Podcast Summary: WHOA That's Good Podcast
Episode: How I Forgave Myself & How We Forgave Each Other
Guests: Korie Robertson, Al & Lisa Robertson
Host: Sadie Robertson Huff (on leave, guest hosted by Korie Robertson)
Date: November 24, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode dives deep into the Robertson family’s story of forgiveness, redemption, and legacy. Guest host Korie Robertson sits down with Al and Lisa Robertson to discuss how they moved through profound personal and marital challenges, found healing, and are now using their experiences to serve others. They share news about a potential movie depicting their journey, reflect on their family’s openness, and offer insight into how grace and honesty transformed their marriage and legacy.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Warm Welcome & Family Updates (00:53 – 07:00)
- Korie welcomes Al and Lisa back, noting Sadie is on maternity leave.
- Lighthearted banter about family, Sadie's new baby, and Al’s weight loss journey.
- Al shares he's lost nearly 70 pounds, feeling healthier and more energetic.
- Quote: "I've lost about almost 70 pounds... Just had my big health week this week. All my numbers are good, so I'm feeling great." – Al Robertson (04:33)
- Playful references to family dynamics and how changes impact life at home.
Sharing Brokenness and Redemption with Others (07:08 – 12:35)
- Exciting announcement: discussions about a movie based on Al & Lisa’s life story—a first for the podcast audience.
- Lisa’s calling: She recounts being transparent about her abortion at 16 and later, about infidelity in her marriage. Sharing these wounds is part of her healing and calling.
- Quote: "Once you're healed, I feel as though that's what God wants you to do, you know... He healed me." – Lisa Robertson (08:58)
- Describes their ongoing work with pregnancy centers and marriage ministries—turning “messes into messages” (Al, 08:30).
Ministry, Marriage Struggles, & Healing (12:35 – 18:24)
- Al & Lisa’s ministry started as “triage” for couples in crisis, sharing their pain and God’s redemption.
- They reflect on how sharing their story has touched multiple generations, both in their family and those they help.
- Quote: "Our ministry really started just kind of as triage. We're in trouble, we don't know what to do. We were ER..." – Al Robertson (12:35)
- The idea of a movie is both daunting and exciting—the impact their story could have is motivating.
- Quote: "...You either had to do something really good or really bad to have a movie made about your life." – Al Robertson (16:39)
The Power of Story in Family and Faith (18:24 – 25:19)
- Korie reflects on how their family’s willingness to be vulnerable—on TV and in life—has inspired others.
- "The thing that I noticed about...the Robinson family...was the openness to the not perfection...they always were willing to use the hard parts of their story to help others." – Korie Robertson (19:17)
- Lisa notes the potential difficulty for their daughters to see the darkest parts of their family history in film.
Legacy, Healing, and Forgiveness (25:19 – 36:12)
- Family stories and honest conversations are essential for generational healing and hope.
- The healing in their family stands in contrast to unhealed families struggling with unresolved pain.
- Lisa: “I suffered [sexual abuse] as a child, too, but I've even come to terms with that and forgiven the person that did that to me.” (29:46)
- Forgiveness and openness allow for a healthy legacy and peace at life’s end.
- Al shares a powerful story about standing together after infidelity:
- Quote: “...I said, are you still choosing me?... then we're not going to run from any situation like this.” – Al Robertson (34:06)
- The “Walmart encounter” with Lisa’s former affair partner was a turning point of choosing courage together.
How to Keep Vision After Brokenness (36:14 – 43:11)
- Korie asks how they developed a vision for themselves as grandparents during their lowest moments.
- Lisa shares the struggle with self-forgiveness, fighting off the “evil one” with Psalm 51 and daily renewal.
- Quote: "It probably took me at least a year to feel confident in the woman that I was." – Lisa Robertson (39:37)
- Honest testimony brings healing not just to oneself, but to others—even prompting forgiveness and confessions from those harboring pain (Lisa's story of a congregant forgiving her).
The Bedrock: Openness, Forgiveness, Grace (43:11 – 48:10)
- Al boils the recovery down to two pillars:
- For Lisa: honesty and openness
- For Al: forgiveness and grace
- Quote: "If infidelity...has ever been a part... those are the two things that have to be part of your bedrock going forward." – Al Robertson (44:33)
- Letting go of the past and refusing to weaponize it is essential for moving forward as individuals and as a couple.
Encouragement and Wisdom for Listeners (48:42 – 54:14)
- They emphasize the importance of absolute truth—found in Scripture—in a culture of relativism.
- Quote: “No, there is an absolute truth. And if you pick up your bible, you will find that absolute truth.” – Lisa Robertson (49:48)
- God uses broken, flawed people and brings victory from defeat.
- Openness to sharing one’s story is a powerful form of ministry.
The Power of Generational Legacy (54:14 – 56:12)
- Korie and Al talk about the importance of living for future generations, not just today.
- Family “compound life” brings its own joys and requires intention to stay close.
- Concludes with reflections on what it means to leave a meaningful, faith-filled legacy and encouragement to care about the impact you’ll have on future generations.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Redemption:
"What I'm very excited about is to see what God can do whenever you have those struggles and...say, 'okay, remake me.' That's what I'm excited for people to see." – Lisa Robertson (33:07) - On Family Healing:
"I can truthfully say our whole family had...loved on Phil and told him we loved him, and we had no unresolved issues." – Lisa Robertson (29:46) - On Storytelling:
"If you don't tell your stories, you're denying the victories of God." – Al Robertson (24:59) - On Generational Impact:
"We should care about that next generation, the next generation." – Korie Robertson (55:43) - On Honesty in Marriage:
"Openness and honesty had to be there... forgiveness and grace...became the key." – Al Robertson (44:33)
Timestamps of Important Segments
| Timestamp | Segment | Highlights | |-----------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:53 | Welcomes & Family Jokes | Warm-up, personal updates, Al’s health | | 07:08 | News: Movie Negotiations | Exclusive: talking about film project | | 08:34 | Lisa's Redemptive Calling | Speaking, sharing abortion & affair story | | 12:35 | Ministry Beginnings & Sharing Story | Church work, counseling, counseling others | | 16:39 | On a Life Worth Filming | “...really good or really bad”—motivation for openness | | 19:17 | The Power & Risk of Storytelling | Korie on family authenticity | | 25:19 | Legacy and Healing Through Forgiveness | Family at deathbed, brokenness, and restoration | | 34:06 | The Walmart Victory | Facing the past without fear, a pivotal healing moment | | 39:37 | Forgiving Yourself | Lisa’s Psalm 51 meditations, year-long process | | 44:33 | Bedrock Principles: Openness & Grace | Key marital lessons—what sustained their healing | | 49:48 | Ultimate Authority | Scripture’s unique truth, generational teaching | | 55:43 | Caring for Generations | Korie and Al on generational legacy |
Tone & Closing Thoughts
- The episode is candid, heartfelt, and rich with practical and spiritual wisdom.
- The conversation interweaves personal anecdotes, family humor, and ministerial reflection, always circling back to hope, transformation, and the importance of sharing one’s authentic story for the sake of others and future generations.
Conclusion:
For listeners seeking hope in the aftermath of brokenness, this episode offers a powerful testimony of grace, practical pathways to healing, and a vision for family legacy rooted in authenticity and faith.