How To Thrive In Your First Year Of Marriage (Manage Expectations) | #whlpodcast Ep 12
How To Thrive In Your First Year Of Marriage (And Every Year After) | #whlpodcast Ep 12
Your first year of marriage can be beautiful, but also unexpectedly challenging — especially if you're trying to build a God-centered foundation. In today’s episode, we’re sharing raw stories, practical tools, and biblical wisdom that helped us not only survive our first year as husband and wife, but thrive in it — and continue growing in love every year after.
Whether you're newly married, engaged, or praying for your future spouse, this Christian marriage conversation is for you. We’ll unpack what no one tells you about communication, expectations, conflict, and learning to love like Jesus in marriage.
👥Join our Singles Community
courses.stefanierouse.com/offers/iLmynUCN/checkout
💍 Grab your free ebook for married couples:
stefanie-rouse.mykajabi.com/thriving-marriage-opt-in
📕Grab your free ebook for singles:
Better not Bitter book: bit.ly/3CXykIv
For women:stefanie-rouse.mykajabi.com/waiting-for-the-one-women
For men:stefanie-rouse.mykajabi.com/waiting-for-the-one-men
📖 Get our brand new prayer devotionals:
www.stefanieandcaleb.com/52prayersformyspouse
Grab a copy of our book Wholehearted Love:
amzn.to/3EEk48f
✅ Follow Stefanie:
www.instagram.com/stefanie.rouse/
✅ Follow Caleb
www.instagram.com/calebjasonrouse/
00:00:00 The Impact of Expectations on Marriages
00:06:35 Thriving in Your First Year of Marriage
00:10:01 Honeymoon Planning Miscommunications
00:15:13 Managing Expectations in Marriage
00:20:21 Improving Communication through Active Listening
00:25:18 Expectations
00:30:21 Spiritual Growth and Overcoming Challenges
00:35:38 Finding Balance and the Role of Faith
00:40:41 How To Communicate Expectations
00:45:42 Embracing Grace in Marriage
00:50:36 Embracing Grace and Forgiveness in Relationships
00:55:23 Nurturing Growth in Relationships Through Encouragement
01:00:17 A Prayer for Guidance and Gratitude
Wholehearted Love is hosted by Stefanie & Caleb Rouse—relationship mentors, authors of four books, content creators, and a faith-driven husband-and-wife duo devoted to empowering you in every stage of your relationship journey, from singleness to marriage. Stefanie holds an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Fuller Seminary with an emphasis in Theology, and Caleb earned his M.Ed. Through their mentorship programs, they’ve guided countless individuals from heartbreak to thriving marriages.
They share real-life stories, practical insights, and biblical wisdom to help you wholeheartedly pursue healthy, thriving relationships. This podcast isn’t for those who want to settle or stay in shallow connections; our dynamic discussions will challenge your perspective, equip you with Christ-centered principles, and propel you toward God’s best for your life. We pray you walk away from each episode with fresh eyes to see how deeply God loves you—ultimately viewing Him, others, and yourself from Jesus’s perspective.
FTC // This video is not sponsored, but some links are affiliate links. All opinions stated are our own!
Songs used in this video are licensed to use through epicdemicsound.com
