Discerning Marriage

A podcast to help you discover if marriage is God’s will for you!

About the show

Listen to Elizabeth's intro episode here!

Discerning Marriage is a weekly podcast hosted by Elizabeth Busby, MTS, MS, LMFT. She is co-founder with her husband Ross of Discerning Marriage Ministries and the Next Step program. Regardless of your state in life, you can begin preparing for marriage right now. Whether you are single, dating, seriously dating, engaged, on a break, or grieving a breakup, you can make use of this time for fruitful growth toward becoming a healthy and holy spouse. Intentional discernment of marriage starts today, even if you haven't given or received an engagement ring.

This podcast is also great for clergy and laypeople who prepare couples for marriage and parents who have teens and adult children who are dating and pursuing marriage!

Elizabeth has an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Texas A&M University (whoop!), and she earned a Master's degree in Theological Studies from Ave Maria University, where she wrote her thesis on how St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body can aid in the discernment of a vocation to marriage. Additionally, she holds a Master's degree in Counseling with a focus on marriage and family therapy from Southern Methodist University, and she works as a Marriage and Family Therapist. She has a passion for helping people fall in love with Jesus and helping people discern and live God’s joyful plan for holy marriages and family life.

Next Step is a parish-based course written for seriously dating couples who want to discern more intentionally with each other. There is a lot of structure in place for people who are discerning a vocation to celibacy, but there isn’t a similar support network for people discerning marriage. Since the majority of the population is called to marriage, there is a glaring need for resources that can be used to help guide this discernment. Elizabeth and her team seek to fill that need with the Next Step program. Learn more here: https://www.discerningmarriage.com/next-step-program.

This podcast is presented by Theology of the Body Institute, which promotes around the world John Paul II's revolutionary teaching on human life and love — the Theology of the Body. Learn more about the Institute's offerings here: https://tobinstitute.org.

Endorsements

"I first met Elizabeth Busby in 2009 when she was a college student working with a TOB ministry at Texas A&M. Now she’s not only a loving wife and mother, but also an accomplished professional counselor bringing John Paul II’s TOB to bear in all she does. She has worked alongside my colleagues and me since 2014 coordinating our network of intercessors and has become a trusted partner in our ministry. We are delighted to be launching her podcast Discerning Marriage under the TOB Institute umbrella. Having already been interviewed by Elizabeth about my own vocational discernment for the show, this podcast is going to be a great gift both for those looking for answers to questions about vocational discernment, and for those who just love hearing how God works in other people’s lives."
Christopher West, Th.D.
President, Theology of the Body Institute

Discerning Marriage on social media

Episodes

  • 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.

  • Episode 14: Thriving While Single with Christina Jaloway

    November 4th, 2020  |  Season 1  |  48 mins 50 secs

    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 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 13: The Marriage Vows with Liv Harrison

    October 28th, 2020  |  Season 1  |  36 mins 5 secs

    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 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 12: Discernment of Spirits in Marriage with Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV

    October 21st, 2020  |  Season 1  |  27 mins 58 secs

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

  • Episode 11: Raphy and Sara Feolino’s Discernment Story

    October 14th, 2020  |  Season 1  |  40 mins 30 secs

    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 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 10: Mary Lenaburg’s Discernment Story

    October 7th, 2020  |  Season 1  |  26 mins 1 sec

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