In this episode, Mike and Kristen Jones launch the second season of Heart and Soulution by discussing physical intimacy within marriage. They highlight the importance of intentionality and character, arguing that a healthy sex life requires effort and kindness outside of the bedroom. The hosts reference the book Married Sex to address common challenges, noting that a high percentage of couples face frustrations in this area. They encourage listeners to investigate health, relational, and spiritual factors that may hinder intimacy rather than accepting a decline as a natural part of aging. Throughout the conversation, they emphasize that sexual closeness is a divine design intended to distinguish the marital bond from all other relationships.

(C) 2025 All Music by Mike and Kristen Jones for use by Heart and Soulution, including Heart and Soulution theme, Card of the day jingle and all background music; generated with Suno.ai.

Reference material and Resources to dive deeper:

• Check out material from the Parrott's by visiting their ⁠website⁠ or by following them on instagram ⁠@lesandleslie.⁠

• Married Sex, by Gary Thomas and Debra K. Fileta, published in 2021 by Zondervan publishing, available on Amazon in multiple formats.

Connect with Heart and Solution:

• Follow on Instagram: Join the conversation ⁠@heartandsoulution.⁠

• Share Your Ideas: Let Mike and Kristen know your ideas for future episodes and participate in their weekly poll on ⁠Instagram⁠.

In this episode of the "Heart and Soulution" podcast, Mike and Kristen Jones focus on navigating the holiday season with family, particularly Thanksgiving and Christmas. They share personal anecdotes about their experiences with family traditions, the challenges of blending families, and managing holidays with adult children and in-laws. They discuss the importance of setting healthy boundaries, the difficulty of managing unrealistic expectations during family gatherings, and the need for empathetic listening when dealing with challenging relatives like an "Uncle Mortimer." The discussion wraps up with practical advice for couples to form a united front, strategies for gracefully ending contentious discussions, and suggestions for creating a positive, engaging environment to minimize conflict.

(C) 2025 All Music by Mike and Kristen Jones for use by Heart and Soulution, including Heart and Soulution theme, Card of the day jingle and all background music; generated with Suno.ai.

Reference material and Resources to dive deeper:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Table Topics Tabletop Sets: Questions to start great conversations.⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• ⁠⁠The YouVersion Bible App.⁠⁠

Connect with Heart and Solution:

• Follow on Instagram: Join the conversation ⁠⁠⁠@heartandsoulution.⁠⁠⁠

• Share Your Ideas: Let Mike and Kristen know your ideas for future episodes and participate in their weekly poll on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode of "Heart and Soulution," Mike and Kristen Jones, discuss relationships and grief. They begin with casual conversation about the end of their first podcast season, eventually revealing that they will be discussing the heavy topic of grief. They explore personal experiences with grief, noting that Kristen especially was not taught how to grieve effectively and that this avoidance proved problematic later in life. The conversation is informed by resources like the podcast, The Place We Find Ourselves, and Francis Weller's book, The Wild Edge of Sorrow, with the Mike and Kristen drawing parallels between Weller's concepts and biblical perspectives on mourning. They include the passage about beauty for ashes in Isaiah 61:3. Ultimately, they reflect on healthy grieving processes for individuals and couples, emphasizing the importance of not avoiding grief and offering support to those who are suffering.

(C) 2025 All Music by Mike and Kristen Jones for use by Heart and Soulution, including Heart and Soulution theme, Card of the day jingle and all background music; generated with Suno.ai.

Reference material and Resources to dive deeper:

• Weller, Frances; The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief; 2015; North Atlantic Books.

• The Place We Find Ourselves podcast with Adam Young; Five part series on grief (episode 132).

• ⁠The YouVersion Bible App.⁠

Connect with Heart and Solution:

• Follow on Instagram: Join the conversation ⁠⁠@heartandsoulution.⁠⁠

• Share Your Ideas: Let Mike and Kristen know your ideas for future episodes and participate in their weekly poll on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.