074 |Relationship and the Ministry of Presence

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SS074 Shepherd & The Shrink Relationship and the Ministry of Presence

Love is easy to talk about, but it’s much harder to live. In this episode, we talk about what it means to love your enemy and how to lay down your life for someone else on this side of death.

Today, we talk about marriage. We discuss why marriage is so hard, note the importance of communication, and explain why relationships shouldn’t be competitive. We talk about why the key to a successful marriage is striving to outdo each other in acts of love and service, instead of focusing on what you get out of the relationship. We talk about what it means to lay down your life for others in a world where it’s rare to need to do so literally. We note the power of just being there for someone, and we talk about what it means to say, “Love never fails.”


“If your love’s gonna be complete, it can’t be just for the people who adore you.”

- Dr. Marty Fletcher


This week on Shepherd & the Shrink:

  • Why marriage is hard

  • The importance of communication

  • Why relationships aren’t a power struggle

  • What it means to lay your life down for someone

  • The meaning of acedia

Resources mentioned

Bringing Mental Health and Spirituality Together

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Shepherd & the Shrink Podcast with your hosts Dr. Matt Hook and Dr. Martin Fletcher, the show where theology meets psychology. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

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Martin Fletcher