Ep 1095 | Rebecca St. James Opens Her Heart to Jase & Missy About Infertility & Faith in Suffering

Summary

Podcast Summary: Unashamed with the Robertson Family Episode: Ep 1095 | Rebecca St. James Opens Her Heart to Jase & Missy About Infertility & Faith in Suffering
Release Date: May 21, 2025
Host/Author: Tread Lively

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Introduction

In Episode 1095 of "Unashamed with the Robertson Family," host Jason "Jase" Robertson welcomes special guest Rebecca St. James alongside her husband, Cubby Fink. The episode delves deep into themes of infertility, faith during suffering, and the transformative power of love and resilience within marriage. Set against the backdrop of Robertson family dynamics in West Monroe, Louisiana, listeners are treated to candid conversations, heartfelt anecdotes, and insightful discussions about navigating personal and spiritual challenges.

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Opening Banter and Introductions (00:57 - 12:39)

The episode begins with light-hearted banter about the dynamics of the Robertson family, particularly highlighting the absence of Zach Dasher in recent podcasts. Jase humorously teases about the family's relationship, setting a warm and familiar tone for the conversation.

• Jase Robertson (00:57): "I am unashamed. What about you?"
• Phil Robertson (01:02): Welcomes Rebecca and her husband Cubby to the show.

Rebecca and Cubby share a brief exchange about previous interactions with the Robertson family, emphasizing their growing friendship and shared experiences, especially relating to their work in faith-based ministries.

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Discussion on One Kingdom Ministry (10:51 - 12:39)

Phil Robertson introduces the partnership with One Kingdom, the global gospel ministry of Washbury Road Church. He highlights their mission work and disaster relief efforts, emphasizing their commitment to sharing the Gospel alongside providing physical assistance.

• Phil Robertson (10:51): "We have been doing mission work and disaster relief for many, many years... One Kingdom is all about sharing Jesus, speaking Jesus, showing Jesus."

The conversation underscores the importance of integrating faith with practical help, aiming to impact lives both spiritually and physically.

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Rebecca St. James' Book "Lasting Ever" (12:39 - 35:23)

The heart of the episode revolves around Rebecca St. James' book, "Lasting Ever," co-authored with her husband Cubby Fink. Phil praises the book for its authenticity and relatability, noting how it parallels their own experiences in marriage.

• Phil Robertson (15:04): "I found myself taking copious notes from the last third of the book because you built so well into sort of the tension of everything in your lives."

Rebecca and Cubby discuss the genesis of their book, focusing on their personal struggles with infertility, burnout, and the challenges of maintaining faith during tough times. They emphasize the importance of vulnerability and sharing real-life struggles to connect with readers.

• Cubby Fink (34:45): "It is the pain of life that is the unifying factor. It's the thing that we all experience... we chose to stick to God in the midst of that pain."

The authors highlight five core themes from their book: being seen, heard, held, known, and loved—each addressing fundamental human needs and how faith intersects with these experiences.

• Zach Dasher (54:05): "In that pain, we get a unique perspective and understanding of the love of the Father..."

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Personal Stories and Vulnerability (35:23 - 58:59)

Rebecca and Cubby share deeply personal stories about their marriage, including moments of vulnerability such as dealing with miscarriages and the struggle to maintain their faith during periods of silence from God.

• Rebecca St. James (46:57): "He just became so enamored with Missy and like, she became his favorite there for a while."

Jase relates these stories to his own life, drawing parallels between Rebecca and Cubby's experiences and those of the Robertson family. This section underscores the universal nature of suffering and the hope that faith can bring amidst pain.

• Jase Robertson (54:03): "There's a reason half of marriages end in divorce... In reality, there is suffering. But God does his best work in that."

The conversation also touches on familial nicknames and dynamics, adding a layer of humor and relatability to the episode.

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Themes of Love and Overcoming Adversity (58:59 - 63:10)

As the episode progresses, Rebecca and Cubby elaborate on how their shared hardships have strengthened their marriage and deepened their trust in each other and in God.

• Zach Dasher (57:56): "There's a deep seated trust that is there because we've seen each other, we've known each other..."

They discuss the concept of "lasting ever" as opposed to the traditional "happily ever after," emphasizing that enduring love is built through facing and overcoming challenges together.

• Zach Dasher (59:24): "Being found by the true love of God... only deepens our understanding of the perfection of the way He can meet those needs."

Rebecca and Cubby's insights into marriage serve as a testament to the power of enduring love grounded in faith, offering listeners both inspiration and practical wisdom.

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Closing Remarks and Call to Action (63:10 - End)

As the episode wraps up, the hosts and guests reflect on the profound discussions they've shared. Phil encourages listeners to read "Lasting Ever," highlighting its potential to inspire and support those facing similar struggles in their own lives.

• Phil Robertson (63:02): "Check out the book Lasting Ever. Wherever you get your books, get this book. It's going to be a blessing to you."

Listeners are invited to engage further by subscribing, leaving reviews, and staying tuned for future episodes that promise more heartfelt conversations and faith-filled stories.

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Notable Quotes

1. Jase Robertson (00:57): "I am unashamed. What about you?"
2. Phil Robertson (10:51): "One Kingdom is all about sharing Jesus, speaking Jesus, showing Jesus."
3. Cubby Fink (34:45): "We chose to stick to God in the midst of that pain."
4. Zach Dasher (54:05): "In that pain, we get a unique perspective and understanding of the love of the Father..."
5. Jase Robertson (54:03): "There's a reason half of marriages end in divorce... In reality, there is suffering. But God does his best work in that."
6. Zach Dasher (59:24): "Being found by the true love of God... only deepens our understanding of the perfection of the way He can meet those needs."

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Conclusion

Episode 1095 of "Unashamed with the Robertson Family" offers a profound exploration of faith, love, and resilience in the face of adversity. Through the candid discussions with Rebecca St. James and Cubby Fink, listeners gain valuable insights into maintaining faith during challenging times and the enduring strength of a marriage grounded in spiritual commitment. This episode not only shares personal stories but also provides a beacon of hope for anyone navigating similar struggles, reaffirming the unshakeable truth that with God, love indeed can be lasting ever.

Transcript

[Jase Robertson]

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[Zach Dasher]

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[Jase Robertson]

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[Zach Dasher]

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[Jase Robertson]

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[Rebecca St. James]

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[Jase Robertson]

I am unashamed. What about you?

[Phil Robertson]

Welcome back to Unashamed Jace. We have our favorite two guests on the Unashamed Pocket. That.

[Rebecca St. James]

He better say that.

[Phil Robertson]

I mean, there. This is a no doubt or no brainer.

[Jase Robertson]

And to make that even more spectacular, we dropped off a hitchhiker to pick up these two guests. So, no Zach as Lisa and Missy.

[Rebecca St. James]

I mean, I feel like this is a bit of a trend because the last three times I've been here, Zach has conveniently not been here. So here's something personal.

[Jase Robertson]

No, no.

[Phil Robertson]

I'm going to tell you, Missy, he doesn't like you. We. We've been meaning to tell you this for a long time. He's like, I cannot deal with Missy. Y' all are going to have to do that podcast.

[Jase Robertson]

I'm going to give you the truth.

[Phil Robertson]

I'm kidding.

[Jase Robertson]

No, I'm giving you the truth.

[Phil Robertson]

Okay.

[Jase Robertson]

For the listeners, this is the first.

[Phil Robertson]

Time on a Change.

[Jase Robertson]

I'm going to give you the truth.

[Phil Robertson]

The unadulterated truth about.

[Jase Robertson]

About our relationship with Zach. And it. And it's, you know, nothing profound, but just every once in a while, we need a break.

