1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,800 Speaker 1: This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: with iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of Almost Famous. 4 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:14,320 Speaker 2: Today we have a special guest. It is Maddie Pruitt Trout. 5 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 2: She's coming on to talk about her new book, The 6 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:21,600 Speaker 2: Love Everybody Wants. What you're looking for, It's already yours. 7 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 3: She in her last release, she was a best selling author. 8 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 3: Very excited to hear from her. Let's bring her on now. 9 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 2: Maddie. Hello, this is your post marriage Finding your Guy 10 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 2: book and I love this. Where should we begin, Like, 11 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 2: who needs to read this book? 12 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 4: Everybody? 13 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 5: I put the word everybody in my title for even 14 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 5: me married, even you married. 15 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 4: This is what's crazy. 16 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 5: I started writing this book single, okay, single and miserable 17 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 5: and mad that I was single, And then halfway through 18 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 5: writing this book I actually met Grant and finish this 19 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 5: manuscript a few months into marriage. And it's really crazy 20 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:07,479 Speaker 5: that this message that I started writing single applies. 21 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 4: To me now married, which is just fun. 22 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:11,400 Speaker 5: But yeah, I really do feel like this is a 23 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 5: book for everybody, no matter your upbringing, no matter your age, 24 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:16,759 Speaker 5: no matter your relationship status. 25 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 4: I do think that this is a message that applies 26 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 4: to everybody. 27 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:23,839 Speaker 3: I'm glad you got married, And maybe for a reason 28 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 3: that isn't obvious, because I no longer have people messaging 29 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 3: me seeing will you please set me up with? Which 30 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 3: happened all the time. So you've you've lighted my load 31 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 3: a lot thanks to getting married. So with that being said, 32 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 3: you obviously came off of the show and you weren't 33 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 3: hurting for people trying to date you. What made Grant different? Like, 34 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 3: let's go back to that, Like what did he do 35 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 3: that the million other people that were in the day 36 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 3: you didn't do. 37 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 5: You know, this is one of my favorite questions because 38 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 5: I get to brag about my favorite person in this world. 39 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 5: But I think one thing that was so different about 40 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 5: Grant And this is gonna sound, you know, like a 41 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 5: cheesy Christian answer, but it's actually just the truth. I 42 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 5: had never in my life met a man who had 43 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,919 Speaker 5: the joy that he had, the confidence that he had, 44 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 5: and the way that he shared, the way that Jesus 45 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 5: had changed his life, and the way he shared just 46 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 5: his love for people and to make a difference and 47 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 5: to live a life on purpose. 48 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 4: I just was literally blown away. 49 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 5: Like I walked away from the date and I called 50 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 5: my mom and I started crying, and I was like, 51 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 5: I literally just met my husband and I never I 52 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 5: had never been that type of girl before. I'm like, okay, 53 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 5: here's the four hundred you know, things you have to 54 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 5: pass and you got to check this box in this box, 55 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 5: in this box. 56 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 4: And I just, I mean, I just knew. 57 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 5: And of course I the next you know, however, many 58 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:04,639 Speaker 5: months after that evaluating, you know, like, let me look 59 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 5: at your patterns, you know, let me evaluate us together 60 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 5: and make sure we are you know, God's best for 61 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 5: each other. But I just knew off the bat, and 62 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 5: it just was his joy, his love for God, the 63 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 5: way he interacted with people, even our waiter, the way 64 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 5: he treated him and you know, asked questions, and just 65 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 5: the way he shared his story and asked me questions. 66 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:27,360 Speaker 5: I just I just knew. But I mean, there's so 67 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 5: much into that. But yeah, I think like, pretty immediately 68 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 5: God gave me peace, and just the way that I 69 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 5: just watched him love God and love people just drew 70 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 5: me in immediately. 71 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 2: How'd you guys meet the real? 72 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 5: Okay, well, this was funny. I was on a podcast 73 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 5: about my other book made for this moment, and at 74 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 5: the podcast ended and like one of the co hosts 75 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 5: was like, hey, are you single, and I was like, well, 76 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 5: I mean I am, but I'm not looking for anyone 77 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 5: right now. I mean I was in like the busiest 78 00:03:58,040 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 5: season of my life. I'm like, the last thing on 79 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 5: my mind right now is a relationship. That was probably 80 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 5: the first time I'd ever been at that point in 81 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 5: my life. I was boy crazy growing up, so, you know, 82 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 5: always wanted to be in a relationship and finally reach 83 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 5: a point where I'm like I don't want. 84 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 4: To be in a relationship. 85 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 5: And of course this guy's like, Hey, I have this 86 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 5: person I want to introduce you to and I was like, cool, 87 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 5: I'm not really interested. Don't do blind dates. And he 88 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:22,599 Speaker 5: was like, okay, well, let me just like think on 89 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 5: it for a little bit. Circles back around a month 90 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 5: later and he's like, no, I really want to set 91 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 5: you up with this guy. He's like my best friend, 92 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 5: and I really think you guys would click. And so 93 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 5: we got set up on a blind date. We literally 94 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 5: like didn't know each other. We didn't know anything about 95 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 5: each other. I ended up finding out like who he was, 96 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 5: and I stalked his instagram right before I went on 97 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 5: the date. And I was like, he's cute. He played 98 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 5: basketball at the plus. But but yeah, we really didn't. 99 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:49,159 Speaker 5: We didn't know each other at all, and just like 100 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 5: went into the first date just like genuinely asking each 101 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 5: other so many questions about the other person. 