Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol is a weekly podcast dedicated to helping men, women, and couples experience good health, loving relationships and joyful spirituality that Jesus came to bring.
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Raising Christian Kids in an LGBTQ+ World
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The rapid increase in LGBTQ+ issues in our culture leaves many Christian parents struggling with how to navigate these realities with their children in ways that are both loving and aligned to their Christian faith. Dr. Carol's guest on today's episode is Ellen Radcliff. She was raised in a Christian home and also wrestles with same-sex attraction.…
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Authentic Intimacy, Sexual Wholeness, and Freedom from Shame for Christian Women
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Christian women, young and old, often struggle with a disconnect between what their intellect may know is "right" about sexuality, God, and relationships, and what their own experience has been. Pornography or other ungodly sexual behaviors only add to their sexual shame and feeling of being stuck. On this episode Dr. Carol talks with Dr. Joy Skark…
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How Your Deepest Healing Comes From Allowing Jesus and Others Into Your Wounds
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We all get wounded. What do you do with your wounds? As humans we naturally hide the parts of us we deem least presentable. And that very hiding is what prevents the deep healing and transformation Jesus longs to bring. In this moving and personal episode, author, pastor, and ministry director Russell Joyce talks with Dr. Carol about how Jesus find…
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Our culture seems obsessed with sex. Then why do so many men seem to experience sexual desire as a place of brokenness, shame, struggle, and confusion? Dr. Carol's guest on this episode asserts that men are oversexualized yet sexually undernourished, and that many men need more talk, not less, about sexuality. Experienced therapist and author Sam J…
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The Christian Single Experience: How to Navigate the Challenges to Living Fully Alive
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While approximately 50% of those who call themselves Christian in the developed world are unmarried, only about 25% of the typical church attendees are unmarried. Where are the other single Christians? Many unmarried Christians report unique struggles in their walk with God. They often report feeling disconnected or even alienated from the body of …
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Your Desire to Belong: Finding Our Place in the World and in the Love of God
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The need to belong is deep in our human souls. We are almost always asking, "Am I on the inside? Or on the outside?" Loneliness has strong negative impacts on our physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Dr. Carol's conversation with writer, speaker, and podcaster Sarah E. Westfall will help you navigate your need to belong, and how that comes…
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Securely Attached to God: Experiencing Being WITH Jesus
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46:07
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More religious stuff to do. So much performance leads to anxiety and exhaustion. When our attachment to God is insecure, or is based on our own activity and behavior, there's no life. Anglican priest and spiritual director Summer Joy Gross has walked the journey to become securely attached to God. She talks with Dr. Carol on this episode about how …
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A Story of Pursuing Wholeness in a Marriage Harmed by Betrayal, Emotional Deprivation, and Autism
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Marriage is hard. And it can be really hard when you face betrayal, neurodiversity, old baggage, emotional deprivation, and more. Shawna Meek has faced all this, and has chosen to stay married. She talks with Dr. Carol about what helped her stay - and stay sane - in the middle of all the mess. You may or may not make the same choice Shawna has. But…
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Resilience: How to Stand Firm When Facing Spiritual Opposition
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Your journey to wholeness - sexually and otherwise - will be opposed. That opposition comes from both inside you and from outside you. That opposition includes pressure from the kingdom of darkness. Not everything is spiritual warfare, but understanding this aspect of what you will face helps you be prepared and successful in facing the opposition.…
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Is it a Good Thing When You Don’t Get What You Want?