[Missy Robertson]

Maybe that's what he's thinking.

[Rebecca St. James]

Maybe.

[Jase Robertson]

Here's the problem. I've offered to take many breaks.

[Phil Robertson]

Yeah, me too. You can't take no breaks.

[Missy Robertson]

Here's what I think. I think whenever the girls are on here, Zach doesn't want to be on here because if we're not on here, then he's the pretty part of the podcast.

[Jase Robertson]

Yeah, well, he takes Mine in his mind.

[Missy Robertson]

Yeah.

[Jase Robertson]

And Bill used to say that about. About everyone. Remember? He. I mean, he's even said that about us.

[Phil Robertson]

Yeah.

[Jase Robertson]

It's like if you think you're. You know, if he feels like you were getting a little bit too high on your horse, he would say, you're a legend in your own mind. He would kind of pause. He'd say, you're a legend in your own mind.

[Phil Robertson]

So we. On the last podcast, we prayed for Jill because he literally dropped out 10 minutes in because he was worried, and she was texting me about appendicitis. Turns out it was kidney stones. For our audience to know, which is very painful and difficult, but she's doing okay. She's through the process of.

[Jase Robertson]

Me and him had the funniest exchange because I was checking on her.

[Phil Robertson]

Me too.

[Jase Robertson]

Like, every hour.

[Phil Robertson]

Yeah.

[Jase Robertson]

And he was acting surprised every time, which was very annoying to me. I'm like, you rushed her to the hospital. Me and Al literally made up that podcast off the top of our head.

[Phil Robertson]

Out of Romans 8.

[Jase Robertson]

Out of Romans 8. Because Al had a prayer, and, I don't know, the spirit moved, and we just. We stopped.

[Phil Robertson]

We wound up having a great discussion about it.

[Jase Robertson]

Yeah, we had a discussion, and we were a man down, which was, you know, you don't appreciate that, but you realize then we're missing a guy, which means we have to talk more. And it's difficult. And he finally.

[Cubby Fink]

Not for you, Jason.

[Rebecca St. James]

Are you really trying to convince the audience that talking more is difficult for you?

[Jase Robertson]

Hey, deep down, May shy, we've heard.

[Missy Robertson]

That maybe when you were 10. Oh, boy, not now.

[Jase Robertson]

Yeah, I have this. Is this only Jesus be vulnerable because the Lord put his hand on me and said, speak. If you believe, speak.

[Rebecca St. James]

And you never looked back. Never looked back.

[Jase Robertson]

This is not easy for me, babe. So look. He then says, good news. She has kidney stones. And I'm like, how can that be?

[Phil Robertson]

Don't show that to her.

[Jase Robertson]

So look, look, this is ser. We then get into a debate over what good news means, and I'm like, I'm pretty sure that you need to go reread your Bible. Good news is good in Jesus. I was like, kidney stones, not good news. But it's. You should have phrased the question. Not as bad as it's not as bad as it is.

[Rebecca St. James]

Well, you're realizing he's in the middle of trauma with his wife, and you're distracting him, trying to get him to explain the definition of good versus better. Like, all to make you. You understand more. His Wife is in utter pain.

[Jase Robertson]

I did think about that. I'm not. I wasn't oblivious to that, babe. But in the moment, I was like, of all things, you can't use good news this way.

[Rebecca St. James]

Oh, God.

[Jase Robertson]

This is the theme of the Bible. I come to bring you good news. I'm like, you can't make that illustration here. And look, Zach likes to argue. And we had a little argument on it.

[Rebecca St. James]

Oh, my goodness. Yeah. Well, there's. Okay, here's another little argument is not argument, but different perspective. When you came to tell me something last night after your middle son Cole called you.

[Jase Robertson]

This is a doozy here.

[Rebecca St. James]

After he called you and you walked in and you said, well, I have some news. You saw. You said. And I thought, is it good or bad? And then I still think we had different perspective on it, but I think it's fantastic news. So you want to share that?

[Jase Robertson]

Well, my son called me and. And this kind of. The theme of this podcast will be love is in the air. Because we have some.

[Phil Robertson]

We have some amazing guests.

[Rebecca St. James]

Yes, we do.

[Jase Robertson]

We do. And it kind of has a marriage theme. And even if you're not married at some point, we hope you get married.

[Phil Robertson]

To Jesus or, you know, some married people.

[Zach Dasher]

Yeah.

[Jase Robertson]

You know, some married people. So all apply.

[Missy Robertson]

But we talk about love of Jesus, too. And if you're listening to the podcast, we're hoping that you love Jesus.

[Jase Robertson]

We're all made by God and a part of his family. And I mentioned on several podcasts, the Bible is about God getting his family back now. So it applies. Anyway, I told her, I was like, got some news. Because my son called me and he was like, dad. So I knew just by that Dad. I thought, whatever. The tone was different. And I was thinking, please be good, you know, But I was willing to deal with whatever it is. The fact he's calling me and he said, I want to ask you something. And I was like, fire away. And so I could tell he was nervous, so it was making me nervous. And he said, you know, me and my girlfriend are going to get married. Well, obviously, I know that. And I was like, yeah. And he said, we've decided that we would like for you to do the ceremony.

[Phil Robertson]

I kind of thought that's the way.

[Jase Robertson]

So my heart kind of sank because my default mode.

[Missy Robertson]

That's terrible. I hope Cole doesn't.

[Jase Robertson]

Listen, Let me finish the sentence. My heart fell.

[Missy Robertson]

I'm sorry.

[Jase Robertson]

Because the. The shy self kid thought, oh, no, don't screw this up. No, I thought it. Now I have a responsibility that is an honor, and I love these two people. In fact, what I said was in the moment, I said, I really believe that you and her belong together and God will build something. And I used a profound phrase.

[Rebecca St. James]

Stay tuned.

[Jase Robertson]

Yeah, I used a profound phrase saying, God's going to build this, and I want to be a part of it. Because I was thinking this kind of makes you in from the start, because, you know, we're going to have to sit down and discuss this. Which I did say, because in a weird comment, my response was, oh, is she there with you? And he was like, no. And I said, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm going to need to hear that from her.

[Rebecca St. James]

This is her wedding.

[Jase Robertson]

Yeah. Because he. And he was kind of quizzing me like, well, why? And I was like, well, because if this goes bad, I want her to sanction it verbally in front of me, because I'm going to say, you could do better in having somebody do your wedding.

[Rebecca St. James]

I think it's a huge honor because we don't know her and her family as much as say we did Brighton, because Brighton grew up with Reid. So this has already been feeling a little bit different, you know? So for Emilyn and Cole to make this decision together, to include our family in her wedding in such a profound way, I think is a huge honor. So I'm excited about it. I was thinking we would just be a guest and come in spiffily dressed, you know, and now we have a responsibility.

[Phil Robertson]

Pats him on the knee.

[Rebecca St. James]

Yeah.

[Phil Robertson]

I'm just glad that he didn't tell Cole what he told Lily and Austin when they asked him, have you talked to Al? That was his first reaction to them.

[Jase Robertson]

Well, it's said you could do better.

[Phil Robertson]

Now, and I don't. I disagree with that. You'll do great. And I guess you're right, Jace. That is the theme for today. We're talking about marriage. So glad you told that story because we have a great love story coming up, which is also a theme of you being on the podcast, Missy. We've had some guests every time you're on.

[Jase Robertson]

Well, she brought friends.

