The Marriage Altar

Michael & Shana Williams

Welcome to The Marriage Altar—a sacred space for married couples who are holding on to hope when everything feels broken. We are Michael & Shana Williams, and we know what it feels like to struggle with a broken marriage, secrets, lies and addictions. But, we also know that God can restore anything. This podcast is for those walking through the fire: infidelity, betrayal, addiction, and the deep wounds no one sees. But more than that, it’s for those who believe—or are daring to believe—that God can still breathe life into what looks dead. Each episode offers honest conversations, Biblical truth, and practical encouragement for couples who are fighting for healing, restoration, and redemption in their marriage. Whether you're standing in the wreckage or walking the long road toward repair, this space was created to remind you that you're not alone—and that with God, healing is possible. At The Marriage Altar, we lay down pride, pain, and shame—and invite God to rebuild what only He can restore. Learn more about us by visiting www.shanastrange.net or email Shana@ShanaStrange.net Christian marriage help for veterans • PTSD and marriage problems • Combat veteran marriage issues • Military PTSD and relationships • Faith-based healing for PTSD • Marriage counseling for veterans • Trauma recovery in Christian marriage • Veterans struggling with marriage • Biblical healing from PTSD • Military couples and marriage crisis read less

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Guarding Your Marriage Against Busyness and Burnout

Guarding Your Marriage Against Busyness and Burnout

In this powerful and practical episode of The Marriage Altar, Shana and Michael get real about one of the biggest threats to modern marriages: busyness. If your calendar is full but your connection with your spouse feels empty, you're not alone—and you're not without hope. We dive into what burnout looks like in marriage, how constant hustle can slowly erode intimacy, and why guarding your relationship requires more than just scheduling date nights. You’ll hear biblical wisdom, personal reflections, and real-world strategies for protecting your covenant from the chaos of an overloaded life. What We Talk About: The subtle ways busyness pulls couples apart Recognizing the signs of marital burnout Why being “productive” doesn’t always mean being purposeful The spiritual cost of always being in a hurry Practical rhythms for rest, reconnection, and renewal How Sabbath and margin can strengthen your marriage Key Scripture:“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10 Takeaway Challenge:Choose one thing to say “no” to this week so you can say “yes” to your marriage. Resources Mentionened: Subscribe & Share:Love what you heard? Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a couple you care about. Grab our free resource - 7 Practical Ways to Keep Your Marriage Strong here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g4NC4kagypixLWYNOHCUddQ-jihV03Yd/view?usp=drivesdk For more info or to sign up for our email list, go to www.ShanaStrange.net Chapters (00:00:15) - Marriage Altar Podcast(00:01:09) - Spiritual Warfare(00:02:46) - How To Guard Your Marriage Against Busyness & Burnout(00:07:28) - American pastor: Our bodies are an idol(00:12:08) - How to Prioritize Your Life(00:17:28) - Marriage: Contempt and Physical(00:21:50) - Married Couple on a Controversial Situation(00:26:05) - How to Prioritize Your Marriage(00:28:21) - Marriage is a Spiritual Battle(00:33:15) - God's Design for Rest and Relationship(00:36:54) - Getting Away From the Crowd(00:41:41) - Six ways to guard the marriage(00:44:10) - How To Keep Your Marriage Together(00:49:44) - How to Detox From Digital Life(00:52:22) - Stop Striving and Be Still(00:54:52) - What Did We Have To Do To Stop Our Marriage(00:57:17) - How We Righted The Wrong in Our Marriage(00:58:10) - How to Get Out of Work With Love(01:01:51) - Challenge for Married People

