Practical Faith Academy - Episode 14 - Bruce and Deb Potts, Changing Self to Change Life and Marriage

The Practical Faith Academy Podcast from Cecil Taylor Ministries presents guests who have important things to say about putting your faith into practice. Cecil interviews each guest to understand their life stories and their ideas for living a seven-day practical faith.

Deb and Bruce Potts have served as marriage mentors in their church for a dozen years, using techniques they’ve learned during 48 years of marriage. The Potts also endured a trying health crisis that overlapped with the pandemic, which stretched and renewed their faith. Their wisdom about marriage and about life shines in this podcast that focuses on changing yourself to help your marriage and to equip you to deal with life’s difficulties.

Highlights of the podcast:  (:31 start) (+1:01 delta)

1:55 (ORIG 0:54) Their definitions of a seven-day practical faith

4:57 (ORIG 3:56) The role that faith plays in their marriage

7:23 (ORIG 6:22) On Christ being in the center of their marriage

9:01 (ORIG 8:00) Three key principles they share with couples.

11:33 (ORIG 10:32) How reactions to family of origin affect marriage and parenting

14:36 (ORIG 13:35) Bruce talks about his medical crisis requiring two brain surgeries during the Covid pandemic, how his faith helped him during that time, and how the crisis changed his approach to life.

19:55 (ORIG 18:54) Deb’s experience during Bruce’s hospital stay in isolation and how faith and community pulled her through.

23:49 (ORIG 22:48) Why and how they wrote a novel, “Love on Life Support,” about Bruce’s crisis within the Covid crisis.

28:37 (ORIG 27:36) The hardest part for them about putting faith into practice.

31:03 (ORIG 30:02) Their best tips for developing and maintaining a seven-day practical faith.

32:02 (ORIG 31:01) How people can learn more about their work in marriage mentoring

You can learn more about what the Potts offer at DebPotts.com and by searching for MarriageMentorMoments on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Also check out their award-winning book, “Love on Life Support," which can be accessed from their website or from Amazon.

Cecil Taylor is an author, speaker, podcaster, blogger, and provider of Instant Content to churches and small groups. Please register for Cecil’s free monthly newsletter on the Cecil Taylor Ministries home page. You’ll receive a free gift, which changes from time to time, and the newsletter itself will enrich you with practical faith tips, tips for your church, updates on Cecil Taylor Ministries, a devotional, and more. It’s the best way to stay in touch with Cecil!

Cecil is now a Chicken Soup for the Soul author! He is a contributor to “Tales of Christmas,” a Chicken Soup for the Soul book that was released on Oct. 15.

You can learn more about Cecil and what he offers at https://www.CecilTaylorMinistries.com, at https://www.facebook.com/ceciltaylorministries , and the Cecil Taylor Ministries YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHP_khu3r77ubl5jvHsf5-w .

Cecil’s parenting advice can be found at his new website, https://www.UnisonParenting.com, at  https://www.instagram.com/unison_parenting/ and at https://www.pinterest.com/CecilTaylorMinistries.

For more free content like this from Cecil Taylor Ministries, visit https://www.CecilTaylorMinistries.com/free-content.

Cecil’s books and video studies can be found and purchased through https://www.CecilTaylorMinistries.com. Every video study’s first lesson can be seen for free via the Free Content link above by clicking on “Sample Lessons.”

Cecil’s Instant Content portfolio of books and video studies includes:

- NEW: “Unison Parenting: The Comprehensive Guide to Navigating Christian Parenthood with One Voice” (book and eWorkbook available now; book study Leader Guide and first video study available in early 2025). Cecil provides proven parenting strategies with an underlying layer of parenting in unison through all the ages and stages of a child’s life. The goal is to help the child become a mature adult who makes good decisions.

- “From Comfort Zone to Trust Zone” (book, six-week video study, Leader Guide, and Participant’s Guide). Cecil explores a dozen Bible studies of Jesus inviting people out of their comfort zones into their trust zones and how to apply these stories to our lives today. You’ll uncover your own comfort zones and learn how to deepen your faith by getting uncomfortable for Jesus.

- “The Next Thing” (book, five-week video study, Leader Guide, and Participant’s Guide). “The Next Thing” supplies a four-part Christian model for dealing with crisis. You’ll find the model to be flexible and applicable to many crises.

- “Live Like You’re Loved” (book, five-week video study, Leader Guide, and Participant’s Guide). “Live Like You’re Loved” affirms that God loves you, forgives you, sends you, and walks with you in eternal relationship. You’ll learn how to embed each of these scriptural truths into your daily life.