102 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 4: He had never watched the show. He didn't know. 103 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 5: Anything about my life other than like he had found 104 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 5: out that I was on a TV show. 105 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 4: But yeah, it was. It was pretty wild. 106 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 6: So there's a I want to dig in for a 107 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 6: second them Because you. 108 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 3: Guys, met he impressed you on the first day. 109 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:15,919 Speaker 6: You knew something special was going to happen. 110 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 3: Obviously for myself growing up in the church and still 111 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 3: being very connected to my faith. I have a lot 112 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 3: of friends who are women who are now later in 113 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 3: life than they thought they would be and still single. 114 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 3: There's a lot to that we could walk through and 115 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 3: break down and figure out the reasons. One of the 116 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:39,719 Speaker 3: I would say stereotypes and one of the maybe true 117 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,840 Speaker 3: themes there is that I feel as a friend to them, 118 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 3: what I tell them is you are looking for. 119 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 6: Mister perfect, and mister perfect doesn't exist. 120 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 3: And so I so you mentioned earlier, said okay, on 121 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 3: the first day, and you found a guy who was 122 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 3: confident spoke about his faith. 123 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:58,720 Speaker 6: You were attract to all those things. 124 00:05:58,520 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 3: And you're like, something specially here, and then you went 125 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 3: the four hundred other things that made sure that there 126 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 3: is chemistry or whatever there. 127 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 6: It's where Okay, it's in the four. 128 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,559 Speaker 3: Hundred other things that I think there's a problem because 129 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 3: at some point there's a four hundo other things and 130 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 3: not all four hundred check off totally, and that one 131 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 3: red flag. I think, especially with men and women in 132 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 3: Christian circles, they go not my guy or not my woman, 133 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 3: not my partner. So speak a little bit also, you know, 134 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 3: pulling some wisdom from the book about what happens there, 135 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 3: like what happens in that limbo space, because I think 136 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 3: it's becoming frustrating for many. 137 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:35,159 Speaker 4: Yeah, totally. 138 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 5: I mean I have so I have a few different 139 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 5: chapters that I feel like touched on some of the 140 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 5: things that you alluded to. I do have a whole 141 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 5: chapter on specifically on red flags, because I feel like 142 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 5: that was a big thing for me. Was a lot 143 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 5: of times I've actually found myself like tolerating, you know, 144 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 5: red flags and just ignoring them and being like it's 145 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 5: the one it's not to deal, and you know, it 146 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 5: ended up costing me, I don't know, peace and purpose 147 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:00,919 Speaker 5: and so many other things that are much more valuable 148 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:01,159 Speaker 5: to me. 149 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 4: And so I have a whole chapter on that. 150 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 5: But I do think that that is an important, an 151 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 5: important thing to talk about when it comes to like 152 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 5: expectations and what you're looking for in another person. And 153 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 5: you know, I have this line in my book where 154 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 5: I talk about how unhealthy expectations just just creates like 155 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 5: it just creates a tension in your life because you're 156 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 5: just constantly fantasizing over something that's not a reality. 157 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 4: It's not real. 158 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 5: No one's perfect, you're not, We're not perfect. I'm not perfect. 159 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 5: But healthy expectations uphold standards, and so it's it's being 160 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 5: able to define what are healthy expectations. And for me, 161 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 5: it always came back to like what do I value most? 162 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 5: Like what's the most important thing to me? Like, you know, 163 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 5: expecting someone to be this heighth, this job, this, you know, 164 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 5: this personality, this, these values, this perspective on life, this background, this, 165 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 5: I mean, having so many expectations on someone just feels 166 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 5: unrealistic and unhealthy. And so for me, I eventually just 167 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 5: had to get to a point of like what do 168 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 5: I care about the most, Like what's the most valuable 169 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 5: thing to me? 170 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 4: And then base that, you know, off of my decision. 171 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 5: And I'm such a big believer personally just in peace, 172 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 5: which is really hard to define because it's not a 173 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:17,320 Speaker 5: feeling and it's not something you can just like check 174 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 5: a box. But for me, like first date with Grant, 175 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 5: I mean it wasn't even that it was like, oh, 176 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 5: you checked a million boxes, or even moving forward past 177 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 5: that first date, I just had like so much peace 178 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 5: that he was, you know, the man I'd been praying 179 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 5: for and hoping for. And so yeah, I think we 180 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 5: really have to like check ourselves and ask ourselves, like, 181 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 5: are are the same things we're expecting in other people? 182 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 4: Do we have? And do we offer? 