Today on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, we're going to address a common longing that couples have for their marriages, but many of us just aren't sure how to get there.

The topic is not something that we recommend for young children, so please direct their attention elsewhere.

Here's Dr. Julie Slattery with an explanation.

Now, if I meet a couple who will really describe sexual intimacy, fulfilling sexual intimacy

for both of them, I know that couple has been on a long journey of learning to communicate,

learning to forgive each other, learning to show each other grace, learning to seek God, because it's impossible

to achieve that without walking through selfishness and brokenness.

John, we're going to have many, many couples leaning in today to this conversation, and I hope

some single adults as well, because what Julie described right in that clip is the desire

of all of our hearts, a lifelong committed marriage where we can celebrate the intimacy that God

intended for us. And I don't know why, but in this modern era, it seems very elusive to get there.

Tragically, far too many couples aren't experiencing that kind of intimacy,

and it's a hidden shameful secret in their lives because they don't know how to communicate

through the pain and frustration with each other, let alone with a friend, a pastor, or some

confident person that they can go to. If that problem describes where you're at

in your relationship, where your sexuality feels more painful and broken than healthy,

we have some important help for you today. We certainly do. Dr. Slattery is with us here today

and is a clinical psychologist and the president of authentic intimacy,

which is a ministry devoted to reclaiming God's design for sexuality. Julie has written a book

that will be the basis for our conversation today called God's sex and your marriage.

And we'll have details in the program notes or give us a call, 800, the letter A and the word family.

Let me also add, John, that we have caring Christian counselors.

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