Creating Peace at Home When the World Feels Chaotic

Creating Peace at Home When the World Feels Chaotic

by | Nov 19, 2025 | Communication, Faith & Relationships, Family, Marriage Encounter, Marriage Strengthening

How to Keep Unity in Your Home During Challenging Times

The world around us can feel overwhelming at times. It can be loud, chaotic, and full of division. It is a meaningful and timely thought to consider how we respond to all of that. Beautiful may not be the perfect word because it does not feel beautiful when our opinions differ on important topics. If we are not careful, that noise and hostility can slip into our homes and plant seeds of tension where love and unity should grow. A home can be a sanctuary, not because conflict never happens, but because we choose to handle it with grace and respect.

The Noise of the World Can Sneak Into Our Homes

Differences of opinion are natural and sometimes even healthy when handled the right way. The goal is never to erase those differences, but to make sure they do not overshadow the commitment to peace and understanding that a strong marriage or family deserves.

Differences Do Not Need to Divide a Marriage

A connected marriage can weather disagreement without letting it turn into disconnection, division, or emotional distance. When a couple is intentional about how they communicate, even difficult topics can become opportunities for deeper understanding.

What a Peaceful Home Really Looks Like

A peaceful home is not one without hard conversations. It is one where those conversations happen with listening ears, soft voices, and open hearts. It is the choice to value the relationship more than the argument. A person is always more valuable than their opinions or perspectives.

Choosing Love When Conversations Get Hard

When love leads the way, even heated topics can shift into moments of growth and renewed closeness. Couples who practice patience and respect create space for each other to feel safe, seen, and supported.

Protecting the Sanctuary You Build Together

When the world outside feels messy, loud, or uncertain, home can remain a place of warmth, respect, and calm. It begins with a shared desire to protect that peace side by side.

If you are interested in renewing your marriage, register today for a Marriage Encounter.

@ marriageencounter

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Invest in Your Marriage: Upcoming Marriage Encounter Weekends

Invest in Your Marriage: Upcoming Marriage Encounter Weekends

by | Sep 22, 2025 | Marriage Growth, Marriage Retreats Near Me, Marriages

Most people are quick to invest in their jobs, their health, even their hobbies, but when it comes to marriage, it’s easy to assume it will just take care of itself. The truth is, relationships don’t thrive on autopilot. Just like muscles get stronger with exercise or skills sharpen with practice, a marriage grows deeper and healthier when it’s intentionally nurtured.

Think about it—if someone ignored their career, they’d quickly fall behind. If they stopped exercising or eating well, their health would suffer. Marriage is no different. It needs regular attention, communication, laughter, forgiveness, and time together. Without that, it can easily slip into routine or even distance without anyone realizing it.

The good news is, “working on your marriage” doesn’t have to feel like a chore. It can be as simple as setting aside quality time, going on date nights, sharing daily gratitude, or learning new ways to connect. Sometimes, it also means digging deeper—taking part in retreats, workshops, or just having those honest, sometimes hard, conversations.

In the end, it’s about seeing your marriage as something worth protecting, strengthening, and celebrating. After all, when the relationship is strong, it overflows into every other part of life—family, work, health, spirituality—while creating deep joy.

This is a wonderful opportunity for couples to step away from the busyness of life and focus on each other—whether they’re newly married, celebrating decades together, or anywhere in between.

👉 Please consider encouraging family, friends, and co-workers to join us on October 11–12 or December 6–7. A Marriage Encounter weekend can truly be life-giving and hope filling!

Registration is open now at www.marriages.org.

@ marriageencounter

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Summer Love: What the Season Can Teach Us About Marriage

Summer Love: What the Season Can Teach Us About Marriage

by | Jul 2, 2025 | Marriage Encounter Reflections, Marriage Enrichment, Seasonal Reflections

Summer Love: What the Season Can Teach Us About Marriage

The Gift of Summer in Minnesota

Living in Minnesota, the arrival of summer is like a breath of fresh air — literally and emotionally. After a long winter, those warm days invite us outside to soak in the sunshine and enjoy everything from lake swims and scenic golf outings to backyard picnics and long-awaited family vacations. It’s a season that almost begs us to slow down, savor the moment, and reconnect with the people we love.

How Marriage Mirrors the Season

In the same way, marriage can mirror the beauty of summer. When it’s growing, enriching, and grounded in love, it becomes the sunshine that warms everything else. It turns a simple day at the lake into a memory, a family road trip into an adventure, and a quiet evening on the porch into something sacred. Just like summer enhances the beauty of Minnesota, a strong marriage enhances all the moments that make life good.

Storms Come, but Love Endures

Of course, even in summer, storms roll in — and marriage is no different. But when a couple is committed to loving and learning from each other, those passing clouds don’t ruin the season. They just remind us to hold each other a little tighter and to be grateful for the clear skies that follow.

