Latest / Marriage Life and More and Bible Study / When Dreams Don't Go as Planned Pt 1 (Marriage Reset Series) - 299

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When Dreams Don't Go as Planned Pt 1 (Marriage Reset Series) - 299 · Marriage Life and More and Bible Study

• 0:07
  Daniel Moore: When we're young, dreaming feels natural.
• 0:10
  Daniel Moore: Our hearts are wide open, our futures feel limitless, and hope comes easily.
• 0:15
  Daniel Moore: But somewhere between falling in love, building a life, carrying responsibilities, and surviving the daily grind, many couples quietly stop dreaming together.
• 0:24
  Daniel Moore: In this episode, we're talking about the power of shared dreams, how God plants desires in our hearts, how marriage invites us to hold someone else's vision alongside our own, and what happens when those dreams get lost or reborn along the way.
• 0:39
  Daniel Moore: Through heartfelt stories of unrealized dreams, renewed purpose, and couples who chose unity over comfort, we'll explore why dreaming together isn't just romantic, it's vital.
• 0:49
  Daniel Moore: Because when a husband and wife align their hearts, trust God with their future, and move forward as one, their marriage becomes more than maintenance, it becomes a mission.
• 0:59
  Daniel Moore: Welcome to Marriage Life and More.
• 1:08
  Daniel Moore: This is a podcast about marriage, Bible, and book studies, and we interview people that have inspiring stories.
• 1:13
  Daniel Moore: I'm Daniel Moore, your host, and standing over here next to me once again is my beautiful co-host, my wife Michelle.
• 1:19
  Michelle Moore: Hey, hey.
• 1:20
  Daniel Moore: Thank you guys for joining us this week.
• 1:21
  Daniel Moore: If you're not familiar with our show, check out our website at marriagelifeandmore.com.
• 1:25
  Daniel Moore: Our platforms are there.
• 1:26
  Daniel Moore: YouTube and Rumble Links are also on the Christian Podcasting app Edifi.
• 1:29
  Daniel Moore: And we're also on your Alexa and Google Smart Devices.
• 1:33
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• 1:38
  Daniel Moore: If you're a fan of our show, please subscribe.
• 1:40
  Daniel Moore: Feel free to leave a comment on our platforms, give us a thumbs up or a five-star review on Apple Podcast, and we thank you in advance for doing that.
• 1:48
  Daniel Moore: Well, we've reached a milestone this week.
• 1:51
  Daniel Moore: We are in our last episode of our series on marriage reset.
• 1:57
  Daniel Moore: It's just hard to believe that we've already made it there.
• 2:00
  Michelle Moore: It's gone by so fast.
• 2:01
  Michelle Moore: I know, and we've learned so much.
• 2:04
  Daniel Moore: We have, and there's been a lot of episodes.
• 2:06
  Daniel Moore: Yes.
• 2:06
  Daniel Moore: It started out a 12-episode series, but obviously a lot of these were broken to two parts, three parts, four parts.
• 2:13
  Daniel Moore: So it's it's been going on for a while, but we have covered so much territory, and I hope all of you out there have picked something from it.
• 2:19
  Daniel Moore: Whether if you're going through a difficult marriage or not, there's been really good applications that's been made that could go even for people with good solid marriage.
• 2:30
  Michelle Moore: I mean, we've learned stuff from it.
• 2:32
  Daniel Moore: So we we really hope that uh this has been a good series for you.
• 2:36
  Daniel Moore: So just looking here a little ahead.
• 2:38
  Daniel Moore: Uh we are going to do this one in probably two parts, is what we're going to try to do with this one.
• 2:44
  Daniel Moore: And then we have some special episodes coming after this is done.
• 2:48
  Daniel Moore: And so you have something there to look forward to, something a little bit different again from what we typically do.
• 2:53
  Daniel Moore: And then we'll be looking at probably getting back into another series.
• 2:57
  Daniel Moore: So uh that's uh what we can look forward to here in the future as we are looking forward here on Marriage Life and more.
• 3:04
  Daniel Moore: Well, this week, as I said, we're gonna go ahead and start episode 12, the last episode of our series on marriage reset, roommates to soulmates in your marriage.
• 3:14
  Daniel Moore: This week we're talking about when dreams don't go as planned.
• 3:19
  Daniel Moore: Life has taught us that love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.
• 3:37
  Daniel Moore: That was a statement made by Antoine de Saint Eusepri.
