Love is NOT all you need

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José and Sara (names changed to maintain confidentiality) were participants in our first pre-marital conference - the S.O.M. (Seminario de Orientación al Matrimonio) in March of 2021. We did the conference online because of the limitations for on-site events due to the COVID pandemic. Like all engaged couples, they were in love and excited about all that lay ahead.

Although we actually did not know them well, we invited them to participate in the S.O.M. the following year in 2022 as "graduates" of the S.O.M. and to share what they were learning and how the S.O.M. had helped them.


Several months after hearing from them, now with one small child and a second child on the way, the strain of married life and parenting had caught up to them.


Last month, they contacted me, looking for support through marriage counseling. While I am not a counselor, I am a certified facilitator for the Prepare-Enrich couples inventory. In addition to helping to bring to light how each spouse is feeling and experiencing the marriage relationship at the moment, Prepare-Enrich provides exercises to help equip couples to work on their marriage.


For example, while love is a great place to start, there really are important skills that help sustain a marriage for the long-term. In addition to commitment, it is important for couples to learn to be assertive, that is learning to express how one feels and learning to ask for what one needs, as well as learning to limit one's tendency to avoid conflict and difficult issues.


I suggested that they try taking the Prepare Enrich inventory as a starting point to begin addressing some of the challenges they are experiencing.


We have now met three times online to discuss the results of their couple report. They are both discovering things about themselves and about the other that they did not know before.


Please pray for Natán and Lucía...that God would strengthen their relationship and help them to grow in maturity and oneness as they prepare for the arrival of baby number 2.

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