Former professional volleyball star and fitness expert Gabrielle Reece recently revealed her controversial "secret" to creating a successful marriage—submission. Appearing on the "Today" show, Reece explained that she and her pro surfer husband, Laird Hamilton, considered divorcing after four years of marriage, but now their 17-year marriage (as of 2013) is solid. Her initial comment came from her book, My Foot Is too Big for the Glass Slipper, where she said, "to be truly feminine means being soft, receptive, and—look out, here it comes—submissive."

Reece, who stands 6' 3" and writes with sassy wit, isn't exactly a doormat. She has never expressed faith in Christ, but Ms. Reece was expressing the need for mutual submission in marriage. She went on to explain how submission works on her side of the marriage:

I think the idea of living with a [married] partner is "How can I make their life better?" So if I'm the woman and he's the man, then yes, that's the dynamic. I'm willing and I choose to serve my family and my husband because it creates a dynamic where he is then in fact acting more like a man and masculine and treating me the way I want to be treated … I think because women have the ability to set the tone, that the ultimate strength and showing real power, I believe, is creating that environment. I think it's a sign of strength.

According to the "Today" shows' online survey, 55 percent of the viewing audience agreed with Reece's statement while 19 percent disagreed.

Editor's Note: Whatever you think about submission and male and female roles in marriage, this story serves as an interesting take on how some people in our culture are trying to grapple with this concept.