• 3:41
  Daniel Moore: Erin Smalley was at a women's Bible study group one day when the leader asked a fascinating question.
• 3:49
  Daniel Moore: What were your dreams as a young girl?
• 3:51
  Daniel Moore: She perked up thinking, Ooh, I love talking about dreams.
• 3:56
  Daniel Moore: Over the next hour, she learned more about those women than she knew about some of her closest friends.
• 4:01
  Daniel Moore: The women talked about their dreams of marrying a farmer, becoming a seamstress, a teacher, or a nurse, and one woman even wanted to become an astronaut.
• 4:11
  Daniel Moore: Through tears and laughter, each woman disclosed her unique journey, recalling the turning points and the circumstances that caused her to walk away from these early aspirations.
• 4:21
  Daniel Moore: It was heartbreaking to hear the regrets, the sense of failure, the frustrations and disappointments of unrealized dreams.
• 4:29
  Daniel Moore: But it was powerful to hear about God's faithfulness and how he placed new desires in their hearts, brought different opportunities, opened new doors, and delivered unexpected blessings to each woman.
• 4:41
  Daniel Moore: You know, when we were kids, we often imagined our future lives without hesitation or doubt.
• 4:47
  Daniel Moore: Childhood was a season where imagination soared freely, and the future felt wide open.
• 4:53
  Daniel Moore: As a little guy, I could see myself jet setting around the globe as a pilot, becoming a firefighter, becoming a DJ, being in a rock band, but my biggest dream was becoming a police officer.
• 5:05
  Daniel Moore: You know, Michelle, I'm sure you had your own list.
• 5:08
  Michelle Moore: I did, I did.
• 5:10
  Daniel Moore: You know, we all have those things that as we grow up, we just look at those and that's we say that's what we want to do someday because dreaming, it seems, is built into us.
• 5:20
  Daniel Moore: Our creator placed special longings in our hearts, giving each of us distinct strengths and passions for a greater purpose.
• 5:29
  Daniel Moore: Then comes that life-changing moment when you fall in love.
• 5:34
  Daniel Moore: Suddenly, it's not just about your dreams anymore, you now hold someone else's vision next to yours, and together your dreams start to blend.
• 5:43
  Daniel Moore: Think back to the early days of your relationship, those long talks about the future during late night drives or over cups of coffee.
• 5:51
  Daniel Moore: Most couples, especially when newly engaged or seriously dating, dream big.
• 5:57
  Daniel Moore: They map out life, how many children they'll have, where they'll settle down, what careers they'll pursue, dream vacations that they're gonna take, and how their magical wedding celebration will unfold.
• 6:09
  Daniel Moore: But then reality shows up.
• 6:12
  Daniel Moore: As marriage life picks up speed, the pace often becomes relentless.
• 6:17
  Daniel Moore: We understand that managing a partnership, keeping a home running, keeping up with work, raising kids, and dealing with a constant list of responsibilities can be exhausting.
• 6:28
  Daniel Moore: In that chaotic rhythm, dreaming becomes rare.
• 6:32
  Daniel Moore: You shift into maintenance mode, just trying to keep things afloat.
• 6:36
  Daniel Moore: Sadly, many couples don't even realize they've stopped dreaming.
• 6:40
  Daniel Moore: They just begin to feel more like housemates than soulmates.
• 6:44
  Daniel Moore: At a recent gathering centered on marriage, a question was asked What does it look like to dream as a couple?
• 6:51
  Daniel Moore: The reactions were heartfelt.
• 6:54
  Daniel Moore: One couple after another came forward, many in tears, confessing that somewhere along the way, they had let their shared dreams drift away.
• 7:03
  Daniel Moore: And that realization was deeply painful.
• 7:07
  Daniel Moore: Dreaming together matters.
• 7:09
  Daniel Moore: It does something special.
• 7:11
  Daniel Moore: It reintroduces intimacy, trust, and hope into a relationship.
• 7:16
  Daniel Moore: When couples dream side by side, they build a deeper, more meaningful bond that strengthens the heart of their marriage.
• 7:24
  Daniel Moore: Here's a few things that dreaming together will accomplish as couples.
• 7:30
  Daniel Moore: It strengthens your commitment.
• 7:32
  Daniel Moore: Couples who share a vision of the future want to stay together.
• 7:35
  Daniel Moore: Dreaming implies that you anticipate a hopeful future together.
• 7:39
  Daniel Moore: It also nurtures your partnership and helps you strengthen your unity and teamwork.
