The Art of Relationships Podcast

In this episode, Chris and Alisa Grace explore why personality differences don’t have to mean incompatibility. From planning versus spontaneity to different preferences for socializing, spending, and keeping things tidy, they discuss how the qualities that first attract us can become sources of frustration. Through personal stories and biblical wisdom, they offer practical ways to assume the best, understand each other’s backstory, and approach difficult conversations with humility and grace. Whether you’re navigating differences with a spouse, significant other, roommate, friend, or family member, this episode will help you appreciate how you’re each wired while taking meaningful steps to grow together.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gE3CStdYC40
Resources Mentioned:
Going Deeper Together: Spiritual Armor Required – A five-lesson course equipping couples to recognize the enemy’s tactics and stand strong together using practical, biblical tools.
Philippians 2:3–4 – A reminder to approach relationships with humility and consider the interests of others.
Psalm 139:23–24 – An invitation to ask God to search our hearts and reveal areas where we need to grow.
Connect with Us:
Website: cmr.biola.edu
Facebook: facebook.com/biolacmr
Instagram: instagram.com/biolacmr
YouTube: youtube.com/@biola-cmr
Join the Conversation:
Subscribe to The Art of Relationships Podcast to never miss an episode.
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to help others discover the show.
Share this episode with someone who could benefit from these relationship insights.
Sign up for weekly updates and resources from the Center for Marriage and Relationships!
About the Hosts:
Chris Grace, Ph.D., and Alisa Grace are passionate about helping people build and sustain healthy relationships. As leaders of the Biola University Center for Marriage and Relationships, they combine the wisdom of Scripture with scholarly research to offer practical advice and insights. Learn more about their work at cmr.biola.edu.

In this episode, Alisa Grace is joined by guest co-host Tatum Munivez to explore how every marriage brings two cultures together, even when spouses come from similar backgrounds. They discuss how family traditions, faith practices, emotional expression, and approaches to conflict shape our expectations of marriage. Through personal stories and practical examples, they share how to replace criticism with curiosity, distinguish cultural preferences from biblical convictions, and honor extended family while creating a culture of your own. Whether you’re dating, engaged, or married, this episode offers tools to navigate differences with empathy, communicate your needs, and build meaningful traditions together.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EhQ93pf34xo
Resources Mentioned:
John Gottman’s Four Horsemen – Learn about criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling, the harmful communication patterns discussed in this episode. Read more.
Scripture References – Genesis 2:24 on leaving and cleaving, Psalm 139 on God’s intimate knowledge of us, and Philippians 2:3–4 on considering others’ needs.
Center for Marriage and Relationships – Explore resources to help strengthen your marriage and relationships. Visit cmr.biola.edu.
Connect with Us:
Website: cmr.biola.edu
Facebook: facebook.com/biolacmr
Instagram: instagram.com/biolacmr
YouTube: youtube.com/@biola-cmr
Join the Conversation:
Subscribe to The Art of Relationships Podcast to never miss an episode.
Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform to help others discover the show.
Share this episode with someone navigating different family traditions or expectations in their relationship.
Sign up for weekly updates and resources from the Center for Marriage and Relationships!
About the Hosts:
Chris Grace, Ph.D., and Alisa Grace are passionate about helping people build and sustain healthy relationships. As leaders of the Biola University Center for Marriage and Relationships, they combine the wisdom of Scripture with scholarly research to offer practical advice and insights. Learn more about their work at cmr.biola.edu.
Guest Co-Host: In this episode, Tatum Munivez, CMR’s Communications and Marketing Manager, joins Alisa and shares personal insights from her own marriage.

In this episode, Chris and Alisa Grace explore what it means when you and your spouse do not always see the world the same way. They discuss why compatibility does not mean sameness, how differences can trigger deeper insecurities, and why conflict often feels threatening when the stakes seem high. Through practical examples involving money, parenting, social preferences, and faith, Chris and Alisa explain how humility, grace, and honest communication can help couples stop trying to change each other and begin appreciating what each person brings to the relationship. Whether you are dating, engaged, newly married, or have been together for decades, this episode will help you navigate differences, challenge the stories you may be telling yourself, and create a relationship where both people feel known, accepted, and emotionally safe.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4cLExII7C38

Resources Mentioned:
Weekend to Remember in Bellingham – Join Chris and Alisa at FamilyLife’s Weekend to Remember marriage getaway at Semiahmoo Resort Golf & Spa in Blaine, Washington, October 23–25, 2026. https://cmr.biola.edu/events/2026/familylife-weekend-to-remember-marriage-getaway-bellingham-wa

Connect with Us:
Website: cmr.biola.edu
Facebook: facebook.com/biolacmr
Instagram: instagram.com/biolacmr
YouTube: youtube.com/@biola-cmr

Join the Conversation:
Subscribe to The Art of Relationships Podcast so you never miss an episode.
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show.
Share this episode with someone who could benefit from these relationship insights.
Sign up for weekly updates and resources from the Center for Marriage and Relationships. http://eepurl.com/bgsuQv

About the Hosts:
Chris Grace, Ph.D., and Alisa Grace are passionate about helping people build and sustain healthy relationships. As directors of the Biola University Center for Marriage and Relationships, they combine the wisdom of Scripture with scholarly research to offer practical advice and insights. Learn more about their work at cmr.biola.edu.

