I hope you have listened to my weekly podcast: Mornings with Monette. If you have, you may know I’ve been really thinking about where to take my podcast. I’ve been asking myself who can I really help. Who is my person? I’ve been brainstorming but the most important thing I’ve been doing is I’ve been praying about it: “Lord where do you want me to take my podcast? What is an area that you have brought me through? One that if I share it, I could make an impact for you?”
Shortly thereafter, while sound asleep, like any other night, I woke up around 4:30 AM. I’m really awake. My mind is all over the place, mostly thinking about my past–but pretty random thoughts, too. So, I pray: “Lord can you put me back to sleep?” Another 20 minutes go by at least. So, then I pray: “Ok God, you have my full attention, I’m not going back to sleep, it’s quiet, no distractions. I’m going to pray about my podcast and see if the Holy Spirit answers. Lord, what do you want me to do with my podcast?” I waited and I listened, and I swear I heard him say: “I want you to talk about marriage. I want you to help women that don’t want to get a divorce.” It was so real. I’m like what? I wrestled with the idea and thought and thought! I knew I wasn’t going back to sleep. So, I got up quietly, I didn’t want to wake up my husband, and I came downstairs to my desk. I just started writing. I wrote for over four hours. It was the most amazing time. I could feel God’s presence. I wrote down what I feel God put on my heart. It was such a beautiful time.
Birth of a Series
As a result, I’ve decided I’m going to do a series on marriage—originally for my podcast and then here for this Best-Life Project.
We just celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary. I have now been married longer than half my life. Over the years, I have read and listened to so many books on marriage, attended conferences, listened to speakers and teachers, I’ve seen Christian counselors during difficult times of our marriage. I have never felt stronger about anything I’ve ever talked about on my podcast as much as I feel strongly about why divorce doesn’t have to be the answer. And, believe me, I’ve personally thought about it at different seasons of my own marriage.
Marriage Reality
So, buckle up! What can you expect to hear on these episodes?
I’m sure I’m going to share some things you know, but you may need a reminder. I’m going to share some things you’ve never heard before. You’re going to hear me share some personal stories. The good, the bad and the ugly. I’m probably going to offend people. Say some things where you will get defensive.
I’m going to talk about the difference between a bible-based Christian marriage and a worldview type of marriage. I’m going to talk about it all.
Who is this series for? This series is for the strong independent Christian woman who is married, and the marriage is fine or maybe you have just become roommates and you wish for and long for so much more. And I will talk to the woman who is wanting to throw in the towel, you just haven’t pulled the trigger because you’ve got a glimmer of hope. I feel this topic (the topic of marriage) is one of the most important topics that should be talked about. The world is full of hurting people. I’ve been one of these women! I’m going to share what has worked, when I got bad advice and look back at the mistakes I made and the time I wasted being angry and distant. You are going to hear it all!
If you’ve been married and it ended in divorce, I am so sorry. My heart goes out to you. I think it is one of the hardest experiences in the world. I’ve walked through that with many of my friends. You may find some of the ideas I share in this series healing as you may want to remarry one day.
It’s also for the young gal not yet married but wants to be married.
Starting Questions
As we start, please answer these questions for yourself: “Why did you get married in the 1st place? What were your expectations?” Most of us grew up watching Cinderella, Snow White, or maybe, The Little Mermaid. Maybe you read those teenage romance novels. I did! I believe it created this ideal scenario, that you find the prince, or the prince finds you, you get married and live happily ever after. This is probably where our expectations began. Or maybe you have thought since you were a little girl: “I want to get married and have children.” We dreamed about our weddings.
Now I want to ask you a second question.
How far were you into your marriage before you thought: “Oh my gosh, what have I done? What have I signed up for?” You love him, that’s not the problem. It’s the reality of the day-to-day. Two sinful imperfect people that come together and they are supposed to figure out life together.
Between now and my next post, I want you to ponder this question: “Why did you get married?” Journal about it! Think about it!
As we go on this journey together, I have a few requests. Please keep an open mind. I want you to pray and I also want you to be discerning. But I do want you to participate. The one thing you are going to get from me, as I say it a lot, is ALL PROGRESS STARTS BY TELLING THE TRUTH! We are all very good at convincing ourselves that we are right, and that it’s not about me it’s about the other person. You’re going to hear me call you out. We all have a list even in our heads that justifies that we are right, and he is wrong. I’m going to challenge you a lot on this. I’m going to call you out just like I must call myself out.
So, this is my hope, that you’ll check back for the first full post in this series. I really want for you to have a thriving marriage, not just be two roommates. I don’t want you to have that stay-together-for-the-kids kind of marriage, or it’s easier to stay married than to get a divorce. I believe God created marriage. And that is where we will find the answers with biblical truths not the world’s truths.
Let’s Go
I’ll be honest, my heart was racing a little as I recorded this first-in-the-series episode. It’s about to get real. But I believe with all my heart if you want a thriving marriage, it’s possible. I feel God has led me to take on this challenge. I want you to check back, with a journal and an open mind and an open heart!
Monette hosts a weekly podcast: Mornings with Monette. She has been a life-long learner and and appreciates the opportunity to share what she has learned–both through her podcast and here at The Best-Life Project (based on the content of her weekly podcast). Her messages are raw, honest and straight from the heart. She lives in Albuquerque, NM with her husband Leland. They have three adult children and are enjoying living their best lives filled with travel and adventure.
We are coming up on 25’years!
Looking forward to the next post…:)