• 7:45
  Daniel Moore: It creates intimacy by allowing you to glimpse into your spouse's heart, their innermost thoughts and feelings.
• 7:51
  Daniel Moore: It gives your marriage a clear direction.
• 7:54
  Daniel Moore: It helps you live intentionally by clarifying what is really important to you as a couple.
• 8:00
  Daniel Moore: It also inspires romance.
• 8:02
  Daniel Moore: I mean, find a couple who dreams about their future together, and you're going to find two people that are madly in love.
• 8:09
  Daniel Moore: It also reawakens passion.
• 8:11
  Daniel Moore: It's exciting and energizing to think about what can be accomplished together.
• 8:17
  Daniel Moore: And I know as I look back on my life, I did have dreams about my future, not just in the aspect of what my uh my job would be or my career would end up being.
• 8:31
  Daniel Moore: I did have things that I expected for when I finally got married, had kids, had a home, all that kind of stuff.
• 8:40
  Daniel Moore: Unfortunately, I am one of those that those dreams didn't really pan out the first time around.
• 8:47
  Daniel Moore: And you're you're the same way, you know.
• 8:49
  Daniel Moore: We we both uh went a direction, got married, we had kids, you know, all that stuff took place, but I think I can see where just as we've started this episode today, that the way it's been described here, I can see where in my own life, even where the dreaming did stop at one point, and then all of a sudden anything that was ever positive that I looked at towards marriage started just crumble before me, and then I was in the middle of something that I never dreamed in my lifetime that I wanted to be in.
• 9:23
  Daniel Moore: But as we look at these points here, when we dream together as couples, and so let's bring it up to now.
• 9:32
  Daniel Moore: You know, you and I are are married, and yes, we've been through a lot of stuff we never dreamed about being in the middle of either.
• 9:38
  Daniel Moore: Yeah.
• 9:39
  Daniel Moore: Ours didn't start off quite like a fairy tale either at the at the beginning of ours.
• 9:44
  Daniel Moore: But as we've discussed many, many times, we have reached a height in our marriage at this point where we've never been.
• 9:51
  Daniel Moore: Yeah.
• 9:51
  Daniel Moore: As far as really enjoying our life together.
• 9:55
  Daniel Moore: And I can honestly say that here in the last few, you know, the last years since we've moved forward and started making positive change in our marriage, I feel like we've dreamed a lot.
• 10:06
  Michelle Moore: Yeah.
• 10:06
  Daniel Moore: I think now we actually look forward and we start thinking about what comes next.
• 10:13
  Daniel Moore: Yeah.
• 10:13
  Daniel Moore: What's our next big adventure?
• 10:15
  Daniel Moore: And I also feel like that because we have that positive thought process in our marriage, would you agree that it has strengthened our commitment?
• 10:24
  Michelle Moore: Oh, absolutely.
• 10:25
  Daniel Moore: And it's nurtured our partnership, gives our marriage a more clear direction.
• 10:29
  Daniel Moore: When you look at all those points, how what do you think about those when you think about a good solid marriage versus where we used to be and how we've made that change in things?
• 10:41
  Michelle Moore: Well, I think about like as it says, strengthens our commitment and it gives us a direction.
• 10:47
  Michelle Moore: I mean, if you really put together the two of us and putting our dreams together, we're both focusing on the things together, not separately.
• 10:56
  Michelle Moore: And in the past, it had been that's your dream, this is my dream.
• 11:01
  Michelle Moore: Right.
• 11:02
  Michelle Moore: And now it's a marriage and it's it's what it should be.
• 11:05
  Michelle Moore: Okay, hey, you are still gonna have your individual dreams, as I am gonna have mine.
• 11:11
  Michelle Moore: But we have some that are together.
• 11:15
  Daniel Moore: Yeah.
• 11:15
  Michelle Moore: And it does, it's like walking hand in hand, and it's like, oh, cool, look where we're at now.
• 11:20
  Michelle Moore: What is it gonna be for the next time?
• 11:22
  Michelle Moore: Like, what is our dream and what are we gonna do?
• 11:25
  Michelle Moore: God, show us, yeah, you know, what is it?
• 11:28
  Michelle Moore: How are you gonna help us get there?
• 11:30
  Michelle Moore: If that door is gonna open, we know that you're gonna open it, you know.
• 11:33
  Michelle Moore: And if it's not meant to be, close it, you know?
• 11:36
  Michelle Moore: And it's like we both go into it looking together as one.
