My Delight with Sarah Bartel

Catholic married women, have you ever thought that you might have limiting beliefs about sex in your marriage? 
Have you ever envisioned that you could experience sex with your husband as
nourishing
comforting
rejuvenating
delightful
playful
tender
sweet
wild
and so much more! 
What gets in the way of these positive types of experiences? Obstacles can include an obligation sex mindset, lack of emotional connection, ignorance, or spousal selfishness. When obstacles are removed and problems are solved, sex can be so beautiful in a wide variety of positive ways.
Sarah helps expand your thoughts about what can be possible in sex--all based in Catholic teaching.
Want to learn 10 Truths for Good Sex for Catholic Wives? 
Free "10 Truths" download.
https://canafeast.com/10truths
Sources mentioned in this episode:
Catechism of the Catholic Church 2362 "'The acts in marriage by which the intimate and chaste union of the spouses takes place are noble and honorable; the truly human performance of these acts fosters the self-giving they signify and enriches the spouses in joy and gratitude.' Sexuality is a source of joy and pleasure: 'The Creator himself . . . established that in the [generative] function, spouses should experience pleasure and enjoyment of body and spirit. Therefore, the spouses do nothing evil in seeking this pleasure and enjoyment. They accept what the Creator has intended for them. At the same time, spouses should know how to keep themselves within the limits of just moderation.'"
Ruth Buezis, Awaken Love: The Truth About Sex That Will Transform Your Marriage (Protestant author, so use your Catholic filter. Don't masturbate or use birth control, even if she talks about it in the book. Her mindset advice is great.)
Dave Ramsey, Financial Peace University and Total Money Makeover (Evangelical Protestant)
Excellent Catholic personal finance advice, check out our friends Jonathan and Amanda Teixeira's content at WalletWin.com (try their Budget Reset) and The Catholic Money Podcast 

🌸 free online Catholic marriage workshop: the Little Way of Marriage 
Learn how to do little marriage-building skills with great love, inspired by St. Thérèse, the Little Flower, and her holy parents, Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin!
Support the show
MORE RESOURCES
Want to learn 10 Truths for Good Sex for Catholic Wives? 
Free "10 Truths" download.
https://canafeast.com/10truths
Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women)
Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10)
Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

Recently, Sarah invited her marriage ministry followers to reply to a simple question:
"What Does Your Marriage Need Right Now"?
She offered to take their marriage prayer intentions before Jesus in Adoration.
Over 59 women and men answered.
There was a common thread running through most of them. 
In today's episode, Sarah shares fifteen responses from Catholic wives and husbands. This privileged glimpse into the heart of real Catholic marriages illustrates what Our Lady says at the Wedding at Cana in John 2:3:
"They have no more wine." 
Reading through these 15 replies, Sarah reflects on what they teach us about the need for intimacy, communication, joy, friendship, and that so-necessary superglue for marriage:
emotional intimacy.
Do you any of these stories resonate with what you are feeling right now?
In this episode:
✅ 15 honest responses from Catholic wives and husbands
✅ Recurring themes
✅ An example of emotional abuse, and a Catholic response
✅ Why many marriages don't need more work. Enough with the heaviness! What they need is more FUN!
✅ Resource ideas if you want to improve emotional intimacy in your own marriage
Mentioned in this episode:
🌴 canafeast.com/abundantlive 
The 4 week experience your marriage needs this summer! 
📖 Don't Plant Your Seeds Among Thorns: A Catholic's Guide to Recognizing and Healing from Domestic Abuse 
A book for Catholic wives suffering emotional abuse
❤️‍🩹  hopesgarden.com
Online community for hurting wives and husbands
✨ youaremadenew.com
Catholic coaching with De Yarrison for wives who have suffered emotional abuse

🌸 free online Catholic marriage workshop: the Little Way of Marriage 
Learn how to do little marriage-building skills with great love, inspired by St. Thérèse, the Little Flower, and her holy parents, Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin!
Support the show
MORE RESOURCES
Want to learn 10 Truths for Good Sex for Catholic Wives? 
Free "10 Truths" download.
https://canafeast.com/10truths
Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women)
Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10)
Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

Maybe you don't need to work on your marriage right now.
Maybe you need to rest, play, and relax more together.
This creates a lush space for connection to naturally flourish.
In this episode, Sarah explores why so many couples feel emotionally exhausted. They're in the daily grind, slowly drifting apart as they handle the real-world responsibilities of work, kids, household, and social commitments. Even Church commitments can add to this! 
What they need is not more work, but more play.
More delight.
Drawing from favorite memories of tropical vacations, quiet walks in the countryside, and the meaning of authentic leisure, Sarah shares how couples can step out of survival mode and cultivate the atmosphere where friendship, affection, and intimacy can thrive.
You'll discover:
Why vacations often help couples reconnect
The surprising importance of play, laughter, and leisure in marriage
How the beach vacay essentials of sun, sand, and waves can become a simple framework for strengthening your relationship
Practical ways to bring vacation-like joy into your everyday life—without buying a plane ticket! ✈️
Whether you're longing for a special getaway or just hoping to find connection again after an intense season, this episode offers encouragement and practical ideas to help you rediscover the delight of being together.
Mentioned in this episode:
🏝️ Join our free Summer Marriage Getaway for Catholic couples at CanaFeast.com/Getaway, 
You get our short, fun online sessions designed to help you slow down, laugh together, and renew your friendship as husband and wife. Hawaiian Island vibes are infused throughout!🍍🌈🌺
🌸 free online Catholic marriage workshop: the Little Way of Marriage 
Learn how to do little marriage-building skills with great love, inspired by St. Thérèse, the Little Flower, and her holy parents, Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin!
Support the show
MORE RESOURCES
Want to learn 10 Truths for Good Sex for Catholic Wives? 
Free "10 Truths" download.
https://canafeast.com/10truths
Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women)
Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10)
Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

