After attending a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend in 1976, and recognizing how much we were taking our relationship for granted, we committed to attending at least one renewal experience a year to spice up and recharge our marriage. Ironically, as part of that commitment, we chose to attend the “Smart Marriage Conference” in San Francisco. At that conference we attended a talk on “What do those with the most successful marriages have in common?” We were not surprised to hear that they attend at least one directed retreat or enrichment activity per year! Many self improvement experiences today are designed for individuals, but we suggest always attending as a couple so that you can glean the positive concepts that both of you can use to enhance your marriage. Some of the experiences that have given us the biggest boosts include: Worldwide Marriage Encounter, Living in Love, PSI, Christopher West TOB, John Grey, John Assaraf and parenting classes offered by Ho’ala Educational Centers. We have also attended several retreats sponsored by our Church and we know many churches offer them.
We never attended any of these because our marriage was failing or in trouble. We did learn early on however, that your marriage is either growing or dying, there is no standing still. That is why good marriages can be the leading cause of divorce in our estimation. Those are the people least likely to want to make their marriage better! That is exactly why the divorce rate is so high. Don’t become a statistic. Find something in your area and start growing your marriage today!