• 11:41
  Daniel Moore: And you know, you and I it's exciting.
• 11:44
  Daniel Moore: Yeah, we're very strong in the fact that we don't like doing things separated if it's uh on the scale of a big thing.
• 11:52
  Daniel Moore: Now, like you said, I love that you brought it up because if you didn't, I was going to.
• 11:55
  Daniel Moore: Uh, the fact that we do have our own individual dreams still.
• 11:59
  Michelle Moore: And you should.
• 11:59
  Daniel Moore: And we still follow, we still try to get those.
• 12:02
  Daniel Moore: We try to try to follow those dreams and make them happen.
• 12:05
  Daniel Moore: But it does change it just a little bit because even though I do have my own dreams, I still have to keep our dreams in mind as well.
• 12:13
  Daniel Moore: Absolutely.
• 12:13
  Daniel Moore: Because we don't want those dreams to overpower one another or whatever.
• 12:17
  Daniel Moore: Because obviously, in the end, the dreams that you and I have together probably take precedent over what our just personal uh dreams are.
• 12:26
  Daniel Moore: But I can say that when it when it talks here about it inspires romance or it reawakens passion, it helps you live intentionally by clarifying what's really important to you as a couple.
• 12:37
  Daniel Moore: When I read those types of things, I think about the all the trips we take, the special places that we go.
• 12:44
  Daniel Moore: Sometimes we it's just me and you going somewhere and just enjoying several days together somewhere, and that creates so many memories, and I cherish that.
• 12:52
  Daniel Moore: Yeah, I would never think of sending you off to Colorado, both of you know, you wanting both of us to go, and then I'm like, Well, that's not my dream.
• 13:00
  Daniel Moore: You that's yours, go ahead and go, and you end up going by yourself.
• 13:03
  Daniel Moore: People do that, and I don't and I understand there's nothing wrong with that at all.
• 13:07
  Michelle Moore: But this is our dream.
• 13:08
  Daniel Moore: But in the essence, for us, yeah, I I couldn't do that because I want to share that with you.
• 13:13
  Daniel Moore: Yeah, I mean, I'll never have those memories of us being together, climbing the mountains and going to the lakes out in the middle of nowhere, losing self-service because we're nowhere near a cell tower.
• 13:24
  Daniel Moore: I mean, you get out in those mountains and stuff, it's beautiful.
• 13:27
  Daniel Moore: And it's just an opportunity that it's just you two, you can talk about things, you can just have a good intimate relationship.
• 13:34
  Michelle Moore: More intimate time of just you and I.
• 13:37
  Daniel Moore: Yeah.
• 13:37
  Michelle Moore: And nothing to distract.
• 13:39
  Daniel Moore: And so if we never had those dreams and we never even thought about doing anything like that, I see where we could potentially miss out on so much closeness and connection.
• 13:49
  Michelle Moore: Yeah.
• 13:50
  Daniel Moore: Because I think sometimes we have to get away from the busyness of life.
• 13:54
  Daniel Moore: We have to get away from work, we have to get away from our hometown.
• 13:59
  Daniel Moore: Uh, we have to get away from things that take up so much of our time individually so that we can do stuff together.
• 14:05
  Michelle Moore: Yeah.
• 14:05
  Daniel Moore: And make sure those dreams happen.
• 14:08
  Daniel Moore: Some of the most remarkable effects of dreaming together in a relationship is the incredible energy it generates when two people move forward as one.
• 14:32
  Daniel Moore: According to the Oxford English Dictionary, synergy refers to the combined efforts of individuals producing an outcome that exceeds the total of their individual contribution.
• 14:43
  Daniel Moore: In other words, when you and your spouse unite your strengths, perspectives, backgrounds, and passion, something extraordinary happens.
• 14:51
  Daniel Moore: It's no longer just about what each person can accomplish alone.
• 14:55
  Daniel Moore: It's about the amplified power that comes when you work in harmony.
• 15:00
  Michelle Moore: I like that.
• 15:00
  Daniel Moore: This kind of unity isn't just useful, it's transformative.
• 15:04
  Daniel Moore: It becomes a superpower, a divine sort of teamwork that can make a lasting impact.
• 15:10
  Daniel Moore: When both partners are in sync, their influence and effectiveness can multiply beyond what they could ever imagine.
• 15:17
  Daniel Moore: And you and I can vouch for that.
• 15:19
  Daniel Moore: Anything that we've done, uh this podcast is an example.
• 15:24
  Daniel Moore: You know, I've done it for a long time on my own.
