After a little accidental sabbatical, Luke and Monica are back with life updates, moving news, Maxwell Conference stories, and the usual amount of sarcasm, chaos, and marriage banter.

But underneath the laughs is a real conversation about something deeper - if you want an A+ marriage, you cannot keep showing up as a C+ version of yourself.

In this episode, they talk through what it means to guard your heart, know your identity in Christ, stop expecting your spouse to fill places only Jesus can fill, and learn how different people process pain, pressure, and conflict. Luke also opens up about how past hurt can shape present reactions, and why healing, self-awareness, and spiritual health matter so much in marriage.

This episode is honest, funny, reflective, and full of practical encouragement for anyone navigating marriage, blending a family, healing from the past, or simply trying to become a healthier person before God.

Real life. Real marriage. Real growth.
And as always, a reminder that even in the mess, there is still a silver lining.

New year… mid-January… and we are still building the goal list. In this episode we laugh about past goals (guitar, pull-ups, and “oops we already accomplished that one”) while getting real about why “resolutions” usually crash and burn.

The big takeaway: behaviors and habits beat wishful goal statements every time. We also talk about God’s mercy being new every morning, what to do when you fall off track, and how storms can either push you away from God or pull you closer.

Here is the devotional throught the Bible podcase resource that we refrenced.

Side by Side Podcast (Keith Birdsong) - Bible in a year resource:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/side-by-side/id1720544667

Highlights

• The difference between dreaming and doing
• Why discipline beats motivation (every time)
• “Do the thing” and stop living in prep mode
• Simple, repeatable habits that move your life forward
• Why God’s mercy being “new every morning” matters when you mess up your goals
• “Rule of Five” style consistency: small daily actions over big emotional resolutions
• Three storms in Scripture, three different reactions, and what that reveals in us

Timestamps (approx.)

• 00:01 New Year goals, fresh starts, and why habits win
• 06:30 Monica’s favorite annual goal: reading the Bible through
• 07:30 Resource shoutout: Side by Side podcast (Keith Birdsong)
• 12:30 The gym resolution crash and why “January 11” is the danger zone
• 15:30 “New mercies” and restarting when you fail
• 19:30 Pull-ups, travel, and why inconvenience kills vague goals
• 23:00 “Do the thing” (thinking, posting, prepping is not doing)
• 28:00 Storm seasons and what they reveal about our walk with God
• 33:30 Maxwell’s “Rule of Five” and taking five swings a day
• 36:11 Why we don’t love the word “resolutions”
• 37:36 The danger of not writing goals at all (even simple ones)

Scriptures and Biblical Moments Referenced

• Lamentations 3:22-23 (His mercies are new every morning)
• Jonah (storm, surrender, and God using the mess anyway)
• Jesus calming the storm (“Peace, be still”)
• Paul’s storm and shipwreck (and the viper on the island, Acts 27-28)
• Mentions/allusions to:
  • “Unto whom much is given, much is required”
  • “More than conquerors”
  • “I can do all things through Christ…”

Takeaways to Apply This Week

• Pick one tree (one focus) instead of swinging at everybody else’s trees.
• Define the tool (what actually works) and the five swings (daily actions).
• If you fell off track, don’t wait for next year. Restart tomorrow.
• Replace “I want to…” with “I do this on these days…”

Question to Reflect On

What is the thing you keep planning, talking about, or researching… but you still haven’t actually started?

Closing

If you’re in a storm, just know God will get glory through it. The question is whether we fight Him through the process or surrender and find peace in it.

Thanks for listening and hanging with us. We’re grateful for you.

Tags / Keywords

New Year habits, Christian encouragement, spiritual disciplines, goal setting, habits vs resolutions, Lamentations 3:22-23, discipline vs motivation, John Maxwell Rule of Five, faith and consistency, Bible in a year, Side by Side podcast, storms of life, obedience, prayer life, Christian podcast, Silver Lining Podcast, Luke and Monica

In this special Christmas Eve episode, Luke and Monica share the story they’ve been building toward since the beginning of the podcast—the moment that quietly changed everything.

What started as a simple Christmas card on Christmas Eve 2023 became the spark for deeper conversation, unexpected connection, and a relationship formed in the middle of grief, faith, and uncertainty.

This episode is raw, reflective, and full of heart as Luke and Monica walk through:

• Why this Christmas Eve story mattered so deeply to both of them
• How grief can make the holidays feel both heavy and holy at the same time
• The power of a thoughtful gesture at exactly the right moment
• How God often works behind the scenes when life feels like it’s falling apart
• Why “falling apart” can actually mean things are falling into place
• Navigating love, loss, and faith after deep grief
• A fresh perspective on remarriage, memories, and honoring the past without erasing it

Luke also shares a meaningful reflection on the first Christmas, drawing parallels between Mary and Joseph’s disrupted plans and the way God still brought beauty, purpose, and redemption through the chaos.

This episode is not a Hallmark movie—but it is real.
It’s about peace in uncertainty, hope in grief, and the quiet ways God writes stories we could never plan ourselves.

If you’re walking through a hard season this Christmas, or if the holidays feel different than they used to, this episode is for you.

🎄 Merry Christmas & Happy Christmas Eve from the Silver Lining Podcast 🎄