Marriage and Us
Are you recently engaged, newlyweds, or married for years and looking to learn even more about the art of marriage? Hosts Rob and Robin Atkins discuss what they've learned with honesty, humor, and gospel mindedness. In 34 years of marriage and 10 years as pre and post marriage coaches they practice what they teach. A podcast designed for couples with old tools or no tools wanting to maximize their life together with simple principles that can transform your marriage.
Marriage and Us
S4E01 Happy New Year: Stop Chasing Perfect and Start Celebrating Progress
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In this episode Rob and Robin welcome 2026 with humor and a plan to trade worry for presence, using a simple rhythm to make goals stick. We build a marriage-first approach that blends faith, reflection, gratitude and clear communication so progress feels human and sustainable.
• why most resolutions fail and how to avoid the trap
• reflect on highs and lows to fuel wiser goals
• appreciate your partner to replace comparison with celebration
• plan with clarity, not pressure, and readjust as needed
• practice small dial turns for big impact over time
• partner with God and stay present while you plan ahead
• create family and friend rituals that strengthen connection
Music by - Roger Jaeger - from the album (Fall Off the Earth)
Produced by - Jared Nester
Outro by - Madison Nester
Welcome And New Year Banter
SPEAKER_00Um rum.
SPEAKER_02And I'm rubbin.
SPEAKER_00Thanks for listening to Marriage and Us. Each week we will talk about real life topics.
SPEAKER_02The couple's experience in everyday married life.
Expectations Vs. Reality Of 2026
SPEAKER_00So let's get to today's episode. Happy New Year.
SPEAKER_02Happy New Year, everyone.
SPEAKER_00Happy New Year. Can you believe it? 2026. We are here.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Where's our spaceships? Remember when we were kids?
SPEAKER_00I cannot believe you just said that. That is exactly what I was going to say.
SPEAKER_02I'm a little kid. I'm watching the Jetsons and I'm thinking, oh yeah, when I get to be an adult, I'm going to have a robot made to clean my house. And I'm going to be running around in spaceships to the grocery. It's going to be great. Yeah. Awesome.
SPEAKER_00Remember that? I'm we're really dating ourselves here on this show. Some of this is deep sci-fi, 1999. Do you remember that? Oh, yeah. I remember that show. We used to leave it on the moon. Yeah, we would be living on the moon by now and shoveling back and forth.
SPEAKER_02And yeah, a lot of our uh childhood, not to chase a rabbit, what we already are chasing it. Uh yeah, a lot of the childhood shows that we watched on the regular that were most popular were all based on space and sci-fi, you know, whether it was Lost in Space, Star Trek, of course.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02Uh like I said, the Jetsons. Oh, yeah. You know, there were all these shows.
SPEAKER_00Car would fit in a briefcase or whatever it is. You remember that? Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So anyway.
SPEAKER_00Some some of you that are listening that are younger, you can check all those shows out, and I'm sure they're streaming somewhere.
SPEAKER_02Probably somewhere. But but like you said, here we are. We're in 2026. I do still have a car, but I'm okay with it. Yeah, exactly. It doesn't have to be heated seats. I'll take it. Cell phones.
SPEAKER_00There you go.
Resolutions Statistics And Pitfalls
SPEAKER_02You know, that that's like something that would have been like uh magical to us when we were kids, like you would carry around a phone.
SPEAKER_00So then with a new year, yes, always comes the discussions. Then this is kind of what brought us to this episode today. The discussions of what do we want our new year to be like.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00You know, you always hear the term New Year's resolutions, right? Setting goals, setting goals, plans, plans, and all those things. And I I think statistics also back up our theory on this. Sure. That we a lot of times can set ourselves up for failure because sometimes if we and we're gonna look at some of these things today, if we don't plan properly, if we don't take a hard look at certain things, we uh again can set ourselves for failure. I mean, here's here's some mind-blowing statistics, okay?
SPEAKER_02Okay, tell me.
SPEAKER_00So three and a half months is on average how most people stay true to their new year's resolution.