[Phil Robertson]

She brought friends. We're going to take a break. We come back on the other side. We'll introduce our guest. I'm super excited about one of our new partners because this a very special group to me. It's One Kingdom, which is the global gospel ministry of our church, the Washbury Road Church. I am. I serve on their board, just to let you know, but we have been doing mission work and disaster relief for many, many years. It's a little bit unique and different in that we always try to work through local church. No one knows a country better than the people that live there and want to share the gospel with people. And also, when relief is done, we want people to not just, you know, have physical relief, but we want them to have an avenue to the gospel because that's what saves you forever. So we're super excited to have these guys along with know all of us have been affected. Zach, when you guys had the big disaster, One kingdom relief was one of the first groups that helped you guys.

[Al Robertson]

Not just one of the first group. They're still here. So I think they've put in about $400,000 into one of the neighborhoods here that got destroyed.

[Phil Robertson]

And Jay, you and Missy, you know, got the blessing. I know Karina. The reason you guys found her was a connection through One Kingdom as well.

[Jase Robertson]

It was. We've done various projects through the years, so I'm really thankful for the involvement and what they do to make the world shine like Jesus.

[Phil Robertson]

And that's what one Kingdom is all about. Share Jesus, speak Jesus, show Jesus. And they've always wanted to be able to speak gospel to every man and woman in every nation and every language. We're talking about YouTube, podcasts, social media. Even what we're doing on the unashamed podcast has an impact. We gathered around a table. We fed people fish down on the river. For you, this may be an opportunity for you to reach people around the world. You can go to One Kingdom.org to donate today, 100% of the donations go to actual work and not overhead, which to me is our greatest claim. That's O N E kingdom.org One kingdom.org.

[Jase Robertson]

Welcome to the Talk of It's Unashamed. I figured since you did the podcast before, you might have warned me.

[Cubby Fink]

I said. I said to Cubby this morning, this is fun. You are gonna love this.

[Zach Dasher]

It's gonna be fine.

[Cubby Fink]

So.

[Phil Robertson]

Well, it was so good because that completely related to Rebecca being the oldest and trying to handle. Yeah, exactly. Welcome to the unashamed podcast. I see we're rolling. We. We are super excited to have Rebecca St. James. Cubby Fink. Welcome to Unashamed.

[Cubby Fink]

Thank you.

[Zach Dasher]

Yeah, thanks for having us.

[Jase Robertson]

And you are married. Even though the names are weird, I just want to say that the names.

[Cubby Fink]

Don'T line up, but yes, we are married.

[Zach Dasher]

Legally married.

[Cubby Fink]

And my license does say Rebecca Fink. That was a thing for me. It does not say St. James. Yes, it Never has.

[Phil Robertson]

So. So, Rebecca, we've had. You've been on the podcast before, last time with your brothers. And. Yeah, we. We had done a screening, I think, of the movie Unsung Hero, which was so amazing. We haven't had a chance to talk to you since it came out, and I'm so glad it did well, and I knew it would. It's just as we talked about when you were on the podcast last time, Rebecca, it. I think it resonated so strongly with us because we also had a. The biopic about our family that was unafraid to talk about, you know, difficulty. And so I just think we had a bond.

[Jase Robertson]

Oh, there's no doubt. We all. We became friends over that whole issue.

[Rebecca St. James]

Yeah.

[Jase Robertson]

So, yeah, it's like we're have this.

[Cubby Fink]

Hung out in town, like. Yeah. We get together.

[Rebecca St. James]

We've shared our souls together.

[Cubby Fink]

The deep places.

[Jase Robertson]

So I want to say something weird for Al, you know, says something profound.

[Phil Robertson]

That's called the unashamed way. What? You just.

[Jase Robertson]

I feel like I need to say this. At some point in our relationship, I want to borrow. I want to borrow that hat because it just. It looks like the ultimate. I see myself sitting on a creek bank catching crappie barefoot in that hat. I love it.

[Cubby Fink]

Okay, we can do that. I think we're friends enough that we can do that.

[Phil Robertson]

What'd you call it, Missy? A female Indiana Jones. For those of you watching, you'll be able to see it. So we brought in Missy and Lisa because we wanted to gussy up the place for y' all as well. Normally, this is like a ratty room where, you know, men hang out, but Testosterone. Exactly. Today we brought Ms. Enlist in as well, because we wanted you to have a good experience. And thank you. You're here, of course, to talk a little bit about your book called Lasting Ever. And just right off the bat, Jason, I both read it this weekend, and it is so good. I mean, I was. I could not wait. It was. I was telling Lisa this morning because I read a lot of books for the podcast.

[Cubby Fink]

Yeah, I'm sure.

[Phil Robertson]

But one thing you guys did so well with the book was that you. I found myself taking copious notes from the last third of the book because you built so well into sort of the. The tension of everything in your lives and how you did it, but it's just very, very well done. So job well done. I can't wait to talk about it today as well as whatever else you guys have going on, because I know there's a lot cubby I feel like, so you're a California guy, and yet now you're in Tennessee. And so reading the book, I watched that transition as well. And you talk about a little bit in the book, so I'd love to hear that more from you. Just being a California kid, you know, riding surf or surf. I don't even know how to say it.

[Jase Robertson]

Riding surfboards.

[Rebecca St. James]

Surfing through my waves.

[Phil Robertson]

I'm so with water with us, we only take things out of it. We never get it on time.

[Jase Robertson]

Well, that's what I. Look, Al's out. What he tried to say is, because I thought, okay, we got a guy from California, he's living in Nashville. He married a woman from Australia. I said, I'm pretty sure that this book on marriage is going to be about having a communication problem.

[Cubby Fink]

And we've worked through some stuff in communication. We work on that as in every marriage. I feel like.

[Phil Robertson]

So do you feel like, Cubby, that you're a Southerner now that you've been there a bit? Or how does that. How does that work?

[Zach Dasher]

I mean, maybe. Maybe a lovingly adopted Southerner? I. I think. I think there's. There's some redneck under this long hair.

[Jase Robertson]

There we go.

[Zach Dasher]

There definitely has always been kind of the fantasies of the south for me growing up on the West Coast. I mean, you know, the, the Huckleberry Finn chasing fireflies in the tall grass and the cricks and the rope swings and things like that. There was always kind of a. A fantastic element about the south in my mind. And, and so. And even growing up going to Disneyland, my favorite place in the park was always Tom Sawyer's Island. So it was just a lot about the south that really resonated with something in my DNA. And I was born in Colorado, so experienced the outdoors from an early age. And all my uncles and cousins hunt, and I hunt now, too. But, yeah, growing up on the West Coast, I was always horrified by the thought of being landlocked and that far away from the ocean. But since transitioning here, I've absolutely fallen in love with it. I mean, it's. And I think there's, you know, because of the sense of calling, because of the Lord's leading, bringing us here, pretty miraculously, that kind of transcends any desire to be near the beach. Just sensing a, you know, a rooted sense of calling in the place that we're at right now.

[Rebecca St. James]

Probably more familiar to you is you are accompanied by a lot more Californians around you. In Nashville, there's so many moving into that area so it's not truly 100% Southern in anymore. But talking about that Tom Sawyer Island, I saw your backyard. You're doing a pretty good job making one of those.

[Zach Dasher]

We're trying.

[Rebecca St. James]

Pretty amazing. Yeah.

[Cubby Fink]

We have a little pond back there, and thankfully, the people that built this house had three kids, and they wanted to make a backyard paradise. So there's a little bitty island on this pond, and we're just water people. I mean, me growing up near the beach in Australia and then Cubby growing up near the beach in California, something calls to us about water. So he. The first time I brought him back to Tennessee, actually, when we were dating, we did the rope swing thing. We swung on a rope swing into a river, and I think he was just captivating. And you saw fireflies that trip, too, right?

[Zach Dasher]

Yeah.

