Is Your Marriage a Contract or a Covenant?

Is your marriage built to last—or to be left when it no longer meets your expectations? This week on A Purpose Driven Marriage, we're unpacking a foundational question: 👉 Are you living out your marriage as a contract… or a covenant? In a culture that glorifies self-fulfillment and exits at the first sign of discomfort, we're diving into the difference between the world's view of marriage and God's design. Through candid conversation, biblical truth, coaching insights, and real-life reflection, Duane and Nadine walk you through: What it means to have a contractual mindset vs. a covenantal mindset How contract-thinking leads to insecurity, conditional love, and emotional distance What the Bible teaches about covenant love (Genesis 2:24, Ephesians 5, Malachi 2:14) Why covenant love is about giving, not receiving How even secular studies—including those from Dr. John Gottman—support the benefits of covenant-style commitment How your view of marriage shapes your communication, intimacy, and long-term resilience Why covenant marriages don't just bless the couple—they shape generations   🔑 Key Takeaways Contract marriages say: "If you do this, I'll do that." Covenant marriages say: "Even if you don't, I'm still here." God's model for marriage is sacrificial, not transactional. The covenant mindset provides security, purpose, and spiritual alignment. You can shift from self-protection to selfless love—and your marriage will thrive for it. 🕰️ Timestamps (for YouTube or show description) 0:00 – Intro: Marriage by God's Design 2:45 – Culture's Contractual View of Marriage 6:15 – "I'll stay as long as I'm happy" – The Danger of Conditions 9:00 – How a contract mindset creates emotional insecurity 12:40 – What is a covenant marriage, really? 14:00 – God's blueprint: Ephesians 5 & sacrificial love 17:30 – When one spouse is struggling—what covenant commitment looks like 20:50 – Even if you're not a Christian, covenant principles still apply 21:45 – Research: Commitment = Relationship Success (Gottman, UVA, JFP) 24:00 – "Interested" vs. "Committed" mindsets 30:00 – Choosing love rooted in God, not performance 32:00 – A marriage that builds legacy for generations 34:00 – Listener challenge + closing encouragement   ✨ Follow us on Instagram & TikTok (@apurposedrivenmarriage) for daily marriage tips ✨ Want to work together? Book a coaching session at https://apurposedrivenmarriage.com/ ✨ Found this helpful? Send it to a friend or leave a review! It seriously means so much 💛

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