She lived in our home, shared our table, and became part of our family until the day it all unraveled. What started as an act of compassion toward a young, expectant mother ended in one of the deepest betrayals we’ve ever faced. In this episode, we share how it unfolded, the impact it had on our family and community, and what we’ve learned about walking through betrayal with Jesus at the center.

Betrayal has a way of shaking more than just your trust; it can rattle your faith, your confidence, and even your sense of reality. We’ll talk about what betrayal tries to steal, why it hurts so deeply, and the perspective that helped us begin to heal. From the Bible to our own story, you’ll hear how betrayal doesn’t have to be the end of your assignment; it may be the doorway into your next one.

If you’ve ever been blindsided by someone you trusted, we want you to know you’re not alone. Our hope is that this conversation feels like a deep breath, a reminder that even in betrayal, Jesus is near, and He can turn the wound into a doorway to healing and new beginnings.

Key Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Introduction [00:01:53] Why Was This Story So Hard to Share? [00:04:38] The Text That Changed Everything [00:05:43] Opening Our Home and Hearts to a Stranger [00:13:52] The Revelation We Never Saw Coming [00:19:59] The Lies Begin to Unravel [00:21:41] The Moment It All Finally Made Sense [00:22:21] Confrontation and Discovery [00:23:48] When the Full Truth Comes Out [00:26:51] Extending Help And Facing Rejection [00:29:06] Picking Up the Pieces After Betrayal [00:33:23] What Betrayal Really Teaches Us About Trust [00:36:14] Finding Strength in God’s Faithfulness [00:40:12] A Word of Hope for Anyone Hurting

Memorable Quotes:

"We walked through it so we want to make sure that you don't walk through it, in the way that the enemy intended, but that you see yourself as a victor and as part of the process." [00:04:04] – Melissa Edmiston

" The betrayal wasn't about the girl. It was about what God was strengthening in us for the road and for his plans and what lay ahead." [00:38:07] – Jonathan Edmiston

Connect With Us:

Website: https://mandatetomultiply.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandatetomultiply/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mandatetomultiplypodcast

Join the VIP Community & get a FREE PDF Guide: "7 Keys to Multiply What Matters: A Quick-Start Guide to Faith, Family & Financial Stewardship." - https://mandatetomultiply.com/vipcommunity

In this 15-Year Wedding Anniversary episode, we open up about the real stuff: how we dated differently, why we got engaged so fast, what helped us build a marriage that’s still standing (and thriving) today, and why purity, prayer, and purpose shaped everything. Raw, real lessons we learned from doing things God’s way, messing up plenty, and learning how to keep showing up for each other.

If you’re dating, engaged, married, or even just praying for your person, we hope this episode gives you clarity, courage, and a fresh vision for relationships rooted in God. We also talk about group dates, awkward boundaries, courting, and what actually helped us fight for each other instead of against each other when things got really difficult.

It’s the behind-the-scenes of what it looks like to choose love, grace, and growth when life throws everything at you. And if you're in a season where marriage feels more like work than wonder, just know you're not alone, and it’s not over. 

We’re still learning. Still growing. Still choosing each other. And still believing God can write a redemptive story in every season, even the really challenging ones.

Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction [00:02:00] The highs, lows, and what we’d change [00:02:57] How we met, and why it was different [00:05:13] Jonathan’s first thoughts on Melissa [00:07:56] The first date that changed everything [00:13:10] Why did we date differently? [00:15:08] Choosing purity in today’s culture [00:15:42] Courting on purpose, was it worth it? [00:16:17] What happens when a man leads with chivalry? [00:19:21] Group dating & what it taught us [00:20:54] Our fast, prayer-led engagement [00:22:58] What trusting God in marriage actually looks like [00:24:28] Almost losing it all & finding our way back [00:27:46] How to navigate a difficult marriage season 

Memorable Quotes:

"And while we don't live for the opinion or input of others, it is important that you don't ever give people a reason to question things or put things in their minds that isn't there." [00:19:49] – Melissa Edmiston

"It's important to expose the person that you're dating to your friends so that they might see something that you don't see." [00:20:47] – Jonathan Edmiston

Connect With Us: Website: https://mandatetomultiply.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandatetomultiply/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mandatetomultiplypodcast

Join the VIP Community & get a FREE PDF Guide: "7 Keys to Multiply What Matters: A Quick-Start Guide to Faith, Family & Financial Stewardship." - https://mandatetomultiply.com/vipcommunity

Saying yes before it all makes sense? Yeah, we’ve been there. When we felt God stirring our hearts to move to the beach, we had no plan, no promise it would work, and definitely no roadmap. What we did have was peace and a whole lot of unknowns. In this episode, we’re letting you in on the honest, in-the-middle story of what it looked like to follow God when everything in us wanted to stay comfortable.

