In this episode of the Awesome Marriage Podcast, Dr. Kim sits down with bestselling author Gary Chapman for a practical and honest conversation about what it really looks like to keep a marriage growing, not just surviving.

They talk about why marriages don't just "stay the same," how couples slowly drift without realizing it, and what it takes to stay emotionally connected over time. Gary unpacks how love languages can shift through different seasons of life, why assumptions create so many problems, and how simple things like curiosity, communication, and daily check-ins can completely change the tone of a relationship.

If you've ever felt like you and your spouse are just "off" lately, or you want to be more intentional about loving well, this conversation gives you real, doable ways to start moving back toward each other again.

Episode Highlights:

Without intentional effort, connection naturally fades into distance or "roommate mode."
Couples often miss each other because they're expressing love in ways that feel right to them, not in ways that actually land with their spouse.
When couples stay teachable and intentional, even conflict becomes an opportunity for deeper connection.

Quotes from this Episode:

Gary Chapman:

"Marriage is either going to grow or regress—there's really no drifting in place."
"I don't talk about a perfect marriage. I talk about a growing marriage."
"Life satisfaction is found in relationships, not in the accumulation of things."
"We cannot read each other's minds—you have to ask questions and listen."
"The objective is not to win the argument—the objective is to find a solution together."
"It's no fun to live with a loser. Why would you create a loser? You're on the same team."
"Love has to be communicated in a way that's meaningful to the other person."

Kim Kimberling:

"I don't think I'll ever learn everything there is to know about Nancy in a lifetime."
"Marriage is an adventure because you're always discovering new things about each other."
"If you're not feeling loved, turn into your marriage—not outside of it."
"Assumptions in marriage are usually way off."
"The distractions we entertain today are often stealing the connection we could be building at home."
"There's so much value in the person God put in front of you to do life with."
"Small, intentional steps done consistently really do make a difference over time."

Time to Talk About it:

Where in our marriage are we currently growing—and where might we actually be drifting without realizing it?
In what ways am I trying to show love to my spouse, and are those actually the ways they most feel loved?
How well do we really ask questions and stay curious about each other instead of assuming we already know what the other thinks or feels?
What would it look like for us to build a simple daily rhythm of connection (even 10–15 minutes) to stay emotionally close?

Mentioned in This Episode:

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