Our Approach to Marriage & Family Teaching
We are made for community. Being in a group setting — whether a small group, a large group, or a weekend retreat — offers a chance to learn with others and to notice that the world is made up of other people, not just perfectly staged Instagram posts. Its a chance to be reminded that we have a lot in common. And one thing we all have in common is not having it all figured out. Being in real community reminds us of that grace-filled truth.
What to expect in our groups or retreats
You can expect humility from us. While we have important things to offer, we do not offer perfection. We share our stories and experiences and what we have learned along the way.
You can expect to laugh at times, or at least to smile. Learning and growing requires that we can smile at ourselves at times. You will notice that we smile at ourselves and we enjoy a good laugh. We also believe that learning should be interesting and fun. As you learn together and discover practical ways to grow together, we believe the experience should be enjoyable.
You can expect to gain insight into yourself, your spouse, and your family. You will learn about how things work in relationships in a cause and effect way. And you will learn practical tools to accompany insight that can lead to growth. You will also learn deeper ways to care for the relationships God has given you-- in a non-preachy way :)
MARRIAGE & FAMILY TEACHING
Each of our classes can be tailored to a variety of formats and settings, from weekly groups to weekend retreats.
Let's talk about what best fits your needs.
Marriage Groups and Retreats Currently Offered:
ADDING A LITTLE MORE FUN
Marriage is the gift of an interesting, enjoyable, deep friendship that we can count on for a lifetime. In order to count on it, we have to care for it intentionally. This series is a hands-on reminder of the value of our friendship and what having fun together adds to our marriage.
As a couple you will spend time thinking, talking, playing, and reconnecting with the interesting parts of your relationship that sometimes unintentionally get set aside in taking care of the business and busyness of life.
In this series you will come away with a better understanding of how to care for the friendship aspect of your relationship. You will also leave with lots of ideas for having fun together and a plan for making time to enjoy each other on a regular basis.
ADDING A LITTLE MORE UNDERSTANDING
It's amazing when we see eye to eye. When we are in agreement; on the same page. It just feels right between us. You get me and I get you. GO TEAM!
But what happens when we see things differently? Does the difference feel like a threat, or do we see it as an opportunity to grow and to know each other better?
The depth of our connection depends on our willingness and ability to create understanding when we see things differently.
ADDING A LITTLE MORE TOGETHERNESS
A wedding is a celebration filled with symbolism about the bringing together of two lives. At the heart of it is the declaration to the world that you have found where you belong. You have found your together forever person. It's the best!
We count on that togetherness and often expect it to be self-sustaining. Often we are not prepared for the reality that it is ours to cultivate and care for on a daily basis in our thoughts, attitudes and actions.
ADDING A LITTLE MORE WARMTH
Think of warmth as a cozy fire on a cold February evening. The glow, the heat that warms the body and soul. It draws us in, causes us to linger. We are able to relax, and breathe. Now, imagine that in our marriage.
We need a shared warmth in a world that is often cold. So how do we create that "fireplace feeling" in our day to day life? What affects warmth in us as individuals, and as a couple?
Seasons of Marriage Series
This series of groups or retreats focuses on the different seasons of marriage, each with its unique joys and challenges, and explores purposeful ways to stay connected and grow in our relationship during each season.
So the wedding is over. You spent a year putting it together, paying attention to all the details to capture the significance of the moment. Now comes the unpacking of who we are. We all come into marriage as individuals bringing some "invisible boxes" filled with the history of the things that have shaped who we are. We call them our normal (how our family of origin operated), our natural (our personality) and our life experiences. Marriage is about "unpacking" those things in real time, as we come across differences. How we go about handling those moments and conversations impacts how we care for one another and how we grow together as a couple.
This series is for couples in their formative, early years of marriage and focuses on learning how to create understanding around these areas that shape how we do our day to day as we are in the process of building a life together.
Children are one of the most amazing gifts in our lives. And from the moment they arrive, our lives are forever changed. So much is added in this season of life. The love we experience for our kids is deep, and instant. The responsibility we feel for their lives--to protect, to teach, to shepherd, and to provide can feel at times consuming, overwhelming, and sometimes a little terrifying--while at the same time being a privilege and a joy.
And in the midst of this wonderful thing called parenting, there is still us, our marriage. A common, well-meaning mistake that often happens in this season is that our marriage takes a back seat to the call of parenthood. The risky part is that this season of married life is long. So much of our married life is spent raising kids and if we take a back seat, we miss out on each other.
That is what this series is about; how do we stay side by side together as husband and wife, best friends and lovers, while at the same time being mom and dad.
Just the Two of Us (Again)
Where have the years gone? Weren't the kids babies just yesterday? And now they are grown. Off to college. Starting a career. Getting married. And we are, or are about to be, joining the ranks of the "empty-nesters." Are we ready? It's been awhile since it was just the two of us, but here we are again. Are we excited? A little sad? Kind of afraid? A little bit of all of the above? :) It's okay. This is a big transition.
This is a season of big change and adjustment. Adjusting to less responsibility for our kids and more time to relax with and enjoy each other. It is a season that can be filled with freedom for great adventure and wonderful times as a couple.
Join us for a little fine tuning or preparation to make this season amazing! In this series we will discuss some important aspects of our marriage including strengthening our communication, examining filters we may have developed over the years that can get in the way of our closeness, being more aware of each other's needs, and being intentional about adding more fun and enjoyment to our life!
PARENTING GROUPS AND FAMILY RETREAT
Explore some of the most common issues that impact the quality of our family life.
Parenting is such a unique role and relationship. One thing that makes it so different is that it tends to have an external focus. Ask a parent how we are doing and we will often respond by how our kids are doing. And when we talk about parenting we often lead with "How do I get them to________?" We can spend so much of our time focusing on outcomes that we can tend to overlook the source of lasting influence.
We believe that the most powerful and influential thing God gives us as parents is our relationship with our kids. It is the thing that draws them to us and us to them. So how did God design this one of a kind relationship to work best?
In this series we will examine key elements of our relationship with our kids that lay a foundation for lasting influence. This group is for parents and about parents, no matter the age of your kids.
Watch for more details to come!
This retreat focuses on strengthening family connections in this season and helps us all to understand the need to be intentional about enjoying one another and maintaining a positive connection. This is an experiential retreat that includes playing, talking, and learning as a family. This is definitely a sweatpants and tennis shoes experience.