[Cubby Fink]

Yeah. It's amazing. It's kind of magical. It is. I think we take it for granted living in the south, but it is really special if you haven't, you know.

[Rebecca St. James]

Well, when you're a true Southerner, you have to build large glass windows so you can enjoy all of that from inside.

[Cubby Fink]

Yes.

[Rebecca St. James]

To keep yourself safe and cool.

[Zach Dasher]

Well, to that point, I would like to point out the elephant in the room for anyone watching. I'm absolutely dripping sweat. I have not adjusted to the humidity. I went for a run this morning, and I finished probably an hour ago, and I'm still just sweating profusely.

[Cubby Fink]

So they probably can't even see it.

[Phil Robertson]

When we say here in Louisiana, when you're outside, everything outside wants to hurt you, you know? And so you just have to figure out a way to wall off the.

[Rebecca St. James]

Bugs and the things and still enjoy it.

[Phil Robertson]

You still enjoy it.

[Jase Robertson]

Yeah. I'm glad you're saying that. It's making me feel better about Missy choosing to marry me because she wanted the adventure, but without the bugs. And I'm like, this is part of it.

[Rebecca St. James]

Not for me, it's not.

[Jase Robertson]

It's called adventure. Adventure.

[Cubby Fink]

That's why she's like, windows.

[Rebecca St. James]

That's right. Windows and screens. That's right.

[Missy Robertson]

I don't mind bugs, and. And I don't mind varmints. I just trapped three raccoons last week.

[Cubby Fink]

What?

[Missy Robertson]

At our house in Gulf Shores.

[Jase Robertson]

Wow.

[Phil Robertson]

And she did it on her own. Like, I did not help. She. She was like, I'm going to do this. She got the trap. She said it every night. And she trapped three different raccoons because.

[Jase Robertson]

They were coming in. In the doggy door.

[Phil Robertson]

Yeah.

[Jase Robertson]

They were coming from.

[Phil Robertson]

In the cat door, and they were the cat food.

[Jase Robertson]

Do you call it a catty door?

[Missy Robertson]

Yeah, cat door.

[Jase Robertson]

Well, no, it comes in a caddy.

[Phil Robertson]

Only if you're being catty. Do you call it a caddy.

[Cubby Fink]

Okay, I want to ask. I want to ask a question that I feel like is totally probably fine to ask here, but what do you do with those raccoons?

[Phil Robertson]

I mean, that's a great question.

[Cubby Fink]

You ate some pretty crazy stuff. I don't think you ate.

[Jase Robertson]

She's fixing to give you the most yuppie answer ever. Go ahead.

[Phil Robertson]

Which y' all will appreciate, by the way.

[Missy Robertson]

We weren't in Louisiana, and we weren't in the country. We're actually in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Alabama. And we are in the city limits.

[Zach Dasher]

Okay.

[Missy Robertson]

So options are limited to take those down to about six miles down the road, there's a preserve, and you release them into the preserve, and you hope they do not find their way back that six miles to your house.

[Jase Robertson]

She left out the part where people line the streets and they clap and they shed a tear.

[Rebecca St. James]

I think we would be investing in a silencer.

[Missy Robertson]

Yeah.

[Phil Robertson]

I have to say, when it gets my roots and my upbringing. But it was great because we hear now they've started a business down the preserve because they had just turned into takers, not givers. And we wanted those raccoons back doing what God made them to do, which is eating, hunting on their own. They were just eating our caffeine. Exactly.

[Jase Robertson]

Well, to get back to the book, I thought, nice segue. No, this is relatable to what we're talking about, because I was like, I think we met once, Cubby. But it was, like, in passing at something.

[Cubby Fink]

Was it at the premiere? Maybe. I think it was.

[Rebecca St. James]

I think, song hero.

[Jase Robertson]

But we got to know Rebecca really well. When they came, we hung out and. And we just kind of bonded. I bonded with your brothers and.

[Cubby Fink]

Yes, you do.

[Jase Robertson]

We have the most weird texts that go back and forth that I think are really fun and funny. So I'm really glad we're friends.

[Zach Dasher]

Oh.

[Jase Robertson]

It's just. It makes me laugh every time. But when I read the part, I was like, this guy's from California. But then you were nicknamed Cubby because based on your hair, I believe it was your dad said, you look like a bear cub. And I thought. When I read that in the book, I thought, man, me and this guy are going to get along. Right? They literally thought he was a bear cub.

[Phil Robertson]

Well, did you not think what I thought? Because Cubby's dad nicknames everybody, and our dad does the Same thing. Like there are people that have lifelong nicknames just like you. From his nicknaming a bill, they're usually not flattering.

[Jase Robertson]

But one caveat, ours are more kind of a negative. I mean some of the nicknames that he calls body style, it's basically body type. He's like ol one eye there. He's like, the guy's got a patch on his eye and he's like, start calling.

[Rebecca St. James]

Your worst physical attribute will be your new nickname.

[Jase Robertson]

So you remember when he came up with thick legs, which probably wouldn't be a problem, but it was a woman.

[Phil Robertson]

It was a girl.

[Jase Robertson]

And I was like, phil, you can't do that.

[Cubby Fink]

Actually stuck well for him on the inside.

[Jase Robertson]

Only with him, it bothered everyone but him because my dad feels like, well, what are you getting your feelings hurt? You have thick legs.

[Phil Robertson]

So summertime is here. And for Lisa and I down here at the southern layer, that means the grandkids are coming. We're always looking for activities and things we can do with them. One of the things we love to do is read books. My grandkids love books and they specifically love Brave books. They help parents raise strong families by teaching biblical values through powerful faith filled stories. Each month Brave sends out a new book that teaches lessons like courage, forgiveness or standing firm in your faith. And Jace, you know very well a one of the famous brave authors.

[Jase Robertson]

I do. My lovely wife and I have something better than a Brave book. I have a complete set in my hands. 10 books in my hands. You can buy a set. I mean we're talking mouths of the sea ice heist deep within dooms dome. Dear Valor Al also my brother Jessica.

[Phil Robertson]

Yeah, our brother and sister in law also have one on adoption. When you subscribe you not only get a new book each month, you'll also get access to Brave plus which is their new streaming platform is packed with safe uplifting shows like Strawberry Shortcake, Bob the Builder and Iggy and Mr. Kirk with Kirk Cameron. So while the world is trying to confuse you and distract you, Brave helps families stay grounded and stay together. Head to bravebooks.com unashamed use the code unashamed to get Missy's book because you're my family. And Jeff and Jessica's book dear Valor for free. That's bravebooks.com unashamed. Raise them with truth. Raise them brave. And it is defense. He doesn't care what you call him either. So it's just like hey, we're all being honest here.

[Jase Robertson]

But it's been awkward. It's been an awkward Thing.

[Missy Robertson]

I really think I'm the only one that I don't have a nickname.

[Phil Robertson]

You just Al's woman.

[Missy Robertson]

Yeah, I'm just.

[Rebecca St. James]

We're all the woman.

[Jase Robertson]

And it is derogatory. Missy actually teared up because his life has gotten difficult for them for some reason. He just became so enamored with Missy and like, she became his favorite there for a while. And she's like, you tell that you do it better than me.

[Rebecca St. James]

I don't know what you're talking about.

[Jase Robertson]

No, when you said I, he used to call me Jace's woman. You had a little stair step of years of how it escalated to him finally calling you Missy.

[Rebecca St. James]

Oh, well, I think I was surprised when he actually said my name out loud because I'm not sure he's ever called me anything before. Anything complimentary before, you know, either Jason's woman or oh, yeah, yo, woman who doesn't cook or whatever. But now it's like he only said it once. I think he only said the syrupy.

