Well, I started writing a book that I plan to title, ‘Get Real’, about 4 years ago, when I was going through my divorce.

I had been married almost 10 years and was living a lie.

Oh, we looked great on the outside…had 5 beautiful children we were raising in church, serving anywhere and everywhere they needed us, were always together, smiled and held hands, brought our bibles to church and sat next to each other in  church service. We “looked” like a perfect family, for the most part. And that’s exactly what I wanted. The only problem with that is, looking like it just does not get to be enough when it isn’t truly that way. The thought of something gets old when you never get the real thing.

Without going into details, our life was not what it seemed. There was fighting, depression, arguing, jealousy, baggage from the past, anger issues, and all kinds of toxicity. And we were both at fault.

When I filed for divorce, we were still going to the same church, but it no longer felt like home. Not because he and I weren’t together anymore, but because I felt like people had turned their backs on me because I was making this decision, meanwhile them still not knowing the real us. I was to the point that I didn’t really care anymore of what people thought because they had no clue what we were going through. But, it got me to thinking, how many people were living a lie, that we had no idea were? How many people were sitting in church – or anywhere, for that matter – wanting to look perfect, to “keep up with the Joneses”, so to speak, to not be judged, or for their own selfish pride? And, why? I didn’t want to be like that anymore. I had read an excerpt from some notes I had taken and what stood out to me, in big and bold lettering, was, “YOU CAN’T CHANGE WHAT YOU DON’T CONFRONT” and I was ready to confront and change some things.

I learned real quick, that getting real came with a lot of pain, but also a freedom that is indescribable. I truly felt, for the first time, like a new creation! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Though I was still writing, my best friend and I came up with an idea to turn it into a show. We have always dreamed of one day having our own talk show, so why not start somewhere and do what we know to do – talk. And to ‘Get Real’, so that others can maybe find their own freedom in getting real, as well.

(Side note: This is my own blog and Ven will start her own, as well, and we are going to still work on Get Real with Jen and Ven. Check out our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVASe9oyUh9-nKBUqdxtFCg )