When High-Pressure Marriages Need More Than "Try Harder": Meet Josh & Aurielle Lindblom
How a Pro Athlete and His Wife Created a 21-Day Marriage Devotional That Actually Works for High Pressure Couples
When Your Marriage Becomes Another Thing You’re Managing
I want to introduce you to two people who changed how I think about marriage under pressure.
Their names are Josh and Aurielle Lindblom. And their story will sound familiar to a lot of you.
The Pro Athlete With the Status-Quo Marriage
Josh spent fifteen years in professional baseball. Not as a benchwarmer but as a starter. He pitched in the major leagues, played internationally, and lived the dream millions of guys would trade everything for.
Aurielle was right there with him. High school sweethearts. Four kids. Fifteen years of moves across time zones, long seasons apart, constant public scrutiny, and the relentless grind that comes with elite athletics.
From the outside, they had it all together.
On the inside, they knew their marriage was not what it was supposed to be and it should be better, but they just settled for the status quo.
Marriage had become logistics management. Another thing on the to-do list. Another area where they were expected to perform. And despite being surrounded by professional coaches for every other area of life (strength coaches, pitching coaches, mental performance coaches), no one had ever taught them how to actually stay married well when life is chaos.
Sound familiar?
The Fight That Changed Everything
One day, it all came to a head.
They had one of those “benches-clearing” fights. The kind where everything that’s been simmering beneath the surface finally explodes. And in the aftermath, they realized something sobering:
They were losing each other in the middle of chasing something good.
That’s when they made a choice that would change the trajectory of their marriage and, eventually, the trajectory of hundreds of other marriages too.
They decided to invest whatever it took to figure this out. Not just read a book and hope for the best. Not just attend a weekend seminar and call it good. They committed to the time, energy, money, research, study, and even professional certifications necessary to get the big momentum shift they both desperately needed.
And it worked.
Not because they’re exceptional. But because they stopped trying to white-knuckle their way through and started learning how marriage actually works when you’re living under pressure.
From Survival to Mission
That process didn’t just save their marriage. It launched a ministry.
Today, Josh and Aurielle run The Co-Mission, a marriage coaching ministry specifically designed for couples living in high-pressure worlds. Athletes. Executives. Military families. Ministry leaders. Anyone whose marriage is getting crushed under the weight of a demanding life.
They’re not your typical marriage counselors. They don’t do theory. They do truth wrapped in reality.
Because here’s what they know that a lot of marriage ministries miss:
Telling exhausted couples to “just prioritize your marriage” without teaching them how is like telling a drowning person to “just swim harder.”
It’s not helpful. It’s just more pressure.
So instead, Josh and Aurielle teach couples how to stay connected even when life is chaos. How to move from managing logistics to actually being teammates. How to build small, sustainable rhythms that don’t require you to quit your job or move to the suburbs.
They get it. Because they’ve lived it.
Why I’m Writing About This
A couple of months ago, Josh reached out and asked if I’d help him and Aurielle create their print resources for their ministry including a 21-day devotional for couples preparing for marriage intensives.
I said yes immediately.
Why? Because I’ve spent the last two decades writing for men about identity, purpose, and what it means to follow God in the real world. And one thing I’ve learned over and over is this: a man who gets his identity right but loses his marriage hasn’t won. He’s lost what matters most.
You can be killing it in your career, leading in your church, respected in your community, and still be disconnected from the person sleeping next to you. And if that’s where you are, all the success in the world won’t fill that void.
So when Josh and Aurielle asked me to help them create a resource specifically for couples who are overwhelmed, exhausted, and wondering if their marriage can actually change, I jumped at it.
Because this is the kind of resource I wish existed when I was navigating the pressure-cooker seasons of my own life.
Introducing “21 Days Together”
The devotional is called 21 Days Together: A Co-Mission Marriage Devotional.
It’s not another “10 steps to a perfect marriage” book. It’s not fluffy. It’s not unrealistic. And it’s not going to ask you to do things you don’t have time for.