183 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:44,439 Speaker 5: I think it's really easy to just like want that 184 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:47,080 Speaker 5: and someone else and not even be a person who's 185 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 5: like currently walking that out in our own lives. And 186 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 5: so for me, it's like, if I'm looking for someone 187 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 5: you know who has these things and I value this 188 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 5: in a person, am I practicing that and. 189 00:08:58,080 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 4: Being that in my own life? 190 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,079 Speaker 5: And so I do think it starts there and then 191 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 5: just asking yourself, like what's the most valuable thing, Like 192 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 5: what's the most important thing? 193 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 4: Is it their faith? Is it their family? Is it there? 194 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 5: You know, I don't know, Like what's the most important 195 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 5: thing to you? And then start basing your decisions off 196 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 5: of that. So yeah, I'd probably say that I had to. 197 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 5: It took me a while to get to that point, 198 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 5: but I finally got there. 199 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 2: What was initially a red flag or a difference that 200 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 2: you and Grant had that you had to kind of 201 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 2: overcome and be like, you know what, that's not really important. 202 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 6: It's a great question. 203 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 5: That is a good question because I I write all 204 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 5: about like the different I have. I talk about seven 205 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 5: different red flags in my book. I don't I can't 206 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 5: say that any of the ones that I talk about 207 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 5: my book Grant had past relationships. There were many that 208 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 5: people had, you know, like one like don't date potential, 209 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 5: like dating someone for who they could be and not 210 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 5: who they are right now. 211 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 4: I think we do that a lot, you know. 212 00:09:57,360 --> 00:09:59,559 Speaker 5: We we hope someone will just change, and so we're 213 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,360 Speaker 5: willing to like put up, you know, with toxic tendencies 214 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:04,560 Speaker 5: or things that are super unhealthy because we're like, oh 215 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 5: it'll get better, it'll change, or it'll change for me, 216 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 5: and we think we can change them. But what happens, 217 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 5: you know, when they never change or they end up 218 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 5: changing you for the worst, that's where it gets really dangerous. 219 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:17,560 Speaker 5: And so I have you know, a whole section on 220 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 5: that one. I think when you know, behaviors and beliefs 221 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 5: don't align, so when they just talk the talk, they 222 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 5: don't actually live it out. A person's behavior should tell 223 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:29,439 Speaker 5: you everything you need to know, even if they're telling 224 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 5: you they value you, even if they tell you that 225 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 5: they value faith, family, whatever it may be. If their 226 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 5: life's you know, patterns and habits aren't habits aren't reflecting that, 227 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:43,439 Speaker 5: then there's some type of disconnect and that's not healthy. 228 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 4: And so just the importance of. 229 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:49,960 Speaker 5: You know, behaviors, following their belief system and paying attention 230 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 5: to that and what that actually looks like. And so 231 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,560 Speaker 5: I think, I like, along the way through all my 232 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 5: different relationships, even you know, dating publicly, and having to 233 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 5: really ask myself, Maddie, like what do you value most? 234 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: Like? 235 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 4: What do you believe? 236 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 5: Where is your identity? You know, what are you looking 237 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:08,840 Speaker 5: for in a spouse? 238 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:09,080 Speaker 3: Like? 239 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:12,400 Speaker 5: Those were hard questions I had to ask myself and 240 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 5: I learned a lot along the way. I think that, 241 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 5: like there weren't red flags necessarily with Grant, I think 242 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,199 Speaker 5: that there are going to often be, you know, in relationships, 243 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 5: because no one's perfect, there's going to be those I 244 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 5: don't know what gray flags or something, yellow. 245 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 6: Flags, a flags. 246 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm like, what do I called? 247 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:32,839 Speaker 5: I don't know. Yeah, Like there's going to be things 248 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 5: like there were things about my life. He came from 249 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 5: a very private, you know, life and upbringing, and here's 250 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 5: you know, this girl who lives a very public life, 251 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 5: who her whole entire relationship was on TV for a 252 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:44,680 Speaker 5: lot of people to see. 253 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 4: That was hard for him. 254 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 5: He was like, you know, that's that's weird for me 255 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:51,079 Speaker 5: that people are coming up and they know about your 256 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 5: life and you know, they want to know about our relationship. 257 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:54,559 Speaker 4: Like that's new to me. 258 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 5: And so that was something he had to really ask 259 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 5: himself of, like do I want to be in a relationship, 260 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 5: you know, with someone who they've people have watched her 261 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:06,080 Speaker 5: previous relationship you know, on display for a lot of 262 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:08,199 Speaker 5: people to see. That was something he had to figure 263 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 5: out and ask himself. And so there's just you know, 264 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 5: things like that. I think along the way just family things, 265 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 5: you know, personality things that you just have to ask yourself, like, 266 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 5: am I willing to be okay with you know, this 267 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 5: aspect of their life? 268 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 4: Can I Can I be okay with this? 269 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 5: Can I still love them even with this you know 270 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 5: thing in their life? And so I think there's of 271 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 5: course going to be things like that, but it's like 272 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:34,680 Speaker 5: the red flags that we have to really pay attention 273 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 5: to and ask ourselves if we can if it's really okay. 274 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,199 Speaker 6: Well, you've been married long enough now that. 275 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 4: I'm an expert. Now I'm ten, you know I'm an expert. 