 By Kermit Rowe Encompass Relationship Facilitator The kids are long gone, living their own busy lives. The grandkids are getting older, not so cuddly and openly loving as they used to be. Medicare and retirement loom, and with them, big questions and concerns you never had to think much about before. You begin to face sobering and heart-heavy questions together when your marriage hits and passes the three-decade mark, like:
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 By Lavern Nissley Encompass Relationship Facilitator For many couples, the empty nest years arrive quietly—and then all at once. One day, your home is filled with backpacks, curfews, and constant motion; the next, the house is still, the calendar is open, and you and your spouse find yourselves looking at each other across the table, wondering, “So… now what?”
I distinctly remember walking past the three large graduation portraits of our two daughters and son after the youngest child had left home via a wedding. The thought hit me that "we would never be going back to the way things were with all three children under our roof and care." The sense of loss and sadness was real and generated a few tears. The transition into the middle years of marriage, especially as children launch into adulthood, can feel bittersweet. It’s a season of letting go, but also a season of uncovering what has been waiting beneath the surface all along: the opportunity to rediscover each other.  By Theresa Mabry Encompass Director of Operations The early years of marriage are about discovering one another. From years fourteen through twenty-one, something beautiful begins to emerge: stability. These are the years when the foundation you have been laying—often quietly, often imperfectly—starts to show its strength.
You begin to realize that your marriage has a story. You have weathered changes, adjusted careers, endured stress, celebrated milestones, and learned how to keep choosing one another. This season is less about survival and more about stewardship. You are building on what you have already established. And that is a gift.  By Dr. David Marine Mabry Encompass Executive Director The newlywed years are often filled with joy, hope, and a deep sense of possibility. You’ve said “I do,” begun building a shared life, and stepped into something sacred. Yet for many couples, these early years also bring unexpected challenges. Marriage doesn’t remove pressure—it often reveals it. And that revelation is not a failure; it’s part of formation.
If dating and engagement are about discernment and preparation, the newlywed years are about practice. This is the season where love begins to take shape in everyday rhythms—how you communicate, handle stress, manage expectations, and choose one another when life feels ordinary or overwhelming.  By Alexi Cherry Administrative Assistant and Client/Donor Coordinator My husband and I have been married for just about 6 months now, and it’s safe to say that we learned a lot during our seasons of dating and engagement. From the beginning, we were aligned in our desire to date well and with a purpose. In a world that treats dating casually, we wanted to be good stewards of the season the Lord had placed us in and approach it as something sacred, not passive. I believe that our personal faith and intentionality laid a strong foundation for our marriage and pray we will continue to benefit from that for years to come.
 By Kermit Rowe ECC Relationship Coach Probably the greatest danger of taking people or things for granted is that we lose our gratitude for them. Thankfulness is a theme that runs cover to cover through the Bible and is a cornerstone of nearly every moral belief system. Yet gratitude is an attitude that seems to be increasingly losing latitude in our culture.
Why is it such a key ingredient to a happy and successful life? As we continue our year-ending series of Practical Lists for Stronger Connections with Thanksgiving Day on the horizon, let me offer five ways gratitude transforms relationships:  By Theresa Mabry Encompass Director of Operations It’s the small things that make a marriage feel alive. A touch on the shoulder, a shared laugh over morning coffee, a quick check-in before bed — these moments may seem ordinary, but they’re what hold couples together over time. My husband, David, and I have developed these rituals with each other in our 32 years of marriage. A touch as we pass each other in the kitchen, a hug in the morning and asking how we slept, and a kiss good night before we fall asleep are all ways to demonstrate connection.
In our work with hundreds of couples through Encompass Connection Center, we’ve seen a clear truth: emotional connection isn’t about big, dramatic gestures. It’s built in the small, consistent rituals that say, “You matter to me.”  By Theresa Mabry Encompass Director of Operations As a marriage coach, I’ve seen firsthand how a healthy marriage can transform an entire family. When couples learn to communicate with empathy, manage stress as a team, and rebuild trust, their children notice—and they flourish. A secure marriage doesn’t just make life better for two people; it creates stability, confidence, and hope for the next generation.
 By Dr. David Mabry Encompass Executive Director Marriage is a cornerstone of many cultures and societies, and it's no surprise why. Across North America, research continues to show that marriage is one of the most powerful decisions you can make for your health, happiness, and even financial well-being. While it's not the only path to a fulfilling life, there’s something unique about marriage that other types of relationships can’t quite match. If you're wondering whether marriage is worth it or if it's just an old tradition, here’s why you should get married—and stay married.
 By Kermit Rowe ECC Relationship Coach Katana Wolfcomer and Brendan Myers were an engaged couple like all other engaged couples… in love and planning for a lifetime of happiness together. But they also knew they still had challenging issues of spotty communication and wavering trust, complicated by unresolved grief and childhood dysfunction, and it drove them to seek a better way before committing their lives to each other.
They found Encompass Connection Center’s foundational RINGS program, which is focused on strengthening relationship skills through practicing the truths of good communication. I, along with dozens of Clark County pastors, signed an Encompass-inspired pledge about two decades ago that I wouldn’t marry a couple unless they had some premarital counseling. AI-generated statistics support this claim with proven data that explain why: Studies show that completing premarital counseling reduces divorce rates by 31%, with couples reporting a 30% higher marital success rate. That translates into improved communication, stronger conflict resolution skills, and greater emotional well-being and satisfaction within their relationship. Katana and Brendan have even more practical and experiential reasons why: |
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HostsDr. David Marine and Theresa Mabry are Co-Directors of Encompass since June 1, 2024. TOPICS
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Funding is provided by Clark County Job and Family Services, Charles L. Shor Foundation, Nehemiah Foundation, Springfield Foundation, Turner Foundation, and private donations and fees.
Program content is the sole responsibility of Encompass Connection Center and does not necessarily represent the views of the funders.
Encompass Connection Center services are provided to all eligible persons on a non-discriminatory basis. Encompass Connection Center complies with all applicable laws and regulations concerning discrimination does not discriminate on the basis of the potential participant's race, gender, gender orientation, age, disability or religion.
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Program content is the sole responsibility of Encompass Connection Center and does not necessarily represent the views of the funders.
Encompass Connection Center services are provided to all eligible persons on a non-discriminatory basis. Encompass Connection Center complies with all applicable laws and regulations concerning discrimination does not discriminate on the basis of the potential participant's race, gender, gender orientation, age, disability or religion.
Registered 501(c)(3). EIN: 37-1485217