Today we’d like to introduce you to Jun and Stephanie Marcelin.
Hi Jun and Stephanie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hello, we are Jun and Stephanie Marcelin. We first met in 2013 and became good friends without having the intention of being together. Little did we know that just two years later, we would be engaged and then married on December 2, 2016. That is when #MarcelinMoments began, we first started capturing moments in our lives, but we knew it would ultimately encompass more than that. Our lives consist of moments. Moments of laughter. Moments of sorrow. Moments of victory. Moments of transition. Moments of growth. Moments of pain. Within each of those moments, we believe God has something to say in the midst of it all.
As we grew more aware of our pain, story, setbacks, and victories, we felt it necessary to share these moments to enrich and encourage those around us and remind them they are not alone. We began to brainstorm what would be the best method, and we looked into podcasting. After a few months of planning and preparation, we finally executed the dream and launched “Moments with the Marcelin’s” in August 2020.
When thinking through the community we wanted to build with “Moments with the Marcelins,” there were three areas we wanted to accurately reflect who we are and what we believe in Transparency, Tools, and Truth. You may ask why these three? First, Transparency because our communities sometimes lack vulnerability and authenticity. We feel less connected even though we are “more connected than ever.” Through our Transparency, others can hear our story or a story and be encouraged and motivated to continue forward. Second, Tools because we need the right resources, steps, support, and “how-to” to make the necessary changes in our lives and minds. Without the proper resources, the change we want to see in ourselves can remain at the surface and not penetrate the deep areas of our soul and heart to have the impact we would like to see. Lastly Truth, Truth is sometimes difficult to come by. With an influx of information and the world at our fingertips, we may not know where to look or where to turn. As Christians, we lean on the Word of God as our guide and believe it has something to say about all the moments we experience.
We don’t shy away from complex or sometimes controversial conversations such as racial justice, mental health, forgiveness, emotional health, and many more. Still, We thrive on being a meeting place of hope and encouragement to anyone that listens.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Lol No, like many, we have faced dozens of obstacles and struggles. We had those who did not believe in what we were trying to build and, due to their fear or manipulation, wanted to project their insecurities on us, and we had those who told us it was not the right time and should focus on what we were we were already doing. Tuning out those external voices can be difficult because, at times, it comes from the people closest to you, but we stayed close to those who believed in what was in our heart and championed us as we started this journey.
Your journey will always have struggles, life doesn’t happen without them, and we need them to grow and learn from. Just know that the harder the pushback, the bigger the impact. Keep going!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Jun Marcelin – I am the son of two immigrant parents who moved to the US from Haiti back in the 80s to pursue a better life for themselves and our family. I grew up in the church, but it wasn’t until I was 18 that I felt God’s calling over my life. I have a passion for helping people and bringing a smile to their faces. I have some other passions: music, writing, sports, psychology, law, and history. I’m most proud of the work that both Stephanie and I have put in our relationship to be where we are today, as well as the healing that I’ve gone through personally to be a better person. Lastly, I’m most proud of creating the “Moments with the Marcelin’s” podcast, regardless of the setbacks, it is beautiful to see dreams unfold.
Stephanie Marcelin – My family is from Honduras, and growing up, I saw my parents build their business from the ground up and break every barrier placed before them. That instilled a passion for developing and creating, knowing that there is no limit. I felt God pursuing me for years before I finally decided to live for Him wholeheartedly at the age of 21 and never turned back. There have been many valleys and mountain tops in my life, and I love sharing them on our podcast or whenever we have an opportunity to speak to others. I’m most proud of having a healthy relationship with my husband and working together to launch the “Moments with the Marcelin’s” podcast. It truly is a joy to do this together and hear the countless stories of how listeners are touched by what we share every season.
Can you talk about how you think about risk?
Life requires risk. You risk dreaming. You risk loving. Risk is always scary because we don’t always know what is at the other end of that step, but it is necessary to attain any dream or long-term goal you want to achieve. We’ve taken many risks in our relationship by moving to a different city and being vulnerable on a public platform. Walking out your purpose in life requires faith, and we believe that faith is equivalent to taking a risk. Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance in what we do not see. Society says, “see it to believe it” however, our perspective is “believe it until you see it.”
Contact Info:
- Email: info@mmoments.co
- Website: www.mmoments.co
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/stephmarcelin/ | www.instagram.com/junmarcelin/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mmoments.co/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/junmarcelin?lang=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRPG0yFosIa7k-K8Xg4Dx1Q
