Can We Talk? Trust, Transparency, and the Road to a Joy-Filled Marriage
Part 6 of Two Become One: The Prelude to a Joy-Filled Marriage
“Can we talk?”
Three little words that can feel like the beginning of the end —
“I don’t think this is working.”
“I’ve met someone else.”
“I’m not happy.”
But in a marriage built on trust, those same words become something else entirely.
A lifeline.
An invitation.
A doorway into deeper connection.
Meet Jasmine and Eric
Jasmine is soft-spoken, deeply thoughtful, and cautious when it comes to expressing emotion. She loves big — but slowly.
Eric is full-hearted and expressive, but when conversations get deep, his instinct is to fix instead of feel.
They’re planning their wedding. They know they love each other. But in the quiet corners of their relationship, they still wonder:
Can I tell you everything and still be loved?
One night, after a minor disagreement about the guest list, Jasmine takes a deep breath.
“Eric,” she says. “Can we talk?”
He tenses. She sees it, so she gently adds,
“Not a fight. Just… a question.”
He nods, slower this time.
She leans in. “What does love feel like to you?”
Eric pauses. No one’s ever asked him that.
He finally says, “Like safety. Like someone seeing me and not walking away.”
Jasmine’s eyes well up.
“Me too,” she whispers.
Intimacy Begins with Honesty
In Genesis 2:25, we read:
“And the man and his wife were both naked and were not embarrassed or ashamed in each other’s presence.”
— Genesis 2:25, Amplified Bible (AMP)
This isn’t just about physical nakedness. It’s about emotional vulnerability — being fully seen, fully known, and still fully loved.
That’s what trust looks like.
And it begins with conversations like these.
Communication = Talking and Listening
Real communication isn’t just sharing your thoughts. It’s listening — to understand, not to win. Not to respond.
To understand.
It’s being present without defense. Curious, not critical.
5 Questions That Build Intimacy and Trust
These aren’t one-time questions.
They’re invitations — to begin again and grow deeper.
Try one at a time, in your own words:
- What brings you the most peace?
- What does love feel like to you?
- What’s something from your past I should know?
- What’s your biggest fear in relationships?
- When do you feel safest with me? Ask slowly. Answer gently. There’s no rush — just the rhythm of grace.
From Conversation to Covenant
Jasmine and Eric didn’t become perfect communicators overnight.
But as they asked — and answered — those five questions over time, something shifted.
They started listening more than fixing.
They started revealing instead of retreating.
And they began to understand what it really means to be naked and unashamed — not just with their bodies, but with their hearts.
Their connection grew deeper, not weaker.
Closer, not colder.
They didn’t fall apart.
They fell toward each other.
Your Ceremony Should Reflect Your Story
As your wedding officiant, I don’t just guide you through a script.
I help you build a ceremony — and a marriage — that begins with truth and trust.
That’s why I offer a Wedding Ceremony Planning Questionnaire to help couples move beyond surface-level celebration and into sacred, soul-deep connection.
Because love isn’t just fireworks.
It’s foundation.
Can We Talk?
If you’re planning a wedding, vow renewal, or just want to start your forever with real connection — let’s talk.
Call or text 813-239-4117
Visit www.notarynearme-florida.com
Because trust doesn’t start on the wedding day.
It starts with a question.
Can we talk?
And that question, when asked often and answered honestly, leads to nothing less than a Joy for a Lifetime.
