Shortly thereafter, while sound asleep, like any other night, I woke up around 4:30 AM. I\u2019m really awake. My mind is all over the place, mostly thinking about my past–but pretty random thoughts, too. So, I pray: \u201cLord can you put me back to sleep?\u201d Another 20 minutes go by at least. So, then I pray: \u201cOk God, you have my full attention, I\u2019m not going back to sleep, it\u2019s 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?\u201d I waited and I listened, and I swear I heard him say: \u201cI want you to talk about marriage. I want you to help women that don\u2019t want to get a divorce.\u201d It was so real. I\u2019m like what? I wrestled with the idea and thought and thought! I knew I wasn\u2019t going back to sleep. So, I got up quietly, I didn\u2019t 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\u2019s presence. I wrote down what I feel God put on my heart. It was such a beautiful time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Birth of a Series<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
As a result, I\u2019ve decided I\u2019m going to do a series on marriage\u2014originally for my podcast and then here for this Best-Life Project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019ve seen Christian counselors during difficult times of our marriage. I have never felt stronger about anything I\u2019ve ever talked about on my podcast as much as I feel strongly about why divorce doesn\u2019t have to be the answer. And, believe me, I\u2019ve personally thought about it at different seasons of my own marriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marriage Reality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
So, buckle up! What can you expect to hear on these episodes?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m sure I\u2019m going to share some things you know, but you may need a reminder. I\u2019m going to share some things you\u2019ve never heard before. You\u2019re going to hear me share some personal stories. The good, the bad and the ugly. I\u2019m probably going to offend people. Say some things where you will get defensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m going to talk about the difference between a bible-based Christian marriage and a worldview type of marriage. I\u2019m going to talk about it all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019t pulled the trigger because you\u2019ve 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\u2019ve been one of these women! I\u2019m 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!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019ve 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\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s also for the young gal not yet married but wants to be married.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Starting Questions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
As we start, please answer these questions for yourself: \u201cWhy did you get married in the 1st place? What were your expectations?\u201d 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: \u201cI want to get married and have children.\u201d We dreamed about our weddings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now I want to ask you a second question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How far were you into your marriage before you thought: \u201cOh my gosh, what have I done? What have I signed up for?\u201d You love him, that’s not the problem. It\u2019s the reality of the day-to-day. Two sinful imperfect people that come together and they are supposed to figure out life together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Between now and my next post, I want you to ponder this question: \u201cWhy did you get married?\u201d Journal about it! Think about it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s not about me it\u2019s about the other person. You\u2019re 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\u2019m going to challenge you a lot on this. I\u2019m going to call you out just like I must call myself out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, this is my hope, that you\u2019ll 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\u2019t want you to have that stay-together-for-the-kids kind of marriage, or it\u2019s 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\u2019s truths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let’s Go<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ll be honest, my heart was racing a little as I recorded this first-in-the-series episode. It\u2019s about to get real. But I believe with all my heart if you want a thriving marriage, it\u2019s 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!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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