We’re talking about the decision to leave our dream home, a beautiful life we had intentionally built over 6 years, and the people we loved like family… all for something that didn’t even make sense on paper. 

We wrestled with the tension of feeling both excited and heartbroken at the same time. And if you’ve ever felt stuck between what you know and what you sense God’s asking, you’re gonna relate to this one. We also share how saying yes opened the door to things we never could’ve planned, like putting our kids in school after years of homeschooling, working together again, and watching our marriage come back to life.

If you're in a season of transition (or feel one coming), you're not alone. We get it. We hope this episode reminds you that God doesn’t always give the full picture, but He always gives the next step. And sometimes, the move that scares you most… is the one that leads to more than you ever imagined.

Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction [00:01:45] Starting from scratch with no backup plan [00:04:04] Why did we risk everything to expand? [00:07:03] A dream we didn’t even pray for [00:10:19] What happens when God says “move”? [00:17:54] Homeschool to public school: was it the right decision? [00:22:51] If we could go back, what would we say to ourselves? [00:25:07] Final thoughts for the one standing on the edge

Memorable Quotes:

"The calling requires risk, and requires obedience and requires boldness, and oftentimes stepping out into things that feel really uncomfortable. But He’s always with us. He never leaves us or forsakes us." [00:24:54] – Melissa Edmiston

"You can be called and still be confused. So many people assume clarity must come before commitment. And a lot of times God just doesn't work that way." [00:15:39] – Jonathan Edmiston

Connect With Us: Website: https://mandatetomultiply.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandatetomultiply/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mandatetomultiplypodcast

Join the VIP Community & get a FREE PDF Guide: "7 Keys to Multiply What Matters: A Quick-Start Guide to Faith, Family & Financial Stewardship." - https://mandatetomultiply.com/vipcommunity

We had a good life—a gym we had built from the ground up, a close-knit community, family nearby, and a church family. But then came this crazy curveball: God asked us to walk away from all of it and move to a place we never thought we’d live. This episode is the behind-the-scenes of that wild season—when nothing made sense, everything felt risky, and somehow it still became the setup for something bigger. If you’ve ever felt like you were starting over from scratch (again), we’re right there with you.

We’re sharing what it looked like to take the job that didn’t make sense on paper, pack everything up with a 2-year-old and 1-year-old, and say goodbye to a life we loved. We talked about the lonely, stretching parts of transition, and shared the surprising way God opened a door that changed everything. We also talk about the not-so-pretty parts—resentment, risk, and wondering if we were crazy for doing it all. But through it, we kept choosing unity and faith, even when we didn’t have it all figured out.

The big move was just the surface—underneath it was a deeper lesson in costly obedience. It’s about listening for God’s voice when other voices get loud. And it’s about trusting that even the detours can be part of the plan. We hope this one meets you right where you are.

Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction [00:01:18] When the open door doesn’t make sense [00:02:51] Choosing obedience over logic [00:06:26] Leaving a dream life behind [00:09:07] Faith in the middle of transition [00:11:45] Dealing with doubt and naysayers [00:14:43] What it means to live fully alive [00:15:47] When saying yes still feels hard [00:16:37] A fresh start in a new city [00:17:55] Loss, identity, and starting over [00:20:35] Can you really build from scratch? [00:22:27] What bold faith looks like [00:25:10] What we’d tell our past selves [00:28:06] What’s ahead—and how you’re part of it

Memorable Quotes:

"How you do things in every season matters. How you enter a season matters. How you exit a season matters." [00:08:20] – Melissa Edmiston

