Redemption Takes Work

What do you do when trust has been shattered—not by a small misstep, but by something life-altering?

In this week’s Marriage iQ episode, we sat down with Portia and Chad Louder, a couple who faced the unthinkable: Portia, once a thriving businesswoman, found herself addicted to prescription medication, caught in illegal real estate deals, and sentenced to seven years in federal prison.

It would’ve been easy for Chad to walk away. It would’ve been easy for Portia to hide in shame. But instead, they chose the hard, holy work of honesty, accountability, and repair.

Portia didn’t just serve time—she did the soul work. In prison, she owned every part of her story, made amends, and began to rebuild the woman her family could trust again. Chad, in turn, made the courageous decision to recommit—not blindly, but with clear-eyed compassion and boundaries.

Actionable Tip:

Ask yourself (and each other): Is there a part of our story that still needs accountability—something left unsaid or unrepaired? Healing begins not with perfection, but with truth-telling and humble listening.

Sometimes the hardest chapters hold the greatest redemption.