Chip and Joanna Gaines Reveal the Secret to Their Strong Marriage
By Allyson Vannatta, Senior Writer
One of the most beloved couples on television, Chip and Joanna Gaines, didn’t always see eye-to-eye in their relationship.
In the new book What Makes a Marriage Last, Chip and Joanna revealed how the early days of their marriage was full of fights.
“We can both go at it,” said Chip. “I’ve got a fiery personality, and early on, I would bark at her. She once said to me, ‘Just because you’re the loudest doesn’t make you right.’”
Finally, he realized yelling wasn’t going to solve any problems.
In the book, Chip explains, “A year or two into our marriage, I thought, ‘I don’t want to raise my voice like that.’ And we both asked ourselves, ‘Do we want to pull against each other like this, or do we want to be pulling together?’”
For this Christian couple, divorce wasn’t on the table.
“We made a pact early on that we would never talk about divorce,” said Chip. “So, if either of us is never going to leave, then how are we going to figure out a problem that seems impossible?
“So, Jo and I had a subconscious little handshake that said we would never pull against each other no matter what—because life is so hard. We can’t be fighting each other and the world simultaneously.”
In order to solve their fighting problem, the HGTV stars learned to trust one another.
Initially, the couple brushed aside their trust issues, Joanna said, until they realized how it impacted their fights.
“I think we both realized pretty quickly that we weren’t fighting about who was right and who was wrong; it was more about, ‘Hey you’re not trusting me right now,’” Joanna said. “And when I learned to trust him, my life turned from black-and-white to color.”
Chip echoed his wife’s realization, “I just realized that if I jumped into something, she was going to catch me.”
Their attitude made their HGTV show FIXER UPPER an instant hit. Though show has since ceased new episodes, reruns appear on HGTV, as well as on streaming services like Hulu.
The couple ultimately decided to step away from FIXER UPPER to focus on their family, and announced Joanna was pregnant with their fifth child just a few months after FIXER UPPER wrapped on HGTV.
The two have used their teamwork to become one of the most popular home brands. Their Magnolia market products are available in Target, as well as online. They also run the Magnolia Market at the Silos.
The couple is now preparing to launch their own TV network, Magnolia. The network was expected to launch this fall, but has been postponed due to coronavirus restrictions affecting the production schedule.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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