" We really felt the Lord was in this. And the most important thing was, that we were unified together. And we always place what the Lord says above anything else." [00:12:14] – Jonathan Edmiston

Connect With Us: Website: https://mandatetomultiply.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandatetomultiply/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mandatetomultiplypodcast

Join the VIP Community & get a FREE PDF Guide: "7 Keys to Multiply What Matters: A Quick-Start Guide to Faith, Family & Financial Stewardship." - https://mandatetomultiply.com/vipcommunity

Sometimes your dream has to die so something bigger can live. We were finally about to buy our first home together—Jonathan had a steady job, a $60,000 bonus was coming, and we had a newborn on the way. Then suddenly, the job was gone, the bonus disappeared, and we were left with no insurance and no clear plan. In this episode, we share what it looked like to keep trusting God when everything fell apart. We talk about the heartbreak, the grind, and the bold faith it took to believe something better was coming.

We were coaching every class at our gym, working long hours, and raising a newborn—all while chasing a dream that kept slipping through our fingers. We share the raw reality of that season and the pressure it put on our marriage, our finances, and our faith. We had to choose: take a secure job and settle—or hold out for God’s best, even if it made no sense. 

We’ll tell you how we ended up buying an abandoned house in North Carolina with almost no money down—and how God used that unexpected “yes” to completely reroute our lives. It wasn’t in our plan, but it was everything we didn’t know we needed. If you’re standing in front of a closed door or wrestling with what’s next, this episode will help you see the purpose in the pivot. Press play—we think it’ll stir your faith right where you are.

Key Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Introduction

[00:01:25] The Hustle Season: Passing each other in survival mode

[00:04:25] The Crushing Blow: Job loss and broken dreams

[00:10:19] A New Hope: Praying for a miracle

[00:11:02] An Abandoned House: A leap of faith

[00:17:20] Decisions and divine direction

[00:19:58] Trusting God’s plan

Memorable Quotes:

" We've always been in agreement that we don't want to settle for good, we want God's best." [00:08:51] – Melissa Edmiston

"We operate on the principle that the light is green until it's red. So, if He gives us something, we're gonna pursue it until He slams the door close and redirects us." [00:12:43] – Jonathan Edmiston

Connect With Us:

Website: https://mandatetomultiply.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandatetomultiply/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mandatetomultiplypodcast

Join the VIP Community & get a FREE PDF Guide: "7 Keys to Multiply What Matters: A Quick-Start Guide to Faith, Family & Financial Stewardship." - https://mandatetomultiply.com/vipcommunity

We didn’t think obedience would look like living in a retirement community, commuting over an hour to work, and piecing together income from ministry, CrossFit coaching and timeshare sales. But that’s exactly where we ended up—broke, exhausted, and trying our best to trust that God still had a plan. In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on what life looked like after losing everything financially. It wasn’t pretty —but it was real.

We talk about the tension of following God when it doesn’t make sense on paper, and the kind of faith it takes to keep showing up when nothing seems to be changing. There were nights we worried our truck would get repossessed and days we had no idea how we’d pay the bills—but we kept going. From $12/hour jobs to a homemade Valentine’s Day that meant more than any fancy dinner—we share the little moments that held us together when everything felt like it was falling apart.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing what you think God asked you to do—but nothing’s happening yet—this one’s for you. We’re sharing how we kept moving through heartbreak, including a miscarriage that shook us deeply, and how God started quietly rebuilding what we thought was lost. It wasn’t flashy, but it was holy. And looking back… it was the beginning of something we couldn’t yet see.

Key Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Introduction

[00:00:46] We moved into a retirement community!

[00:01:22] Keys or North Carolina: Which way do we go?