[Jase Robertson]

Part when he said it. I remember, oh, I can't believe this. You came home and you got all teary eyed, and I thought, okay, I need to pay careful attention to whatever she's fixed to say. I could tell she was getting teary eyed and she's like, your dad said my name and followed it with I love you.

[Rebecca St. James]

Oh, yes. Yeah, he only did that. He did that once.

[Jase Robertson]

So there was the two things that had never happened. He called me by name, which you see the spiritual application here. He called me by name and he told me.

[Rebecca St. James]

Well, I've been telling him I love him because we've never had that kind of relationship before, you know, but because he's just. Just been. It's a different feel right now and has been the last few weeks. Yes. And he's very patient and kind and appreciative. And so when he sees me, he's just. He comes towards me because he knows I probably bringing him some food.

[Jase Robertson]

Yeah, I think that was amazing.

[Rebecca St. James]

He likes the food, the good food. But I've just been telling him, like, getting past that awkwardness because I want him to know I love him. And so I've been telling him that. And one time he looked at me, said, missy. And I turned around, he said, I love you too. I was like, okay, see you later.

[Cubby Fink]

That's incredible.

[Rebecca St. James]

Yeah.

[Jase Robertson]

So the roughest of humans chiseled by the grace of God one day may.

[Phil Robertson]

Say, you never know.

[Jase Robertson]

It was a beautiful story, which is what made me, you know, want to relate that to your book. I thought you did the book cleverly, but like, unusual because it's like a love story, Yalls love story. And you were very vulnerable and shared all your high points, low points along the way. And it's not like most people, they have a marriage book. It's like do these 10 things. It's not like that. It's just real and raw and all relationships are different. But you see that kind of God story within our story.

[Phil Robertson]

Well, somewhere within the book, you guys quoted, one of you quoted Revelation 12:11 with that idea of the overcoming of evil, you know, by the word of our testimony, which is God's story. And I love it. Covey, I think it was you that said, this is not our story. It's God's story lived out through us. And I want to get into that because I feel like it's a ministry book that's going to help a lot of people. And it's really interesting because you're both very obvious. We're called and anointed by God early, you know, fairly early in your lives. But then there was such a journey before you found each other. And that's what I found fascinating, you know, that journey to get there. And then now you guys in this season are getting to work together and even doing this book. So just tell us a little bit, just down the arch of that. I mean, you know what it's been like to have individual careers and the struggles you both talk about in those careers. But then now being in a place where God's using you to do some things together, including this book, which is part of that process, what's that been like?

[Cubby Fink]

Yeah, it's been really, really sweet. And I think we were very intentional about wanting it to be just our story. Yeah, I love that Scripture in Revelation, we overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. And we need each other's stories and we need to be encouraged by each other's stories. And I think the more authentic we can be, the more people relate to it and go, oh, that's me too. I've been through that. And you know, we talk about miscarriage in the book. We talk about waiting seasons, we talk about job loss, you know. Yeah, for me, secondary infertility and just burnout. Burnout. And just so many different things that we've been through. And just trying to hear the voice of God in seasons where you just feel confused and, you know, just there's so much, I think, that we had journeyed through separately. And then I was in my early 30s. He was in his late 20s when we met in LA. And then to meet each other and feel like, oh, wow, you are this other soul that feels like the other part or the match of my soul. We're so different in personality. I'm much more extroverted, he's much more introverted, he's calmer. I'm excitable, you know, just all of it, but. And I'm very verbal. I like to verbally process he. Like a dream, you know, time in the car is just kind of quietly being together and I just want to be chatting the whole time. So we're real different, but the same heart, the same values, the same commitment to God, the same picture of what family life, what we want that to look like, the same priorities. And it was just amazing to have journeyed through so much and then meet this person, you know, for me, on the other side of the world from where I was born, and then the other side of the country from where I'd lived, and to meet this person that matches in heart. Like, I'm so just. I sit in this time in my life and just feel so thankful. I see God's grace, I see the gift that our relationship, that our family is, and I'm just kind of amazed. So we hope that our story just feels hopeful to people in a time where I think people are discouraged, either spiritually or relationally or in marriage or in family life. And we hope it's kind of wind in people's sails, really. I think that was a part of our intent. What would you think?

[Zach Dasher]

Yeah, I mean, I. I do think that. That it is the pain of life that is the unifying factor. It's the thing that we all experience. It's the thing that we're promised. We're not promised perfect, perfect lives. Even as Christians, we're not promised happiness. What we are promised is that we're going to walk through pain. But the beautiful thing is that in that pain, we get a unique perspective and understanding of the love of the Father, because it's in those moments of desperation and calling out, and the way he meets us so intimately is really beautiful. And the way he shapes us and molds us through our pain. And. And so even, you know, looking at the stories of our lives and trying to figure out which of those stories we're going to include in this book, it was very important for us to. To share, you know, a lot of the highs and a lot of the good stuff, but. But really dive in on the hard stuff. And I think that's the stuff that people are going to be able to identify with and, and realize, you know, we're people too, walking through pain just like everybody else. And we chose to stick to God in the midst of that pain. And we've seen the beauty of, of, of, you know, growth and healing on the other side of that pain and wanted to share about that and, and just kind of based on the uniqueness of our careers, you know, it, it, there was a lot of beautiful preparation that we saw in the process of reflection. Just unique points of connection along our journeys that we never really saw before and different ways that God was preparing us for each other without us being aware of, you know, one another. And so it was fun to kind of discover those little Easter eggs along the way as we, we dove into our stories and, and even based, you know, she was, when we met, she was sort of phasing out of her career, you know, desperately just wanting to be a wife and mom, which it was the dream of her life for, for so long. And you know, we meet and it's very clear early on that, that this is probably going somewhere special. And that was kind of right at the beginning of, of my career with music. And just looking at the potential trajectory of that, it was, it was a little bit nerve wracking for me. It's like you're trying to get off the road and I'm about to get on the road. But even in that, you know, I shared my, my concerns about that and she said, no, I'm, I'm excited. I'm excited to be with you and support you. And even the way that she had an understanding of the road, she had an understanding of living on the bus and living out of a suitcase for years on end. And so it's not like she had to learn that. She already knew it, but, and she was able to enter that world in a, in a supportive role as opposed to a role that was carrying all the weight. So, so just the way that worked just very seamlessly and beautifully was, was pretty remarkable.

[Cubby Fink]

And I wasn't wowed by the glam moments either or like looking for that or, you know, there was just this sense of understanding of the highs and the lows of a profile life, like a life that to most of the world looks like you're living the dream. It's just amazing. It's what everybody wants, but yet there's, there's challenges and loneliness to that that I understood for him, him. And so we were able to even bond over that. Yes, it's amazing and it's a privilege and it's beautiful and such an adventure. But there's also challenges that I got for him. And so we were able to relate on that level. And again, just such a God thing that we could like, wow.

[Jase Robertson]

Yeah, yeah. Oh, it's. There was so much in Yalls book that was relatable just of our own marriage and experience. And that was one of them. I remember getting asked by somebody in the media because I have a bad habit of saying whatever comes to mind.

[Cubby Fink]

We love it.

[Jase Robertson]

They said, how's it? The question was, how does it feel to be famous? You know, what's it like? And I said, pretty lonely. And it was just like they were looking at me like I had just dropped a bull rattlesnake in the middle of the interview. But because even though you're, you know, you may be in front of thousands of people, that little wall there, I mean, I'm moving on to the next gig. It's not like I was with a few thousand people. But nothing really, you know, happened there. So that's why your core circle and is really so valuable. Our first year of marriage was we had the burnout experience in the first year and so it was so. Yeah, because I.