276 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 3: You know. 277 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 6: They It's funny. 278 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 3: I had a lot of bad going into marriage advice, 279 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:55,719 Speaker 3: and a lot of it was circled around people who 280 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:59,679 Speaker 3: are like, don't do it. You know, it's life's gonna suck, 281 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 3: everything gets taken away from you. All those things were 282 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 3: said to me, and I knew Jessica well enough. I 283 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 3: knew those things were not true, and I was excited. 284 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 6: To marry her with that being said. 285 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 3: So marriage for me has been an amazing experience. But 286 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 3: there are things once you get married where the the 287 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:23,080 Speaker 3: veil is lifted, the honeymoon phases over, you're living life 288 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 3: side by side. You're living life together and it's not 289 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 3: as maybe I'm going to say, like you fourk as 290 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,440 Speaker 3: maybe a good old Christian kid is told it's going 291 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 3: to be like sometimes it just doesn't feel like, you know, 292 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 3: marriage makes a ton of sense. With that being said, 293 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 3: I believe it's still worth it. So as you're ten 294 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 3: months in, I'm assuming that it hasn't, you know, always 295 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 3: been perfect. So how do you and Grant deal with 296 00:13:54,880 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 3: the imperfection while at the same time trying to heal 297 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 3: or to get over the expectations that maybe came from 298 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 3: growing up in a faith background that is telling you 299 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 3: marriage is. 300 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:10,440 Speaker 6: The answer to every totally. 301 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:13,959 Speaker 5: I love this question so much because, honestly, the amount 302 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,960 Speaker 5: of voice memos that I was sending your wife about 303 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 5: three months into marriage, and I'm like, Henny, can you pray? 304 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 5: I am so I love this question because I don't 305 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 5: think that this gets talked about enough, Because I do 306 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 5: think there's a reality of marriage is such a gift, 307 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 5: and I think all three of us could agree it's 308 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 5: such a gift. It's great, it's amazing, it's a blessing. 309 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 5: But at the same time, like a good relationship, like 310 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 5: any good relationship is going to take work, and there's 311 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 5: a lot that you got to put into it. And 312 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 5: I think one thing that I personally didn't realize was 313 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 5: I was honestly coming into marriage very me focused, like 314 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 5: how is marriage going to you know, bless me? 315 00:14:57,440 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 4: And what am I? 316 00:14:57,960 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 5: How's it going to make me feel? And what am 317 00:14:59,920 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 5: I going to get out of it? How's it going 318 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 5: to serve me? And I just realized very quickly that 319 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 5: in order for this marriage to be the healthiest and 320 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 5: strongest that it can be, first of all, it's got 321 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 5: to be rooted on something bigger than me, and something 322 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 5: bigger than you and bigger than us. It's got to 323 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 5: be rooted on on God's love. And so, you know, 324 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 5: I knew that, but I think it came, you know, 325 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 5: to a whole new It just was it's a whole 326 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 5: new thing when you're actually having to walk it out. 327 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 5: And so for me realizing that and then also realizing, hey, 328 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 5: this is a we relationship, not a me relationship, and 329 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:38,160 Speaker 5: so for me for us to have a healthiest, strong relationship, 330 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 5: like I got to constantly be viewing this as like 331 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 5: how can I serve you? How can I love you? 332 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 5: How can I you know, add value to your life 333 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 5: and lay my life down for you and vice versa. 334 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 5: And so I definitely think that has taken a very 335 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 5: long I say a long time. I'm like, we're ten months, 336 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 5: and that took like, you know, six or seven months 337 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 5: for me to really embrace that perspective. I think the 338 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 5: first few months, I was very much seeing marriage as 339 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 5: a gift, but also very much, to be honest, you know, 340 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 5: grieving my single life, like grieving you know, life as 341 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 5: an independent of being able to do whatever I wanted, 342 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 5: when I wanted, how I wanted, you know. And that's 343 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 5: just something I didn't feel like you said, been like 344 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:20,920 Speaker 5: the church really talked about. It was just like, marriage 345 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 5: is awesome, it's the best find your person and everything 346 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 5: will be perfect. 347 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 4: And you get in a marriage and all of a sudden, 348 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 4: you're like, is something wrong with me? Did I say? 349 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 4: You know? Did did I not hear from God? 350 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 5: And it's just like, no, everybody has those feelings because 351 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 5: you're literally marrying an imperfect human and by the way, 352 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 5: you're imperfect. 353 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 4: And that was the root awakening for me. 354 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 5: I was like, Oh, all these things I thought I 355 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 5: had already dealt with in my life are resurfacing, you know, 356 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 5: insecurities and past pains and hurts and traumas and trust 357 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 5: issues and all the things like they're resurfacing, and you know, 358 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 5: I'm having to I'm having to deal with them, and 359 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 5: so yes, I I think, you know, the biggest thing 360 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 5: for us has truly been like, hey, what is the 361 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 5: why behind our marriage? What is the purpose behind our marriage? 