Thoughts and stories about staying connected to the people you love in the midst of pain and disappointment. Matt & Aurore [Cora] share honest experiences from their own marriage and life at home with 4 kids in rural Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Publisher
Matthew Dawson
Category
kids & family · religion & spirituality · society & culture
Is this relationship killing me, or setting me free?
A close relationship is always going to bring about a change in both individuals. The closer and more significant the relationship is, the more powerfully transformational it becomes. But is it producing a positive change, or a negative one? Sometimes, in a moment of crisis, it’s hard to tell the difference. Some pain is a healthy sign of growth, like your muscles aching after the gym. Other pain is a sign of dysfunction, and a warning that something really needs to change. How can we tell the difference?
In this episode, I interview Stevie Lujan, one of my dearest, long-term friends. One of the things I admire most about Stevie is the way he approaches relational challenges with the people closest to him. I ask him some tough questions, especially about his relationship with his wife Rachel, who is also a dear friend of ours. Stevie doesn’t hold back in sharing openly about how they turn painful situations into healing, growth, and deeper connection. Solid Gold!!!
26 Nov 2025
How can I not go crazy when staying with my family?
Most [if not all] of us are well familiar with the challenges of being an adult, spending a period of time at home with our parents. Whether it’s moving back in with the folks long term, or just a weekend together with the fam, something about being back under mom and dad’s roof can bring old, unhealthy patterns from childhood right back to the surface.
In this episode, I once again interview my daughter Keana. After 18 months of being out of our home, she’s now spending a season back with us and is navigating the tricky dynamics that come with relating to Cora and I and her younger siblings. We share openly about our own relationship, and Keana gives some helpful tips about how to move back in with the family, whilst also maintaining your personal values and boundaries, and basically just not going completely mental.
22 Oct 2025
What does it take to heal a relationship?
When people go through significant life changes, relationships get tested. Sometimes the circumstances and chemistry that brought two people together changes significantly. The question becomes whether or not the connection between them is strong enough to adapt to the new season, new circumstances, and perhaps even the new convictions that one or both of them carry.
In this episode, I interview my oldest daughter, Keana [19]. She is someone I deeply respect and admire, and on this particular topic, she carries a unique perspective that’s well worth listening to. We talk openly about our own relationship, and she gives her thoughts about what it really takes from two people to heal a relationship that has been strained or broken.
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 16 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
20
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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