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We often don’t get what we want and that is often a good thing. Desire—including sexual desire—can often be in disorder. Today’s follower of Jesus exist at a moment in history when our desires, longings, and wants are being weaponized against us by cultural, spiritual, and relational forces. “Follow your heart” and “You do you” has become our momen…
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It’s never really about sex. Matters of the heart and a desire for intimacy are imbedded in humans since creation. But what does that mean if you are married? Or single? God gave us desire; he gave us this longing … the Greeks called it eros, passion, It’s the deepest desire of our heart. However, our world has hijacked eros, it just sees it as ero…
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What Healing from Trauma and Betrayal can Mean for Your Marriage Now
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Your heart is shattered. How can you find healing when you've been wounded by trauma and betrayal? And that process is even more challenging when you brought your past complex trauma into the relationship to begin with. Trauma expert and counselor Stacey Sadler Smith has both experienced that herself, and now brings years of professional experience…
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Understanding the (False) Solution Porn Offers and Why it Matters
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Many who use pornography struggle to quit when they try to, even if they deeply believe it's wrong and even while using various tricks and techniques and "praying more". Porn is often seen as the problem, and it is a problem. But what if porn is the (false) solution being offered to a different "problem". On this vulnerable and raw episode, Dr. Car…
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A Survivor's Story of Freedom from Trafficking
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Most people know sex trafficking exists. But you might imagine that's something "out there" and could never affect anyone close to you. And why would someone ever get hooked into that lifestyle? Why don't they just leave? Dr. Carol's guest on this episode is Jasmine Grace Marino. As a former sex worker who now helps and advocates for others on the …
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The Best-Kept and Proven Secret for Improving Your Mental Health
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May is mental health awareness month. It's no secret that mental health issues have become a pandemic in our culture. How can Christians navigate their own mental health in ways that are both effective and consistent with their faith? And what might the Christian church have to offer in the broader mental health arena? Joe Padilla, licensed and ord…
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Why Being a Real Man is Different than you Think, and How to Get There
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With all the talk in the last few years about "toxic masculinity," what is a real man? Does it have to do with doing "manly" things such as sports or being outdoors? It can't be being "nice;" that's not appealing. What's really at the core of being a man, particularly as God intended? Author, radio host, and advocate for children's healing Brant Ha…
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Are You Getting What You Wanted: The Christian Man's Key to the Life You Always Wanted
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What did you expect out of life and marriage? Are you getting what you wanted? Life can get busy and overwhelming for a man in the "stress bubble" in trying to manage life, marriage, perhaps kids, career, and trying to be the man God created you to be. You could use some help. Jim Ramos, author, speaker, and founder of Men in the Arena, is Dr. Caro…
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How to Maintain a Soft Heart in a Hard-edged Society
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38:50
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There are many reasons for and ways of becoming hard in our cruel world. You may think a hard heart is a good and protective thing. When harm or disappointment comes, a natural human response is to develop a tough and closed heart. But that also closes you off to the good things God intends for you and wants to work in you. Is there a way to cheris…
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Getting to the Roots of Sexual Issues and the Way to Healing
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47:53
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If you've been wrestling with sexual "stuff," you may wonder things like, How did I end up this way? Why do I keep doing this? Why do I keep trying harder and nothing seems to change? Why aren't my prayers working? How do I get out of this mess? In this conversation with Dr. Carol, counselor, author, and minister Jay Stringer explains why the detai…
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A Transgender's Story of Brokenness, Faith, and Healing
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Transgender issues have become a hot topic in culture and in the Christian church. Is the cultural narrative missing the point, and if so, where? How can Christians address the distress those struggling with gender issues experience in a redemptive way? Dr. Carol's guest on this fascinating episode is Walt Heyer, who transitioned to living as a wom…
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Why Information Alone Can't Fix Sexual Brokenness Part II
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19:59
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In part one of last week's conversation, Dr. Carol described why information alone is not effective in bringing sexual wholeness, and why experiences and true connection is necessary. In part two, you'll hear what Dr. Carol Ministries has already been doing to help people grow into sexual wholeness, and some of the results. And you'll hear about th…
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Why Information Alone Can't Fix Sexual Brokenness
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28:51
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There's an abundance of information available in regards to sexuality and relationships. But that information has not resulted in any lessening of sexual brokenness - in the culture at large or within the Christian church. Something is missing. In this first of a two-part conversation, Dr. Carol addresses that missing piece by discussing neurobiolo…