• 15:26
  Daniel Moore: It started out uh one of my dreams.
• 15:28
  Daniel Moore: And so that's how I started it.
• 15:31
  Daniel Moore: And when it finally came down to a little over a year ago, when I asked you to join, because I really felt like with our testimony, God really wanted us to do something with that.
• 15:41
  Daniel Moore: And you'd prayed about it and you agreed that you would go ahead and come on the podcast with me.
• 15:47
  Daniel Moore: Oh, well, it took a while.
• 15:49
  Daniel Moore: It it did, but you finally made that step, and this podcast has seen tremendous growth since then.
• 15:57
  Daniel Moore: And I I think it just goes to prove that when two people come together, it just becomes that much more powerful and you can accomplish so much more when you're when you're both like-minded and have that dream in front of you that you're both trying to to reach.
• 16:14
  Michelle Moore: Yeah.
• 16:14
  Daniel Moore: Um I think that that helps a lot.
• 16:16
  Michelle Moore: And I think that dream is burdened by God too.
• 16:18
  Michelle Moore: Yeah.
• 16:18
  Michelle Moore: You know, to God be the glory for the podcast, you know.
• 16:21
  Michelle Moore: If it wasn't for him, this podcast would not.
• 16:25
  Michelle Moore: I mean, in all reality, we wouldn't be here today.
• 16:27
  Michelle Moore: I definitely would not be talking on this podcast if it was not for him.
• 16:32
  Daniel Moore: Yeah.
• 16:32
  Michelle Moore: You know?
• 16:33
  Daniel Moore: And it we wouldn't have ventured out into helping marriage crisis in crisis and uh premarital stuff and just different things that uh we try to be open and available so that God can use us in whatever ways that we can.
• 16:47
  Michelle Moore: Fall in your dream and stay in on it.
• 16:49
  Daniel Moore: Yeah.
• 16:49
  Michelle Moore: Even though you asked me at first and I was like, no.
• 16:52
  Michelle Moore: I knew where it needed to be.
• 16:56
  Daniel Moore: Yeah.
• 16:56
  Daniel Moore: And so all of you listening, just think about, you know, your scenario.
• 17:01
  Daniel Moore: What is it if you aren't doing something right now together as a couple, what are some things that you've dreamed about that you know you could do with your spouse and it would be so much more powerful if you brought them into the equation and the powerhouse that you both could be for God and for your marriage if you both just, you know, came together on that.
• 17:22
  Daniel Moore: It just gives you something to think about.
• 17:24
  Daniel Moore: So this kind of unity isn't just for personal gain, it's meant to be used to serve and uplift others.
• 17:31
  Daniel Moore: You know, one verse that highlights this beautifully in the Bible is Hebrews 13, 16, which reminds us not to pass up opportunities, to do good and share what we have, because such acts of generosity honor God.
• 17:45
  Daniel Moore: Real generosity involves giving up something valuable or something that we care about.
• 17:51
  Daniel Moore: That level of giving reflects love at its highest.
• 17:55
  Daniel Moore: God fills our lives with blessings, not so that we can hoard them, but so that we can pour them out onto other people.
• 18:03
  Michelle Moore: Yes.
• 18:04
  Daniel Moore: He calls us to be givers, not just receivers, and to live out our love for him by showing love to those around us.
• 18:12
  Michelle Moore: So good.
• 18:12
  Daniel Moore: That makes me think of you know being blessed to be a blessing.
• 18:16
  Michelle Moore: Yes.
• 18:16
  Daniel Moore: Uh, there's lots of lots of songs that I've that we've sang in church before that you know mentions that if our our goal as Christians is to pour into other people the way that God has poured into us.
• 18:29
  Daniel Moore: You know, a powerful real life example of this is the story of Charles and Esther Moley.
• 18:34
  Daniel Moore: Their journey is featured in the film Molly, which tells the inspiring true account of Charles' transformation.
• 18:41
  Daniel Moore: As a young child in Kenya, Charles was abandoned and forced to survive on the streets.
• 18:46
  Daniel Moore: But over time, he overcame enormous odds and built a life most people would envy.
• 18:52
  Daniel Moore: He had a successful career, a beautiful family and wealth.
• 18:56
  Daniel Moore: But everything changed after a few street kids stole his car.
• 19:01
  Daniel Moore: That moment caused him to question whether his life's focus was truly aligned with his faith and purpose.