Episodi

Guarding Your Marriage Against Busyness and Burnout

Guarding Your Marriage Against Busyness and Burnout

In this powerful and practical episode of The Marriage Altar, Shana and Michael get real about one of the biggest threats to modern marriages: busyness. If your calendar is full but your connection with your spouse feels empty, you're not alone—and you're not without hope. We dive into what burnout looks like in marriage, how constant hustle can slowly erode intimacy, and why guarding your relationship requires more than just scheduling date nights. You’ll hear biblical wisdom, personal reflections, and real-world strategies for protecting your covenant from the chaos of an overloaded life. What We Talk About: The subtle ways busyness pulls couples apart Recognizing the signs of marital burnout Why being “productive” doesn’t always mean being purposeful The spiritual cost of always being in a hurry Practical rhythms for rest, reconnection, and renewal How Sabbath and margin can strengthen your marriage Key Scripture:“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10 Takeaway Challenge:Choose one thing to say “no” to this week so you can say “yes” to your marriage. Resources Mentionened: Subscribe & Share:Love what you heard? Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a couple you care about. Grab our free resource - 7 Practical Ways to Keep Your Marriage Strong here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g4NC4kagypixLWYNOHCUddQ-jihV03Yd/view?usp=drivesdk For more info or to sign up for our email list, go to www.ShanaStrange.net Chapters (00:00:15) - Marriage Altar Podcast(00:01:09) - Spiritual Warfare(00:02:46) - How To Guard Your Marriage Against Busyness & Burnout(00:07:28) - American pastor: Our bodies are an idol(00:12:08) - How to Prioritize Your Life(00:17:28) - Marriage: Contempt and Physical(00:21:50) - Married Couple on a Controversial Situation(00:26:05) - How to Prioritize Your Marriage(00:28:21) - Marriage is a Spiritual Battle(00:33:15) - God's Design for Rest and Relationship(00:36:54) - Getting Away From the Crowd(00:41:41) - Six ways to guard the marriage(00:44:10) - How To Keep Your Marriage Together(00:49:44) - How to Detox From Digital Life(00:52:22) - Stop Striving and Be Still(00:54:52) - What Did We Have To Do To Stop Our Marriage(00:57:17) - How We Righted The Wrong in Our Marriage(00:58:10) - How to Get Out of Work With Love(01:01:51) - Challenge for Married People

Laugh, Love, Fun: Why Your Marriage Needs More Play

Laugh, Love, Fun: Why Your Marriage Needs More Play

Let's face it...most marriages are full of monotonous day to day operations of child rearing, working, attending to other dutes that can suck the life out of a marriage. Most marriages are not usually full of laughing and just plain old having fun with one another. In this episode, we chat about the importance of having fun and carving out time for play in your marraige, and the dire consequences of NOT creating space for it. Do you need creative ideas for your marriage to bring more fun and laughter into it? We dive into that as well. Check out this free download for 40 FREE date night ideas! https://drive.google.com/file/d/145M3oVtB2SQ5UmZBojz5XyioiCdbObAK/view?usp=sharing To contact us, email us at Shana@ShanaStrange.net #christianmarriagepodcast #healthymarriage #healthychrisitanmarriage #marriagerestoration #christianmarriagetestimony #marriagehelp #veteranhelp #chrisitantherapy #christianfun #christianhealing #christiancouple Chapters (00:00:15) - Wonders of the Kingdom Podcast(00:02:14) - Need More Fun in Your Marriage(00:07:07) - Having Fun With Your Family(00:10:05) - Married Man On An Internet Dating Site(00:12:57) - Wedding Hike In The Ozarks(00:16:37) - I Should've Seen The Vinella(00:20:26) - Married Couple Talk About Their Love(00:23:41) - Oh, The Dogon Tribe!(00:26:11) - Benefits of Play in Marriage(00:30:55) - Married Couples Talk About Fun Things(00:34:46) - Can You Get On Your Wife's nerves?(00:38:03) - Gen X couples: Put Your Phone Down(00:42:09) - Married People: What Are Some Barriers To Fun?(00:46:05) - Married People Talk About Getting Out Of The Rut(00:48:47) - How to Cope in a Stressful Marriage(00:49:30) - Challenge to Plan a Fun, Light-Hearted Activity With(00:50:59) - Have A Little Fun In Your Marriage(00:53:55) - Getting Renewed(00:57:13) - QUESTION & A REVIEW