362 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:09,360 Speaker 5: It's so much bigger than us. It's not about us, 363 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 5: It's about you know, a greater love. And truly, that's 364 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 5: really why I wrote this book, was even in my 365 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:18,679 Speaker 5: singleness realizing, you know, Maddie, you're looking for all the 366 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 5: right things in all the wrong places. You're trying to 367 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:25,639 Speaker 5: find this amazing love that's going to complete you and 368 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 5: satisfy you and fulfill you in every single way in 369 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 5: another person, and that just can't be found in another person. 370 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:33,480 Speaker 5: And I tried for so long for it to be 371 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 5: found in another person. And so that was kind of 372 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 5: the awakening and epiphany I had in singleness, and it 373 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 5: was almost like I had to relearn that in marriage too, 374 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:44,639 Speaker 5: like oh, yeah, he can't meet my every desire and 375 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 5: need and satisfy me in every way. He's going to 376 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 5: continue to fail me, and I'm going to continue to 377 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:52,479 Speaker 5: fail him. And it's just having that patience and that 378 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 5: forgiveness and that kindness towards each other and just keeping 379 00:17:56,240 --> 00:18:08,400 Speaker 5: the right perspective that's honestly kept us just move forward. 380 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 2: You guys didn't live together before you got married, so 381 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 2: I'm assuming that was a huge, like not a hurdle, 382 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 2: let's just call it a hurdle because like joining yourself 383 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:25,359 Speaker 2: in the same house is it's huge because like then 384 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 2: you have to live with you have to you have 385 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 2: to learn each other as just like living tendencies. Did 386 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 2: that play a role and maybe the first few months 387 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 2: being like, oh wow, this isn't as logicals I thought. 388 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 5: You know, I think it's definitely when like as as 389 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:43,159 Speaker 5: a Christian, when you're really pursuing you know, purity and 390 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:47,919 Speaker 5: God's will, I will say, you know, yeah, getting getting married, 391 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 5: it's like you go from zero to one hundred. 392 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 4: It's yeah, whoa, there's a lot of. 393 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 5: Things I'm introducing in my life right now. Everard, I 394 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:57,800 Speaker 5: never done that before. Okay, this is new, and so 395 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:00,680 Speaker 5: I definitely think there was of course, like an adjustment 396 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 5: like anything, you know, it's changed, it's an adjustment. There's 397 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 5: a lot you're learning in a very quick time. It's 398 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 5: all happening, you know, quickly. I will say, though, even 399 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:15,919 Speaker 5: though it had of course it's like challenges. Like I 400 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 5: look back and I'm truly, so so so grateful that 401 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:25,520 Speaker 5: that was our story and that we yeah, that we 402 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 5: we hadn't lived together, and that we hadn't slept together, 403 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 5: and that that was something that we did say for marriage. 404 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:33,119 Speaker 5: I think it it of course, like I said, you know, 405 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 5: there was the you have to figure it out at 406 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 5: the beginning, but it also, you know, in my opinion, 407 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:41,400 Speaker 5: made it that much more special and just really invited, 408 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 5: you know, got into it in such a special way too, 409 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,359 Speaker 5: And so I'm super grateful for it. And I actually 410 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 5: have a whole chapter also on purity alone because I 411 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 5: think that is such a hot topic in a lot 412 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 5: of different ways, and you know, something that is not easy, 413 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,479 Speaker 5: but I do believe it's is super worth it. And 414 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:06,960 Speaker 5: so yeah, definitely definitely an adjustment. But I think the surprises, 415 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:09,919 Speaker 5: you know that were just like oh to know a 416 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 5: lot abouue, you know, have now become like things that 417 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 5: I truly love and value you know about him and 418 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 5: about our relationship and just grateful that it is a 419 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:20,439 Speaker 5: part of our story. 420 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:27,720 Speaker 3: There's you know, Maddie, the beauty of this is. I 421 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:31,399 Speaker 3: do think books like yours the love that everybody wants 422 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:32,639 Speaker 3: is important. 423 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 6: Because as I said before, I think there is a. 424 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 3: Large lie kind of with great intentions coming through, especially 425 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 3: people trying to do relationships right and well and honoring 426 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 3: in God's eyes and honoring to the faith that you're professing. 427 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 3: There's a large lie of beneath it that needs to 428 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:57,120 Speaker 3: be There needs to be some reality and truth exposed. Like, hey, 429 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 3: when you get married, it's not all rainbows and better flies, 430 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 3: like it sometimes really sucks. It's sometimes really are Sometimes 431 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:06,760 Speaker 3: you question everything about yourself and you got to work 432 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:09,120 Speaker 3: through that and all these things. And hey, when you're dating, 433 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:12,879 Speaker 3: sometimes you're gonna, you know, maybe not make the wise 434 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 3: decision and date the right person, or you're going to 435 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 3: take it steps farther than you thought you ever would, 436 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 3: And there's going to have to be a lot of 437 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 3: grace and forgiveness within that, and all these things that 438 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 3: are told over and over again within the church. I 439 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 3: think books like yours can help bring a reality to 440 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 3: people that are pursuing in dating and so My question 441 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 3: then with this is if there's somebody out there I 442 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 3: want to go to the single person who is listening 443 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 3: to say, I'm going to read the book. I just 444 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:43,680 Speaker 3: love Maddie. I read anything she writes, and I'm very 445 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 3: intrigued by this book. What's gain Let me rephrase this. 446 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 3: What's the message to the reader that you hope they 447 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 3: get from your book? Yeah, in general, married, single, dating, whatever, 448 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:55,479 Speaker 3: in general? 