• 19:07
  Daniel Moore: In a radical act of surrender, Charles made the life altering decision to sell his business and commit to helping homeless children, kids who like him had no one.
• 19:18
  Daniel Moore: He started taking these children in, eventually founding the Moley Children's Family, which has become the largest children's rescue and development organization in Africa.
• 19:28
  Daniel Moore: He is now celebrated as a father to thousands of forgotten children.
• 19:33
  Daniel Moore: You know what stood out most in that story was not just Charles' sacrifice, but also Esther's.
• 19:40
  Daniel Moore: Imagine the shock of hearing your spouse say they're giving away the lifestyle that you've built together to care for strangers.
• 19:47
  Daniel Moore: And then within day, welcoming your first orphans home with no warning.
• 19:51
  Daniel Moore: Esther's world must have been turned upside down.
• 19:54
  Daniel Moore: But what's truly beautiful is that over time Charles' calling became Esther's calling too.
• 20:00
  Daniel Moore: His passion turned into their shared mission.
• 20:04
  Daniel Moore: Together, they turned their God given unity and purpose into a force for good that has impacted countless lives.
• 20:11
  Daniel Moore: Christian singer Stephen Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth have a similar moly moment in their marriage as well.
• 20:18
  Daniel Moore: We'll talk about that here in just a minute.
• 20:20
  Daniel Moore: But this is a good example here where if spouses aren't on the same page and they try to align their dreams together, and you know the Bible tells us that we should to live in unity.
• 20:34
  Daniel Moore: If we don't live in unity, one person's fighting against the other because they want to both venture off on separate paths, stuff like this doesn't happen.
• 20:44
  Daniel Moore: That's gonna be because it's it's real difficult for one person to follow a big dream, especially like this one.
• 20:49
  Daniel Moore: That's a life-changing dream that if it doesn't pan out, you can go bankrupt real quick.
• 20:55
  Daniel Moore: And that's a huge choice that you have to make.
• 20:58
  Daniel Moore: And that had to be a God thing in order for that to turn out like it did, and for Esther to change her mind, because that's just like you and I.
• 21:08
  Daniel Moore: You know, if we came up and, you know, you decided that you're just gonna quit your job and start doing something like this, and then that's dropped in my lap one day just out of the blue, and then I'm sitting there thinking in shock, like, how are we gonna pay the bills?
• 21:24
  Daniel Moore: You know, it's like how are we gonna do this?
• 21:26
  Daniel Moore: How are we gonna do that?
• 21:26
  Daniel Moore: The minds and the gear start running.
• 21:29
  Daniel Moore: That definitely you have to bring God in that equation to get that peace to make that choice and move on with it.
• 21:36
  Daniel Moore: Yeah.
• 21:36
  Daniel Moore: Because if you make a bad choice in the flesh and you start moving that direction, a lot of times that won't pan out because God's blessing is not on it.
• 21:46
  Daniel Moore: You'll find out that you'll be fighting against each other as spouses to attain a dream rather than coming together and unifying and trying to make that dream happen.
• 21:54
  Daniel Moore: We always have to let those keep going forward.
• 21:57
  Michelle Moore: So good.
• 21:58
  Daniel Moore: So, Michelle, go ahead and pick up.
• 21:59
  Daniel Moore: Up here as we share another instance here with Stephen Curtis Chapman and his wife.
• 22:04
  Michelle Moore: Yeah, um, a real life story that mirrors the themes of perseverance, shared dreams, divine timing, and adoption is the journey of Mary Beth and Stephen Curtis Chapman when they adopted their daughter Maria.
• 22:18
  Michelle Moore: Mary Beth and Stephen, a renowned Christian musician, had three biological children in a full life already.
• 22:26
  Michelle Moore: But over time, Mary Beth began feeling a strong pull toward adoption, especially from watching the video on Chinese orphans.
• 22:36
  Michelle Moore: Initially, Stephen was hesitant.
• 22:39
  Michelle Moore: He was busy with music commitments, and adoption wasn't on his radar.
• 22:43
  Michelle Moore: However, Mary Beth shared her growing desire with him, and instead of shutting her down, he admitted he didn't fully understand it, but was willing to pray about it.
• 22:54
  Michelle Moore: That small step opened the door for God to begin aligning their hearts.
• 22:59
  Michelle Moore: Eventually they traveled together to China and adopted a beautiful little girl.
• 23:05
  Michelle Moore: What followed was the birth of a renewed vision in their marriage, a shared calling to advocate for orphans and help families adopt.
