marriage coaching transformed his relationship with his wife Annie, and why discipling marriages strengthens every other area of church life. They discuss pastoral burnout, proactive marriage investment, gospel-centered marriage coaching, and why churches must stop treating marriage ministry like an afterthought. In This Episode: * Why many churches unintentionally neglect marriage ministry * How ministry can quietly damage a pastor’s marriage * The difference between crisis counseling and proactive marriage discipleship * How Grace Marriage groups work in a local church * Why healthy marriages strengthen children, youth, and the entire church * The role of grace, vulnerability, and gospel-centered coaching in marriage growth 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more couples discover the hope of a grace-filled marriage. 🔑 KEY IDEAS: * Healthy churches are built on healthy marriages * Marriage ministry should be a core part of family discipleship * Pastors must prioritize their own marriages before leading others well * Ongoing marriage investment prevents many future crises * Gospel-centered coaching creates safe spaces for honesty and growth * Intentional marriage rhythms leave lasting legacies for children LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING??  ✅ Subscribe & Share – Help us spread the message of grace-based marriage by subscribing to the Grace Marriage Podcast and sharing this episode with friends or family. ✅ Join Grace Marriage – Ready to invest in your marriage? Visit GraceMarriage.com to learn how proactive marriage care can transform your relationship. ✅ Leave a Review – Your feedback helps us reach more couples who need encouragement. FOLLOW US: 📌 Facebook: facebook.com/gracemarriage 📌 Instagram: instagram.com/gracemarriage 📌 YouTube: youtube.com/@grace_marriage

Why Law Enforcement Marriages Struggle and How Intentional Investment Helps

What do police officers, athletes, and healthy marriages all have in common? Practice. In this episode, Brad sits down with Kris Holzmeyer of Thin Blue First to talk about marriage, ministry, law enforcement stress, and why strong marriages require intentional investment. Kris shares how Grace Marriage has impacted both his own 30-year marriage and the marriages of officers and first responders through quarterly marriage checkups and retreats. They discuss the unique pressures facing law enforcement families, the importance of communication and spiritual connection, PTSD and emotional stress, and why couples must stop simply surviving life together and intentionally work on their marriage. If your relationship feels stuck in the “spin cycle of life,” this conversation offers practical encouragement and hope. In This Episode: * Why healthy marriages require intentional practice * The impact of stress and PTSD on law enforcement families * How quarterly marriage checkups strengthen communication * Why couples need to “work on” their marriage — not just live in it * The importance of spiritual intimacy and prayer * How consistent investment creates stronger connection over time 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more couples discover the hope of a grace-filled marriage. 🔑 KEY IDEAS: * Marriage grows stronger through intentional rhythms and practice * Communication skills improve when couples regularly engage difficult conversations * Law enforcement stress can deeply impact family dynamics without healthy processing * Spiritual intimacy helps anchor marriages during difficult seasons * Couples often drift when they stop intentionally investing in one another * Strong marriages are built through consistency, not autopilot LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING??  ✅ Subscribe & Share – Help us spread the message of grace-based marriage by subscribing to the Grace Marriage Podcast and sharing this episode with friends or family. ✅ Join Grace Marriage – Ready to invest in your marriage? Visit GraceMarriage.com to learn how proactive marriage care can transform your relationship. ✅ Leave a Review – Your feedback helps us reach more couples who need encouragement. FOLLOW US: 📌 Facebook: facebook.com/gracemarriage 📌 Instagram: instagram.com/gracemarriage 📌 YouTube: youtube.com/@grace_marriage

Praying Together Will CHANGE Your Marriage

Prayer should never be your LAST resort...it should be your FIRST response. In this episode of the Grace Marriage Podcast, Brad sits down with Bill Reiser to discuss two things that will quietly destroy your marriage: unforgiveness and prayerlessness. Bill shares his story of deep childhood trauma, years of buried pain, and the moment God called him to forgive the man who hurt him. That decision didn’t just release the past...it unlocked a level of peace, freedom, and healing that transformed his life and marriage. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why unforgiveness blocks peace and keeps you stuck * The difference between forgiveness and rebuilding trust * How past wounds show up in your marriage today * Why couples in crisis are almost never praying together * How prayer creates real intimacy, not just routine * What healthy, life-giving prayer with your spouse actually looks like * Why prayer must become a first response, not a last resort You’ll also hear a simple but challenging truth: If you want a stronger marriage, start by getting closer to God...together. 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more couples discover the hope of a grace-filled marriage. 🔑 KEY IDEAS: • praying together in marriage • how to forgive your spouse • Christian marriage prayer habits • healing from unforgiveness • rebuilding marriage after hurt • spiritual intimacy in marriage • overcoming bitterness in relationships • why couples should pray together • faith-based marriage growth • how to heal emotional wounds in marriage 📚 KEY VERSES: 📖 Philippians 4:6–7 - “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 📖 Psalm 46:10 - “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING??  ✅ Subscribe & Share – Help us spread the message of grace-based marriage by subscribing to the Grace Marriage Podcast and sharing this episode with friends or family. ✅ Join Grace Marriage – Ready to invest in your marriage? Visit GraceMarriage.com to learn how proactive marriage care can transform your relationship. ✅ Leave a Review – Your feedback helps us reach more couples who need encouragement. FOLLOW US: 📌 Facebook: facebook.com/gracemarriage 📌 Instagram: instagram.com/gracemarriage 📌 YouTube: youtube.com/@grace_marriage

Stop Calling Yourself Your FAILURES

What if the biggest thing holding your marriage back… is how you see yourself? In this episode, Brad sits down with Bill Rieser to unpack a foundational truth most couples miss: you can’t build a healthy marriage with a broken identity. Bill shares his redemption story from addiction, infidelity, and nearly getting a divorce… to a complete transformation through Jesus. But the turning point wasn’t behavior modification...it was identity. This conversation dives deep into how: • We label ourselves by our failures instead of who God says we are • Misplaced identity keeps couples stuck in cycles of shame and dysfunction • Understanding your identity in Christ changes how you show up in marriage • Seeing your spouse through God’s eyes transforms how you love them • Forgiveness becomes possible when you live from the truth of who you are If you’ve ever felt stuck, ashamed, or defined by your past, this episode will challenge everything you believe about yourself and your relationship. 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more couples discover the hope of a grace-filled marriage. 🔑 KEY IDEAS: • identity in Christ in marriage • how identity affects relationships • overcoming shame in marriage • Christian marriage transformation stories • how to forgive your spouse biblically • breaking cycles of guilt and shame • seeing your spouse through God’s eyes • how to rebuild marriage after infidelity • spiritual identity vs personal failure • how to grow confidence in marriage 📚 KEY VERSES: 📖 2 Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 📖 1 John 3:1 - “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 📖 John 15:12 - “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING??  ✅ Subscribe & Share – Help us spread the message of grace-based marriage by subscribing to the Grace Marriage Podcast and sharing this episode with friends or family. ✅ Join Grace Marriage – Ready to invest in your marriage? Visit GraceMarriage.com to learn how proactive marriage care can transform your relationship. ✅ Leave a Review – Your feedback helps us reach more couples who need encouragement. FOLLOW US: 📌 Facebook: facebook.com/gracemarriage 📌 Instagram: instagram.com/gracemarriage 📌 YouTube: youtube.com/@grace_marriage