SPEAKER_02The length of time that they stay true from the beginning of the year. It's three and a half months, you know.
SPEAKER_00Three and a half months on average. Okay, twenty-three percent.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_00I'm sorry, quit in the first week.
SPEAKER_02Wow.
SPEAKER_00I was gonna say something, but you told me I couldn't, so when we were getting ready. So, you know, there's but again, that's that's a pretty high number. That's a high number.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, 20. That's almost a quarter of the people that are setting goals.
SPEAKER_00Let's not do math. I I didn't study for that. Um, and then less than 10% are successful through the whole year.
SPEAKER_02Wow.
SPEAKER_00So when you think about it, again, it's we're just really setting ourselves up to be disappointed when the year rolls around. So how and that's you're not careful. So, and that's hopefully what we're going to do today is kind of look at some of these things, not only individually, but obviously as a married couple or as couples, how how do we navigate these things and how do we are how are we able to look back over the previous year and and realize what we've accomplished.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And some things you we've got some some some great comments and great quotes today. So won't you kind of where where do you want to kick us off at today?
Faith, Worry, And Daily Bread
SPEAKER_02I want to say that uh one of the reasons why I thought it would be important to, you know, to do this episode is that, you know, thinking about, like you said, thinking about the new year. Um, I was praying in the last couple of weeks and I just felt like um, you know, the Lord was just highlighting some things to me, talking to me about some different things. And and I realized that that planning, let me say this first, planning is great. Goal setting, it is it's good. It is, it's very good. But I think that when it comes to the beginning of every year, especially at the beginning of every year, like you said, because these resolutions, all this, it's like it's the thing that most people feel like they're supposed to be doing at the beginning of every year. And you can you can get so hung up, so caught up in setting goals and in reaching, you know, out into the future, even making statements like, you know, if I can achieve this, you know, if I can get this degree, if I can buy this certain car or uh, you know, do these certain things, then I'm gonna have really like achieved my goal. Right. You know, I'm gonna really be successful. And in that reach, if you're not careful though, you're you're gonna spend so much time always reaching, always reaching that you never receive the things that God just gives to us every day. Yeah, you know, even think of the Lord's Prayer, give us this day our daily bread. He tells us, don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow's gonna let's think about today. So while goes goal setting and all that is so awesome and and important, um it's he's asking us to live in the moment.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. As we were getting ready for this, you Matthew 6 is a great version. I think this this is from the message, if I'm not mistaken, but think ahead, plan ahead, but don't worry ahead.
SPEAKER_02Oh wow.
Comfort Zones And Building New Habits
SPEAKER_00I I think that's what I hear you saying. That's the difference between goals and planning is when they become to a place that it creates anxiety and worry on us. I I've got something here. So, you know, when you think about New Year's resolution, you what happens is what pulls us away from those moments are comfort or comfort zones. In other words, this many individuals, you know, find comfort or solace in routine. So stepping outside of those habits or those comfort zones can be daunting at times. True. You know, I I I know there's different um surveys out there that say how long it takes to create a habit. Some say 14 days, some say 22 days. I mean, there's all kinds of different, but I I think that's the thing because we when we put so much anxiety on ourselves to accomplish, I'm not saying we're not saying not have goals or not have plans. That's not true. Right.
SPEAKER_02That's all it's good, it's important.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. But when you when worry begins to take over, uh, what's the quote that uh Corden uh Cori Ten Boom has? I love that when it comes about how we uh look at tomorrow. Do you have that right there?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, Cori Ten Boom, and this is how she puts it. She says, worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrow, but it empties today of strength. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Let that simmer for a while.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's really good. I'll say it again. Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrow, but it empties today of strength. Yeah. It's just a really great quote. And and uh I think that there's a lot of truth in the fact that that we can set goals for ourselves or make plans because we're worried if we don't, something's gonna happen you know, that we don't want to have happen.