[Rebecca St. James]

Not because of fame, but for a different reason.

[Jase Robertson]

For a different reason. And it was a godly reason, but still it really meant a lot to me with that one line in there. But about, you know, we're going to do this together. Because that's what at the. At the end of our first year of marriage we were basically. I started sharing Jesus with my friends when they started coming to the Lord and I was immature. So I thought not only are we going to save them, I'm going to drag them if they don't, you know, start going quickly enough. And so basically it just led to hundreds of people coming to the Lord but I was never there. And Missy was like, well, this is.

[Cubby Fink]

Great, but not what I signed up for.

[Jase Robertson]

Well, exactly. You know what one of my hobbies is?

[Al Robertson]

What's that?

[Jase Robertson]

I try to race trees.

[Al Robertson]

Do you want to see which one grows faster?

[Jase Robertson]

Well, the beard is racing tree because on some trees moss comes out out onto the tree that looks exactly like my beard.

[Al Robertson]

Well, there you go. Well, if you want a fast growing tree, you can go to our friends@fast growingtrees.com they are the biggest online nursery in the US with thousands of different plants and over 2 million happy customers. Some of those customers are right here on this show. We Bought everything from fruit trees to privacy trees. Al, did you do a palm tree as well or a couple of palm trees?

[Phil Robertson]

I did and it's never looked better down here at the southern layer there.

[Al Robertson]

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[Phil Robertson]

And I think that was the interesting thing about the book. Jason. Jason and Missy and Lisa and I have two completely different experiences in our marriages and yet I think we both related. I could say, Jason, I missed each other to your book so well and yet we have. We're so different. Which is why I think the book is going to be so powerful as a ministry book because Lisa and I relate more to the difficulties you guys guys went through because that's what happened to us. And then out of this amazing grace walk to come out. So when you guys talk in the book about you were on an Alaskan cruise, which we can relate to because we worked a couple of those ourselves kind of like you guys did. And when. When you talk about both of you having a moment there and I thought was interesting cubby because you used the word running as a word from the Lord in that situation and it seemed to apply to both of you because you both had realized something in that moment. And there's something I want to read the quotes because they were so powerful in the book. One of them was from you. Rebecca said we can't be fully loved without being fully known. Which I Thought was a really powerful point. Then you went into that, and then Cubby, you said this, which really struck a nerve with me. You were talking about making the move to Nashville and you said, but that's where I really think faith lives, right there at the corner of risky and. Right. And then you talked about risky faith and what it means to take those moves. So. So just. Can you talk a little bit? Is this right there at the. To me, it's the pinnacle point of the book where now it puts you where you are today in the new season. You're in what that was like to struggle to that point and then to realize something, but then to take risk to where you are today. What was that like to be able to do that?

[Zach Dasher]

Yeah, I mean, that moment on the cruise was a massive turning point in our lives and we've just seen a beautiful trajectory since then. But preceding that was what we refer to in the book as our winter season. It was a, you know, four or five year period of, of a lot of hurt and pain and, and confusion. It was kind of kicked off by a pretty traumatic parting ways with the band that I was in something that we didn't see coming and, and kind of threw us into this tailspin and we were simultaneously trying to get pregnant and, and walk through wasn't happening. Walk through a couple of miscarriages was. Which was painful. My mom was dying. We. There was just. Everywhere we looked, there was just pain. Pain and hurt and confusion. But probably the, the most painful factor of that season for me personally was the silence that I experienced from the Lord. It was. It was unique to that season. Every other season of my life, God has been exponentially clear. I mean, as close to an audible voice of, of God that you can experience at these major turning points. And suddenly I was at the biggest turning point in my life and desperately crying out for direction and asking the Lord for just something to hang on to and, and, you know, where to even put. I'm taking steps. And it was just. I was just met with silence. And, and it was, it was the moment where I really had to live by faith. Probably for the first time in my faith journey. I mean, I had been for Christ a Christian. I mean, literally grew up in a Christian home, but serious about Jesus for probably 15 years at that point. But because of this very connected, you know, relationship with Holy Spirit and being able to hear his voice, it wasn't really living by faith. It was obedience. It was, was, you know, following the, you know, the calling and the push of the Lord, but, but it wasn't really faith. It was faith in the moment that there was silence because then I had to say, okay, what do I really believe? Do I believe the years of, of what I thought? I believe? Do I believe that the scripture is telling me the truth? Do I believe, you know, X, Y and Z as it relates to my faith? And, and ultimately made the decision not to deconstruct and throw in the baby with the bathwater because throw out the baby with the bathwater because of this pain. It was a decision to continue to lean in, continue to trust that God is good despite the pain, and walk through, you know, four or five years of silence, which was hard, but all I could do was live out what I knew to be true prior to the silence, continue to trust that God was good and try to put one foot in front of the other. And explored a lot of different things and didn't really know what I was going to do next. I just looked back to the things that resonated with my soul prior to this upheaval and in life circumstances and, and started just gently kind of putting my hand to things and trying to figure out, okay, does this make sense? Does that make sense? And, and in that exploit exploration process, it culminated in that moment on the cruise where I felt like God just said, you're running. And ultimately when I sat with it, it didn't make sense at first, but when I sat with that word and reflected on it, I realized, yeah, I'm running from the thing that God has created me to do. There was a big part of me in that winter season that just wanted something that made sense, something practical, something where A plus B equals C. But the creative world, A plus A plus B never equals C. And, and, and I think there was, you know, some hurt and pain associated with, with what I had walked through that I just wanted something practical that made sense. But in that, you know, pursuit of the practical, I was running from, from the creative path that he was calling me to, and, and realized that I needed to turn back to, you know, the creative space and the film and the music and things like that. And as soon as I kind of let that guard down and realized, okay, Lord, I have been running, I want to turn back, it was just flooded with his voice again. I just felt him speaking. I felt the inspiration. I felt direction. And it was just, just, it was revolutionary. It was, it was pretty remarkable. And, and little did I know God was doing an incredible work in the heart of Rebecca. Over the course of the same week on the boat. And it wasn't till after getting off the boat and debriefing what had had transpired over the, you know, four previous four or five days that we realized, wow, God has been really moving the last few days. And I'll let her share her side of the story.

[Cubby Fink]

Yeah, I mean, I think what. What encourages me so much about that moment in time is how much God can do in such a short amount of time. Time. I think most times in our lives progress and healing and change. Great. Change takes time. It's just a process. It just takes longer than what we think. We've got to be patient in that. And there's times in our lives where he just changes us instantaneously, whether it's becoming a Christian or, you know, for. For many people leaving an addiction and God delivers, you know. But for us, that moment was so transformative and probably the most transformative time I've ever experienced in my relationship with Jesus, and that's being a Christian for decades, you know. But I'm on stage. I was singing on that cruise. The whole Smallbone clan was there. We were in this season of infertility and pain and burnout and job loss, all the things. And I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to just share that on stage in between worship songs and just say, this is where we're at right now, and we're just clinging to the goodness of God and what we know about him, even in this really hard, not wrapped up with a bow season. Like, nothing was wrapped up. And I think generally I like to share those stories of victory. Like, God's done this, and this is the breakthrough, and this is how we're on the other side of it. And we were not on the other side of it, guys. Like, we were in it. And I just felt him saying, hey, just trust me. I want you to just share from that place. And I just did. I'm crying on stage. I almost never cry on stage. The audience was crying. It was the kind of. Not a dry eye in the room. Like, the Holy Spirit was so profoundly moving. I just get goosebumps thinking about it now.

[Rebecca St. James]

Say you just gave me chills when you said, I just. At the moment, I just shared everything to a bunch of strangers. Yeah, it's amazing.

