A Family is Faced with Impossible Odds: 

Read why Father's Day is so significant to the Meisners

When searching for a touching Father’s Day story, it doesn’t get much better than this.  A loving family is faced with an affair that resulted in an unwanted pregnancy. This created impossible odds for redemption, but somehow this story forged upon uncharted territory, reformed into a surprisingly bliss-filled path, and this family’s journey has stood the test of time.

The secret affair and shocking pregnancy was enough to cause permanent damage.  Even if Bob and Audrey Meisner “made it” who would have guessed their pain would result in extreme passion to help every family find hope? 

Watch this video of how Bob wrestles to answer the question: “Will I be able to love this baby as my own?  Or will he be a constant reminder of the betrayal”?

Painful times in any family have the potential to divide and isolate, and yet there’s one thing we can do when we are faced with tragedy.  Audrey shares her very personal temptation to escape extreme fear and utter humiliation in this account of when she found out she was pregnant:

After watching that video, you understand the powerful secret of going “through” instead of avoiding the process.  Not easy, and not without seasons of pushing back hopelessness and despair, but possible.  Every person can choose hope no matter what circumstance they find themselves in.  It just takes one person in a family to initiate the path of fearless courage, restoration and love.   

Here’s what the Meisner family looked like just a few days after Robert Theodore was born.  The smiles are real, even though there were still layers upon layers of healing that still needed to happen before Bob and Audrey could truly be free to laugh and dream again.  At the time of this picture, nobody could have predicted how this simple story of extravagant love would literally reach couples and families around the world with hope for their families.  

 
 

It seems as though every time Bob and Audrey Meisner share their story, people are stunned with the possibility of restoration for their own life.  It started when they wrote their first book, “Marriage Under Cover” a very transparent account of the weeks and months of healing after the affair.  People going through similar circumstances felt loved, and the strength that if Bob and Audrey could get through this, maybe they could too…”

The icing on the cake for the Meisners is Robert.  A couple of years ago, Bob recognized that being younger than the others, he was growing up almost like an only child. Audrey loves to make sure the kids are all happy and loves to make them all feel very special, and Robert was getting used to being “served” and just spending his leisure time playing video games and almost “wasting his life away”.  Bob decided that instead of being frustrated, he was going to be a father with intention and that’s when he announced that Robert needed to sign up for “man-school”.  In other words, there is no shortage of “boys” in our culture, males of all ages unaware of what it takes to have great relationships, but our society needs men who understand their masculinity and the joy of serving with strength.  The Meisners have a family creed: “We are a family who loves God intimately, each other openly and the world radically”.  That means they are fighting for families and have lasting trust in the love of their Heavenly Father. 

Bob and his three sons are still figuring out the details of what “man-school” involves (other than stepping up to serve and investing in knowing what it really means to be a great son in God’s Kingdom) but one event shines as a pinnacle of developing sheer stamina and fortitude: The Meisner Mighty Men started a group chat that advanced into an annual hike that involves extremely high altitudes, multiple days off the grid, surviving the elements of heat, cold and exhaustion and “getting to the end of themselves” only to find true male bonding and friendship with God.

Here’s a picture of last year in Zion National Park, Hike 2016. 

Just two years ago, Chris (single, age 30) and David (married, age 25) had several private conversations voicing the need for their generation.  Chris, working as a graphic designer and business developer in New York City said,  “I have friends my age who are already getting a divorce.  I know my parents have the kind of resources to help them, so instead of wishful thinking, I’m going to get together with David (videographer) and invest our time, effort and passion into building awareness that there’s real hope and solutions available. If our family can make it through this, there’s limitless possibilities for everyone!”

That simple phone conversation between Bob and Audrey’s sons developed into the newest expansion to this marriage revolution called Love Married Life®.  Personal marriage help is now more available then ever before…and it’s personal.

 

“The struggle is real!  We needed someone to help us (and literally tell us what to do!) to have a great marriage, and that’s exactly what Bob and Audrey have done. Wow.  First we searched them and found them on YouTube, watched hours of their TV show, and pretty much fell in love with how open and honest they are.  Talk about vulnerable!  When we found out about Love Married Life® and joining a personal Marriage Intensive for only ten couples, we jumped on it immediately! We came home amazed that we received so much personal attention and help, and now we feel like family with them…”

- Billy and Tracy

(West Palm Beach, Florida)  

Bob says, “Most couples live with unresolved conflict and deeply buried secrets.  The result is buttons, triggers and a marriage of frustration.  Suddenly the simple dream of being happily married turns into two scared people doing mean things to each other.  In our Love Married Life ® 4-day Relationship Intensive, we want to help couples unpack the deepest roots of their pain and learn a whole new dance…”

Twelve hours each day, staying on-site and the intensity of the small group can seem intimidating, but any couple who has been through it will tell you that it was the best investment they could have ever made.  

But it doesn’t stop there.  Speaking at Marriage and Family Events around the globe, Bob and Audrey continue to write many books and create tools to provide practical solutions for relationship challenges.  Thousands have signed up for their free and daily email called Every Day Hope (available at www.lovemarriedlife.com) There’s a lot in the horizon…The Meisners haven’t announced everything yet, but a weekly YouTube marriage show, Online Courses, Training for couples to help other couples and weekly podcasts have been developed and are being shared through social media and families are getting the help they need.  

You can hop on the momentum by signing up for the next Free Online Relationship Workshop to help communicating in families!  It’s taking place on Tuesday, June 27.  If you can’t be LIVE for the webinar, you can sign up for it and automatically get the link to watch at your convenience and get the free ebook that comes with it! 

Here’s what the Meisner Family looks like today…and you’ll notice a new face - four years ago David married Tessa, and they all couldn’t be happier about it. 

That picture was taken last fall when they all travelled to Wisconsin for a family wedding.  This next one was taken the year before in their living room (for all those dog lovers, we couldn’t help but mention that they’re both Labradoodles! Bob’s dog is Winston, and Dave and Tessa’s is Lavender).

Janelle, Bob and Audrey’s only daughter was only 13 when Robert was born, and she’s been pegged ever since as sister AND MOM.  She’s loyal, helpful and loves deeply.  Now, at age 27, she is the glue that keeps the family together when the Meisners travel.  Janelle says, “I get to have Robert all to myself when Mom and Dad go away, and we aren’t telling any secrets, but we always have fun when we have the house to ourselves!”

 Just last month a young pastor in Toronto had Bob and Audrey conduct a marriage retreat for a group of young couples in their 20s and 30s.  By Sunday morning he introduced them by saying “This is about the happiest, actually restored, full of peace, promoting hope for every family, having faith for impossible situations couples I have ever met”!

Every investment to fight through the hardship was worth it.  Every tear, every prayer and every decision to have hope were founded in the unconditional love of Jesus. 

Click here to read Bob’s Seven Reasons He Loves Being a Dad

Are you inspired to invest in your family? Here’s the next video – the invitation that Bob and Audrey have for you. This Father’s Day you can draw a line in the sand and decide: We are going to be a family who loves God Intimately, Each Other Openly and The World Radically. 

Happy Father’s Day!  God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine, or guess, or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around, but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us.”

Celebrate the dream that miracles are available and your story is loaded with adventure and happy endings.  Share this article with those you love today!

Join the Love Married Life® Family today by:  (click the links below)