Restored + Rising

Melina & Eddie Rider

🎙️ Restored + Rising - Podcast DescriptionWhat if what feels broken isn’t beyond restoration? Restored + Rising is a Christian podcast about marriage, faith, forgiveness, repentance, healing, and the God who still makes all things new. After watching our own marriage fall apart, and experiencing a restoration neither of us thought we wanted or believed was possible, we’re sharing the real story of what happened before, during, and after God brought us back together. We talk honestly about the hard stuff: separation, broken trust, selfishness, forgiveness, genuine repentance, rebuilding a marriage, learning to recognize real change, and what it looks like to surrender your relationship-and yourself-to God. This isn’t about pretending every story is easy or promising a specific outcome. It’s about pointing people toward the One who can transform hearts, redeem brokenness, and bring hope into places that feel hopeless. Whether you’re fighting for your marriage, healing from hurt, questioning whether people can truly change, or simply longing to grow closer to God, you’re welcome here. No story is beyond God’s restoration. “Behold, I am making all things new.” — Revelation 21:5 🎙️ New episodes every Sunday.

Episodes

  1. 6h ago

    When Divorce Gives You Everything You Wanted… | Eddie’s Dream

    What if you got everything you thought you wanted from your divorce… and immediately realized it wasn't what you wanted at all? In this episode of Restored + Rising, Eddie shares a dream that shook him. In the dream, our divorce, the one we came within days of actually completing, was finalized. There was no dramatic courtroom battle. No unexpected loss. Eddie got the outcome he had wanted. And instead of feeling relief, he felt regret. As the dream unfolded, he began to see the weight of what had actually been lost: our family divided, our daughter splitting her life between two parents, and two people who had become so convinced divorce was the answer that they never stopped long enough to ask whether there was another way. It led us into a conversation we believe some marriages desperately need to have. We talk about: • Why getting what you WANT isn't always getting what you NEED • The danger of silence and lost communication in marriage • How distance, distraction and unresolved hurt can slowly become destructive • The illusion that divorce automatically brings peace • The impact our decisions can have on our children • Conviction vs. justification • Why marriage is more than a legal relationship—it's a covenant • And why restoration deserves to be considered before assuming your marriage is beyond repair We aren't sharing this episode to minimize anyone's pain or pretend every marriage situation is identical. We're sharing it because we once believed our marriage was finished too. We came incredibly close to living the life Eddie saw in this dream. But God intervened. If you're standing at a crossroads in your marriage, maybe the question isn't simply, “How do I get out of this?” Maybe it's worth asking: “God, is there another way?” 🎙️ Restored + Rising Because no story is beyond God's restoration.

  2. Aug 11

    STOP WAITING FOR YOUR SPOUSE TO CHANGE

    What if the change you're praying for in your marriage doesn't start with your spouse? When a marriage is hurting, it's easy to focus on everything the other person needs to change, their selfishness, their choices, their behavior, their heart. But during our own marriage restoration, God showed us something completely different: real transformation had to begin within us. In this episode of Restored + Rising, we talk honestly about the selfishness that existed on both sides of our marriage, how it showed up differently in each of us, and what happened when we stopped focusing on changing each other and allowed God to change us. We talk about what selfishness can actually look like inside a marriage, why genuine change can't simply be performed for your spouse, and what it means to surrender your heart to God—even when the person you're praying for seems nowhere near changing. We also share one of the hardest lessons from our restoration: your obedience cannot depend on your spouse's obedience. One person choosing healing, repentance, forgiveness, and surrender can begin changing the entire direction of a marriage. We dive into Galatians 2:20 and Romans 12:2 and what Scripture teaches about dying to our old selves, renewing our minds, and allowing God to transform us into someone new. If you're praying for your marriage, waiting for your spouse to change, or wondering whether someone who has been deeply selfish can ever truly become different, we hope our story reminds you: Don't put limits on what God can do. And don't wait for someone else to change before allowing Him to begin with you. 🎙️ Restored + Rising Real conversations about marriage restoration, repentance, forgiveness, faith, healing, and the God who still makes all things new. New episodes every Sunday. Scripture discussed: Galatians 2:20 Romans 12:2

  3. Aug 11

    Our Marriage Was Dead… Then God | Our Marriage Restoration Story

    Our marriage was dead. Neither of us wanted reconciliation. Then God stepped in. In the very first episode of Restored + Rising, we're sharing the story behind this podcast-and the marriage we never believed could be restored. Our relationship had deteriorated to the point of divorce, lawyers, anger, broken trust, infidelity, and almost no communication. We were living separate lives, and eventually, both of us were ready to move on. In our minds, there was nothing left to save.  But God had other plans. We share how one woman at church continued encouraging Melina to pray for her marriage when almost every other voice was saying to walk away, and what happened when she finally did. God didn't begin by changing the circumstances. He began by changing her heart. And neither of us was looking for reconciliation. Eddie had reached a place where he was genuinely content moving forward as a single father. Yet God began doing what neither of us could have orchestrated ourselves: turning two hearts back toward Him and ultimately back toward each other. We also talk honestly about forgiveness, repentance, infidelity, the voices you allow to speak into your marriage, rebuilding after broken trust, and why restoration isn't about going back to the marriage you had, it's about allowing God to build something new.  We aren't marriage experts. We're a marriage miracle. If your marriage feels hopeless, or you're wondering whether God can really change a heart, this episode is for you. 📖 Scripture: Ezekiel 37:3–5 “Son of man, can these bones live?” Because if God can breathe life into dry bones, we believe He can breathe life into what looks impossible. Welcome to Restored + Rising. ❤️

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

🎙️ Restored + Rising - Podcast DescriptionWhat if what feels broken isn’t beyond restoration? Restored + Rising is a Christian podcast about marriage, faith, forgiveness, repentance, healing, and the God who still makes all things new. After watching our own marriage fall apart, and experiencing a restoration neither of us thought we wanted or believed was possible, we’re sharing the real story of what happened before, during, and after God brought us back together. We talk honestly about the hard stuff: separation, broken trust, selfishness, forgiveness, genuine repentance, rebuilding a marriage, learning to recognize real change, and what it looks like to surrender your relationship-and yourself-to God. This isn’t about pretending every story is easy or promising a specific outcome. It’s about pointing people toward the One who can transform hearts, redeem brokenness, and bring hope into places that feel hopeless. Whether you’re fighting for your marriage, healing from hurt, questioning whether people can truly change, or simply longing to grow closer to God, you’re welcome here. No story is beyond God’s restoration. “Behold, I am making all things new.” — Revelation 21:5 🎙️ New episodes every Sunday.