[Cubby Fink]

And I hadn't been singing at that point. I was, you know, retired and kind of burned out and had vocal problems and all of it. So it was vulnerable for me to even sing, let alone be that vulnerable in. In between songs. But it was so transformative. It was Like. Like, while I'm on stage, I'm feeling the. The winter fall away from me, like a spring begin a sunrise, and I'm like. Like dominoes. It's almost like, you know, you just see your past differently. You see your future differently. It was almost like this domino effect that was happening in my heart while I'm on stage. And I walked off, and I said to my brother who was backstage, I thank God, you know, just moved me back into ministry. I think he just did this crazy change in my life. Like, I was not looking for it. I had hung up that hat that talking about hats. That hat was done, like, for the rest of my life, I was done. And then he just, you know, changed me. And so for both of us to be going through that separately and then talk about it later and go, what, you two? And we might be moving to Nashville, and we weren't looking for any of it. Yeah, like, wild. So we just feel thankful.

[Phil Robertson]

I don't know if it was. If y' all thought about this. When I was reading it, I thought, you know, the last guy that was running for from God on a boat wound up in the belly of a fish for three days. So it could have turned out worse for you guys. At least you just came to your moment without having to go through a well that extreme.

[Jase Robertson]

I'm so glad y' all shared that, because one of the worst experiences of my life was the one time I agreed to go on a cruise. It was not fun. It was the bottom of the barrel of life. And I said, if, Lord, if you.

[Phil Robertson]

Will, he had more of a Jonah.

[Jase Robertson]

Experience off this boat. This is so crazy. If you want to hit rock bottom, go on a cruise. And I don't mind saying that our.

[Cubby Fink]

Situation growing up, were you just living in the toilet.

[Phil Robertson]

You did have problem sick.

[Jase Robertson]

And. But the. The problem was somebody had the idea that there was the height of Duck Dynasty. It was like the first season. And they said, oh, let's do this. This. Let's. Let's have a cruise with the Duck Dynasty people.

[Cubby Fink]

Oh, wow.

[Rebecca St. James]

Somebody was me. So I'm the one who talked. I was contacted by the cry part out loud.

[Jase Robertson]

So here's all you need to know about that. I know we can laugh.

[Missy Robertson]

We were paid very well.

[Phil Robertson]

We can laugh about that.

[Jase Robertson]

We were. And look, I. I'll go on record saying this. When they said, let's do this again, and they offered.

[Rebecca St. James]

That's when we all said no.

[Jase Robertson]

And I've seen a amount of money, and I was like, this is Not a negotiation tactic. I don't care if it's seven figures. I ain't getting on another boat. But I'll say what happened was people were excited. The show had come out. Well, the thing sold out in four or five minutes. But just think about this. What kind of person would buy a ticket to that in four or five minutes? The crazy fans. So we're now on a ship. How many people were there? 3,000, 3,000 people. And we can't get off. And these people go anywhere are crazy.

[Cubby Fink]

Anywhere.

[Rebecca St. James]

Yeah, they crazy loved the show. They and.

[Cubby Fink]

And they were probably the sweetest people.

[Rebecca St. James]

They were really awesome. It was just, you know, the Dynasty was insane during that time.

[Phil Robertson]

And look, you'll need this. We wound up baptizing 300 people on the ship. It's the first time there's been intense. No baptism on a carnival.

[Rebecca St. James]

In the pool.

[Phil Robertson]

Usually they just fall in drunk. Yeah, we were actually baptized them on purpose?

[Jase Robertson]

No. When I think I told my dad, I said, I think this is the first time we actually baptized a drunk person.

[Phil Robertson]

Yeah, exactly.

[Jase Robertson]

But I couldn't talk him out of it. What I was going to say, I.

[Cubby Fink]

Felt, you guys, you're amazing.

[Al Robertson]

So one of the things that Jill and I have done over the years is we have done, bought and sold quite a few houses. Al, do you remember how many houses we lived in just in the town that you live in now?

[Phil Robertson]

You know, Zach, I would have to have one of those Chinese things with all the beads on it to keep up with how many houses that you have bought, renovated, sold, and moved into.

[Al Robertson]

I'm telling you, I'm an expert in buying houses. And it matters. The mortgage company that you go with, the lender that you go with, okay? That matters. So when it comes to big money decisions, you got to start with the right information and the right guidance, and you got to go with somebody that you trust. If it's time to get your financial house in order or make a big real estate decision or maybe pay off those high interest credit card bills or lower your monthly mortgage payments, here's what you need to do. You need to call Andrew Del Rey and Todd Avakian at Sierra Pacific Mortgage. Now, look, I met these guys at a worship event at the Hub in West Monroe, and I love these guys. They're the real deal. With Andrew and Todd, it's not just about the transaction. I spent a lot of time with these guys and really vetted them. They do actually care, and I believe that they do bring honesty and knowledge. And over 40 years of experience to the table to find the right solutions for you and your family. So for those big money decisions, Andrew and Todd have the answers that you need for clarity, financial, peace of mind. Plus, you're going to really love working with these guys in their team. So here's what you need to do. Call Andrew Del Rey and Todd Avakian, the guys I trust, and they can help you, too. Call 888, Triple 8, 1172. That's Triple 8, Triple 8, 1172. Or visit andrew and todd.com. that's andrew and todd.com.

[Jase Robertson]

It felt so combative. I felt like it was spiritual warfare. And, you know, when I get. When I get put in a corner and I just wanted to, because I'm real claustrophobic anyway. It's one of my weaknesses. I thought we got to come out firing. And Phil was like, I'm with you. Phil felt the same way. He's like, we're trapped.

[Zach Dasher]

Yeah.

[Phil Robertson]

Well, it's the only way I could get dad to do it. Dad was the last holdout, and I said. He said, I'm not getting on a boat where I can't get off with 3,000 Dynasty fans. I said, dad, you get to preach the gospel every day, and they can't get off the boat. He went, I like the sound of that.

[Jase Robertson]

It was great.

[Cubby Fink]

Your dad.

[Jase Robertson]

Yeah. In that aspect. But it was so weird that you said that, because I just now, if you ever see me on a boat, call 91 1. If I'm. That I can't get off of, if I'm fishing, when my buddies. Okay. But if I'm trapped for a week, no, I'm out.

[Zach Dasher]

Yeah.

[Jase Robertson]

So that was funny. Well, I wanted to say this before, because I know we don't have much time.

[Zach Dasher]

Yeah.

[Phil Robertson]

Running low.

[Jase Robertson]

I think what. What I thought was the most clever part of this, and I'd like to hear how this happens, happened because you took the very thing that most people who are not believers, which is why is there suffering in the world? And it became a platform. I think your five points, if I can remember off the top of my head, was in that suffering. We're seen, we're heard, we're held, we're known, and we're loved.

[Phil Robertson]

I wrote it down off the top.

[Jase Robertson]

Of my head and I read.

[Cubby Fink]

You really read the book?

[Jase Robertson]

Yeah, I read the book.

[Cubby Fink]

We feel blessed by that.

[Jase Robertson]

Well, I read it my free time, which was between 11 and 1:30am I'm a fast reader, but I was. I really thought that was so awesome because there's a reason half of marriages end in divorce. Because you think, oh, this is rainbows and everything's going to be great. And in reality, there is suffering. But God does his best work in that. I mean, think of the cross here. You know, we don't have a God who's oblivious to it. He entered the world of suffering, suffering. And so I really think that was clever. And I think that's why this book needs to be read. So I was just wondering how that. That little mantra of the book, I mean, what were y' all driving down the road saying?

