Almost everyone is navigating at least one hard relationship. But not every hard relationship is the same — and knowing the difference changes everything. In this episode, Pattie Krohn and Paige Payne reframe the conversation from boundaries to wise love, welcome a guest who shares their personal journey through a difficult relationship, and explore what it looks like to walk alongside someone who is exhausted, confused, and unsure whether they are the problem.

"Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters." — Romans 12:9–10

In this episode:

• The difference between a disappointing, difficult, and destructive relationship, and why the distinction matters
• What it feels like from the inside — the exhaustion, the shame, the spiritual confusion
• Pattie and Paige share personally from their own experiences of unhealthy relationships
• A guest opens up about what wise love required of them — and what it cost
• How to walk alongside someone in a hard relationship without handing them a formula

Resources mentioned:

• Emotionally Destructive Relationships — Leslie Vernick — available wherever books are sold
• When People Are Big and God Is Small — Edward T. Welch — available wherever books are sold
• Relationships: A Mess Worth Making — Timothy Lane & Paul David Tripp — available wherever books are sold
• 3Crosses Church Care Page & Care Sheets and additional resources
• Romans 12:9–10; John 2:24–25; John 13:1–17 — biblegateway.com

For further support: If you are in a relationship where there is physical danger, do not walk away from this alone. Reach out for help today.

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
• Text START to 88788
• If there is immediate danger, call 911

Share With Us: If this episode resonated, share it with someone and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more people find the show.