SPEAKER_00Well, I you said this to me earlier. It it is it this sounds so cliche, but it is learning to live one day at a time and living in the moment. And that's where uh our faith has to, you know, as believers, our faith definitely has to kick in. We've got to trust God that I've been I was listening to something the other day about sorrow and different things, whatever, and how we overcome those things. And I think many times, I didn't even share this with you, many times when we're asking or believing for or trying to plan for something, and it doesn't end the way we think, we can get into this place of being disappointed. Right. Rather than can we be brave enough to say, what did I learn through that moment? Because obviously, you know, it's just like let's just use an example for somebody that are parents, you know, if we you don't ever give your kids everything they ask for. Right. I mean, you can, and we know how that turns out sometimes. But it's the same thing with God. God loves us enough that just because we say we need something doesn't mean that he's necessarily going to give it to us.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00But in the trusting, you know, what character is being developed in us as we go through that process. So I this is another great quote. Don't borrow trouble from tomorrow. We can, like you said, we can look so far ahead that we allow worry to overcome the moment that we're living in.
SPEAKER_02It's true. Yeah, that's really good. I like that a lot. And and I like what you're saying about uh there's a level of courage to step out and try something new. And there's uh so you know, it's kind of like it can go either way, right? It's it you can get hung up in being afraid if I try something and it doesn't work out the way I thought it would or should, then I'm a failure. Right. Right. You can believe that lie. Um, just as much as you can keep setting goals and keep reaching, keep reaching. And every time you achieve something, you don't even know how to appreciate it because you're already reaching for the next thing, right?
Courage, Comparison, And Celebration
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Um we don't celebrate enough.
SPEAKER_02Sure. It's like we've seen uh we've seen, you know, we live in Nashville. It's a songwriting capital of the world in a lot of ways, and we see people who uh write a hit, you know, we even know a story of someone who wrote a hit, right, and they throw a big party for this person because they have this big hit country song, and they can't even enjoy the moment because they're already worrying. Can they do it again? Yeah, can they can they write another hit? Sure. And and you know, that's the kind of thing that we're talking about. It's like it's like you're constantly reaching, constantly reaching. So on one hand, you can be frozen and you can stay in familiarity because it feels comfortable and safe and never try anything new, or you could try things, even succeed in things, and they still don't feel like enough because you're still wondering, but can I do it again? Sure. Or how do I do it again? Yeah. Um, and so yeah, in both ways, when it comes to like, you know, we're talking about setting goals for the year, making plans. Where is it that um I can partner with God? Right. And I really feel like that's such a key.
SPEAKER_03Sure.
SPEAKER_02Uh, even for us right now. You know, many of you know our story, but if if you're here for the first time, uh, we moved on to a piece of property that was a farm, a working farm at one point with cattle and uh and crops. And so we've lived here a little over a year on all this land. Before that, we had a small house in the city, right in the heart of Nashville, close to downtown. And we just lived on a little plot of land. Now we've got all this land, and so the common question we get asked all the time is, what are you guys gonna do with that property?
SPEAKER_00Sure. You know, and so what are we gonna do with that property?
Partnering With God On Big Decisions
SPEAKER_02So there's this. I I know for me, and I feel like it's also I can speak for both of us. Sure, you know, we start dreaming the minute we get on this land. Oh my gosh, we've got this property, and you know, what do we want to do with dreams? And and we had dreams, right? Some ideas of, you know, it would be cool to have like a wedding venue because you know, we we work with couples, we do premarital stuff all the time. Uh, we have premarital sessions with couples, and it and and so it just feels like a hand in glove, kind of like a, you know, not only a great idea, but it just fits our lifestyle.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_02And we're still looking into all of that, but but you know, we could get caught up in the pressure of trying to almost meet other people's expectations of there's this expectation that we're gonna do all this stuff with this property where we've really felt like the Lord has just said, Hey, I want you to just be present every day and enjoy this land. And and we've done little things here or there. We've built one building so far on the property, uh, really more like a for a garage and store, but a pole barn. But um, but yeah, even for us living in the moment and planning ahead what we want to do next, but also waiting.
