Hey friends. Welcome back to another episode of Truth Talks with Tara. I am so excited today

to have a conversation with a friend. And friends, I feel like this is

such a kindred spirit of mine. And I think you're going to also feel the same way about Arlene.

Today we are talking all things marriage. She's written an incredible book called Making Marriage

Easier, which that title alone is just, I think, what we all want. But more than just easy, it's also about glorifying the Lord. It's about having deeper, refreshing connection with your spouse that, again, glorifies God. So I am so excited about this. Before we start, though, Arlene, can you introduce yourselves to our friends listening? Tell us a little bit about who you are, what you do. And then also, I'm doing a little bit of a new thing

on the show since we've had a little bit of a, I'm going to call it a facelift to the podcast. Like, the heart of the podcast is still the same, but I want to ask a new question for my friends. Friends listening, I've always asked like a favorite thing in someone's life. But now I want to know what meal you could also eat

for the rest of your life every day and never get tired of it. So that was a lot, but like who you

are, what you do, and then a favorite meal, almost like your last meal. All we're doing you

know was thinking about food. Well, I feel the same way about you, Tara, in terms of being a kid with spirit. I have been married for 27 years to my husband, James. And of course, like most married couples, we are different. You know, he's a risk taker. I am safe. I like the rules and being organized. He is a free spirit. We met in graduate school. We met because we went to

toastmasters together, which is not like a drinking club. It is a public speaking club like it used

to be right. That's awesome. We had to give a toast at a wedding. So we met at this toastmasters

group and we also met at a convalescent home that there was a once a month outreach to this nursing

home that was really close to graduate school.

And we would go in this van with other graduate students.

And when he shared about God, like he's, you know, all the residents, they're in their

wheelchairs, like some of them are asleep.

And he's telling them stories about like how Jesus is the light of the

world and talking to them. And I am just like falling in love, right? I'm like, oh my word, I want to

marry this man. I honestly thought I want to marry this man. And of course, it takes the men a very

long time. So about a year. Exactly. Year and a half of friendship. And then we started dating and we were

married. We have three children now, boy, girl, girl. We have Ethan, who is a college grad and working

full time now. We have Noel, who is in college and Lucy, who is in high school. And I write

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