449 00:21:57,680 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 5: I think it's a two part one I want to 450 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 5: speak to because you alluded to this, I think one 451 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:05,679 Speaker 5: of the biggest messages that I truly do want, you know, 452 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:07,920 Speaker 5: people to take away from this again, no matter where 453 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 5: their faith background is, or who they are, what they 454 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 5: come from, or the decisions they made up until this point, 455 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,640 Speaker 5: is truly that a partner in life is not meant 456 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:18,679 Speaker 5: to complete you and will never complete you. 457 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 4: And they are meant to be a compliment to you. 458 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:25,399 Speaker 5: They're meant to add value to your life. They are 459 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:28,400 Speaker 5: meant to be an addition, but not a completion, And 460 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 5: that your purpose is not a person, your identity is 461 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:36,879 Speaker 5: not a relationship status. We have so much value to 462 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:38,880 Speaker 5: add to this world no matter we are, if we're 463 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 5: in a single season of life, a married season of life. 464 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:46,480 Speaker 5: Our heart cannot be whole and complete by anyone else 465 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 5: other than the one who created it. And so that 466 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:52,160 Speaker 5: is something that I'm extremely passionate about, is just helping 467 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:56,199 Speaker 5: especially women, understand like you don't have to compromise your 468 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:58,479 Speaker 5: values and convictions. You don't have to change who you 469 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:00,479 Speaker 5: are in order to be liked and a except by 470 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 5: someone else. You actually can just be exactly who God 471 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:07,119 Speaker 5: has called you to be and trust that you are 472 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 5: where you are for a reason and that you're not 473 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:13,439 Speaker 5: walking around less whole or half a person, waiting for 474 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:15,440 Speaker 5: someone else to come along and complete you. 475 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:17,160 Speaker 4: Like there there is so much. 476 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 5: There's just so much on your life, and I just 477 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:23,199 Speaker 5: think that's something that I'm super super passionate about. And 478 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:27,199 Speaker 5: then really the inspiration behind this book came when, you know, 479 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 5: I was at a place in my life where I 480 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 5: was miserable being single and I didn't want to be single, 481 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,679 Speaker 5: and every single one of my friends were getting married 482 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:36,400 Speaker 5: and I think I had caught like fifteen wedding bouquets, 483 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:38,119 Speaker 5: and I was like, in this thing supposed to like 484 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 5: do something, you. 485 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:41,320 Speaker 4: Know, like I aren't I supposed to be married by now? 486 00:23:41,359 --> 00:23:43,639 Speaker 5: Like I was so confused, and I was frustrated, and 487 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:45,040 Speaker 5: I was like, Okay, I thought I was gonna be 488 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:47,240 Speaker 5: married by you know, this age, and I thought I 489 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 5: would be having kids by now, and I thought this 490 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 5: is what my life would look like. 491 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:52,440 Speaker 4: And I was just so frustrated. 492 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 5: And I remember, you know, reading in the Bible Matthew 493 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,199 Speaker 5: twenty two the two Greatest Commandments that I grew up 494 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:00,639 Speaker 5: hearing like a million times in church, and I was like, okay, 495 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:03,080 Speaker 5: Like God, why are you like you know, these verses 496 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 5: on my heart? But it was like I saw it 497 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:07,919 Speaker 5: in a new light. And in these verses it talks about, 498 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 5: you know, our two greatest commandments, our greatest calling and 499 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:12,479 Speaker 5: purpose in this life is to love the Lord, our 500 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:14,159 Speaker 5: God with all of our heart, soul, in mind. And 501 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:16,960 Speaker 5: then the second says and to love your neighbor as yourself. 502 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 5: And for the first time I saw these three loves 503 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 5: being highlighted to me, and not only the importance of 504 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:25,679 Speaker 5: these three loves, but the importance of the order of 505 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 5: these three loves. And so in this book I wanted 506 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 5: to talk about Hey, it starts as the foundation. God's 507 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 5: love is the foundation for everything in which we build 508 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 5: on and if we don't get that right, it's like 509 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:38,119 Speaker 5: we're trying to build a house on quicksand it's like 510 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 5: it's gonna fall, it's gonna mess up, it's gonna be like, 511 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,920 Speaker 5: especially when storms of life come, like, we've got to 512 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 5: have our foundation built on something greater than ourselves and 513 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 5: on something greater than this world. And so having our 514 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 5: life and our love life built on God's love. And 515 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 5: then the second is learning to love and value ourselves. 516 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 5: I think for a lot of us, we don't know 517 00:24:57,880 --> 00:24:59,479 Speaker 5: how to love ourselves and we definitely don't know how 518 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:02,199 Speaker 5: to like ourselve. And so it's like, how do we 519 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 5: learn how to value ourselves, see ourselves as valuable so 520 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 5: that we can enter into these relationships and with other 521 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 5: people from a place of I know who I am, 522 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 5: and whether you accept me or reject me, that doesn't 523 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,639 Speaker 5: take or steal from my you know the reality of 524 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 5: my identity and who I am, and being able to 525 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:24,280 Speaker 5: enter relationships from a place of abundance and not lack, 526 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:27,160 Speaker 5: not looking to be completed, but looking to find someone 527 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:30,239 Speaker 5: to compliment, and looking for someone to compliment us. And 528 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 5: so those are the two you know, first two loves 529 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:35,880 Speaker 5: and then the third is, you know, from those two places, 530 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:39,240 Speaker 5: having healthy and strong relationships with God and ourselves, then 531 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 5: we're able to you know, develop healthy and strong relationships 532 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 5: with other people. And so it's getting those relationships in 533 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:49,240 Speaker 5: order that we're able to have the thriving relationships in 534 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:50,720 Speaker 5: love that we all do down't want. 535 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 2: So my Nanny Dawson s Nanni. She is the most 536 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 2: amazing angel on earth and I'm so blessed to have her. 537 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:02,359 Speaker 2: Like when we found her, we were like, what's your schedule, Like, 538 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 2: like what do you need us to work around? And 539 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 2: she was like, I just want to go to church 540 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:10,199 Speaker 2: on Sundays, like I could have Sundays mainly off. And 541 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:17,919 Speaker 2: I was like, you're hired. Answer. She's just literally the 542 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 2: perfect partner I could ever imagine for somebody. But she 543 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 2: says that like she has a really hard time dating 544 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:28,080 Speaker 2: because like she basically just dates in her church's circle. 