Every month on the blog, I like to focus on a particular topic.
It doesn’t mean that every post in that month has to do with that topic, but often I have more to say on something than just one post will allow, and so I dedicate a month to go more in-depth.
In August, we’ve been talking about periods! But I’ve also tackled emotional labor, MBTI personalities, birth control, submission in marriage, and so much more.
I know some of you have joined the blog only relatively recently, and so you may not have had time to delve into some of the series that I’ve done in the past. Since there’s an extra Monday in August, I thought I’d post my most recent series, so that you all can peruse and catch up if there’s a topic you’ve missed. And the other posts in each series should be listed at the bottom of these posts, too.
Have fun!
Are You Caught in the FOG(C) of Coercive Control?
Sheila here! Last week, Bethany Jantzi joined us on the Bare Marriage podcast to talk about how the elements of coercive control are actually found...
The Podcast Where Sheila & Rebecca Answer Your Questions!
We're still reeling from our Facebook hack--so we decided to do a Q&A! Last week our Facebook Page was stolen right out from under us. They...
Little Girls in Mini-Skirts in Church Parking Lots Aren’t the Enemy
Jesus would never have called a child an “enemy.” Yet that’s exactly what Josh Howerton did in a sermon on August 11, when he was telling men to...
What Do Complementarianism and Coercive Control Have in Common?
Does abuse show up more in complementarian circles? If you missed episode 246 of the Bare Marriage podcast, you missed out on a great one (and I...
Should Engaged Couples Commit to a Certain Frequency of Sex Once They’re Married?
Sheila here! Recently I saw a great post on Instagram by my friend Shari Smith, who handles a lot of my social media behind the scenes (she’s been...
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How Fighting Toxic Marriage Teachings Can Help Fight Church Abuse
We see fighting toxic marriage teachings as part of a broader mission in the church. For the last four and a half years, our team at Bare Marriage...
How Becoming Egalitarian Changed One Couple’s Marriage
What happens to marriage when a couple becomes egalitarian? On our October 5th Bare Marriage podcast episode (episode 208), I had a fascinating...
PODCAST: Why Don’t Evangelical Sex Teachers Know What They Don’t Know?
Has modern Christianity become an echo chamber? And is that leading us to have super bad takes on many issues that are really important? Today we're...
How Emotional Abuse is Physical Abuse
Sheila here! October is Domestic Abuse Awareness Month, and last week I saw an amazing post by Emily at Thriving Forward, who was a guest on the...
What if Recovery from Obligation Sex Seems Impossible?
Obligation sex can wreak havoc on us. For last month we’ve been doing a deep dive into obligation sex, looking at the main problems with obligation...
Have You Seen a Sexy Gorilla?
Every Friday, 46,000 people receive our weekly email, linking to all of this week’s posts and podcasts, with a summary, so people can make sure they...
PODCAST: What Happens When a Pastor Sets Out to Prove Complementarianism?
Terran Williams is a pastor whose life was upended when he was assigned a "simple" task. He was working at a large church in South Africa when he...
The Rose Colored Glasses Effect in Marriage
Could the rose-colored glasses effect be masking marital unhappiness? Last month, one of our podcasts worked through some of the issues with claims...
Why There Are Some People We Will Never Call Out
Why are there some people who we WON'T call out, even though they promote harmful teachings? Every Friday, Rebecca writes practically a whole new...
PODCAST: We need a NEW STANDARD for healthy teachings.
Our survey results have completely changed how we talk about sex. And that likely surprises absolutely no one. But what we weren’t expecting was...
RESEARCH DEEP DIVE: How does a couple’s FIRST TIME affect her LIBIDO?
What if women don’t naturally want sex less than men do? Rebecca here again on the blog with another study for you! Researchers from the University...
RESEARCH DEEP DIVE: Does Sex Start in the Kitchen, or Does it Die There?
What if sex doesn't start in the kitchen--but her libido can die there? Rebecca here on the blog today, and I want to tell you about a fascinating...
How Bad Christian Marriage Advice Hurt a Good Couple
You don't have to have a destructive marriage to be hurt by bad marriage advice. We're ending up our series on Marriage Misdiagnosis, looking at...
PODCAST: Should Pastors Give Sex Advice?
What happens when pastors give sex advice, but they aren't trained to do so? This week's podcast we're talking about a big question: is it ever...
Is Your Pastor a Shepherd or a Hired Hand?
Some pastors are not simply unsafe; they are downright dangerous. And some church elder's boards, church's women's ministries, and denominations in...
How Do I Know if I’m Being Abused?
How do you know if you're being abused? One of the hardest parts of blogging is reading so many heartbreaking emails and comments that come in from...
I Followed Christian Marriage Advice–And Failed My Husband
When Christian marriage advice goes wrong, we can end up following it to the letter--and failing our spouses. In the summer, when Rebecca and I were...
If You Pray Hard Enough, Will God Save Your Marriage?
If you just have enough faith, and if you just pray enough, then shouldn't God save your marriage? The first women's Bible study I ever went to, I...
PODCAST: The Marriage Misdiagnosis Podcast!
What if the evangelical church is diagnosing the problems with marriage WRONG--and so offering the wrong solutions? That's what we've been looking...
Why Holding Up Stories of Radical Healing and Forgiveness in Marriage May Backfire
We have an addiction to fairytales--even when it comes to marriage. We love the Disney princesses who are rescued by the princes. We love stories of...
Are there any other topics you’d like me to cover? Let me know in the comments!












Great round up! I’m looking forward to reading these. 🙂
Since you asked what we would like to see in a series:
Getting your marriage back on track after it has been derailed by (fill in the blank, and maybe this changes depending on what derailed it)
The emotional and perspective issues for newlyweds. Sorry if this is hard to describe, but I think a lot of newlyweds, especially younger ones, start marriage with ideas like:
the wedding is a big party
your first loyalty is still to your family of origin
this is just a more permanent version of a dating relationship where God allows us to have sex
it’s okay to disagree in public or in front of the kids
if your friends and family have always given you good advice, you should continue to turn to them for advice (even if it has the effect of putting marital decisions up to a popular vote)
I would love something about how and when to give marriage advice to friends. When is it appropriate to mention if you feel like something is off and how to bring that up.
Oh, that’s a great idea for a series! About how to support marriages in your circle/community, and support people when something is really off. Maybe for December when we’re talking about family? I’ll put that in the docket!