Duck Dynasty’s Al Robertson says his marriage with Lisa Robertson “doesn’t have to end” after Lisa’s affair, describing a years-long road back built on confession, separation, faith, baptism, counseling, and renewed vows.
When Al Robertson suspected his wife was stepping out. he said the weeks that followed felt like a countdown—one where trust could break. and the marriage might not survive.. Fifteen years into their union. Lisa Robertson found herself in an extramarital relationship. and the couple’s painful decision to confront what happened now plays out in a new Lifetime film premiering Saturday. “Faith & Forgiveness.”
Robertson. the eldest son of Phil and Miss Kay Robertson from “Duck Dynasty. ” told Misryoum that he doesn’t believe unfaithfulness always has to spell the end.. “When unfaithfulness happens in a marriage. so many times. that’s the end of it. but it doesn’t have to be. ” he said.. “Everything can be worked through.”
For Robertson and his wife, the movie is not just a dramatization of betrayal—it’s a public retelling of how they tried to rebuild.
The story begins long before the affair ever surfaced.. Al and Lisa Robertson first met at a McDonald’s parking lot in West Monroe. Louisiana. a spot described as a teen hangout.. Robertson was 17 and a senior, while Lisa was 15 and a sophomore.. They dated on and off before marrying in 1984.. After welcoming two girls, Robertson served as a pastor at a church where his family had been members for years.. But Lisa said she grew lonely and isolated when her husband was away.
As their personal lives unfolded, Robertson also pointed to a mistake of his own—one he says he failed to correct early on. He said he didn’t “pull Lisa in as a partner” in his career and dreams, and that he didn’t recognize internal struggles he now believes were brewing.
Lisa later described a trauma she carried for years.. She told Misryoum that, behind closed doors, memories of childhood haunted her.. “From an early age, at age 7, I was subjected to someone molesting me,” she explained.. “I believe that at age 7. I began to be dishonest with who I was and what I was.” She said she believes “the evil one played a huge part” and that the pattern deepened as she got older.
Years later, Lisa said that in the summer of 1999, an old boyfriend contacted her at work. She said she soon found herself caught up in an affair.
Robertson became suspicious during that time. He said Lisa repeatedly denied his accusations. To figure out what was really happening, Robertson used cellphone records, and the couple agreed on a temporary separation.
“It’s not easy,” Robertson said of the uncertainty that followed.. “I think for the first few weeks, I was leaning toward thinking that it was probably over.. I was just not sure if I could ever fully trust again.” He questioned whether a spouse truly wants to remain in a marriage. and whether a partner wants “something more than you have to offer.”
Lisa described a moment of breaking—and a turning point in her faith.. Overwhelmed and “completely broken,” she said she stepped into her backyard and cried out to God for forgiveness.. She described that prayer as the moment she was fully honest with God about what she had done. and when she was ready to repent.
“The role of faith played a very significant part in my life,” Lisa said.. “Once I turned my life over to the Lord. out in the backyard. when I finally called out to God. He came and met me right there in the backyard.” She added that she’d never asked for His rescue before. and that the help she felt in that moment convinced her she could make it forward.
After that, Lisa said her faith became more than belief—it became routines. She said she was not only baptized, but surrounded herself with women who already had a strong foundation in their faith. She also described pursuing counseling with her husband.
“I changed the way I dressed,” Lisa said.. “I changed the way I wore makeup.. I changed what I listened to.. I changed the way I approached men.. I changed the way I talked because I had a potty mouth.. I changed so many things.” She said the first thing was crying out to God. the second was surrounding herself with women. and the third was counseling—finding someone to help her “get rid of those negative things.”
By the time the couple renewed their vows in December 1999. they said they had found a path back to each other.. Over the years. they’ve spoken across the country to couples struggling in their relationships. and Robertson said the difference between merely staying together and truly rebuilding was honesty.
Lisa put it plainly: “To have a really strong and very intimate marriage — not just sexual intimacy. I mean spiritual. physical and emotional intimacy — there has to be honesty. ” she said.. “Honesty is the most important thing that you can do to have a very successful marriage.” She added that couples also need to “look at ourselves the way Jesus looks at us.”
For Robertson, forgiveness was not automatic—it came from seeing change in the person he once feared he might lose.. He noted that, in their early years, he had been unfaithful as well.. “What changed my mind and heart about Lisa was her,” he said.. “It was obvious to me from talking to friends who were with her that she wanted this marriage to stay together.” He said she dealt with her past through counseling and people helping her life.
He concluded that her growth gave him the capacity to forgive infidelity.. “Her growth as a person and as a Christian in those early weeks is what won me over to say. ‘If she has the capacity to change who she is. like I did many years earlier. then I have the capacity to forgive as God forgives. ’” he said.. “That’s when it all changed.. We knew we were going to find our way back together.”
Now, with “Faith & Forgiveness” set to premiere May 16 at 8 p.m., the Robertson couple is sharing their story with an audience that includes people trying to decide whether betrayal can be met with work, faith, and—sometimes—another chance.
Duck Dynasty Al Robertson Lisa Robertson Faith & Forgiveness Lifetime affair infidelity forgiveness vows counseling faith
Marriage problems and Lifetime movies, what else is new.
I mean if she cheated for years and he still wants to work it out… ok I guess. Baptism and counseling like that fixes trust automatically? Not really.
So he suspected it and then it was like a countdown?? That’s messed up. Also when they say “doesn’t have to end” I hear “just forgive” but how do you unlearn the whole betrayal thing. Seems like the movie is more about keeping up the family brand than anything.
Lifetime premieres Saturday and suddenly it’s all ‘faith and forgiveness’… sounds like they’re trying to sell the comeback story. I’m not saying people can’t change but confessions and renewed vows don’t mean the other person didn’t already check out. Kinda wild how the headline makes it sound like the betrayal ‘ended’ the marriage and then it didn’t, like it was some rule.