It helps the bad times feel more bearable. 
It makes the good times even more joyful.
Encouragement is magic for your marriage relationship. 
In this episode, Sarah shares how Nathan's encouragement transformed her late nights staying up creating her Catholic French language course, French with St. Thérèse. 
Learn five aspects to becoming a better encourager in your marriage, and learn what NOT to do when your husband or wife is struggling.
1. Know you are aligned with the voice of God's affirming love. The enemy's voice is harsh and critical. The Lord's voice is gentle, loving, and encouraging. You are a conduit of that love when you encourage your husband or wife.
2. You have to have a hopeful, positive big-picture perspective on the future rooted in God's goodness and ultimate victory.
3. You can boost your encouragement powers by layering on helpful practical gestures, such as bringing them a tea. Show you support what they're trying to do by pitching in to support them tangibly in some way.
4. Be specific in your affirmations. "You are amazing!" is a great start; "You handled that specific situation really well" is even better. Point to their specific victories and achievements, even if they are internal victories. "You kept your cool while you got that done. That was admirable!"
5. Give comfort. Reassurance can keep a spiral from getting out of hand. 
Wives, do you dismiss your husband's encouragement to you? Learn to graciously receive and believe the encouragement and reassurance he offers you. Learn to ask for this if you're not getting it. These are choices you can make.
Learn how and why to avoid sabotaging encouragement by offering unsolicited practical advice.
Interested in taking French with St. Thérèse this summer? A backdoor is open, if you or your teens want to slip in! 

🌸 free online Catholic marriage workshop: the Little Way of Marriage 
Learn how to do little marriage-building skills with great love, inspired by St. Thérèse, the Little Flower, and her holy parents, Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin!
Support the show
MORE RESOURCES
Want to learn 10 Truths for Good Sex for Catholic Wives? 
Free "10 Truths" download.
https://canafeast.com/10truths
Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women)
Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10)
Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.

"I felt like I was embraced by St. Thérèse."🌹
What happened on the May 2026 women's pilgrimage to France? 
So many gifts, graces, encounters, and special moments!
Even though Sarah got Covid on the way home, she would do it again in a heartbeat. 
In this episode she shares many of the highlights of the experience, along with the following links for you to explore further:
1. The Story of a Soul, by St. Thérèse of Lisieux
2. A Call to Deeper Love: The Family Correspondance of the Parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux
3. Les Buissonets (the Little Flower's childhood home in Lisieux)
4. Novena to Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin (the prayer from the shrine in Alençon is in bold at the end of each day of the novena on this website).
5. Musée des Beaux-Arts et de la Dentelle (Lace Museum in Alençon)
6. Monet's House and Garden at Giverny in Normandy, France
7. Leisure, the Basis of Culture, by Joseph Pieper (easy-to-read book of Catholic philosophy about the importance of authentic leisure)
8. Notre Dame des Victoires Basilica in Paris (church that St. Thérèse and her parents loved)
9. Chapel of the Miraculous Medal in Paris
10. Heart of the Father Ministries (Healing Prayer, Five Steps of Deliverance)
11. Be Healed, by Dr. Bob Schuchts
12. Your Blue Flame: Drop the Guilt and Do What Makes You Come Alive, by Jennifer Fulwiler

🇫🇷Interested in taking a French class with Sarah this summer or find out about upcoming pilgrimages to France?🇫🇷
Fill in your email address here to get notified:
https://canafeast.com/france

🌸 free online Catholic marriage workshop: the Little Way of Marriage 
Learn how to do little marriage-building skills with great love, inspired by St. Thérèse, the Little Flower, and her holy parents, Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin!
Support the show
MORE RESOURCES
Want to learn 10 Truths for Good Sex for Catholic Wives? 
Free "10 Truths" download.
https://canafeast.com/10truths
Free Enhancing Marital Intimacy Guide for Catholic Women: 9 Skills for Body, Mind, and Spirit (for married and engaged women)
Do you want to know what is allowed for Catholics in the bedroom? The "What's Allowed List" answers 20+ questions about what is licit and illicit. ($10)
Model-free lingerie! Get 10% off with my affiliate link for Mentionables.