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Love Across the Spectrum: Neurodiversity and Your Christian Marriage
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37:08
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If your marriage is difficult, when is it a character issue? And when is it the way someone's brain is wired? How do you respond with grace while protecting your sanity? Neurodiversity, in particular autism spectrum disorder, impacts human relationships deeply, especially marriages. On this episode Dr. Carol talks with Dr. Stephanie Holmes, psychol…
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One Woman's Journey of Homosexuality, Healing, and Jesus
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45:50
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Same-sex attraction and homosexuality are hot-button issues both in culture and in the Christian church. But beneath the debates about behavior, as important as those are, there are deeper matters of the heart including the need for attachment and intimacy. How does that connect with what Scripture says about homosexuality? In this challenging and …
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The Impact of Narcissistic Abuse in Marriage
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53:34
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Confused, emotionally exhausted, or feeling crazy or depressed about your marriage? These might be signs you are being impacted by narcissistic and emotional abuse. Narcissism is a loaded word in our contemporary culture. But how do you know if that's what you're experiencing is your imagination, or is truly toxic? Dr. David Hawkins, director of th…
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The Truth About Faith, Trauma, PTSD, and Post-Traumatic Growth
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Bad things happen even to good people. What happens in a person when they experience trauma or ongoing hardship? There's been a lot of talk in the last few years about trauma-informed care, PTSD, and such. How does all that integrate with faith in God and one's Christian experience? Dr. Shannae Anderson, licensed clinical psychologist, has been wor…
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How Feeling Entitled to Sex Can Destroy Your Marriage
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Culture has made many people believe you must have a happy sex life in order to be whole and fulfilled in life. The church has "Christianized" that idea, leading many to believe you are entitled to sex, especially if you're married. But countless Christian married people are finding that doesn't work out well. Author, husband, podcaster, and pastor…
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Addressing the Hole in Your Heart: Sex, Intimacy, and Relationships
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How are you attempting to fill the empty places in your heart? If it's with sex, how's that working for you? And when it hasn't gone well, how do you find grace for your messy story? On this episode Dr. Carol talks with Matt and Laurie Krieg. Matt's a licensed therapist. Laurie is president of Impossible Ministries. Together they help people deal w…
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10 Questions Christians Most Ask About Sex
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Christians have questions about sex! But where do you go for the answers? Some questions have factual answers, but more often the questions have to do with deeper matters of the heart. In this challenging episode Dr. Carol responds to 10 questions YOU have asked, about all kinds of things - married sex, sexless marriages, single and sexual, porn, m…
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How to Have the Intimacy You Always Wanted in Your Marriage
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The illusion that intimacy in marriage just "happens" may not even last as long as the wedding cake. Maybe the intimate connection between you was good but became broken, or maybe you've never had that strong of a connection. What are the practical steps for those who want more from their relationship to actually build true intimacy that lasts? Mat…
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A Christian Lawyer Addresses Sexual Abuse by Church Leaders
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Tragically there are too many times when a spiritual leader uses their spiritual authority to perpetrate sexual harm and abuse on individuals under their care. The harm such victims experience is deep and long-lasting. And when these individuals seek help, the church's response has too often only added to their pain. In this sobering but enlighteni…
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Empowering the Next Generation: A Conversation on Leadership and Creativity
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Young people today are growing up in a very different world than adults did even a decade or two ago. For parents, teachers, pastors, and others who care about kids, it feels challenging to connect with them and help them become who they were created to be. Giving them facts doesn't nurture the creativity or leadership they need to develop. But wha…
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Boundaries for Christians: How to Guard Your Heart and Love Wisely
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Do you find yourself struggling with people pleasing, unhealthy relationships, avoiding conflict, or trouble setting boundaries? Have you lost yourself along the way of trying to love those closest to you? Perhaps you're suffering and struggle to understand why. On this episode Dr. Carol talks with Courtney Burg about the family-of-origin dynamics …
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How to Help Your Children Adopt Positive Attitudes, Act Righteously, and Develop Healthy Habits
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Does trying to get your children to obey leave you frustrated and upset? And does it seem that if you clamp down harder, your kids only resist more? What if there were a way to help your kids want to "be good," know how to do that, and actually demonstrate a healthy godly character even when you're not watching? Dr. Kathy Koch from Celebrate Kids j…
