Helping You Grow a Thriving Marriage and Family
I believe God designed you and your spouse to thrive in your marriage and family. I know it's possible, because my wife Tami and I are doing it.
No, we're not perfect!
We've been married for 30 years, and we've blown it many times...in our marriage and as parents.
But we've learned how to grow in God's grace, accommodate for our flaws, and recover from our mistakes., so that we are thriving in our marriage and as parents.
I believe you can, too!
What I Believe
I believe the ancient wisdom recorded in the Bible is valuable wisdom for today. It's inspired by God. I believe that true science passes the test of Bible truths, and never contradicts the Bible. Both the Bible and science have improved my life, marriage and family in extraordinary ways, and can improve yours, too!
What I Know
I've been married to my wife Tami for over 28 years. We got off to a rough start, as many marriages do. Through counseling, hard work, and the transforming power of God's grace, we overcame our early challenges, and face the new ones. We've built a strong marriage that's anchored on our devotion to God. And, we're best friends, helping each other to achieve our dreams.
The marriage relationship is a school from which you never graduate, in which you have new lessons to learn every day. We're still learning, dedicated to sharing what works and what doesn't.
My wife and I are parents to a 21-year-old daughter (now in college) and 14-year-old son (in 8th grade). We're strong believers in the benefits of homeschooling, and we've seen them in raising our kids. Parenting is never easy. We've made many mistakes, and have had many successes. Here too, we're dedicated to sharing what's worked for us, and what hasn't.
I earned a Master of Social Work degree in 1991 from Walla Walla University, with a concentration in health, mental health, and addictions. Since then, I've worked in various settings helping men and women recover from, and overcome addictions, mood disorders, stress and anxiety, personality disorders, and learn anger management. Since 1995 I've been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Oregon.
I've helped people from all walks of life to achieve their personal goals as individuals, marriage partners, and parents.
Most people I work with are happy. But many of us have at least one thing that we wish we could change about ourselves, or our situation.
Here are 3 things that end up at the top of most people's wish list:
- We want to belong and feel loved by our spouse and child (or children).
- We want to overcome the barriers that stand between us and our dreams for our marriage and family.
- We want to feel like we're making a positive contribution to the lives of our spouse and child (or children).
There's no reason you can't make these wishes come true in your life.
What I Do to Help
My job is to make the things you need to know to achieve a thriving marriage and family. To do this, I offer coaching, counseling, teaching, and writing.
The best place to begin is by reading my book.
My book If You're Not Growing, Your Dying: 7 Habits for Thriving in Your Faith, Relationships, and Work, can be read in about 90 minutes, and is designed to give those who read it the basic information needed to jump-start a thriving marriage and family.
I also recommend signing up for my free, weekly emails. I deliver these to your inbox each Sunday morning, offering practical advice to help you achieve a thriving marriage and family. To sign up, just take this quick 10-item quiz to find out how hot your marriage is, and to help me know what kind of advice is going to help you the most.
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My Resources
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Personal Stuff
- Born and raised in Orange County, California until age 11.
- Attended junior high and high school in southern Oregon, where I moved with my dad after my parents' divorce.
- Oldest of 2 boys born to my parents, and my 2 younger half brothers.
- An introvert (INTP on the Myers-Briggs Personality Type).
- Met my wife Tami working at Big Lake Youth Camp in Sisters, Oregon.
- Live outside of Estacada, Oregon, near Portland, on a hobby farm. We raise Boer goats, honeybees, fruit and vegetables.
- Active member, family ministries leader, and elder at Sandy Seventh-day Adventist Church.
I'd Like to Meet You
Use the Facebook Messenger app, send a voicemail, use the Contact Me button, or write a comment below to say hello. Tell me what city or country you make your home in, and anything else you'd like me to know.
You're Designed to Thrive in Your Marriage and Family!