In this episode, Chris and Alisa Grace are joined by Tatum Munivez to answer some of the burning marriage questions couples are really asking. From keeping physical intimacy alive when you're exhausted to navigating disagreement, reconnecting when your marriage feels distant, setting healthy boundaries with difficult in-laws, and building a more Christ-centered home, they tackle real challenges that can show up in every season of marriage.
Chris and Alisa share practical, biblical wisdom for listening to understand, validating your spouse even when you disagree, prioritizing your marriage, seeking help when you're struggling, and growing together spiritually. Whether you're newly married, raising kids, walking through a difficult season, or simply wanting to strengthen your connection with your spouse, this episode offers encouragement and tangible ways to pursue a healthier, more connected marriage.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gDOgoeUZWs4
Resources Mentioned:
Spiritual Intimacy Scale - A 28-question assessment from Dr. Chris and Alisa Grace to help couples measure and grow the spiritual closeness in their marriage. Download the Spiritual Intimacy Scale
The Sacred Pathways - A self-assessment based on Gary Thomas's work to help you discover which of the nine spiritual temperaments best describes how you connect with God. Take the Sacred Pathways Assessment
Going Deeper Together: Spiritual Armor Required - A five-lesson course designed to help couples recognize the enemy's tactics and stand strong together using practical, biblical tools. Learn More
Connect with Us:
Website: cmr.biola.edu
Facebook: facebook.com/biolacmr
Instagram: instagram.com/biolacmr
YouTube: youtube.com/@biola-cmr
Join the Conversation:
Subscribe to The Art of Relationships Podcast to never miss an episode.
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show.
Share this episode with someone who could benefit from these relationship insights.
Have a burning relationship question? Email us at cmr@biola.edu, and we may answer it in a future episode.
Sign up for weekly updates and resources from the Center for Marriage and Relationships! http://eepurl.com/bgsuQv
About the Hosts:
Chris Grace, Ph.D., and Alisa Grace are passionate about helping people build and sustain healthy relationships. As leaders of the Biola University Center for Marriage and Relationships, they combine the wisdom of Scripture with scholarly research to offer practical advice and insights. Learn more about their work at cmr.biola.edu.

In this episode, Chris Grace is joined by psychology student Patrick Flanigan to explore the power of biblical discipleship and why following Jesus was never meant to be a solo journey. Together, they unpack the difference between mentorship and discipleship and what it looks like to intentionally walk alongside someone in their faith.
They discuss why discipleship requires honesty, vulnerability, and a willingness to be inconvenienced for others. They also explore how having someone further along in their faith can help us navigate doubt and hardship, why disciplers don’t need to have everything figured out, and how being fully known can open the door to deeper spiritual growth.

Whether you’re looking for someone to disciple you or wondering how God might use you to invest in someone else, this conversation offers practical encouragement to take the next step. Patrick and Chris challenge listeners to be proactive, embrace vulnerability, and pursue relationships where they can both learn from someone ahead of them and pour into someone coming behind them.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5LpW91-sFgA

Resources Mentioned:
The Great Commission (Matthew 28) - Jesus’ call to His followers to go and make disciples, a reminder that discipleship is part of the calling of every Christian.
Paul and Timothy - A biblical model of discipleship that demonstrates what it can look like to intentionally invest in someone’s faith and prepare them to disciple others.
Matthew 25: The Sheep and the Goats - A passage that has shaped Patrick’s desire to remain willing to be inconvenienced in order to serve and invest in others.
Connect with Us:
Website: cmr.biola.edu
Facebook: facebook.com/biolacmr
Instagram: instagram.com/biolacmr
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@biola-cmr
Join the Conversation:
Subscribe to The Art of Relationships Podcast to never miss an episode.
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show.
Share this episode with someone who could benefit from these relationship insights.
Sign up for weekly updates and resources from the Center for Marriage and Relationships! http://eepurl.com/bgsuQv
About the Host:
Chris Grace, Ph.D., is passionate about helping people build and sustain healthy relationships. As co-director of the Biola University Center for Marriage and Relationships, he combines the wisdom of Scripture with scholarly research to offer practical advice and insights. Learn more about his work at cmr.biola.edu.