Jill: One of our favorite ways to support marriages is through our Marriage 2.0 Intensives. Whether a couple is in crisis or not, these intensives move good marriages to become great and hurting marriages to find the hope and help they need. They are hosted at our home and are opportunities for us to work 1-on-1 with a couple, helping them identify any unhealthy relating patterns and increasing their connection and intimacy.
Mark: I think one of the most meaningful parts of hosting our intensives together is how representative they are of what God has done in our own marriage. During our dark season, our hearts were miles apart. But God. He has moved our relationship from hurting to hopeful in only the way He can, and having the opportunity to help others take that same journey is incredible.
Jill: I agree! We have shared some before & after evaluations on the blog before. Seeing the progress couples can make when they set aside the time to really try and understand themselves and one another is such a meaningful experience.
Mark: Even with that reality and the proven track record of what happens through the marriage intensives, I think a lot of couples come into their stay with a lot of fear. It’s scary to be vulnerable!
Jill: That’s true. At the end of a recent intensive, we just had a couple tell us, “On the way here, we honestly were thinking about turning around and saying we weren’t feeling well enough to make it. Now, we look back on that and agree that we would have missed out on so much if we wouldn’t have come!” Isn’t that funny? They quickly learned that there wasn’t anything to be scared of! Investing in their marriage was well worth it and they were so glad they pushed through their fear.
Mark: We have worked hard to create a safe and nurturing environment throughout a couple’s entire stay with us. There is safety in sharing what needs to be shared, but there’s also safety in having individual space in our home. Our guest room has an attached bath so you have your own comfortable, private space in our home.
Jill: There will always be unknown with new experiences, but one of the ways that we can bring some light to what the experience looks like is to walk through a typical daily schedule. (All of these details and more are on our Marriage 2.0 Intensive page!) Remember however, depending on the issues a couple has, we may go in whatever direction is needed!
Mark: Throughout the intensive, we will walk through a variety of topics and discussions. The content of each of those conversations are tailored to the unique circumstances a couple is navigating. It’s not all serious–we do some laughing together as well. (We talk about our marriage intensives in this podcast episode too!)
Jill: I also shared a video over on Instagram of the renovation we did to the room in our home that you would be staying in! You can watch it here. (Separate rooms can be requested if a couple is currently separated.)
Mark: More than anything else, we want you to know that healing is possible and your marriage is worth the effort. This is a time created to help you dive deep into your present and future while learning practical skills that help you recognize and reconcile your differences, banish dysfunctional communication, and heal and renew your marriage. Just think of the ripple effect that can have, not only in your marriage, but also throughout your entire family and closest relationships.
Jill: If you’ve been on the fence about reaching out to schedule an intensive, we hope that seeing some of what’s included makes it a little easier to have the courage to take the next right step. Your marriage matters!