Letting Go of the Lies in Your Marriage

Letting Go of the Lies in Your Marriage

Tell me lies....or actually, DON'T tell me lies! In this episode of The Marriage Altar, we dive into the lies we tell ourselves, the lies we tell each other and the huge negative impact they have on the marriage. How can you come clean and move into restoration? What does it look like to have an honest marriage with God at the center? We also share practical ways to deal with lies in your marriage and how to create a marriage of transparency and full honesty. Contact us at Shana@ShanaStrange.net Catch The Foxes by Shana Strange, copyright 2020 Please subscribe and share our podcast with someone that needs to hear it today! www.The-Marriage-Altar-podcast.castos.com www.ShanaStrange.net Chapters (00:00:15) - Texas floods: prayers for the victims(00:01:50) - Letting Go of Lies in My Marriage(00:07:15) - How To Lie To Yourself During Sex Addiction(00:13:08) - Why We Lie in Our Relationships(00:18:50) - How to Win a Marriage With a Lie(00:19:30) - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Marriage(00:21:06) - How To Stop Lying To Yourself(00:23:32) - How to Cut a Hackberry Tree Down(00:26:35) - Ways to Cut a Tree Down(00:31:32) - How To Stop Lying To Your Wife(00:36:30) - The Lie of the Christian Marriage(00:38:40) - Forgiveness After A Cheating Spouse's Lies(00:43:45) - Living in the Mercy Seat(00:46:13) - Real Christians Don't Lie(00:51:20) - Ways to Ruin a Marriage(00:52:15) - How to Overcome Lies in Your Marriage(00:56:36) - Talking About Communication in Your Marriage(00:58:07) - How to Overcome a Cardiac Aneurysm(01:02:45) - How to Help Your Partner When They're Having a Hard Time(01:08:19) - How to Help a Divorced Veteran Get Back Together!

Is This Spiritual Warfare? How to Discern the Invisible Battle for Your Marriage

Is This Spiritual Warfare? How to Discern the Invisible Battle for Your Marriage

In this powerful episode of The Marriage Altar, we're digging into a question every couple in crisis has asked: Is this spiritual warfare? You'll learn how to discern when your marriage is under spiritual attack, how the enemy strategizes and uses confusion, division and exhaustion to weaken your covenant, and what the Bible says about how to fight this battle. Whether you're dealing with betrayal, emotional distance, addictions, or just can't seem to get on the same page, this episode will help you identify the invisible war behind the visible problems- and equip you to fight with truth, faith and authority. Contact us at Shana@ShanaStrange.net Chapters (00:00:15) - Catch us foxes(00:00:28) - The New Jurassic Park: Episode 1(00:03:36) - What Led To The Family Breakdown(00:05:11) - Spiritual Warfare(00:09:39) - When You Can't Join a Church(00:11:41) - God Bringing It Out of Commercialism(00:13:18) - Disillusionment in Spiritual Warfare(00:17:37) - Christian Warfare: Schisms and Plans of the Devil(00:22:24) - How I Could Have Stopped My Suicide Attempt(00:28:13) - Satan Attacks My Husband Nonstop(00:33:15) - How to Defeat the Devil (Ephesians 6)(00:36:44) - Adam Hartley on Living in Sin(00:40:44) - How To Overcome Insecurity In Your Relationship With God(00:46:04) - How to Win an Alcoholic Marriage(00:49:34) - Alcoholics Talk About Their Problems(00:53:01) - God Will Hold You Accountable For Drinking Alcohol(00:57:51) - 11 Confessions From An Intimate Relationship With God(01:02:04) - Couple Spiritual Warfare(01:03:23) - Another Blessings for Couples

The Link Between Trauma, Addiction and Marital Problems

The Link Between Trauma, Addiction and Marital Problems

Join us as we explore this topic in detail to uncover the connection between trauma and marital problems. We will answer your questions and give insight into the role it plays as well as how to recognize issues in your marriage that are directly related. We dive into Michael's life to reveal the role that trauma played in his addictive behaviors that resulted in marital strain and damage to the relationship. If you or your spouse are struggling with addictive behavior, this episode can really shed some light on getting to the root of it. To contact us, email us at Shana@ShanaStrange.net #christianmarriagehelp #christianmarriagetestimony #christianpodcast #marriagepodcast #veteranhelp #veteransandPTSD #helpforhurtingmarriages Chapters (00:00:12) - Crazy Day in the Life(00:00:51) - The Healing of An Addict(00:02:05) - How Trauma Affects Your Marriage(00:07:39) - James and Carl on Poverty Growing Up(00:12:51) - "I'm Going To Heaven In My Family"(00:13:08) - The Trauma of Child Sexual Abuse(00:13:24) - What is Trauma?(00:16:46) - Drug Abuse and Sexual Addiction(00:22:55) - Sexual Addiction in the Military(00:26:26) - How Sexual Addictions Play Into the Marriage(00:32:01) - What An Addict Needs To Know About Adrenaline(00:37:26) - In the Elevator With Alcoholics(00:39:10) - March is Mental Health Awareness Month(00:40:37) - The Suicide Rate of Men(00:45:54) - Veteran Suicides(00:49:31) - "What Have You Let Go Of Your Marriage?"(00:51:44) - Gaslighting(00:56:33) - How to Get Out Of Depression