[00:03:05] Remembering the years we’d rather forget

[00:04:23] Broke, humbled, and starting over

[00:10:29] The Valentine's Day we'll never forget

[00:14:40] Why we took a wild leap and opened a gym 

[00:19:26] What obedience really looks like

[00:20:05] Risks, rewards, and relentless trust

Memorable Quotes:

"It is just really eye-opening and just a great reminder of his faithfulness and how what you're in in the moment is never indicative of where He's taking you, or of where you're going." [00:03:52] – Melissa Edmiston

"But that's the tension that we find in a lot of life, is just wrestling with obedience versus logic. And doing what you have to do at the time while continuing to hold on to the hopes and promises and the prophetic words and the things that God has given you." [00:07:46] – Jonathan Edmiston

Connect With Us:

Website: https://mandatetomultiply.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandatetomultiply/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mandatetomultiplypodcast

Join the VIP Community & get a FREE PDF Guide: "7 Keys to Multiply What Matters: A Quick-Start Guide to Faith, Family & Financial Stewardship." - https://mandatetomultiply.com/vipcommunity

We’ve been through some pretty wild ups and downs—losing everything, facing homelessness, and scrambling just to make ends meet. In this special first episode, we’re sharing how faith and grit pulled us through those tough times and helped us rebuild our lives from scratch. We talk honestly about hustling odd jobs, leaning on family, and how we eventually found our way into real estate and investing. It’s not just about money—it’s about how those struggles shaped everything we care about now.

We want to show you that hard times aren’t the end—they can actually be a fresh start if you lean in the right way. We’re breaking down what we learned about bouncing back, changing mindset, and spotting opportunities even when it feels impossible. This episode is really about mixing real-life hustle with faith, and how that combo makes all the difference. It’s the kind of stuff we wish we’d known earlier.

If you’re curious about what it really looks like to rebuild after hitting rock bottom, this episode is for you. We’re keeping it real—sharing the good, the bad, and everything in between—so you can feel like you’re right there with us. There’s no magic fix, but there’s definitely a way forward, and we’re walking that path together.

Key Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Introduction [00:01:37] The highs and lows that shaped us [00:02:30] The truth behind success [00:04:26] What homelessness taught us about hope [00:04:55] Odd jobs that became stepping stones [00:05:57] Lessons learned and moving forward [00:07:30] Why Wilmington feels like home now [00:09:32] Jonathan’s real estate journey [00:10:15] What the 2008 market collapse taught us [00:11:04] How meeting Melissa changed everything [00:13:26] When our finances fell apart — and what we did [00:16:47] Living with parents: shame and strength [00:20:42] Starting over with hope and hustle [00:24:40] Why encouragement matters [00:27:10] What to remember when your story feels unfinished

Memorable Quotes:

"We want you to understand that everything can be used for the greater good." [00:06:17] – Melissa Edmiston

"It didn’t feel like growth at the time. It just hurt. But now that we're older and we can look back and we're on the other side of it, we can see how God was preparing us through those events and through that time." [00:24:13] – Jonathan Edmiston

Connect With Us:

Website: https://mandatetomultiply.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandatetomultiply/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/mandatetomultiplypodcast

Join the VIP Community & get a FREE PDF Guide: "7 Keys to Multiply What Matters: A Quick-Start Guide to Faith, Family & Financial Stewardship." - https://mandatetomultiply.com/vipcommunity

Do you sense you were made for more—more purpose, impact, and abundance—but feel something’s holding you back? We’ve been there too.

We’re Jonathan and Melissa Edmiston—married, raising three wild and wonderful boys, and learning (sometimes the hard way) how to live out Kingdom principles in real life. From losing everything to managing an investment fund, our journey’s been anything but smooth. But one thing’s clear: when you trust God with what’s already in your hands, He multiplies it.

That’s why we started this podcast. Mandate to Multiply is a space for honest conversations, real stories, and practical wisdom to help you grow in faith, family, finances, and legacy.

If you’re ready to shift your mindset and start building something that truly lasts—this is for you.

New episodes drop every two weeks on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Let’s multiply what matters—together.

Key Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Are you created for more?

[00:07:08] Meet Jonathan & Melissa Edmiston.

[00:17:00] From rock bottom to redemption.

[00:26:05] Trusting God multiplies everything

[00:32:04] Why this podcast exists.

[00:44:00] What to expect.

[00:53:08] Ready to multiply?

Memorable Quotes:

" When you trust God with what's already in your hands, growth and multiplication are inevitable." [00:26:05] – Melissa Edmiston

" This is a space for believers who are ready to multiply what matters most, whether it's in your faith, family, finances, or legacy." [00:35:04] – Jonathan Edmiston

Connect With Us:

Website: https://mandatetomultiply.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandatetomultiply/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mandatetomultiplypodcast