So here’s to summer — and to marriages that blossom right along with it. Let’s not just enjoy the season, but also take time to invest in the relationship that brings joy to every part of it.

Plan now to attend the Marriage Encounter on October 11–12 or December 6–7.

Marriage Encounter has been enriching, saving, and celebrating marriages in Minnesota, surrounding states, and beyond for over fifty years. Whether your marriage is good, mediocre, or struggling, it’s the best program for YOU.

Register now at marriages.org/register-for-encounter/ to give your relationship the sunshine it deserves.

@ marriageencounter

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February: A Month of Love and Lasting Impact with Marriage Encounter

February: A Month of Love and Lasting Impact with Marriage Encounter

by | Feb 11, 2025 | Donate, Fundraising, Marriages, Nonprofit Support, Nonprofit Updates

A Month of Love and Transformation with Marriage Encounter

This Valentine’s season, we invite you to be part of something truly special: helping struggling couples rediscover love, laughter, and lifelong commitment. For over 50 years, Marriage Encounter has empowered tens of thousands of couples to rebuild their relationships through our transformative weekend retreats.

With your support, we can continue offering scholarships to financially struggling couples who need this life-changing experience. Every donation, big or small, makes a difference.

Why Your Gift Matters

Many couples who attend our weekends face significant financial challenges. But thanks to generous donors like you, they can access the tools and support they need to restore and strengthen their marriages. One couple shared their gratitude:

“We didn’t know if our marriage would survive. But this weekend changed everything. It brought laughter, tears, forgiveness, and a renewed commitment to each other. Thank you for saving our marriage.”

Your gift can provide hope and healing for many more couples who need help.

More of Your Donation Now Goes Where It’s Needed

We’re excited to share that we’ve made an important change to maximize the impact of your donations. In the past, we relied on GiveMN for fundraising, but they charged a 6.9% processing fee, which meant part of your donation went toward administrative costs.

To better serve couples in need, we’ve switched to PayPal, which charges only a 1.99% fee. This change means more of your generous donation will directly fund scholarships and provide resources for struggling couples.

Real Stories of Transformation

Our weekend retreats aren’t just about temporarily improving relationships—they’re about creating lasting change. One couple who attended shared:

“We took a leap of faith, not knowing if this would help, but it was a do-or-die moment for us. This weekend didn’t just give us hope—it gave us the tools to thrive. We will always be grateful for the support that made this possible.”

Your donation can make this story a reality for many more couples.

How You Can Make an Impact

This Valentine’s Day, consider giving a gift that will last for generations. Your support today helps couples discover love and healing while strengthening families and communities.

💖 Donate Now and Share the Love: marriages.org/donate

Together, we can continue making love a lasting legacy. Thank you for your generosity and support this Valentine’s season.

Ready to Share the Love?

Click here to donate and make a difference today.

 

@ marriageencounter

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Keep the Flame Alive: Rekindling Love Through Marriage Encounter

Keep the Flame Alive: Rekindling Love Through Marriage Encounter

by | Jan 23, 2025 | Donate, Donation Drive, Marriage Encounter, Marriages, Relationship Growth

Reflecting on Your Marriage Encounter Experience
In these freezing days of January, let’s turn our thoughts to spring. On that journey to spring, we land on February, the month of love. Reflecting on your Marriage Encounter, think about how you felt when you arrived and the emotions you carried home. Were you able to keep the flame of that new discovery of your spouse alive? Were the commitments you made over the weekend sustained?

The Challenge: Keeping the Flame Alive
Memories of your Marriage Encounter weekend may bring to mind the deep emotional journey you experienced. Many couples arrive feeling disconnected, weighed down by life’s stresses. However, through meaningful dialogue and shared vulnerability, new levels of intimacy and understanding emerge. By the time couples return home, they may feel excitement and hope, but also apprehension about maintaining the momentum of their discoveries.

Keeping the flame alive requires consistent effort: regular communication, affirming actions, and recommitting to the love and goals set during the weekend. The true value of Marriage Encounter is not just in the weekend itself but in how those commitments are implemented in daily life.

Making Your Marriage Encounter Commitments Last
The commitments made during Marriage Encounter often focus on better communication, intentional acts of kindness, and prioritizing the relationship. Consistency is key. By creating habits to nurture the bond deepened during the weekend, couples can maintain and even grow the love they rediscovered.

Help Others Experience the Transformation
MN Marriage Encounter provides scholarships—full or partial—to ensure financial barriers don’t prevent couples from experiencing this transformative journey. These scholarships allow couples who might not afford the weekend to achieve the same renewal and growth.

How You Can Give Back This Valentine’s Day
Marriage Encounter is encouraging YOU to donate to our Scholarship Fund, culminating on Valentine’s Day, February 14th. Between the two of you and God, determine what you can give. Your gift will enable other couples to embark on this life-changing experience. Please give your gift of LOVE today by clicking here to donate.

@ marriageencounter

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