• 23:14
  Michelle Moore: Their personal journey led them to found Show Hope, an organization that provides grants and supports for adopted families, making the process more accessible for others.
• 23:26
  Michelle Moore: Though their mission started with one daughter, it didn't stop there.
• 23:30
  Michelle Moore: The Chapmans went on to adopt two more girls from China, Stevie Joy and Maria.
• 23:36
  Michelle Moore: Their story deepened in 2008 when Maria, their youngest, tragically passed away in an accident at home.
• 23:44
  Michelle Moore: Their grief was immeasurable, and Mary Beth has spoken honestly about the emotional and spiritual anguish she faced.
• 23:51
  Michelle Moore: Yet, in the sorrow, they found a renewed purpose.
• 23:56
  Michelle Moore: They believed that Maria's life, though short, carried internal impact.
• 24:00
  Michelle Moore: Mary Beth later wrote a book titled Choosing to See, detailing her journey through adoption, faith, heartache, and healing.
• 24:11
  Michelle Moore: She shares how she questioned God, how painful the rejection and pain could be, even when you believe you're following his call, but also how God used every moment for something larger than she or Stephen could have planned.
• 24:27
  Michelle Moore: Their adoption story follows a familiar pattern.
• 24:31
  Michelle Moore: An individual desire becomes a shared mission.
• 24:34
  Michelle Moore: Doubts and delays arise.
• 24:37
  Michelle Moore: God confirms their calling through peoples and events.
• 24:40
  Michelle Moore: Heartbreak and healing showcase God's faithfulness.
• 24:43
  Michelle Moore: Even in the deepest pain, their commitment to the calling they shared never wavered.
• 24:49
  Michelle Moore: They turned tragedy into purpose, growing their ministry and impacting thousands of families worldwide.
• 24:57
  Michelle Moore: The journey to bring a child into their family wasn't linear or easy.
• 25:02
  Michelle Moore: It required faith, unity, relentless love, and trust that even amid delays or heartbreak, God's timing and purpose would prevail.
• 25:12
  Michelle Moore: And just like that moment by the lake shore in Wisconsin, clarity came when they sought God together, creating a beautiful legacy out of shared obedience.
• 25:23
  Michelle Moore: Just as the Lord continued to bring peace, assurance, and joy, amid waiting for their dream to come to pass, he will meet you in your journey of pursuing the desires he has placed in your heart and your dreams.
• 25:38
  Michelle Moore: Let him lead and let him bring the confirmations along the way.
• 25:45
  Michelle Moore: He knows what will speak intimately to your hearts, and you will feel his presence.
• 25:53
  Daniel Moore: Those are two really good stories about things that huge decisions that were made by a couple, and God just got right in the middle of it and made a big difference with what they were doing.
• 26:07
  Daniel Moore: And these actually these ministries are still going today.
• 26:11
  Daniel Moore: You can go online and check all of those out.
• 26:14
  Daniel Moore: It comes back to the point where if they had not had a dream within their marriage, then it would not have happened.
• 26:25
  Daniel Moore: Because they chose to follow that dream, so many lives were touched with what they did.
• 26:31
  Daniel Moore: As we opened up this episode today, you know, we were talking a little bit about at the very beginning of marriage, we do.
• 26:54
  Daniel Moore: We typically have we're so excited because we have all of these things that we look down the road that we're expecting this marriage to look like.
• 27:03
  Daniel Moore: It's kind of fairytale-ish to a point because we have all these dreams, these aspirations, uh, these things that we want to accomplish.
• 27:12
  Daniel Moore: But as we've talked about a few times here on the podcast, the honeymoon stage usually lasts a couple of years before true life really sets in.
• 27:22
  Daniel Moore: And then you have to start navigating what being married really is.
• 27:27
  Daniel Moore: You have jobs, uh, you have responsibilities, bills to pay, upkeep on homes if you've purchased one, you start deciding if you're going to have kids.
• 27:36
  Daniel Moore: If you do have kids, then your life starts revolving around kids' activities in school and work and all of that.
• 27:43
  Daniel Moore: And I can see how it's real easy to push those dreams back on the back burner and not accomplish what you're out to accomplish.
• 27:52
  Daniel Moore: And this isn't something about where you have to try to think of the big, huge dream that is almost unattainable anyway, whether if you have kids or not.
• 28:01
  Michelle Moore: Yeah.
• 28:02
  Daniel Moore: Uh this is just even about the small stuff.