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It's the twelfth day of Christmas. We're celebrating Christmastide - 12 days of brief Scriptures and thoughts to let the message of Christmas nourish our heart and impact our lives. Your internal picture of God matters. That's perhaps the most important thing for 2024. The verse for today: "For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon gra…
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It's the eleventh day of Christmas. We're celebrating Christmastide - 12 days of brief Scriptures and thoughts to let the message of Christmas nourish our heart and impact our lives. What do YOU want for this year? Addressing our deepest desires matters - to your wellbeing, and to God. The verse for today: "The next day again John was standing with…
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It's the tenth day of Christmas. We're celebrating Christmastide - 12 days of brief Scriptures and thoughts to let the message of Christmas nourish our heart and impact our lives. What do you think God's goal for you is, for 2024? I think it's primarily for you to be WITH Him! The verse for today: "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, …
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It's the ninth day of Christmas. We're celebrating Christmastide - 12 days of brief Scriptures and thoughts to let the message of Christmas nourish our heart and impact our lives. As we transition into a new year, what is your intention? How are you planning to live this year? What decisions are you making? The verse for today: "Let what you heard …
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It's the eighth day of Christmas. We're celebrating Christmastide - 12 days of brief Scriptures and thoughts to let the message of Christmas nourish our heart and impact our lives. It's also the beginning of a new year. What have you been waiting for? And what is your hope for this year? The verse for today: "But when the fullness of time had come,…
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It's the seventh day of Christmas. We're celebrating Christmastide - 12 days of brief Scriptures and thoughts to let the message of Christmas nourish our heart and impact our lives. On the last day of 2023, let's talk about time - our experience of time, and God's perspective on time. The verse for today: "For everything there is a season, and a ti…
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It's the sixth day of Christmas. We're celebrating Christmastide - 12 days of brief Scriptures and thoughts to let the message of Christmas nourish our heart and impact our lives. Reflecting on 2023, are you more like Jesus today than you were a year ago? How does that happen? The verse for today: "Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and belove…
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It's the fifth day of Christmas. We're celebrating Christmastide - 12 days of brief Scriptures and thoughts to let the message of Christmas nourish our heart and impact our lives. HOW can we walk as Jesus walked? What makes it work? We contemplate here how Jesus did it, and how we can too. The verse for today: "And by this we know that we have come…
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It's the fourth day of Christmas. We're celebrating Christmastide - 12 days of brief Scriptures and thoughts to let the message of Christmas nourish our heart and impact our lives. Today we celebrate children! (the Feast of the Holy Innocents). And we pray for the end of evil. The verse for today: "Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of th…
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It's the third day of Christmas. We're celebrating Christmastide - 12 days of brief Scriptures and thoughts to let the message of Christmas nourish our heart and impact our lives. Christmas means that God came to be WITH us. How can you experience that? The verse for today: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen…
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It's the second day of Christmas. We're celebrating Christmastide - 12 days of brief Scriptures and thoughts to let the message of Christmas nourish our heart and impact our lives. Today - Christmas is not just for you! What does it mean to share - your story, and perhaps your resources? The verse for today: "And Stephen, full of grace and power, w…
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Merry Christmas! We're celebrating Christmastide - 12 days of brief Scriptures and thoughts to let the message of Christmas nourish our heart and impact our lives. Today, Christmas Day, we consider what it means that Jesus entered our world - God becoming human. The verse for today: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen hi…
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The Christmas season brings lots of emotions; anticipation, hope, joy – and for some, deep loneliness, pain, or grief. Being intentional about how you celebrate the holiday season will make it so much more meaningful. In this holiday episode Dr. Carol talks with Dr. Andrew Fox, pastor and professor, about the deeper meaning of Christmas including s…
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Crafting Compelling Stories and Exploring Gospel Themes in Writing: A Conversation with Jerry Jenkins
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What stays with you from what you read or hear? Isn't it stories you remember best? Our human minds are created to run on story. In our information-saturated world, what does that idea have to say about our relationship with God? About Scripture? About how we share the gospel with others? In this fascinating episode Dr. Carol talks with Jerry Jenki…
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To be human is to suffer. And we don't like that! Much of our energy is expended is seeking to prevent or stop suffering. It's not that such efforts are not good; they are. But if we are to get through this human experience with any hope at all, we will need to change our relationship with suffering. To help us do that, Dr. Carol talks with Dr. Cur…
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Fractured marriages, sexual addiction, deep anxiety - these are just a few of the kinds of struggles Dr. Carol Ministries is privileged to help people find healing from. In this unusual Giving Tuesday episode, Dr. Carol says Thank You to YOU for your prayers, sharing, and support. You'll hear stories from several individuals and couples who have fo…
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