SPEAKER_00We have a barn on the property, trying to pray about what the direction is for that, you know. Sure, that we want to restore. Where does faith come in? You know, obviously, where does you know what we can do in ourselves come in, trusting God for the for the finances to do that? So, yeah, it it's it's a very I think the thing to remind ourselves is of this is that change often often involves uncertainty.
SPEAKER_02Hmm, that's really good. Yeah, that's so good.
Three Words: Reflect, Appreciate, Plan
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and you you can never be for sure totally of what the future is going to be like. So I know I spoke to you about this. So as I was getting ready for this, I was thinking about words, and because I love words, and I was thinking about, well, how can I look at some things? What what would be two or three things that would would be important to us, me, and people and couples that are listening. So my first word I thought about was the word reflect.
SPEAKER_02Good word.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So what what does that mean? In other words, like what we were talking about with the comfort zones, I think a lot of times, you know, we don't appreciate or take the time to remind ourselves individually or as a couple what you have, what you overcame in the previous year.
SPEAKER_02What you've already been through.
SPEAKER_00You know, again, and the reason that's important to me because I believe important to us is we're talking about New Year's resolution, but so many times we don't take the moment to look back over our previous year and celebrate, rejoice about individually. And as a couple, what did we overcome? I mean, I mean, think about it. Do you, if you're out there listening today, how many times do you sit down in January with your spouse and talk about the previous year? Yeah. We're so excited about the new year, which is great, right? But the ability to look back over the previous year and go, man, we look what happened here, or look like what we thought was going to happen here, and it did not turn out the way we thought it was even better, or look like what we had planned, like you said, and thank goodness it went in another direction because now we see a bigger picture. Sure. What's your thoughts on that?
SPEAKER_02I think that's good. You know, it's it's like sometimes I've I've seen people talk about uh just sitting down and to uh kind of just reflect, like you said, I love that word, to reflect on the highs and lows of the previous year, you know, and it it can look like is something as simple as, you know, for couples that are listening, like maybe in the next week or two, you know, like we're still in January, um, and and just to talk about that. Hey, what was your high last year, you know, in 2025? What were some of the highs that you experienced? Um, what were some of the lows that you experienced and and and discuss that and then talk about the highs and lows of you know what you accomplished, not only individually um or what you overcame, like you said, um, but as a couple, maybe if you have kids as a family. Um, but just you know, you and we're we're we're Christians and we just trust God in everything that we're doing in our lives. And it's um it's so cool to take that time, like you said, to pause, to think back.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_02Because you'll see God's hand so many times move um in ways that things were even better than they could have been, or you'll see areas where he spared you from making a wrong decision because you did pause and you did wait. Uh it's just, yeah, I just love the whole idea of reflecting.
SPEAKER_00I I love what you said too. I know we're we our main focus is is as a couple of marriage, but I think sitting down, I mean, what a great talking about a new year's resolution, talking about a new tradition to to introduce to a family is to sit down with your kids and ask them, you know, hey, what what was something big that you felt you accomplished this year? What was something you wish you could have done better this year? Yeah. Oh, it's you know, because again, you know, we hear this all the time, you know, my kids don't talk to me. Well, create an environment where that, you know, for dialogue, you can for dialogue and have that type of um because the change, you know, I know we just touched on that word, change often requires clear communication. It well, actually it always does.
SPEAKER_02Right.
Communication, Grace, And Readjusting
SPEAKER_00If you're ever going to bring true change. So true. Then then the next word that kind of hit me was what we've been touching on a little bit, is to appreciate. So you have reflect and now you have appreciate. And now appreciate where, you know, where gratitude really begins to kick in. You know, I that's an opportunity. Let's let's go back to the parenting part. That's an opportunity for you as a parent to, you know, appreciate, tell your kids, you know, what you're proud of what they did.
SPEAKER_02Tell your spouse.
SPEAKER_00Tell your that's what I mean. I was getting there. So tell, but tell each other, tell the people that are. Yeah, I think all of them. Yeah, tell them how much you appreciate when you recognize that, you know, hey, I saw what you how you overcame this. I know it's a difficult moment in you, but I just want I just want to take this moment to celebrate that and let you know how much I I observed the change that happened in your life.
