Discerning Marriage

Episode 26: The Courage to be Married with Damon and Melanie Owens

April 7th, 2021  |  Season 2  |  29 mins 54 secs

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 that you’re called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory to God in your vocation.

Episode 25: Breakups Part 2 w/ Liv Harrison

March 17th, 2021  |  Season 2  |  29 mins 40 secs

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.

Episode 24: Dr. Greg Bottaro’s Discernment Story

March 3rd, 2021  |  Season 2  |  27 mins 35 secs

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 you bring glory to God in your vocation.

Episode 23: Online Dating with Kateri Bean from Catholic Match

February 17th, 2021  |  Season 2  |  17 mins 21 secs

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 build the foundation for a successful relationship with someone that you’ve met online.

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.

Episode 22: Married at 33 with Christina Jaloway

February 3rd, 2021  |  Season 2  |  20 mins 6 secs

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!

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.

Episode 21: The Feminine Genius w/ Liv Harrison

January 20th, 2021  |  Season 2  |  28 mins 31 secs

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 bring some clarity and springboards good discussions about femininity in this broken world.

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.

Episode 20: Listener Q&A

December 16th, 2020  |  Season 1  |  27 mins 25 secs

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.

Episode 19: Breakups (with Liv Harrison)

December 9th, 2020  |  Season 1  |  23 mins 46 secs

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 validating the real pain that the person going through the breakup might be feeling. Breakups often affect the trajectory of a person’s future discernment, so I am incredibly passionate about people being intentional about how they navigate the end of a relationship. Liv Harrison joins me to discuss this critical topic. Note: this is a great episode if you are going through a breakup, have been through a significant breakup in your past, or you know and love someone who is or may at some point go through a breakup. Pretty much, if you or someone in your life is in a commitment and may break up one day, this is a must listen!

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.

Episode 18: Ephesians 5 with Jeanette Clark

December 2nd, 2020  |  Season 1  |  34 mins 22 secs

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 called to 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 already know that you’re called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory to God in your vocation.

Episode 17: The Gottman’s Sound Relationship House with Regina Boyd

November 25th, 2020  |  Season 1  |  28 mins 29 secs

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 Boyd, who has completed level 2 training (out of 3!) in the Gottman Method, to share with us an introduction to the Gottman’s revolutionary theory.

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.

Episode 16: Identity and Discernment with Fr. Blake Britton

November 18th, 2020  |  Season 1  |  28 mins 8 secs

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 where he 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, retreats and lectures. His writings are published in several national and international outlets including Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire ministries blog and the Evangelization & Culture journal. He has also been featured in the National Catholic Register and EWTN. He is a co-host with Brandon Vogt for The Burrowshire Podcast a show focusing on Catholic culture and millennial evangelization.
St. Mary Catholic Church & School in Rockledge, Florida welcomed Fr. Blake in 2018 where he serves as parochial vicar.

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.

Episode 15: From Breakup to Breakthrough: Regina Boyd’s Discernment Story

November 11th, 2020  |  Season 1  |  28 mins 3 secs

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 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.