Here’s what it is:
A 21-day journey designed for couples who don’t have margin but desperately need a reset.
Each day takes 10 to 15 minutes. You read it together. You talk through a few questions. You do one small, actionable step. You pray together. That’s it.
Over three weeks, you’ll walk through:
Week 1: A New Perspective – What God actually says about marriage (not what culture sold you)
Week 2: A New Mindset – How to see each other and yourself differently
Week 3: A New Way Forward – Small rhythms that rebuild connection even in chaos
The whole thing is grounded in Scripture, rooted in real stories, and built for people who are skeptical that a devotional can actually help.
But here’s the thing: it’s not the devotional that does the work. It’s showing up. It’s being willing. It’s committing to 21 days of putting your marriage in front of everything else screaming for your attention.
And that’s where transformation happens.
What Makes This Different
I’ve read a lot of marriage books. I’ve written curriculum. I know what’s out there.
Here’s what makes 21 Days Together different:
1. It’s honest.
Josh and Aurielle don’t pretend marriage is easy. They don’t gloss over the hard parts. They tell the truth: marriage under pressure is brutal. And if you’re struggling, you’re not failing. You’re just human.
2. It’s practical.
Every day gives you one small step. Not ten things to remember. Not an overwhelming assignment. Just one thing you can actually do.
3. It’s doable.
Ten to fifteen minutes. That’s all. You can do that even on your worst day.
4. It’s real.
At the end of each day, Josh and Aurielle share a sentence or two of their own honest reaction to that day’s content. They alternate who gets “the last word.” It’s their way of saying: we’re not writing from theory. We’re writing from the trenches. And if this helped us, it can help you too.
Who This Is For
This devotional is for you if:
Your marriage feels more like logistics management than partnership
You’re preparing for a marriage intensive or coaching and need to prep your heart
You’re not in crisis but you’re not thriving either, and you want to be proactive
You’re exhausted from trying the same things and getting the same results
You need hope that things can actually change
You’re skeptical but willing to try
It’s also for the guy who knows something’s off but doesn’t know where to start. The guy who’s been told to “prioritize his marriage” but has no idea what that actually looks like when he’s already maxed out.
This gives you a starting point.
Why I’m Recommending This
I don’t promote a lot of resources. I’m selective about what I put in front of you because I know your time matters and your trust matters.
But I’m recommending this because:
I know Josh and Aurielle. They’re the real deal. What they’re teaching, they’ve lived.
I helped create it. I’ve seen every word. I know the care that went into this. And I believe in it.
Your marriage matters. You can be a God Guy in every other area of your life, but if you lose your marriage, you’ve lost something irreplaceable. This is one small tool that can help you protect what matters most.
How to Get It
You can grab 21 Days Together: A Co-Mission Marriage Devotional here.
And if you want to learn more about Josh and Aurielle’s story or explore their coaching options, head over to thecomission.co.
Whether you use the devotional as prep for deeper work or just as a way to reset, it’s worth the investment. Twenty-one days. Ten to fifteen minutes a day. That’s all.
Your marriage is worth that.
A Final Thought
Here’s what I’ve learned after decades of writing about what it means to be a man who follows God:
You can get your identity right, your purpose clear, and your mission aligned and still lose your marriage if you’re not intentional.
And losing your marriage doesn’t just cost you a relationship. It costs you your witness, your peace, your partnership, and often, your kids’ view of what a godly marriage looks like.
So if your marriage is barely surviving the pressure, don’t just hope it gets better. Do something.
Start small. Start with 21 days.
Josh and Aurielle will walk you through it. And I’m cheering for you every step of the way.
Let’s build marriages that last.
Michael
P.S. If you grab the devotional, let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear your story. And if you know a couple who needs this, forward this post to them. Sometimes the best thing we can do for someone we care about is hand them a tool and say, “This might help.”
Learn more about The Co-Mission →