Every marriage brings a past into the present.

For many couples, that past includes experiences, expectations, wounds, or shame that quietly affect intimacy and connection today. When sexual baggage goes unspoken, it can create distance, insecurity, and misunderstanding between spouses.

In Episode 282 of The Family Meeting Podcast, we talk honestly and compassionately about sexual baggage in marriage, what it is, how it shows up, and how couples can move toward healing and healthy intimacy without blame or shame.

In this episode, we cover:

• What sexual baggage really means and where it comes from.
• How past experiences influence expectations and emotional safety.
• The impact of comparison, insecurity, and shame on intimacy.
• How to have difficult conversations safely with your spouse.
• Biblical principles for forgiveness, renewal, and restoration.
• Practical steps to rebuild trust and connection over time.

If the past feels like it's affecting your present relationship, this episode offers hope, clarity, and a path forward toward deeper connection and God-honoring intimacy.

Subscribe for weekly conversations on marriage, parenting, and faith.

Bonus Resource: Send an email to info@familymeeting.org for our Rebuilding Trust and Intimacy Reflection Guide.

For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting

Few things hurt parents more than watching their child feel left out or rejected by friends.

In Episode 281 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra talk about how to help your kids navigate one-sided friendships, disappointment, and the pain of rejection without becoming bitter or withdrawn. Not every friendship is meant to last, and learning when to let a relationship fade is an important life skill.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to recognize when a friendship isn't being reciprocated.
• How to guide your child to let a friendship fizzle without drama or conflict.
• Healthy ways to help kids process rejection and disappointment.
• How to encourage your child to pursue life-giving friendships.
• What parents should say, and avoid saying, when kids feel left out.
• Biblical principles for identity, belonging, and resilience.

If your child is struggling with friendships, feeling excluded, or learning how to move on from unhealthy relationships, this episode will help you guide them with empathy, wisdom, and hope.

Subscribe for weekly conversations on marriage, parenting, and faith.

Bonus Resource: Send an email to info@familymeeting.org for our Helping Kids Handle Friendship Rejection Parent Guide.

For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting

Ever notice how clutter seems to bother one spouse way more than the other? It's not just personality, it may be biology.

In Episode 280 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore research showing that household clutter can raise women's stress hormones significantly more than men's, affecting mood, energy, and even relationship satisfaction. What looks like "just a mess" to one spouse can feel like constant emotional pressure to the other.

And when stress rises, connection suffers.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why clutter impacts women's cortisol (stress hormone) levels more than men's.
• How a messy home can quietly create tension in marriage.
• The emotional and mental load many women carry.
• Practical ways couples can work together to create a calmer, more peaceful home.
• Biblical wisdom for serving one another through everyday acts of care.

If household messes are causing arguments, frustration, or emotional exhaustion, this episode will help you understand each other better and take simple steps toward peace.

Bonus Resource: Send an email to info@familymeeting.org for our Calm Home Reset Plan.

For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting