The Second Time Around

What happens when you love each other, you're committed to each other, and somehow…life still starts pulling you apart?
In Part 2 of “We Are One: Making Your Marriage the Priority,” LaShan and Makela continue the conversation about what it really takes to protect the “us” in marriage.
Because marriages don't always break, they drift.
Between careers, children, blended-family dynamics, ministry, finances, exhaustion, phones, and the everyday demands of life, two people can slowly move from being lovers to simply becoming really good teammates. So how do you recognize the drift before distance becomes your new normal?
In this episode, we talk about creating intentional rhythms that keep couples emotionally connected, having the hard conversations healthy marriages can't afford to avoid, and why making time for your spouse has to become more than a good intention.
We also go deeper into the spiritual foundation of marriage, exploring the power of praying together, spiritual agreement, forgiveness, confession, and what it means to put God at the center of your relationship.
And ultimately, we ask a bigger question:
What is your marriage teaching the people watching you about love?
Marriage isn't about choosing each other once.
It's choosing each other again and again, even when life gets busy, conversations get difficult, and love requires intention.
Protect the “us.” Choose each other again.

What does it really mean to make your marriage a priority? In this episode, LaShan and Makela explore the importance of protecting the relationship that serves as the foundation of the family. As careers, children, finances, ministry, and everyday responsibilities compete for our attention, couples can easily lose sight of the commitment that brought them together.
Through honest conversation, biblical insight, and practical wisdom, they discuss how unity is built through intentional communication, shared purpose, mutual sacrifice, and choosing one another every day. Whether you're navigating a first marriage, a second marriage, or the unique dynamics of a blended family, this episode offers encouragement and practical principles for building a stronger, healthier, and more unified relationship.

In this Thanksgiving episode, we pull up chairs to a table that has changed shape over the years—because family doesn’t always look like the picture we grew up imagining. 🦃✨ As a blended crew with adult children, shifting traditions, and schedules that never sync, we’ve had to redefine what “family time” really means.
We get honest about the messy, beautiful, emotional reality of gathering during the holidays when the table has new faces, old memories, and a whole lot of evolving dynamics. ❤️‍🩹 Whether it’s kids with their own families, empty chairs that still hold love, or chosen family who show up with warmth, we’re learning to embrace the table as it is, and still make space for joy.
With humor, honesty, and that signature 90s R&B energy 🎶, we’re helping listeners rethink what togetherness can be today. Because no matter how your family is shaped right now… there is still room for you at the table. 🪑💛

Can you hear the Emotions...” Don’t ask my neighbor?” 
This episode is all about protecting what’s sacred in a world that wants access to everything. 🔐❤️ These days, everybody posts everything — relationships, arguments, screenshots, wins, losses… and opinions fly faster than love can grow.
We open up about how we keep our relationship covered, grounded, and private in an era where oversharing is normal, and everyone feels entitled to your business. From social media boundaries to family expectations to knowing when to invite people in and when to keep them out, we get into what it means to guard the places where love is being built.
With humor, transparency, and that cool sista-girl/church-boy vibe 🎶🔥, we help listeners rethink what belongs online, what belongs in prayer, and what belongs between two people who are actually doing life together.
This episode reminds you: everybody doesn’t need to know everything, and that’s how real love thrives.

In this episode, a nod to Jon B.’s classic “They Don’t Know,” we dive into what it means to build real love in a world obsessed with filters, trends, and everybody having something to say about relationships they’re not in. 🎶💬
We open up about navigating the age gap between us and the 20- and 30-somethings in our lives, kids, couples, younger family members, and even the culture as a whole. What they call “criticism,” we call love, wisdom, and lived experience. And just like Jon B. said, “They don’t know about this here.” They don’t know the battles we fought, the lessons we earned, or the commitment it takes to keep love real in every season.
We unpack:
💛 How wisdom from your 40s and 50s hits different for younger generations
🧡 Why love sometimes sounds like guidance, not judgment
🎧 How social media shapes (and sometimes warps) expectations of relationships
🔥 What it looks like to model stability, maturity, and longevity in a “do-what’s-trending” world
🌉 How to build bridges between generations without losing your voice
This episode is all about reminding listeners: real love doesn’t need validation, applause, or a filter to be powerful. And sometimes… they just don’t know, but love will teach them.

As we bring The Perfect 10 Month to a close, this episode is both a heartfelt toast to the decade behind us — and a hopeful nod to everything still ahead.
In this final chapter of our anniversary celebration, we’re talking about legacy, longevity, and love that grows deeper with time. But this isn’t just a recap, it’s a vision cast. Together, we share our individual hopes, our unified dreams, and the things we’re praying and planning for in the years to come.
This episode is about:✨ the lessons we’re carrying forward✨ the love we’re still learning to give✨ and the kind of marriage we’re building, brick by brick, with God at the center.
So if you’ve been with us from episode one, or you’re just tuning in now, welcome to a sacred moment. This is more than marriage talk. It’s a declaration. That love can be restored. That futures can be rewritten, so the second time around is still just getting started.
"Because the Second Time Around just hits different."

As we continue the Perfect 10 Month, we’re turning up the volume on love, memory, and music. This episode is a smooth, soulful ride through the soundtrack of our 10-year journey — the tracks that made us dance, cry, laugh, reflect, and fall deeper in love, time and time again.
Inspired by the legendary R&B and gospel songs that marked each milestone, The Perfect 10 Playlist isn’t just a collection of music — it’s a celebration of every “us” moment: the slow dances in the living room, the road trips with the windows down, the grooves that turned into praise & worship that held us together when nothing else could, and the jams that felt like they were written just for us.
In this episode, we break down our top 10 songs each — Makela’s vibe and LaShan’s groove — and share the real stories behind the music. From early dates to family breakthroughs, from deep valleys to joyful mountaintops, this playlist is a love letter wrapped in sound.
📝 Whether you’re curating your own couple’s soundtrack or just here for the classics, this one will stir something in your soul.
🎶 Stream the playlist now on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube — and feel the love in every lyric.
💬 Got a song that defined your relationship? Share it with us — every couple’s playlist tells a story.
❤️ Because love hits different… the second time around

In Part 2 of “Between the Pulpit and the Spotlight,” we’re not looking back—we’re sitting right in the middle of one of the hardest seasons of our marriage. This isn’t about dating as ministers anymore. We’re married now. But life is life-ing, and ministry… it’s heavier than we imagined.
This episode is raw. Not past tense pain—present tense pressure.
We open up about:💬 Facing unexpected challenges in ministry that shook our foundation💬 The emotional and spiritual toll of serving while suffering💬 What nearly pulled us apart—even after “I do”💬 The decision to stay, even when walking away felt easier
This is real marriage. This is what happens when calling and crisis collide. When the spotlight fades and the silence sets in, but somehow… you hold on anyway.
Because the second time around? We still believe in this love—but it’s taking everything we’ve got.

This isn’t just another episode—it’s the rawest conversation we’ve ever released.
We continue “The Perfect Ten Month” by going back to the beginning, before we were “us,” before the vows, before the clarity. When we were just two ministers trying to figure out how to honor our calling and explore a connection that almost got shut down before it ever had a chance to start.
This is the real story behind the platform. The tension between private feelings and public roles. The weight of leadership. The fear of judgment. And the quiet decision to love anyway, even when it felt risky.
We open up about:💬 Why dating in ministry felt almost impossible💬 The pressure of performance vs. the pull of something real💬 The moment we nearly walked away💬 What it took to protect what God was doing—before anyone else could see it
This episode is for anyone who’s ever loved under pressure—and fought for something that didn’t come easy.
Because the second time around? We learned how to love out loud—even when the spotlight made us want to hide.

In Part 2 of “10 Moments That Made Us,” Makela shares her ten defining moments that shaped this love story—her version, her view, and her voice.
This episode is honest, tender, and full of those moments only Makela can tell—from quiet realizations to full-circle affirmations. These aren’t just highlights; they’re the behind-the-scenes snapshots, the personal pivots, and the little things that meant everything.
She reflects on:💬 When she knew LaShan wasn’t just different—he was him💬 The conversations that shifted her mindset and softened her heart💬 The moments that required risk—and offered reward💬 The 10 memories that left the deepest imprint in 10 years of marriage
It’s not about fairytales. It’s about choosing to see, trust, and build—moment by moment.
Because the second time around? It’s not just about where you land… it’s about what you lived through to get there.