SPEAKER_02That's so good.
SPEAKER_00And you know, and we say things like, Well, you don't have to say that, you know, and again, I always push back when people say, whether it's I'm saying I'm sorry, but well, you don't have to say that I go, but no, I want to say that.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00Because we're just so accustomed to not allowing people in to celebrate us. Sure.
SPEAKER_02Well, and and people often see things uh in us that we don't see in ourselves.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_02I mean, that happens all the time, right?
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. Yeah, that's so good.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00But that, you know, that's where friendship and all those things come in. Um and you, I mean, you can apply this to you, you know, some of your closest friends. Sure.
SPEAKER_02Yes, get a dinner together and yeah, like do it at the table with other other people that you love, family and friends, it's just great.
SPEAKER_00And I know you're out there listening, and I know these things might feel awkward. Uh, but it's if you can develop these habits, again, they're life giving. They're they're like to the people that you say that you love.
SPEAKER_02Well, there's intentionality involved in it. I love that. You know, a lot of times relationships, uh, I've I hear people say, I wish I could find people. To hang out with, you know, on like deep friendships. Well, these are the ways, these are some of the baby steps into deeper relationships. Absolutely. Ask these kind of questions. It's great to talk. Well, how was your week? Oh, it was good. How was your week? Oh, it was good. No, when you start getting into some of these deeper questions and conversations, and um allow people in your life to be vulnerable knowing that they're in a safe place. Wow, talking about going deep. It's great.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's really good. I love it. Yeah. And then the last one, which which we've already been discussing a little bit, is plan. Now again, we we we touched on that again from Matthew. Think ahead, plan ahead, but don't worry ahead.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I think there's a grace that we don't give ourselves, you know, if if your goal, I I don't want to use something specific because there's there's easy roads to go down to, you know, health and things of that nature. That will but what what we're trying to do, no matter what it is, you do need a plan. And that's where you've got to uh again, I said that just a second ago. Change, I believe, always requires clear communication. So as a couple, you've got to have the ability to sit down and say, here's some, here's some things I would like to work on myself this year. And then here's some things, how do you, how do you feel? Again, I'm invited in. How do you feel about these parts of our relationship that we could work on this year? Again, going back to reflect, having the ability to go, look how far we come here. We worked on this area. Do you remember when we had that argument? Sure. How quickly we got to the resolve because we were putting these things into practice? Yes. So that ability to plan, say, here's here's where we came from, here's here's where I believe our relationship can go in the future. And then back to dialogue. If it's with your kids or best friends, how how can I help you? Not how can I fix you?
SPEAKER_02Right. Right. Right.
SPEAKER_00How can I partner with you in this individual thing? And if they say, Well, I'm good, and that may be okay too. Because you, if you don't have clear communication about what's expected, you can get misunderstood and can create an argument rather than you know really being there for the person. How much would you like me to be involved in this? Sure. And I know I wouldn't go say this, I know weight, you know, I know people's desire to be healthy. I'll say if that works.
SPEAKER_02Sure, there's a lot of like exercise plans and all of those kind of health plans that in January, you know, people, yeah, they they they just come in like gangbusters, you know, I'm gonna eat better, work out more, you know, do all those things.
SPEAKER_00But if you don't have a clear uh communication about that, you can hurt your spouse's feelings or whatever, or you can come across as you're trying to fix. Like for me, one of my things that I am one of my goals to work on this year for several reasons, but one, because we do podcasts, because we talk to people, because I'm, you know, I the company I work for, I'm in sales, is to learn how to better communicate. And and I I feel it's just an opportunity for you. I feel I'm a pretty good communicator.
SPEAKER_02Yes, you are.
SPEAKER_00Thank you.
SPEAKER_02Were you setting me up? I think.
SPEAKER_00I was, I was setting you up.
SPEAKER_02But you are, you're a good, you're very good at communicating.
