🎙️What do you do when your spouse brings up a dream that sounds a little crazy? In this episode, Brad and Marilyn share how one bold idea led to a life-changing transition—not because it was easy, but because they chose to trust God, think creatively, and pursue it together. Tune in and explore how you and your spouse can dream big and live with purpose—without being reckless or unrealistic.
Why Not?
Have you ever had a dream—one that felt exciting, a little scary, and maybe even impossible?
Maybe it’s to write a book, take a trip, start a business, or go into missions. But somewhere along the way, life got busy, money got tight, or someone called it impractical. So the dream went on a shelf.
This week on the podcast, Brad and Marilyn talk about how one dream—traveling together for six months—wasn’t a detour, but a step of obedience in transitioning into full-time ministry. It wasn’t a luxury sabbatical. It required years of saving, renting out their home for income, camping, living on a tight budget, and relying on friends and family along the way. It wasn’t easy—but it was worth it.
What makes this story powerful isn’t the travel. It’s the willingness to listen, pray, plan, and say yes to something that God might use for a bigger purpose.
What’s Your “Why Not”?
Most people have something they’ve always wanted to do—but talked themselves out of it. Maybe one of these sounds familiar:
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Write a book
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Take voice or music lessons
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Go on a mission trip
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Submit an article to a magazine
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Learn to paint, cook, sew, or fly a plane
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Start a side business
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Travel to a specific place
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Become an expert in something
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Audition for a play
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Spend a week with close friends
These dreams aren’t always “big” in the world’s eyes—but they can have deep impact on your growth, joy, and calling. And if you pursue them with your spouse’s support and wisdom, they can draw you closer together too.
So what’s stopping you?
How to Dream Together Without Going Off the Rails
When your spouse brings up a dream (or you do), it’s normal for fear and doubt to rise up. Here’s a helpful process to keep your marriage unified and your decisions grounded:
1. Listen before evaluating.
Let your spouse fully share their dream—without interrupting or jumping to the reasons it won’t work. Get curious. Ask questions. Allow them to feel heard and supported.
2. Pray.
Don’t rush the process. Seek the Lord for unity, peace, and discernment. Ask for wisdom, knowing He promises to give it.
3. Think creatively and practically.
Ask questions like:
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What would it take to do this in a realistic way?
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What’s the financial impact? Can we save over time?
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Could we trade something else to make this possible?
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If we don’t do this, will we regret it?
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Is there a scaled-back version of this dream we could start with?
4. Count the cost—but don’t get paralyzed by it.
What’s the worst-case scenario? If you can live with it and believe it’s worth the risk, it might be time to take the next step.
5. Move forward together.
If you’re not both at peace, wait. But don’t ignore the dream. Talk, research, and plan until you either say yes—or find a new version that brings unity.
You Don’t Have to Settle
Marriage isn’t just about managing a home or raising kids. It’s also about becoming who God made you to be—together.
Encourage each other. Challenge each other. Dream with each other.
You don’t have to quit your job or sell your house to do something meaningful. But you can live with purpose, take healthy risks, and walk by faith.
So take a moment and ask:
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What’s something I’ve always wanted to do—but never pursued?
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What’s holding me back?
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How can I support my spouse’s passions and dreams?
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What’s one step we can take toward a shared goal?
Life is short. Marriage is a gift. And sometimes the best question you can ask is: Why not?
A Word to Church Leaders
As a church leader, you have the unique opportunity to shape a culture where couples don’t just maintain their marriages—but live them with purpose.
Too often, couples settle into survival mode. They stop dreaming, stop growing, and stop asking God what He might want to do through them. But what if your church encouraged married couples to dream again? To pursue passions and callings with wisdom, unity, and faith?
And this starts with you.
In the demands of ministry, your own marriage can easily get squeezed out—pushed to the margins by a calendar full of meetings, crisis calls, and Sunday deadlines. But your marriage matters deeply. Not just as an example, but as a source of joy, strength, and longevity in your calling.
What would it look like for you and your spouse to dream again? To consider what brings life to your marriage, and how God might want to use your gifts together? What might God be inviting you into that you’ve pushed aside as impractical or inconvenient?
You can help others dream by modeling it yourself and by:
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Sharing stories of couples who’ve trusted God with “outside-the-box” steps
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Offering space and tools for couples to talk through life goals and dreams
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Teaching how to discern God’s voice and take action in unity
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Reminding your people that dreaming with God is not indulgent—it’s obedient
Encourage couples to ask:
“What have I always wanted to do, and why not now?”
“How could God use our gifts and passions for His glory?”
Let your church be a place where dreams are explored, not extinguished. Where couples see marriage not as a limitation—but a launchpad. And where ministry begins at home.
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