This episode is the start of something special: The Perfect Ten Month—a celebration of 10 years of love, faith, growth, and grace.
In Part 1, LaShan takes a moment to reflect and reveal the 10 moments that shaped this marriage and molded this ministry of love. This isn’t just a timeline—it’s a testimony. These moments are the quiet shifts, the major milestones, and the divine intersections that took “me and you” and transformed it into “us.”
These are the joys and the pains.The family victories.The moments that brought tears—and the ones that deepened trust.
Together, we journey through:💬 A sacred conversation with his father about Makela💬 A defining memory with his son, a diamond, and a decision💬 Ten soul-marking snapshots from ten years of becoming one
We couldn’t possibly name them all—but these are the moments that stand out. The ones that remind us why we said yes—and why we keep saying it.
So whether you're newly married, dreaming of your second time around, or deep in your own journey of love, this episode offers something tender, real, and spiritually rich.
Because ten years in, we don’t just celebrate what we’ve endured—we honor what we’ve become.

🎙️ Sweet Love: Covering Each Other with Grace
The Second Time Around Podcast – Season 2, Episode 13Tagline: Grace. Growth. Gentleness… The Second Time Around.
🎶 “With all my heart, I love you baby…” – Anita Baker, Sweet Love (1986)
This one’s for the couples learning that love isn’t just sweet—it’s sacrificial. That real love doesn’t just celebrate the best in each other… it covers the worst with grace.
In this episode, we explore what it means to truly cover your partner; emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. We talk about those moments when the other person drops the ball, struggles silently, or simply doesn’t show up the way you hoped—and how grace can hold the line when frustration wants to take over.
We share:💬 How covering each other doesn’t mean ignoring the issue💬 Learning to lead with gentleness instead of judgment💬 Why grace is a spiritual discipline—not just a good attitude💬 The freedom that comes when you become a safe place for your partner
This one is tender, transparent, and full of truth for anyone who’s learning to love in real time—not with perfection, but with patience.
Because the second time around? It’s not just about loving each other—it’s about covering each other.

🎶 “Joy and pain... like sunshine and rain.” – Frankie Beverly & Maze (1980)
Let’s be real—marriage isn’t always magic. Sometimes it’s messy, mundane, and full of moments that test your heart and stretch your faith. But even in those everyday tensions, grace still shows up.
In this episode, we talk about how we’re learning to find God’s grace in the ordinary, not just the “Instagram-worthy” moments. From early morning chaos to late-night misunderstandings, we explore how joy and pain coexist—and how love matures in both.
We get into:💬 What it looks like to hold space for both laughter and letdowns💬 How to stay connected when life feels routine💬 Why spiritual maturity means finding purpose in pain💬 Practical ways to lean into gratitude—even when you’re frustrated
This one’s for every couple who knows that love isn’t all sunshine—but it sure is worth the rain. Because the second time around? We’re not chasing perfection—we’re choosing grace.

🎶 “Anytime… anyplace… I don’t care who’s around…” – Janet Jackson (1993)
Let’s talk about grown love—the kind that still flirts, still surprises, and still gets butterflies… even after bills, babies, and busy schedules.
In this episode, we explore what it takes to keep romance alive and fun flowing in a committed, God-centered marriage. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being present, playful, and intentional. Because passion fades when you stop pursuing each other.
We open up about:💬 How we keep fun a priority in the middle of full calendars💬 The difference between routine and intentional rhythm💬 Why physical and emotional intimacy are spiritual practices💬 Making room for laughter, flirtation, and date nights—even when life is lifin’
This episode is your reminder that love doesn’t have to lose its spark. Whether you’re 5 years in or freshly remarried, you can still desire each other—on purpose.
Because the second time around just hits different...

🎶 “Like sweet morning dew, I took one look at you… and it was plain to see, you were my destiny.” – Mary J. Blige & Method Man (1995)
This week, we’re talkin’ about that ride-or-die, God-ordained, built-for-purpose kind of love. The kind that doesn’t just survive life—it builds legacy through it.
In this episode, we unpack what it really means to walk in Kingdom purpose as a couple. This isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being positioned. When God joins two people together, the assignment is bigger than bills and bedroom vibes. It’s about impact, influence, and intimacy that honors heaven.
We share:💬 How we discovered our marriage was a ministry💬 The difference between chemistry and calling💬 Why alignment with God had to come before alignment with each other💬 What it looks like to build love and legacy—on purpose
This one’s for the couples who know that being “in love” is sweet—but being in purpose? That’s where the oil is.
Because the second time around? You’re not just my partner—you’re my purpose.

