Family Fortitude

In this vulnerable conversation, Lonnie and Gionne Marts pull back the curtain on their 11-year journey through professional football, revealing the strategies that kept their marriage intact when statistics suggested otherwise. They discuss the vital importance of having parents who pushed them toward reconciliation rather than division during difficult moments, and how keeping God as the "real MVP" provided an unshakable foundation. Whether you're navigating fame, fortune, career demands, or simply the everyday challenges of marriage and family, this episode offers wisdom from a couple who've emerged stronger through extraordinary circumstances. Listen now to gain insights from the Marts' locker room lessons that apply far beyond the football field.

What happens when a former NFL player and his wife raise five athletes while trying to keep sports in its proper perspective? The answer unfolds in this deeply personal conversation about family values, athletic development, and finding balance during busy sports seasons. The Marts reveal their family philosophy that has guided their parenting: encouraging multi-sport participation, developing well-rounded individuals, and ensuring sports never becomes an idol that overshadows other God-given talents. As they navigate their youngest daughter's volleyball career, they share practical wisdom about prioritizing schedules without letting sports consume family life. Their concept of "there-ness", being physically present and engaged in their kids' activities, stands as perhaps their most important parenting strategy through years of sideline support.  Whether you're raising young athletes or simply interested in maintaining healthy family priorities in a performance-driven culture, this conversation offers refreshing perspective from parents who've experienced sports at every level. 

Life can get tough, but it is during these challenging times that resilience and principles become our shield. Joy is not always found in grandeur, but often in small moments like hearing your teenage daughters having  a playful moment with each other.  In our latest episode, we take you on a journey of finding joy amidst life's rollercoaster, drawing inspiration from Ecclesiastes 8:15. We reflect on how life, despite being disrespectful at times can be rewarding.  And how every day can be a celebration if we decide to truly live it.As we wrap up, we emphasize the importance of keeping our eyes on the prize, trusting God's plan, and staying motivated even amidst life's hurdles. So, why not join us for this enlightening and uplifting conversation?

Life literally be lifing.  And sometimes we find ourselves in less than desirable situations.  Learning to embrace the sucky aspects of life, job loss, the death of a loved one, a failed relationship, a health challenge can all be hard.  We want to encourage you to not just crawl in bed, pull the covers and quit but to actually press through to the other side of the sucky thing happening in your life.  Gain God's perspective in the midst of pain, trouble or loss and there you will see light at the end of the tunnel.

Ever find yourself in a season where things seem to be shifting around you?  In this episode we get back in the saddle and talk about some of the changes that have happened in our lives over the past two years.  Transition can be hard but the fruit that comes is so rewarding.  We encourage you to embrace  change and learn the rhythm of the new season you may find yourself in.  Take a listen!

In this episode we take time out to describe our perspectives on today's racial tension crisis from the standpoint of a black family that moves in various predominantly white circles. This is a special episode because like many families we are semi quarantined in a state of full house under one roof. We were joined by the “Big 3,” our first 3 children to discuss multiple topics. We take on being black in academia and athletics, discuss white expectations and tackle experiencing microaggressions in our real lives.

In this episode we address the most recent unprecedented events concerning the COVID-19 virus that is making a global impact.  Rather than speak on the troubling facts regarding this virus we thought it would be better to speak life as it is affecting our entire world.  We started with the Bible verse in Genesis 50:20 and sprinkled in Romans 8:28. God did not send this virus but he does have a plan to bring good to humanity because he is always showing Himself to be unrivaled in the earth in the face of adversity. As many are facing difficult times around the globe we hope to bring a glimmer of light to help encourage you

In this episode we share our family mission statement and core values in depth. We make sure there's clarity, intention, and authenticity in these areas for our family. Our mission statement tells you where we want to go and our core values tell you how we want to respond in different situations. We challenge you to make your own family mission statement and establish your family core values. We believe your family business is the most important business to God.

Ever tried to set a new standard in your home only to be met with serious resistance? On this episode, we explore culture setting in our homes and families. We begin by sharing how our number one rule for communication in our house leads to honor flowing between spouses, parents, and children, and between siblings. We discuss giving our kids a voice and training them to respect and honor boundaries in our home. Ultimately, we view our home as a small community, which has an atmosphere of safety for feelings, thoughts, and questions to flow freely without judgment or shock. This approach has allowed our children to draw close and talk about things they wouldn't necessarily be comfortable sharing with others. You just gotta be ready for anything. Listen in as we dive into building an intentional, godly family culture!

 On this episode, we dive into what it takes to develop a cohesive family identity, which we believe begins with establishing a culture of honor in the home. Families truly ought to be run like a business- intentionally, strategically, and undergirded with good, consistent communication. Join us as we get into the nitty-gritty of building a strong family by cultivating a strong identity. 

On this episode, we get into why and how we do family taking cues from God's biblical design. We discuss His intent for the family and the directives given to parents (Deut. 6:4) and children (Ex. 20:12). Believe it or not, sibling relationships are some of the most key bonds in preparing us as people to be in and build meaningful non-assigned relationships. The process of becoming a skillful sibling is integral to being a masterful participant in any relationship and it's a step that we cannot afford to skip. If we view familial ties and sibling connection with the proper perspective, every interaction will be seen as a valuable opportunity to lay building blocks for sound living.

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Family Fortitude podcast! On this episode, hosts Lonnie and Gionne Marts offer insight into why they are taking nearly 30 years of marriage and over 20 years of parenting to the podcasting world. Before the couple gets too deep in their lessons learned and wisdom offered on parenting and marriage, they offer a peek into their passion for family and discuss the families that they themselves came from. Listen in!