In this episode of the Marriage Made in Heaven Podcast, we open up about one of the most challenging seasons of our lives; navigating our daughter’s medical journey while holding tight to faith, family, and each other.

When storms come (and they will), your marriage can either fracture under the pressure or grow stronger than ever. Today, we share how support systems, surrendering to God, and intentional connection became lifelines for us in the middle of the chaos.

If you’ve ever felt stretched thin by stress, lack of sleep, or the weight of hard news, you’ll walk away from this episode encouraged and equipped with practical and spiritual keys to keep your marriage anchored.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• [0:00] Welcome back + why stressful seasons are inevitable in every marriage
• [1:10] Receiving devastating news and the importance of a strong support system
• [3:25] Why family, church, and community matter when walking through hard times
• [5:20] Serving others vs. showing up with a victim mentality
• [7:00] Our daughter’s open-heart surgery and the radical faith that carried us through
• [9:15] The role of community and local church in seasons of transition
• [11:00] Guarding your marriage during stress: words, forgiveness, and connection
• [12:30] Our prayer and encouragement for couples walking through their own storms

💡 Takeaway: You don’t need to have it all together; you just need to show up for each other, lean on community, and surrender to God. That’s where strength and breakthrough are found.

In this episode, Joshua and Ali continue sharing one of the most defining seasons of their marriage; a night in the hospital filled with impossible odds, supernatural intervention, and the unshakable trust that God would make a way.

From the brink of eternity to the moment they met their miracle baby girl, this story is overflowing with God’s goodness, provision, and power.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 – 1:05 | Welcome back + continuing last week’s story of faith, adversity, and trusting God in the impossible.
• 1:06 – 3:20 | Ali’s condition worsens, parents arrive from China full of joy and faith despite the dire situation.
• 3:21 – 5:15 | Anna flatlines, but prayer brings her heart rate back and Ali’s body begins to stabilize.
• 5:16 – 7:04 | A miraculous connection with the anesthesiologist changes everything before the emergency C-section.
• 7:05 – 9:45 | Anna’s supernatural survival from week 23 to 29, despite zero amniotic fluid and medical advice to terminate.
• 9:46 – 11:42 | Anna’s birth: the neonatologist’s unforgettable first moments with her, and her fight in the NICU.
• 11:43 – 13:06 | Ali’s ICU recovery, family reactions, and finally seeing Anna for the first time on day 18.
• 13:07 – 14:22 | The power of unity in marriage during life’s toughest storms + a glimpse at more miracles to come.

0:00 – Intro: What Fakebook Doesn’t Show You
Ali and Joshua kick off the episode by calling out the social media highlight reel and setting the stage for a raw, faith-filled conversation on unity through suffering.

1:29 – Early Marriage & First Miscarriage
Just 8 months into marriage, they face their first miscarriage. Ali shares her shock and grief; Joshua responds with worship and the power of praise.

3:42 – Second Miscarriage & A Response of Worship
Another pregnancy lost, but Joshua immediately turns to the Lord, grabbing his guitar and declaring praise. Ali reflects on the emotional pain and her desire to worship through it.

5:20 – Trusting God in the Unknown
Joshua shares how Scripture and the lives of biblical heroes shaped his faith response. Romans 8, Abraham’s trust, and the power of surrender in uncertainty.

6:48 – Standing on God’s Promises After Loss
Ali shares how they rejected the doctor’s report and stood firm on Deuteronomy 28: they would be blessed and fruitful, period.

8:17 – The Twins Pregnancy: From Double Portion to Deeper Trust
They conceive twins, but heartbreak hits again. Twin B loses their heartbeat, and Ali chooses joy while continuing to carry baby A in faith.

10:25 – High-Risk Pregnancy & Bed Rest Begins
Despite exhaustion and a full plate, Ali shifts into total surrender and obedience after being placed on early bed rest.

11:45 – Health Crisis: From Clam Chowder to Clarity
A trip to UCSB turns into a health emergency. What seemed like food poisoning was actually the onset of HELLP Syndrome, a deadly condition.

13:00 – Fighting to Live in the ER
Ali enters organ failure. Doctors say there’s nothing else they can do. Joshua declares faith over fear and it changes everything.

15:08 – Joshua’s Faith, Ali’s Fight
Ali shares what happened spiritually and physically when her husband stood in faith. She went from surrendering her life to fighting for it.

16:22 – The Power of Partnered Faith
A testimony of the miraculous. Joshua's unwavering belief and Ali's choice to agree with God’s promises over medical reality.

17:55 – A Cliffhanger (With a Purpose)
Ali and Joshua pause here and promise part 2, where they’ll unpack the miracle that followed, and the faith required to believe again.