🎶 “You’re all I like, you’re all I want, you’re all I need, you’re all I love.” – Guy
This week, we’re drawing from a New Jack Swing classic and a timeless truth: when love is real, you fight for it… with faith.
In this episode, we discuss how prayer became our lifeline during the challenging seasons of our marriage, the moments when communication broke down. When grief hit, when life got heavy, and when loving each other didn’t feel easy, but we knew it was still worth it.
We open up about:
💬 Praying for your partner when they feel far
💬 Praying with your partner when life feels hard
💬 How to invite God into tension—not just triumph
💬 What it looks like to stay aligned spiritually when your emotions are off
This one’s for every couple who has had to pray through the storm and every believer wondering if God still hears them in the silence.
The second time around? It’s not just love that keeps us; it’s prayer that carries us.

🎶 “No more pain… no more drama in my life…” – Mary J. Blige (2001)
This week, we’re not just quoting the Queen—we’re living the lyrics.
In this episode, we’re talkin’ all about boundaries—not the buzzword, but the biblical blueprint that helps protect your peace and preserve your relationship. Because you can’t build real love in chaos... and you sure can’t grow in God when your heart’s full of noise.
We open up about:💬 Letting go of petty patterns and unhealthy cycles💬 How we stopped letting past wounds control present love💬 Creating boundaries that serve both your faith and your future💬 Why peace is the proof of God’s presence in your relationship
This one is for the couple (or the individual) who’s ready to choose wholeness over dysfunction. No more playing tug-of-war with your sanity. No more bending until you break.
The second time around? We’re protecting our peace—and it’s not up for negotiation.

🎶 “Slow down, baby… lovin’ ain’t going nowhere…” – Mary J. Blige, What’s the 411? (1992)
Mary said it best. Real love takes time, especially when you’re learning to trust again.
In this episode, we open up about what it really took to rebuild trust in our marriage, after carrying the scars of past hurts and our own missteps. From honesty and emotional safety to prayer and patience, we share what it looks like to move at the pace of grace, not pressure.
We get into:💬 How broken trust shaped our fears and expectations💬 The slow but powerful process of rebuilding💬 Why consistency matters more than perfection💬 How to repair trust when it slips again
With scripture, laughs, and complete transparency, we remind you: trust is fragile but not impossible, and when God is in it, it’s worth the work.
Whether you’re starting over, healing from heartbreak, or learning to love again, this is your invitation to slow it down and let trust grow.

🎶 “All this love is waiting for you…”Sometimes love doesn’t show up the way you planned—but when God writes the story, the ending is always worth it.
In this episode, we’re opening up about how we found our way back to love after heartbreak—and how God gave us the grace to heal, forgive, and try again. It wasn’t easy. Trust had to be rebuilt. Pride had to fall. And faith had to lead the way.
We get into:💬 Lessons we learned from past relationships that almost broke us💬 How to heal trust issues and still keep your heart open💬 The power of self-respect and vulnerability in love💬 Why God’s timing is better than your own
We also share the little “God winks” that reminded us we weren’t alone, and how love—when it’s rooted in Him—can feel like home.
Whether you’re single, married, or somewhere in between, this is your reminder: you’re never too broken for the kind of love you deserve.

🎶 “We laugh just a little too loud… stand just a little too close…”Love hits different when you’ve lived long enough to know: sometimes laughter is ministry, and growth doesn’t come without a few bumps.
In this episode, we get real, and really funny, about the quirks, inside jokes, and “you had to be there” moments that make our marriage what it is. But it’s not all laughs. We also discuss the learning curves that come with a second marriage, including trust, vulnerability, and learning to lean into each other, even when it’s hard.
We’ll share:💬 Why humor is our secret weapon during tense moments💬 How we learned to embrace each other’s quirks instead of changing them💬 The aha moments that helped our love mature💬 Tips to keep joy alive when life feels heavy
Whether you’re building something new, a veteran couple, or figuring it out again, this one’s for anyone who knows that love takes work—and is worth it.