545 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:30,399 Speaker 2: So like all the people in her church are just 546 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:34,359 Speaker 2: they just kind of that's the pool. That's the dating pool. 547 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 2: What advice do you have for her? Like somebody who's 548 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 2: looking for somebody of faith, but like it's it's having 549 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 2: a hard time finding it. 550 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:46,520 Speaker 4: Well, you're not alone and I understand that. 551 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:48,880 Speaker 5: I remember being at a place where I felt like, Okay, 552 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:50,639 Speaker 5: at some point, I'm going to have to compromise, Like 553 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 5: at some point, I'm going to have to just settle 554 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:56,479 Speaker 5: because like I'm just not seeing anybody who's you know, 555 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 5: reaching that like level that I. 556 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 4: Had just been praying for, hoping for. 557 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:03,040 Speaker 5: And so I remember having that doubt and that frustration 558 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:06,200 Speaker 5: for a very long time. And every relationship that I 559 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 5: would see or that I would even like start talking 560 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 5: to someone, it was like they would have, you know, 561 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:12,400 Speaker 5: certain qualities that I'm like, that's awesome, but I would 562 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 5: have to settle in this area. 563 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 4: I just would. 564 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 5: I mean, I would continue to encourage her and those listening. 565 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:21,680 Speaker 5: You know, your environment does matter, like I do love 566 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:24,399 Speaker 5: that she is in a church environment, looking you know, 567 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 5: for a spouse. I think your environment matters and making 568 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:30,520 Speaker 5: sure that you are setting yourself up for success by 569 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:33,000 Speaker 5: being in an environment in which you would want to find, 570 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:36,080 Speaker 5: you know, a potential partner and someone that you would 571 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 5: you know, want to spend the rest of your life with. 572 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:41,119 Speaker 5: I think, like, you know, for me, it's like what 573 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 5: you know, what are the things that matter most to her? 574 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 5: What are the you know, what's the checklist I guess 575 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:50,320 Speaker 5: that she's looking for. And I think for me, it 576 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:53,239 Speaker 5: finally came down to like three things and I call 577 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,359 Speaker 5: it like my three c's you know in the in 578 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:58,919 Speaker 5: the book. But the first one is just convictions, like 579 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:01,680 Speaker 5: what are what are what are his convictions? Like is 580 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:04,879 Speaker 5: he actually following Jesus or does he just say that 581 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 5: he like follows Jesus? Like is he actually living a 582 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 5: life that reflects what he says he believes? And then 583 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,720 Speaker 5: two is character like is he a person of his word? 584 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:18,920 Speaker 5: Is he someone who you know finishes what he starts? 585 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 5: Is he someone who is trustworthy? Is he someone who 586 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,560 Speaker 5: speaks highly of other people and is life giving? 587 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:28,400 Speaker 4: And then the last one is chemistry. I'm like, yeah, 588 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 4: like I wanna I want to like looking at you. 589 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:32,240 Speaker 2: I want to I want to be able to want 590 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:32,720 Speaker 2: to kiss you. 591 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:36,239 Speaker 5: Yeah, I know right, Like I'm like, I mean, I 592 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 5: had I admire the people that are like that does 593 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 5: not matter. 594 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 4: I admire that. 595 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 5: To me, I was like, I'm going to be laying 596 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:44,840 Speaker 5: down next to you every single every single night when 597 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 5: we get married one. 598 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 4: Day, So I wanna I want to like looking at you? 599 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:49,880 Speaker 4: And so yeah, I mean for me. 600 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:52,360 Speaker 5: I finally just like I I narrowed it down to 601 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:54,360 Speaker 5: those three things, and I was like, this is what 602 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 5: this is what would it would take for me to 603 00:28:56,880 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 5: like say I'm your girlfriend and and just start dating. 604 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 5: And then I you know, there's a whole other set 605 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 5: of things that I evaluated once we started dating, evaluating 606 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 5: could you be you know, my spouse? But I would 607 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 5: just say, you know, define what those deal breakers are, Like, 608 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:14,240 Speaker 5: define what those things are that you're looking for. I 609 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 5: think for a lot of people, they don't find what 610 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:18,560 Speaker 5: they're looking for because they don't know what they're looking for. 611 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 5: They don't have they don't have sure vision for like 612 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 5: what it is that they actually want. They're just basing 613 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:27,440 Speaker 5: it off of feelings or they're basing it off of culture. 614 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:30,640 Speaker 5: And it's like, hey, you gotta know, like at the 615 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 5: end of the day, what's going to be who do 616 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 5: you want to spend the rest of your life with? 617 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:36,040 Speaker 5: Like what kind of person do you want to be with? 618 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 5: What kind of person do you want raising your children? 