What if desire isn't the problem? What if the real issue is that you've never been taught how to develop it?

Jay Stringer is a licensed mental health counselor and author of Unwanted and the new book Desire. His original research on over 4,000 adults found that our longings, attractions, and even our unwanted behaviors carry real information about our stories. In this episode, he joins Bridgett and Lauren to talk about how desire shapes dating, marriage, family dynamics, and faith.

Jay breaks down why most people over-develop one area of desire - career, s-x, comfort - while neglecting others. He shares his own experience of navigating family loyalty, dating, and the patterns he brought into his marriage. He explains why contempt destroys relationships faster than almost anything else, and why curiosity about your own story is one of the most attractive things you can bring to a relationship.

This episode also gets into what sexual maturity looks like before marriage, why the conservative and progressive approaches to desire both miss the mark, and what it means to form your desires rather than fear them or follow them blindly.

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Watch this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WrpgNB9CXIw

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Connect with Jay at jay-stringer.com or on Instagram @jay_stringer_. His book Desire: The Longings Inside Us and the New Science of How We Love, Heal, and Grow is available now!

Grab the book here: https://a.co/d/06rRK8CL

Get the companion workbook here: http://a.co/d/0dyoF4tz--If you're a Christian who wants to date with clarity and self-awareness, this is where you start.📱Follow @datinganddesire on Instagram for updates and conversation.https://www.instagram.com/datinganddesire--Connect with Bridgett:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgettblood/Website: https://bridgettblood.com/Coaching | Free Resources | RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide: https://stan.store/bridgettblood/p/get-my-valuebased-boundaries-guide---Connect with Lauren:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmathues/Website: https://laurenmathues.com/Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. Get the free guide here: https://laurenmathues.com/--

Bridgett and Lauren think flirting deserves a reputation upgrade - especially in the church. In this episode, they talk about why most Christians have been taught to suppress one of the most natural ways we connect with people, and what it costs us when we do. They get into the fears that keep people from flirting - fear of rejection, fear of being misread, fear of being labeled "too much" - and share what has actually helped them take the risk anyway. Lauren breaks down the nonverbal side of flirting and shares research that might change how bold you're willing to be. Bridgett talks about what she's learned from practicing low-stakes connection as a single woman and why the voices that show up when you try to flirt are worth listening to. If you've ever wanted to connect with someone but talked yourself out of it before you even smiled, this one's for you.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hSOzGp4vOGM

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If you're a Christian who wants to date with clarity and self-awareness, this is where you start.

📱Follow ⁠⁠@datinganddesire⁠⁠ on Instagram for updates and conversation.

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Connect with Bridgett: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ | Coaching| Free Resources| RECLAIM Cohort

📓Get the free ⁠⁠Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide⁠⁠

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Connect with Lauren: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠

Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. ⁠⁠Get the free guide here!

Longing makes dating feel risky because something real is on the line. In this episode, Bridgett and Lauren discuss the fears that surface when desire goes unmet - including the lies about God's character, your appearance, and your worth. Lauren explains how she rebuilt her sense of beauty apart from whether any man chose her. Bridgett shares how she learned to stop putting all the weight of her longing on one person. They also talk about saying what you need early, how to handle misalignment without making the other person the enemy, and why courage matters more than outcome. Honest, grounded conversation for anyone who takes both faith and relationships seriously.==

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/he76ms6jlE0

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If you're a Christian who wants to date with clarity and self-awareness, this is where you start.

📱Follow ⁠@datinganddesire⁠ on Instagram for updates and conversation.

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Connect with Bridgett: ⁠Instagram⁠

⁠Website⁠ | Coaching| Free Resources| RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free ⁠Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide⁠

==

Connect with Lauren: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Website⁠

Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. ⁠Get the free guide here!

Many Christians grew up hearing that desire was dangerous. That their bodies couldn't be trusted. That rigid rules were the path to purity.

In this episode, biblical trauma-informed coach Courtney Leo unpacks four specific distortions that came out of purity culture—and how they continue to affect both singles and married people today.

Courtney, Bridgett, and Lauren discuss:

• Why desire and lust are not the same thing

• How shutting down sexual arousal often shuts down joy and delight too

• The difference between managing your body and living in it

• Why boundaries rooted in fear don't protect you - they isolate you

They also tackle the hard question of what sin actually means when Scripture is clear in some areas and personal conviction matters in others.

If you've ever felt numb, confused, or ashamed about what you want, this episode offers a path back to trust - with your body, with the Holy Spirit, and with yourself.

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Watch this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HPsTyidXrwM

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📱Follow ⁠@datinganddesire⁠ on Instagram for updates and conversation.

==Connect with Courtney: Website | Instagram | Coaching==

Connect with Bridgett: ⁠Instagram⁠

⁠Website⁠ | Coaching| Free Resources| RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free ⁠Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide⁠

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Connect with Lauren: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Website⁠

Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. ⁠Get the free guide here!

Your past shows up in your dating life whether you acknowledge it or not.

In this introductory episode, hosts Bridgett Blood and Lauren Mathues share who they are and why they created Dating and Desire. Bridgett is single, a former pastor, and now a sexual story work coach. Lauren is married with two kids and has coached Christian singles since 2018. Both have wrestled with insecurity about whether their life stage qualifies them to speak on this topic—and both decided to show up anyway.

They discuss what "story work" means, why attraction isn't something to be ashamed of, and how this podcast will approach dating with honesty, faith, and practical wisdom.

If you're a Christian who wants to date with clarity and self-awareness, this is where you start.

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Watch this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Oxc9oXb5Yuc

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📱Follow @datinganddesire on Instagram for updates and conversation.

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Connect with Bridgett: Instagram

Website | Coaching| Free Resources| RECLAIM Cohort📓Get the free Value-Based Boundaries in Dating Guide

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Connect with Lauren: Instagram | Website

Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing. Get the free guide here!

The Dating & Desire Podcast helps Christian singles and dating adults navigate faith, sexuality, and relationships with honesty and hope. Hosted by coaches Bridgett Blood and Lauren Mathues, we explore sexual formation, emotional safety, and integrity in dating through real conversations with pastors, therapists, and relationship experts. Because your desire is holy, your body is good, and your story matters.First episode premieres January 27, 2026 on this podcast platform and YouTube.