[Phil Robertson]

Yeah, because you really built it well, is what he's saying. Yeah, it was a nice stair step into the end of the book.

[Jase Robertson]

That seems like the thesis to me. And I'm not very smart, but it just really was profound to me. I thought, now this is a good idea. Yeah, I want to. Because it really is the mysterious part of God's love for us. And. And I was so excited about it because I just preached Sunday.

[Phil Robertson]

Yeah.

[Jase Robertson]

And look, the name of my sermon. I didn't even know y' all were coming on two days later. The name of my sermon was when a plan comes together. But then it was like, dot, dot, dot. The Bible is about God getting his family back in Jesus. And so I mirrored, you know, how much is about family as it relates to God's family, you know, him getting his family back. And kind of Ephesians 5, you know, where it talks about husbands and wives. But at the end he's like, this is a mystery. But I'm talking about you and Christ, the church being married to Christ. And it made me think that our offspring in that marriage are people that are born again. You know, we're married to Jesus. And what is the result of the church and Jesus being married, married More people that are born again in. In Jesus. It's a beautiful picture, you know, and I think y' all captured that well. So what was the thought process? Because I started preaching a sermon.

[Phil Robertson]

I say we were about to get that sermon for one more time. We came close.

[Cubby Fink]

I think what comes to mind when you're talking about all those different points is just the gratefulness. And we were talking about this in small group like two nights ago. But like, how, you know, I had somebody tell me before we got married. It was actually a movie that I was filming and it was the mentor role in. In that movie was. Wrote it into the script even. But he was just saying that marriage gets better if you. If you are in a Christian marriage and you're committed to it and you're committed to each other. It just gets better and better and sweeter and sweeter and there's, there's. There's a lot of people that miss out on the great by bailing when it gets hard. And what, what I feel like we're seeing in our journey now 14 years in. We just celebrated 14 years a few weeks ago was we. We just have had these moments of going. We see a sweetness and a connection and a deepening love and a deepening trust. That is happening because of the challenges. Yeah, it's not in spite of the challenges, it's actually because of them. And it's the crying together, you know, in those broken moments when his mom dies and it's the, the, you know, him finding out that he's got to part ways with the band and, and the, the pain of that and sticking it out together in that and the miscarriages and the disappointments and the over and over again and the disheartened being together in that and going to God together in that has created this just. I don't know, a sense of gratefulness or richness in the relationship. And it's not that we're like. It's not that. It's butterflies and you know, what did you say earlier, Jace?

[Jase Robertson]

Like rainbows and sunshine.

[Cubby Fink]

Sunshine and butterflies all the time. There's still hard stuff and there's still conflict that we have to work through and hard conversations and things like that that, you know, that's a part of it. But I don't know, there's a deep seated trust that is there because we've seen each other, we've known each other, we've really pressed in and the end result, which is that final number five is the love that goes deeper. Seeing known, heard, held and loved each other. And so I just feel thankful to be in this time now and have seen the beauty of God's way. And I think when we, when we think about people just kind of closing the book, we want them to say God is good, man. God is good. And man, he loves his kids.

[Jase Robertson]

Kids.

[Cubby Fink]

And we're. We're a bit of a mess, all of us. All of us. But he loves his kids and he's. He's here and he's with us and he's here and he's with me. And they relate it to their own lives. I think that's. That's what we hope. What would you say?

[Zach Dasher]

Yeah, I mean I. The end. The. The end tagline of our subtitle is being found by true love. Which is, which is a, you know, kind of. Of alluding to the fact that we found true love and kind of the happily ever after love story. But probably the more profound truth in that statement is that we were found by the actual true love.

[Cubby Fink]

Yeah.

[Zach Dasher]

Found by the true love of God, which. Capital T, which, I don't know, kind of set this, set us on this journey of, okay, what, what are our core desires? What are the, the core desires that God created us with? And, and those desires are to be seen, to be heard, to be held, to be loved, to be known. And, and I think we can experience those things here on earth and, and get a glimpse of God in the way that only he can provide those things perfectly. And I think the, the, the analogy, the analogy that you're talking about, Jace, between Christ and the church. I mean, we experience Jesus through marriage because, because of that profound relationship of coming together, becoming one, and meeting those core desires in the best way possible in our broken humanity, but trying to see, trying to hear, trying to know love. But at the end of the day, those core desires can only be met perfectly by the Creator. So I think we can get a glimpse of them, but it only deepens our understanding of the perfection of the way he can meet those needs. Needs.

[Jase Robertson]

Amen. That's good.

[Phil Robertson]

Well, look, the. The book is amazing. Lasting Ever, which, even the title, which you had just talked about, Happily Ever after, it's kind of. You spin it on the other side and, and I love the concept of lasting ever. There's. I had 12 more questions I didn't get to, so. Which means we've got to have. We gotta have you back sometime later. Because, you know, Cubby teased early in there about some really traumatic stuff that you were both so vulnerable to talk about. Covey, you were. And you were as well, Rebecca. So I want to have that conversation.

[Jase Robertson]

Before you tell them how to get the book. I do have one idea. That's silly. I just had a question when I read the book, Rebecca. Have you ever introduced your husband by saying, here's my hubby, Cubby?

[Cubby Fink]

I have joked about that in the show. I think sometimes in a interview, like, you know, from an audience member, they've kind of joked about it, but I feel like I have said that too.

[Phil Robertson]

Right.

[Jase Robertson]

Did you sense an eye roll?

[Cubby Fink]

Definitely.

[Phil Robertson]

So this is the way Jay thinks. This is. This is the kind of thing he.

[Jase Robertson]

Thinks about to know that when we're.

[Phil Robertson]

In deep Bible discussion, these are the.

[Rebecca St. James]

Kind of things he brings the question going to be.

[Phil Robertson]

I mean, a riveting question that I'm sure America is waiting to hear.

[Jase Robertson]

Sorry. I apologize. I'll tell them how they get the book. Why don't you tell us?

[Phil Robertson]

Yeah.

[Missy Robertson]

Before you do that, let me just say one thing, is that I'm sure you've seen it with your own parents, but it does just get better and better and better every year. We celebrated 40 this year. Well, in November, so we're almost to 41. But here's the thing, is that like you said a while ago, no matter what the trials are and no matter what you go through, you're still living heaven on earth whenever you have the two of you together with that true love, but then it's overseen by that true love of Jesus Christ. And so it's just going to get better.

[Jase Robertson]

Oh, that's good. I set that exact line this morning to my wife, did I not? I said, marriage is two people. God. Building something where you're living heaven on.

[Phil Robertson]

Earth, which we didn't even get into.

[Jase Robertson]

That is crazy.

[Missy Robertson]

Even through struggles, it's just.

[Cubby Fink]

Thank you, Lisa.

[Jase Robertson]

Beautiful blessing and the building of the.

[Phil Robertson]

Legacy, which you guys get into as well. So we want to have you back sometime. You guys are so much fun. We feel like we are the American small bones and you guys are the Australian Robertsons, you know?

[Jase Robertson]

So I feel.

[Phil Robertson]

I feel like there's a kindred spirit. I do feel that it's there. It's there. Cubby, you fit right into this neighbor.

[Jase Robertson]

Oh, yeah. Welcome aboard.

[Phil Robertson]

Welcome aboard, Cubby. Appreciate it. Thank you. So check out the book Lasting Ever. Wherever you get your books, get this book. It's going to be a blessing to you. It's a lot of really rich, good stuff that you're going to love. So thank you all for coming on Unashamed. Thanks for listening to the Unashamed podcast. Help us out by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. And don't miss an episode by subscribing on YouTube. And be sure to click the little bell and choose all notifications to watch every episode. Episode.