 By Dr. David Mabry Encompass Executive Director If you're looking for a fresh and meaningful way to connect with your spouse—beyond the usual dinner and a movie—try exploring your personality types together. Taking time to understand each other’s unique wiring can be a powerful way to strengthen marriage communication, deepen empathy, and grow your relationship. Whether you're dating, engaged, newlyweds, or decades into marriage, using a personality assessment as a couples activity is a fun and insightful way to build greater connection and insight into how you both think, decide, and interact.
One of the most helpful tools I’ve found for understanding personality is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI). It’s a well-established framework that helps people understand how they naturally perceive the world and make decisions. I’ve used it personally, professionally, and in coaching sessions with couples, families, and workplace teams. In fact, I’m a certified MBTI practitioner and have seen how learning about personality can transform relationships.
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 By Cindee Johnson Relationship Champion and Encompass Partner There are some people who energize me! And there are others who…well, let’s just say, don’t. There are conversations that seem effortless with one person, yet almost painful with another. There are events and activities I can’t wait to engage in. Still, there are those I dread having to attend.
Raise a hand if you get me. Raise two if this also is you. Have you ever wondered why? The answer may lie in something surprisingly simple: your personality type.  Faith and Keith Bosland. By Faith Bosland Encompass Board President Looking back, there were some pretty good reasons for my husband Keith and I not to take that RINGS class.
At the time, back in 2011, our kids were 5 and 3. Life with two little kids and two full time jobs felt like rollerblading on a treadmill most days, and Sunday afternoons – when our church was inviting us to come to 3 weeks of RINGS classes – were one of the precious little bits of downtime in the chaos. Could it really be worth that sacrifice? On top of that, we felt like our marriage was doing pretty well. We’re both easygoing people and had never had a lot of conflict or arguments. We both felt like we knew how to communicate well. But we’d heard good things about the RINGS workshop – so we gave up our Sunday downtime (goodbye, naps) for three weeks and went. Fourteen years later, those two squirrelly little kids are now pretty great young adults. I can’t say I remember exact “aha moments” or statements made in those three sessions. But I can tell you that RINGS has impacted our relationship and our family greatly, and here’s why:  Dr. David and Theresa Mabry (center) with their children, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren. By Theresa Mabry Encompass Director of Operations David and I had been married for 13 years when we took our first relationship assessment. He was getting ready to begin work at the Marriage Resource Center—what you now know as Encompass Connection Center—and we were invited to help teach relationship classes to couples.
I remember thinking, “Well, they’ve asked the right people! We've been married long enough to teach this stuff with our eyes closed.” Boy, was I wrong.  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.  By Kristin Engler Guest Writer Kristin lives in Powell, Ohio with her husband, Jason, and they share four children in their blended family. Kristen and her family attend Newstart Church in Delaware and have a heart and passion to see blended families thrive. “No parent gives mercy better than one who is convinced that he desperately needs it himself.” Paul David Tripp Truer words were never spoken about parenting, but these words become even more emphasized in the child/parent relationship challenges that show up in blended families. There are many lessons God has taught me on the journey of life, but perhaps one of the most important has been what He’s demonstrated in our family by teaching us to love all of our children equally, regardless of blood. My husband, Jason, and I married in 2017 and each of us brought 2 kids to the marriage. Our ambitions of a cohesive and happy family were short-lived, as we began to navigate custody battles, children in various degrees of abuse and trauma, and even things like loyalty conflicts and jealousy. Jealousy? Certainly, you mean that of a child to their stepparent, right? Friends, I’m here to tell you that all the emotions have been present, for each of us, children and adults alike. We never could have foreseen the complexity of what we would navigate as we learned to parent our children together. What I know to be true is that ONLY with God can we truly learn what it means to love our children and our stepchildren and know them the way He does.
 By Dr David Marine Mabry Encompass Executive Director At Encompass, we believe that a healthy marriage is one of the greatest gifts parents can give their children. Not because the marriage is perfect, but because it is real—rooted in mutual respect, open communication, and a commitment to growth. Children who grow up watching their parents intentionally nurture their relationship absorb powerful life lessons that shape their emotional intelligence, relationship skills, and overall outlook on life. Here are the top lessons children learn when they are raised by parents with a healthy, growing, and vibrant marriage—a relationship that embraces both the struggles and the joys of life together.
 By Theresa Mabry Encompass Director of Operations Can you feel it? The excitement, the anticipation, the thrill of stepping into a new chapter of life? For pre-marital couples, this season is truly the Gift of New Beginnings. Everything is fresh—new plans, new experiences, new families to connect with. It’s a time of endless possibility and growth as two lives come together to form something unique and beautiful. But with all this newness comes the need for intentional effort. As you step into this exciting phase, how can you build a strong foundation that will help you navigate the years ahead?
 By Abby Glaser Encompass Community Advocate (This is a "rerun" of a post we shared in 2019!)
I was listening to a podcast recently where the guest shared something called the “10-7-5 Rule”. The gist of it is that each person has ten defining moments, seven critical choices and five pivotal people who impact who they are. Defining moments, both positive and negative, are events who have changed or redefined who we are. Many of those are situations out of our control and our response to them is what changes us. Critical choices, also positive or negative, have affected our life up until today and set the path for our future.  By Cindee Johnson Relationship Champion and Encompass Partner Coming alongside another person to show the way has long proven to be of value. Coaches. Trainers. Mentors. Disciplers. No matter the title, Jesus modeled this better than anyone. He led by example. He lived what he taught. He was intentional. He was relational. He made a difference. So can we.
How do I know? I’ve witnessed it at Encompass Connection Center, again and again. I’ve even been blessed to be a part of it. As we celebrate Encompass’s 20 years of impact this month, let’s look at how mentoring and coaching are utilized to make a difference. |
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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.
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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