 By Dr. David Marine Mabry Encompass Executive Director The holidays have a way of lighting up both the beauty and the rough edges of our relationships. We anticipate the traditions, the good food, the laughter, and the moments with people we love. But we also carry the awareness that the season can stir up tension—old frustrations, unrealistic expectations, or the simple weight of an overloaded schedule.
The good news? With a little intentionality, you can step into this season with more peace, hope, and connection. You can choose to experience the holidays not as a battleground, but as a chance to grow closer, listen deeper, and love more fully. Here are five practical and powerful ways to resolve conflict before it steals the joy from your holidays.
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 By Ruthanna Powell Relationship Champion and Encompass Partner When I asked Chuck and Gale Poole how they’ve managed to stay married for 50 years, Chuck laughed and said, “When the kids were home and I was upset, I could talk to them. After they left, I talked to the dog. Then the dog died—and we had to learn to communicate!”
That bit of humor sums up a lot about Chuck and Gale. Their relationship is real, resilient, and rooted in faith. As they look back on their golden anniversary, they shared what has carried them through five decades of marriage.  By Dr. David Marine Mabry Executive Director of Encompass Connection Center As we step into August, we’re exploring what it means to do family life through the stages—starting today with marriage in mid-life.
Marriage in the 40–65 range brings unique joys, challenges, and adjustments. Children may be leaving the house or growing more independent. Aging parents may need increasing support. Careers evolve or plateau. Our own bodies, dreams, and identities shift. And yet… something beautiful can happen here. Theresa and I have been married since 1993. We’ve weathered a lot together—raising kids, ministry transitions, career changes, personal growth seasons. What strikes me most as we live in this “mid-life” chapter is not how much we’ve changed… but how essential it is that we keep changing. The key isn’t resisting change. It’s embracing the person your spouse is becoming, and continuing to show up as the person you’re becoming too.  By Dr. David Marine Mabry Encompass Executive Director When you talk with Pastor Jeremy Hudson of Fellowship Church in Springfield, one thing becomes clear: this is a church deeply committed to its community. “We exist to impact our community—and through our community, the world,” he said. “The quality of life for someone in Springfield should go up simply because they share space with us.”
That’s not just a slogan. It’s a conviction that has shaped how Fellowship approaches everything from Sunday worship to weekday outreach. And for over two decades, that conviction has included a strong and growing partnership with Encompass Connection Center. What began as an early alliance back in the Marriage Resource Center days (the name of ECC from 2004-2018) has since evolved into something deeper—something that now models what’s possible when the Church and a trusted nonprofit move in tandem. “Encompass is the phone call we make when someone in our church is struggling,” Pastor Jeremy shared. “We don’t try to reinvent the wheel. They are an extension of our pastoral care.”  Mabry family portrait 1976. David is bottom left corner. By Dr. David Marine Mabry Encompass Executive Director I grew up as the third of four boys in a rural, working-class family just outside a small Ohio town. To put it simply, we didn’t have much—and I don’t just mean financially. Our home was filled with stress, instability, and frequent conflict. I have few happy memories from those early years. What I do remember most is waking up to my parents arguing and navigating the constant emotional turbulence that came with it.
My mother carried deep emotional pain, and my father—quiet and passive—often disappeared into the background in the face of her outbursts. My brothers and I were largely left to figure things out on our own, often getting into trouble at home and school. We endured emotional abuse and confusion about what family was supposed to feel like. I lived with a constant sense of insecurity and instability. It felt like the ground beneath us could shift at any moment.  Our promotions coordinator, Hollie Kowalski, selected a scriptural encouragement from 2 Timothy 1:7 as our blog theme for April. "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."
By Lavern Nissley Encompass Executive Director This is not a Bible study, but the central premise comes from scripture. And it can have a positive effect upon our relationships. There are hundreds of things in the world that are just plain scary and intimidating - that is, making us feel timid and tentative. Another word that comes to mind is "reactive", pretty much controlled by circumstances around us. This is so different from that which is characterized by power, love and self-discipline. It will become even more obvious when you see 2 circles, one of my favorite concepts from Stephen Covey's bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. |
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HostsDr. David Marine and Theresa Mabry are Co-Directors of Encompass since June 1, 2024. TOPICS
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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