SPEAKER_00But I but I know I can be better. Gotcha. So I'm in the process of reading a new book uh that deals with that, you know. So that's for from so for me, that's important. Sure. It's even something I suggested. My we're uh some of the leadership, we're gonna read through it together and then have dialogue about it. So there's something about that that's that's a desire that I have. But I don't want to create in my own mind and my heart these expectations that what that looks like to a point, so I so I disappoint myself.
SPEAKER_02Right. Well, sometimes it's yeah, like you set a uh a metric, if you will, along with it. Like I'm gonna devote X amount of time to this every day. Right. You know what I'm saying? You and and is there truth in that? Yes, there's disappointment. There's truth, but when it's ri so rigid that it's either like I'm gonna do it like this, and if I don't do it exactly like this, then I'm a failure. Again, going back to that fail concept. I see that with people with working out. I've I've I started um like in the fall last year, I have a friend who she was wanting to get in shape and she's done a lot of workout kind of things before, and so she reached out to me. I was like, hey, I'm looking for a buddy that I could work out with and help, you know, help with accountability. And so, you know, we jumped into that, and then she she wasn't feeling well towards the end of the year, and we actually didn't get to work out for the last month of the year. And now here we are in the new year, and it would be easy to go in like, man, now we're gonna really get serious about this thing. And honestly, the way we're approaching it, and I'm not saying you have to do it, but I'm just saying it feels good to us. We are kind of slow rolling into working out for 2026. So it's like, okay, you know, we're kind of getting back in the rhythm of it, and uh, but it's not like okay, we're just gotta, you know, go, go, go. And if we don't do it just like this, then we're losers, you know, with the big L on our forehead, you know, losers. No, we're we're we're rolling into it, but then there's also, like you said, reality of like, I'm gonna do this. This is what I want to do. But when you hold yourself to such a high standard, kind of going back to what I said, it's that reach. I've got to reach for it, I've got to reach for it. And if I don't do it just like that, you know, like I like like everybody else does, like all the healthiest, most successful people in the world, you know, do it, then I'm not doing it. You know, um I told you. But it's a matter of even when you have days that you fall off of any commitment you've made for yourself, you know, or something you're gonna set as a uh goal for the year. So let me ask you. So what I hear you need to get back and get back and get back in the rhythm.
SPEAKER_00What I hear you saying, you really have to be careful of falling down the hill of comparison.
SPEAKER_02Yes. I think that that is such a a destroyer of anything we want to accomplish in our life.
SPEAKER_00The momentum that we're trying to do. Momentum. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I mean, it is, it's it's perfectionism, really. It's saying I need to do this perfectly or not at all. Think about uh for some reason I'm going to uh what's the quote from Caladega Knights, Ricky Bobby, you know, you're if you're not first, you're last. You know, I mean, that's so stupid. No, remember, and then he says, why do I that's so stupid? There's second place and third place, mother says fourth place, and it's like, yes, that is so true. Yeah, it's not like first or nothing, but there are times when we will hold ourselves to that measure. I really do believe that. And maybe not everybody, but I can say for myself that has been a pitfall in the past.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_02That and and then the minute you fall off, it's like, well, what's even the you know who cares? I I it was oh well. I'll start back next January, January 2027.
SPEAKER_00Back to the statistics at the beginning of the year, three and a half yeah. So how so what we're trying to say is you've got to have a realistic look at where you are, but a lot of times it's because we don't take a look back, yeah, and say, you know, because again, it's a new year's every year, and if you're making the same resolution every year and you're quitting within the first week, then you've got to be okay to say, wait a minute, I I need to re-evaluate what I'm doing. What is a small thing that you know you've heard me say this countless times to people when we talk to couples, it's a very small turn of the dial that makes the biggest impact. True. You know, we're we're like spinal tap trying to get it turned to 11. Yeah, you know, when sometimes just two to three can make a big difference in how we communicate. So that's what we're trying to say. Celebrate those things. Oh my goodness. I sorry. Do you realize that let's so let's go back over these again? Reflect, appreciate, and plan.
SPEAKER_02Plan, yeah. R-A-P. I just found rap. So everyone can learn to rap. Is that what we're saying? Um please don't try to rap. No, don't let's go.