Blindsided By Betrayal: Finding God in the Ruins

Blindsided By Betrayal: Finding God in the Ruins

The weight of betrayal in a marraige is crushing and life-changing for the victim. In an instant, life is forever changed and the innocence of the trust you once knew can never be fully regained. We know this unfortunate truth all too well. But, God can be found in the ruins of a broken marriage and He is more than ready and able to help you rebuild trust, repair the damage and ultimately heal your marriage. This episode is from the viewpoint of the betrayed spouse and Shana gives insight and truths to help anyone going through infidelity and betrayal. When God is in the middle of your story, you always have hope! Contact us at Shana@ShanaStrange.net #Godhealsbrokenmarriages #Christianmarriagepodcast #veteranPTSD #hopeforhurtingmarriages #christianforgivenessinmarriage #marriagealtar Chapters (00:00:15) - Episode 2(00:01:50) - Blindsided by Betrayal(00:03:32) - How I Should've handled the PTSD in my Marriage(00:07:51) - The Affair That Hurt My Marriage(00:11:03) - The Moment I Knew He Was Considering Suicide(00:15:10) - What I Remember Of The Day I Was Caught(00:16:11) - Married Veteran on His Affair(00:18:37) - The PTSD Survivor Who Saved His Life(00:22:49) - The best place to live(00:23:11) - Married Couple's Suicide Attempt(00:26:55) - What I Did To Stop Worrying About My Marriage(00:31:50) - God Tells Elisha to Dig the Ditches(00:33:12) - The Prodigal Love Letter(00:38:07) - The Secret To A Good Marriage(00:38:32) - One Year Later: What's It Been Like For You(00:42:12) - Reveal: The Trauma of Trust(00:46:16) - How To Deal With Anxiety When You've Been Betrayed(00:51:28) - Married Sex Addicts Talk About Their Issues(00:54:28) - How To Win A Cheater's Love(00:58:16) - "Love Is Always a Risk"(00:59:35) - How To Forgive Someone Who Has PTSD(01:04:23) - How To Tell Someone You Are an Alcoholic Sex Addict(01:09:23) - Pray for Me(01:10:52) - Blessed Week 2

Our Story of Addiction, Betrayal and Restoration

Our Story of Addiction, Betrayal and Restoration

What happens when the fairytale fades and you're left with the ashes of betrayal, addiction and heartbreak? In this raw and redemptive first episode of The Marriage Altar, Michael & Shana open up about the painful beginnings of their story-and the powerful restoration only God could bring. This episode is more than a testimony-it's a declaration of hope. Michael and Shana walk through their darkest moments, from addiction and secrecy to the devastation of betrayal...but that's not the end. Through grace, faith and unwavering pursuit of healing, God turned their pain into a platform. If your marriage feels broken beyond repair, you are invited to listen. This is the beginning of a podcast built for couples who need restoration, healing and real answers through Christ. For more information about our marriage coaching, contact us at Shana@ShanaStrange.net. #marriagerestoration #christiantestimony #faithoverfailure #addictionrecoverystory #infidelityrecovery #jesusheals #christianmarriagepodcast #themarriagealtarpodcast #frombrokentorestored #veteranmarriagerestoration Chapters (00:00:15) - THE MARRIAGE ALARM Podcast(00:02:15) - How I Met My Soulmate on Match.com(00:06:26) - How I Knew I Was Ready To Marry My Wife On(00:08:50) - How My Love Got Engaged At 21(00:12:00) - The Marriage Alarm(00:17:00) - A Vet Reveals He Was In A Relationship With Another Woman(00:21:11) - Veteran on How He Almost Killed Himself(00:26:06) - The Man Who Almost Murdered Himself(00:31:37) - How I Left My Wife With a Loaded Gun(00:35:48) - One of my best friends came to the Lord after a traumatic experience(00:40:21) - Receiving the Prodigal Back Home(00:43:55) - Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Risky Behavior(00:46:38) - My Experiencing ptsd in the Military(00:49:22) - How To Cope With An Afflicted Wife(00:53:55) - Wonders of the World: Accountability and Coaching(00:58:15) - Veterans on VA Suicide Crisis Podcast(01:03:22) - Happy Memorial Day to Gold Star Families