Today we’d like to introduce you to Coach Martez & Dr. Woodrina Layton.
Hi Coach Martez & Dr. Woodrina , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Our story is one of grace, grit, and divine purpose. We didn’t begin from perfection, we began from pain, prayer, and perseverance. More than 34 years ago, our marriage went through seasons that could have broken us. But through faith, dedication to family, godly purpose and a shared commitment to keep growing together, we learned that what tried to destroy us was actually developing us. That experience became the foundation of our life’s work, helping couples not only survive but thrive in every area of their relationship.
Out of that purpose came the vision for the Married 4 Life Walk. God wanted us to create something practical, but with real value and spiritual center. A space where couples from all walks of life could be inspired, encouraged, and empowered. Whether a couple is fighting to rebuild, striving to grow stronger, or already walking in harmony, the message is the same: keep walking together, hand in hand, toward a shared vision and purpose.
Since our first walk in Atlanta in 2017, what began as small vision has evolved into a powerful national movement, one that celebrates love, unity, and longevity in marriage. Alongside our dear friends and Marriage Ambassadors, Ronnie and Shamari DeVoe, who have been vision partners with us since the very beginning, we’ve watched the Married 4 Life Walk become a symbol of hope, healing, and strength for marriages across the country.
The heart behind the walk is also what fuels our work through Dream Builders Marriage Coaching & Counseling and our nonprofit, Healing Hearts Healing Homes Foundation 501c3. Through these organizations, we’ve dedicated our lives to helping couples heal from past pain, strengthen emotional and spiritual bonds, and build healthy partnerships that thrive in purpose and destiny. We believe that when a marriage is healthy, everything connected to it flourishes, families, communities, and future generations.
But for us, this movement is about more than relationships, it’s about legacy. Strong marriages create strong families, and strong families build strong communities. We’ve seen how emotional health, spiritual alignment, and marital stability contribute directly to financial strength and generational wealth. When couples are unified in purpose, they’re not just building love, they’re building legacies that impact their children, their communities, and generations to come.
The Married 4 Life Walk isn’t just an event; it’s a movement of hope, healing, and wholeness. Each time we see couples laughing, praying, and walking hand in hand, we’re reminded that love isn’t just a feeling, it’s a daily decision, an investment, and an inheritance. Healthy marriages create emotional stability, financial growth, and generational impact. That’s what this walk represents, a visible reminder that marriage still matters, and that with faith, purpose, and partnership, you can overcome anything as long as you never let go of the hand you are holding.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. But every challenge we faced shaped us, strengthened us, and deepened our faith in the purpose behind what we do. When you’re building something that’s meant to heal hearts and restore homes, the journey will always test your own resilience, unity, and belief in the vision.
There were seasons early on when we were trying to do everything ourselves, planning, funding, marketing, and managing every detail of the Married 4 Life Walk while still running our coaching and counseling practice, Dream Builders Marriage Coaching & Counseling. There were times when resources were limited, doors closed, and even moments when people didn’t fully understand the heart behind what we were building. There were also several moments when we were ready to give up and not do it, times when we looked at each other and asked, “Where are the resources? Where is the support?” But every time we felt like stopping, something, or someone reminded us why we started. And through it all, we never stopped believing that if we kept walking by faith, God would keep sending provision, people, and purpose our way.
Another challenge was balance, balancing our marriage, our family, our clients, and this growing movement that was touching more lives each year. But even in those moments of exhaustion or uncertainty, we found strength in knowing that what we were doing mattered. Each story of a couple who found healing, each testimony of renewed love, reminded us that the walk was bigger than us.
We also had to overcome the misconception that marriage movements are only for couples in crisis. From the beginning, we’ve worked to shift that narrative, showing that marriage growth, like personal growth, is for everyone. Whether a couple is thriving or struggling, every relationship benefits from community, connection, and continued investment.
So no, it hasn’t been smooth, but it has been purposeful. And that’s what makes every step, every late night, every test, and every tear worth it. We’ve learned that when your mission is rooted in love and legacy, even the rough roads lead to divine destinations.
As you know, we’re big fans of Healing Hearts Healing Homes Foundation, 501c3. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At the heart of everything we do is one mission, to heal hearts, restore homes, and strengthen marriages so families can thrive and leave lasting legacies of love and stability. Through our two organizations, Dream Builders Marriage Coaching & Counseling and our nonprofit, Healing Hearts Healing Homes Foundation, we’ve created a movement that meets couples and families wherever they are on their journey and helps them grow stronger together.
Through Dream Builders Marriage Coaching & Counseling, we’ve had the privilege of working with over 1,000 couples over the past 16 years, helping them rebuild trust, deepen connection, and reignite their purpose in marriage. We specialize in affair recovery, communication restoration, and emotional reconnection, but what truly sets us apart is our combination of professional expertise, spiritual insight, and real-life experience. We don’t just teach theory, we’ve lived the lessons we share. Our approach is transparent, practical, and deeply transformational.
Our nonprofit, Healing Hearts Healing Homes Foundation, was born out of that same passion, to bring emotional and relational healing to communities that may not have access to professional marriage or family services. Through this foundation, we host outreach programs such as Counseling for Change, Coaching for Success, Youth Entrepreneurial Success (YES), Seniors Matter, and of course, the Married 4 Life Walk, our signature movement that has become a national symbol of hope, healing, and unity for couples everywhere.
The Married 4 Life Walk is what most people recognize us for, a two-mile walk where couples literally walk hand-in-hand to symbolize their commitment to never let go of the hand they are holding. It’s more than a walk it’s an experience that brings couples together in love, laughter, and legacy. What makes it even more special is the community that has grown around it, a diverse group of couples from all backgrounds, all celebrating love, unity, and longevity together.
We’re honored to have an incredible team that helps carry this vision forward. Our dear friends, Ronnie and Shamari DeVoe, serve as Marriage Ambassadors, Vision Partners, and members of our Executive Board, helping to expand the reach and impact of our movement. Our daughter, Dr. Marissa Layton, also serves on our Executive Board as Director of Strategy & Programs, bringing innovation, leadership, and the next-generation perspective that continues to elevate our mission.
What sets our brand apart is authenticity and impact. We are not just creating events or offering services, we’re changing lives. We combine professional coaching and counseling with spiritual principles, emotional intelligence, and purpose-driven tools to help couples and families heal and flourish. We’re most proud of the testimonies, couples who were ready to walk away but found renewed strength, and families who now walk filled with passion, peace, and purpose.
We want readers to know that our work is bigger than marriage, it’s about building a movement that transforms generations. Whether through Dream Builders, Healing Hearts Healing Homes, or the Married 4 Life Walk, our mission remains the same: to help couples and families heal, grow, and walk in divine alignment with their purpose, hand in hand, heart to heart, for life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.married4lifewalk.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/married4lifewalk/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Married4LifeWalk/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martez-layton-ba980b11
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDEFac66kC1vQPrb8MxjhOQ/videos