619 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:42,200 Speaker 5: One day and asking yourself those serious questions and then praying, 620 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:44,600 Speaker 5: like I wrote down those things and I just started 621 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 5: praying and I was like, Okay, Lord, if this is 622 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:48,760 Speaker 5: if this is your will for my life, like this is, 623 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:50,480 Speaker 5: this is what I'm believing for. 624 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 2: Do you think that your person who you decided to 625 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:07,680 Speaker 2: be with is like a choice and that there's many 626 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 2: people out there that could be the person that you 627 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:13,280 Speaker 2: can live a happy life with, or do you feel 628 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 2: that like God destined you to be with Grant. 629 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 5: So here's where I played devil's advocate on both sides. 630 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:25,480 Speaker 5: I don't have just a point blank answers that question. 631 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 4: I've heard. 632 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 5: I've heard many different people have point blank answers to 633 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 5: that question. I think in my particular situation, there were 634 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 5: many moments I one thousand percent could have married someone else, 635 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 5: and I think God would have blessed it, and I 636 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 5: think it would. 637 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:44,000 Speaker 4: Have been I think it would have been a good marriage. 638 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:45,800 Speaker 4: I really do. You know. 639 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:48,960 Speaker 5: I dated someone for four years in college and he 640 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:53,040 Speaker 5: loved God and we you know, had similar just value 641 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:56,560 Speaker 5: statements for life. We saw things the same way, and 642 00:30:56,600 --> 00:30:58,840 Speaker 5: we had fun together and you know, he checked off 643 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 5: the three c's that I just listed off. But at 644 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:03,600 Speaker 5: the end of the day, like the one thing that 645 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:06,000 Speaker 5: was missing for me was peace, Like I just did 646 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 5: not have a peace, Like I could not. 647 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:12,040 Speaker 4: I could not get my heart around like you are. 648 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:15,000 Speaker 5: Just who I'm supposed to be with and it and 649 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 5: again it was like I could have just made the decision. 650 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 5: I could have just been like, no, we're gonna We're like, 651 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:21,120 Speaker 5: we're gonna get married, and I think it would have 652 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:23,040 Speaker 5: been fine. And so that's where like I go back 653 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:26,240 Speaker 5: and forth, because I do I do feel now I'm like, no, 654 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:29,160 Speaker 5: Grant was literally God's best for me, and I'm so 655 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:31,720 Speaker 5: glad that I didn't settle. I am glad that I 656 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 5: trusted just those little inklings. Like I think a lot 657 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:37,480 Speaker 5: of times we have gut feelings that sometimes we ignore, 658 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 5: you know, where it's like, oh, I think there's more, 659 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:43,760 Speaker 5: I think there's better. I think God has something different 660 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 5: for me, and we can choose to push those down, 661 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:49,280 Speaker 5: those feelings down, and just do whatever we want. And 662 00:31:49,680 --> 00:31:51,800 Speaker 5: I do think if we still give it to God, 663 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:54,520 Speaker 5: he could still bless it. So I do think that 664 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 5: there's many different people that, you know, we could be with. 665 00:31:57,080 --> 00:31:59,120 Speaker 5: I don't know that I would say there's just one 666 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:02,080 Speaker 5: soul mate out there. I don't know that I believe 667 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 5: in like the definition of a soulmate, but I will 668 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 5: say you know, I do believe Grant is God's best. 669 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:10,080 Speaker 5: So I feel like I'm contradicting myself, but I just 670 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:12,680 Speaker 5: I do think that for me, it came down to 671 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 5: just like peace, Like I didn't have peace about the 672 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 5: guy that I could have married, and then I had 673 00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:20,720 Speaker 5: so much peace about Grant from the very beginning, and 674 00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:25,000 Speaker 5: like followed that piece till the end, and so naturally 675 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 5: I can say I do think that he was God's 676 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 5: best for me. 677 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:29,240 Speaker 4: But at the same time, do I think I could 678 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:30,120 Speaker 4: have married someone else? 679 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 2: Absolutely, I think that's a great answer. Thank you so much. 680 00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:35,640 Speaker 5: Yeah, I was like, I was like, I don't know, 681 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 5: I feel like I'm running ad. 682 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:40,880 Speaker 2: No, no, no, no, it all makes sense for sure. Well, Maddie, 683 00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 2: thank you so much. When is the book out? 684 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:46,480 Speaker 4: The book is out September nineteenth. 685 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:48,720 Speaker 2: Y'd literally any day now. 686 00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 4: I know. It's literally crazy it's here. 687 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:52,960 Speaker 5: I've been working on it, Like I said, I started 688 00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:54,640 Speaker 5: writing it singles, So I feel like I've been working 689 00:32:54,680 --> 00:32:58,120 Speaker 5: on this thing for forever, and so I'm very very 690 00:32:58,120 --> 00:32:59,280 Speaker 5: excited that it's here. 691 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:04,120 Speaker 2: Well, thank you so much. We are really excited for you. 692 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 2: You are, You're killing it. You're doing a great job. 693 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 2: Just a good leader in this world. All right, thank you, 694 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:12,400 Speaker 2: Siya bye again. 695 00:33:12,440 --> 00:33:14,880 Speaker 3: If everybody wants to pick up the love everybody wants, 696 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:18,840 Speaker 3: what you're looking for is already yours. By Mattie Pruitt Trout. 697 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:23,560 Speaker 3: It is her recent addition to using her wisdom and 698 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:27,720 Speaker 3: her words and her faith so all of us can 699 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:30,920 Speaker 3: enjoy what she's learning and what she's going through. 700 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:32,959 Speaker 6: So make sure you pick that up. Thanks for Maddie 701 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:35,360 Speaker 6: for coming on. Until next time, I've Been Ben, I've 702 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:35,920 Speaker 6: been Ashley. 703 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:36,400 Speaker 5: See you. 704 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:40,280 Speaker 1: Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast on 705 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:43,480 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts