My wife and I both grew up in good homes, but stereotypical to most that grow up in a conservative Christian culture in the 80s and 90s, conversations around sex were usually limited to biological reproduction or staying pure from sexual thoughts. These messages served me well before we were married but after we were married, we realized that these models led to anxiety about sexuality and difficulty with our sexual relationship. These issues didn’t really surface until after a decade into our marriage, when we weren’t so entrenched in survival mode from raising a young family any longer and could actually take a breath and focus on our relationship again. I’m grateful for the many resources that helped me grow my understanding of marriage and sex in marriage. Specifically, where at first I thought spirituality and sexuality were incompatible, the examples of teachers like my guests on today’s podcast helped me see that spirituality and sexuality actually go together.  Fast forward a few years I’m grateful for the privilege of coaching other couples in growing their marriage intimately. It’s now what I do for work full time, and I hope this podcast, our apps, retreats, workshops, and other resources are helping you build a stronger marriage. One of the common issues I see with my clients as a marriage coach is how “duty sex” or viewing sex as something just for the man for example often limits a couple’s ability to grow sexually. Another has to do with one’s interpretation of biblical teachings around sex growing up, and how those views are often antithetical to building an intimate marriage. Another has to do with sexual performance pressure. And sexual dysfunction. We get to talk about all of these things and much more in this episode with Dr. Clifford and Joyce Penner.  As my guests will attest, getting away for a weekend once in a while can really nourish your marriage. Especially if it’s a marriage retreat where you can learn about how to have a more intimate and fulfilling sex life, develop closer friendships, meet other couples on a similar journey, learn new skills to deal with conflict, and most importantly to have fun together! Our next retreat is four days and three nights, October 26 - 29, in the Dallas Fort Worth Texas area. Register now so that you don’t miss it by going to getyourmarriageon.com, click on Retreats, and then DFW retreat. If you’re on the fence, go to the web page anyway and check out the videos shared by past retreat attendees sharing their experience to get a feel for what it’s all about.   For more great content like this, check out the following resources: Next Level!: https://getyourmarriageon.com/next-level/ Couples Retreat (Dallas/Ft Worth area): https://getyourmarriageon.com/couples-retreat-dfw/ Website: getyourmarriageon.com Instagram: @getyourmarriageon Fun and Sexy app for couples: Intimately Us