The Family Fortitude podcast is dedicated to couples and individuals endeavoring to raise children and forge families in a culture that otherwise has a meandering set of values and standards. Family Fortitude is hosted by husband and wife duo, Lonnie and Gionne Marts, who share nuggets and wisdom from over three decades of parenting experience. They are passionate about seeing the family unit strengthened and restored, and while they never claim to be the perfect parents they have learned a few things walking with Jesus and partnering with Him to parent their equally imperfect kiddos.
What happens when your dream finally calls your name—and your family needs you home by bedtime? We open up about navigating NFL fame as two 21-year-olds, the ego swell of public praise, and the quiet work of washing bottles, packing boxes, and keeping a marriage steady through chaotic seasons. The story isn’t about celebrity; it’s about structure, humility, and choosing the home team when the spotlight tempts you to forget who you are. We walk through the early years in Kansas City, the hard...
30 Sept 2025
Lessons from our locker room- Is 21 too young to marry?
Is twenty-one too young to say “I do,” or is the better question whether two people are ready to grow—on purpose, for a long time? We take you behind our four-week wedding sprint during an NFL bye week and share how intention, faith, and honest conversations helped us not just survive but thrive for over three decades. We dig into what readiness actually looks like beyond a birthdate: shared purpose, the humility to learn, and a clear-eyed plan for real life. From purity culture’s “date to m...
8 Sept 2025
Lessons from our locker room
In this vulnerable conversation, Lonnie and Gionne Marts pull back the curtain on their 11-year journey through professional football, revealing the strategies that kept their marriage intact when statistics suggested otherwise. They discuss the vital importance of having parents who pushed them toward reconciliation rather than division during difficult moments, and how keeping God as the "real MVP" provided an unshakable foundation. Whether you're navigating fame, fortune, career demands, o...
31 Aug 2025
Game Plan: Balancing Sports and Family Life
What happens when a former NFL player and his wife raise five athletes while trying to keep sports in its proper perspective? The answer unfolds in this deeply personal conversation about family values, athletic development, and finding balance during busy sports seasons. The Marts reveal their family philosophy that has guided their parenting: encouraging multi-sport participation, developing well-rounded individuals, and ensuring sports never becomes an idol that overshadows other God-given...
22 Jul 2023
Life- both disrespectful and rewarding
Life can get tough, but it is during these challenging times that resilience and principles become our shield. Joy is not always found in grandeur, but often in small moments like hearing your teenage daughters having a playful moment with each other. In our latest episode, we take you on a journey of finding joy amidst life's rollercoaster, drawing inspiration from Ecclesiastes 8:15. We reflect on how life, despite being disrespectful at times can be rewarding. And how ever...
26 Sept 2022
Embracing the suck
Life literally be lifing. And sometimes we find ourselves in less than desirable situations. Learning to embrace the sucky aspects of life, job loss, the death of a loved one, a failed relationship, a health challenge can all be hard. We want to encourage you to not just crawl in bed, pull the covers and quit but to actually press through to the other side of the sucky thing happening in your life. Gain God's perspective in the midst of pain, trouble or loss and there ...
11 Jul 2022
Transitions
Ever find yourself in a season where things seem to be shifting around you? In this episode we get back in the saddle and talk about some of the changes that have happened in our lives over the past two years. Transition can be hard but the fruit that comes is so rewarding. We encourage you to embrace change and learn the rhythm of the new season you may find yourself in. Take a listen!
1 Jul 2020
Black Family. White World.
In this episode we take time out to describe our perspectives on today’s racial tension crisis from the standpoint of a black family that moves in various predominantly white circles. This is a special episode because like many families we are semi quarantined in a state of full house under one roof. We were joined by the “Big 3,” our first 3 children to discuss multiple topics. We take on being black in academia and athletics, discuss white expectations and tackle experiencing microaggressio...
9 Apr 2020
Family adjustments in uncertain times
In this episode we address the most recent unprecedented events concerning the COVID-19 virus that is making a global impact. Rather than speak on the troubling facts regarding this virus we thought it would be better to speak life as it is affecting our entire world. We started with the Bible verse in Genesis 50:20 and sprinkled in Romans 8:28. God did not send this virus but he does have a plan to bring good to humanity because he is always showing Himself to be unrivaled in the...
12 Mar 2020
Family Philosophy
In this episode we share our family mission statement and core values in depth. We make sure there’s clarity, intention, and authenticity in these areas for our family. Our mission statement tells you where we want to go and our core values tell you how we want to respond in different situations. We challenge you to make your own family mission statement and establish your family core values. We believe your family business is the most important business to God.
27 Jan 2020
Creating a Culture of Honor
Ever tried to set a new standard in your home only to be met with serious resistance? On this episode, we explore culture setting in our homes and families. We begin by sharing how our number one rule for communication in our house leads to honor flowing between spouses, parents, and children, and between siblings. We discuss giving our kids a voice and training them to respect and honor boundaries in our home. Ultimately, we view our home as a small community, which has an atmosphere of safe...
17 Jan 2020
Family Identity
On this episode, we dive into what it takes to develop a cohesive family identity, which we believe begins with establishing a culture of honor in the home. Families truly ought to be run like a business- intentionally, strategically, and undergirded with good, consistent communication. Join us as we get into the nitty-gritty of building a strong family by cultivating a strong identity.
1 Jan 2020
Family First
On this episode, we get into why and how we do family taking cues from God’s biblical design. We discuss His intent for the family and the directives given to parents (Deut. 6:4) and children (Ex. 20:12). Believe it or not, sibling relationships are some of the most key bonds in preparing us as people to be in and build meaningful non-assigned relationships. The process of becoming a skillful sibling is integral to being a masterful participant in any relationship and it’s a step that we cann...
5 Dec 2019
Welcome to the Podcast!!
Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Family Fortitude podcast! On this episode, hosts Lonnie and Gionne Marts offer insight into why they are taking nearly 30 years of marriage and over 20 years of parenting to the podcasting world. Before the couple gets too deep in their lessons learned and wisdom offered on parenting and marriage, they offer a peek into their passion for family and discuss the families that they themselves came from. Listen in!
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