• 28:05
  Daniel Moore: Because if we always dream huge, which they always say you need to dream big and try to attain your dreams.
• 28:12
  Daniel Moore: And I understand the concept behind that.
• 28:14
  Daniel Moore: But sometimes I think if we have these big, huge dreams, sometimes we kind of forget about the little dreams too, just the small things that makes a difference.
• 28:24
  Daniel Moore: Also, it's it's real easy to dream about wanting to go on some some big extravagant vacation someday or create this big, huge nonprofit that's going to save the world, or all of that kind of thing, but then totally forget about dreaming about just having a good marriage, just having a loving relationship between your spouse, um, just having moments together, just doing something small and simple, just to build the love that you have between each other.
• 28:50
  Daniel Moore: It's real easy to start overlooking all of those small dreams.
• 28:54
  Daniel Moore: And if we're not careful, that stuff is what actually damages the relationship.
• 29:01
  Michelle Moore: Yeah.
• 29:01
  Daniel Moore: That's the stuff where your marriage can start becoming mundane, feel like it's in a rut, uh, feel like that you're just existing in a couple scenario with a home and some kids constantly chasing this, chasing that, exhausted.
• 29:16
  Daniel Moore: Uh, all of that stuff can start happening if we don't try to make sure that we nurture the dreams in our marriages that we should have to try to keep those together.
• 29:27
  Daniel Moore: But so this week's gonna be just a little bit shorter.
• 29:30
  Daniel Moore: We're going to uh cut this off right here.
• 29:33
  Daniel Moore: Um, do you have anything that you want to add to it?
• 29:36
  Michelle Moore: No, I don't have anything else to say on this one.
• 29:40
  Michelle Moore: Okay.
• 29:40
  Michelle Moore: Good, good.
• 29:42
  Daniel Moore: Well, um, we'll go ahead and cut it off for this week then.
• 29:44
  Daniel Moore: Next week when we come back, uh, we'll finish this up.
• 29:47
  Daniel Moore: And it it may be more of a 40 to 45 minute episode to finish this, but uh we just want to make sure that the last two sections, we keep them together.
• 29:56
  Daniel Moore: Uh dreams are very important in relationships.
• 30:01
  Daniel Moore: And a lot of times if you talk to people that their marriages are failing or their marriages have failed, you will eventually get to the core issue that they'll either admit that they quit dreaming, or you can tell by listening to their story that they don't have any dreams anymore.
• 30:19
  Daniel Moore: They give, they've just given up and they have no desire to move forward with their relationship.
• 30:24
  Daniel Moore: And so this is I can't think of any better way to end this series on resetting your marriage than to have this reminder that we have to have dreams.
• 30:34
  Michelle Moore: Yeah.
• 30:34
  Daniel Moore: It's good.
• 30:34
  Daniel Moore: If we don't have dreams in our marriage as we look forward and try to attain those dreams and keep nurturing that intimacy, that love, that connection that we have with our spouse, then we are in a very dangerous uh position to become roommates, just like what we've been talking about over these last several months in this series.
• 30:56
  Daniel Moore: So next week when we come back, we're gonna go ahead and wrap up this episode on dreams in our marriage, and we'll be wrapping up the whole series, actually, as we'll be finishing that up.
• 31:08
  Daniel Moore: So you might want to make sure you're subscribed if you're not to receive that notification whenever that time comes.
• 31:15
  Daniel Moore: You can visit our website at marriage lifeandmore.com.
• 31:18
  Daniel Moore: Um, all of our links are there for where you can listen to the episodes.
• 31:22
  Daniel Moore: You can also reach out to us from there with the contact form or by email at Daniel at connectingtegap.net as well.
• 31:30
  Daniel Moore: So since we're getting through this series, it'd be nice to hear from some people if maybe this has helped you a little bit as we went through this series.
• 31:37
  Daniel Moore: If maybe your marriage is in a bad situation and you maybe applied some of this stuff we've talked about over the last few months and it's actually worked and helped revive your marriage.
• 31:46
  Daniel Moore: We'd love to hear some testimonies like that, and even be able to possibly share them anonymously if you would let us.
• 31:52
  Daniel Moore: So uh please reach out if you can um have something you'd like to say.
• 31:56
  Daniel Moore: For now, though, we're gonna go.
• 31:58
  Daniel Moore: And we pray that after this week's episode, that your marriage is stronger and your walk with God is closer.
• 32:05
  Daniel Moore: This is an extension of Connecting the Gap Ministries, and we pray that you have a blessed week.