SPEAKER_00You don't want to do that.
SPEAKER_02That I but I did not realize I never I tried beatboxing. I can remember in the 80s, just thinking I could maybe do that.
SPEAKER_00Um I would pay to see that or hear that. You're a great whistler.
SPEAKER_02Just I like to whistle. You are incredible. Beatboxing, no, not going there. So, but that's so good. I love it. So everyone can rap. Everybody can learn to rap, appreciate, and plan. That is so good. I love it. I think that's great. Oh my gosh. Um, so good. So um Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So that's what we're trying to say. Yes. You know, all joking aside, have communication with your spouse.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Set clear expectations.
SPEAKER_02Yes.
SPEAKER_00And then, you know, whether it's with you or a friend or your kids, and then give yourself the grace and the mercy to know if you have to adjust, you know, the ability to look back and you know, like like three months from now. If you're if you can look back and say, okay, I've done some of those really well, and some of them were just unrealistic. I need to readjust. I think what we're trying to say is don't quit.
SPEAKER_02Don't completely quit when you could just readjust.
SPEAKER_00Exactly.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's very true. Yeah. Yeah. Just just yeah, you fall off the horse, as they say, you know, and then you get back on that horse again. Um and I think uh that's what's important.
SPEAKER_00Change is it it it's it's always it's always happening. Right. So to pretend that it's not, we've talked about that before on previous episodes. But I I'm I'm excited for this year. I hope you're excited for yourself. I hope you're excited for your your marriage, um whatever this new year holds for you. But don't allow worry, uh, don't allow fear to come in and steal uh a moment from you.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
Blessing And Hope For 2026
SPEAKER_00Because it's you know God's with us in every moment, every step that we take. And that ability, like you said, just to be able to pause and say, God, where are you here? I need your help in this situation. This is way beyond my control. Uh and I need to need to stop and I need to give it to you. Because this year, you know, unfortunately for some of us, it's it's gonna there's gonna be difficult, there's gonna be difficult moments.
SPEAKER_02Sure, there's highs and lows every year. And yeah, where is he in the midst of all of it? He's right there with you. And so, you know, lean into that, take a deep breath and trust. Yeah, that's okay.
SPEAKER_00And if you have to reevaluate and you have to change some things, it's okay.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. So plan. What I'm hearing you really say, you know, in closing for today, is that we we plan for the future and but we also stay present in the moment. Right. And then we lean on him. We we submit our plans to him. We ask him, hey, is this what you want me to do? What's your purpose in my life for this year for 2026? What do you have in store? Because I believe there's going to be areas where he loves to partner with us and um as we express our, you know, things that we're feeling or thinking. Um, I think it's so cool that he wants to hear those things. Um and he loves it though when we bring it to him and just say, But is this, is, is this what you want for me? You know, is this uh is where maybe maybe he wants more, you know, maybe yeah, he'll do exceedingly and abundantly above anything that we can think of or ask. What if it's even like, oh, oh, I've gosh, I mean, that's a great plan, but I was thinking about something bigger. You know, what if he hits you with that?
SPEAKER_00I love when those moments happen. Now you got me excited.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, see, and and so yeah, so we want to partner, we want to partner with him and uh and just know that he is good, he is with us. Um, we can do all things through Christ. Nothing is impossible for him. Nothing's impossible.
SPEAKER_00So happy new year.
SPEAKER_02So, yes, happy new year. We just bless all you guys. Uh 2026, we just we just cannot wait to hear and to see what he's gonna do this year. It's just yeah, we can't either.
SPEAKER_00Can't wait to see what he's gonna do for us. Yeah, it's gonna be a great year.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, a lot of anticipation. So bless you guys. We'll talk again soon.
SPEAKER_00Thanks so much. Bye.
SPEAKER_01You've been listening to Marriage and Us with your hosts, Robin Robin Atkins. Stay up to date by following them on Instagram at Marriage and Us underscore podcast and on Twitter at Marriage and Us. Also, hit the follow button so you never miss an episode from your favorite couple.