Rebel Parenting with Ryan & Laura Dobson

Love In the Deep End: Going Again

16 snips

Apr 24, 2025

In a heart-wrenching conversation, the hosts reflect on facing Laura's fourth cancer diagnosis and the power of unwavering love. They challenge the notion that one can't prepare for crises, emphasizing the importance of daily spiritual practices. The concept of 'going again' in marriage is explored as a mantra of resilience. With vulnerability, they discuss how crises reshape expectations and the necessity of grace in parenting. Ultimately, they highlight the role of faith as an anchor, allowing them to find hope and strength when life gets tough.

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INSIGHT

Spiritual Practice Builds Crisis Reserves

Regular spiritual practices deposit strength into your soul before crises hit.
Ryan and Laura say those deposits let you 'go again' when you cannot actively pray or meditate.

ADVICE

Choose To Go Again In Marriage

Choose to 'go again' instead of quitting when marriage gets ugly or painful.
Keep returning to your wedding vow commitment and show up despite offenses or exhaustion.

ANECDOTE

Laura's Fourth Cancer And Long Recovery

Laura recounts her fourth cancer diagnosis, double mastectomy, and multiple complications.
She endured five surgeries, seven ER trips, 22 hospital days, and 180+ doctor visits in nine months.

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"You can't prepare for something like this." That's what people say when the diagnosis comes, the pain hits, or the marriage feels like it's crumbling. But on REBEL Parenting, we don't believe that. In this raw and deeply personal episode, Ryan and Laura Dobson open up about surviving Laura's fourth cancer diagnosis, a life-threatening infection, and the hardest year of their lives—by choosing, over and over, to Go Again. Kicking off our new series, Love in the Deep End: Preparing for the Unpreparable, Ryan and Laura reveal how faith, honesty, and relentless love became their anchor when everything else was falling apart. They share how building a spiritual foundation—through daily time with God, Scripture, and community—prepared them for storms they never saw coming. With vulnerability and hard-earned wisdom, they discuss marriage, parenting, repentance, and the power of showing up for each other when life gets ugly. If you've ever wondered how to keep going when you're out of strength, this episode is for you.

📝 Show Notes

In This Episode:

Why the phrase "you can't prepare for this" is a myth—and how to replace it with hope
Laura's journey through a fourth cancer diagnosis, five surgeries, and a dangerous, antibiotic-resistant infection
The power of Psalm 136: "His steadfast love endures forever"—and why it became their lifeline
What it means to "go again" in marriage, especially when crisis leaves you both exhausted and raw
Parenting with grace when your kids are unraveling too—and why your home should be a safe place for their emotions
The role of vulnerability, repentance, and asking, "Can I try that again?" in building resilient relationships
How Jesus is the reason they're still standing—and still in love

Key Quote: "Sometimes you're sick, and it's worse, and it's poor. But I made a promise. And that means I'll go again—until the day I die."

Scripture Highlight: Psalm 136 — "His steadfast love endures forever." (Repeated 27 times, a reminder that God always goes again.)

Takeaway: You can't stop the pain, but you can build a foundation strong enough to carry you through it. Go again—one day, one prayer, one act of love at a time.

Listen now and join the conversation about faith, family, and the courage to go again—even when life is at its hardest.