Sarah & Francisco

When Francisco and I got engaged, the conversation that was before us was if we were to get married in the Dominican Republic or in the United States - with many factors influencing that weighty decision. As Francisco is divorced (and has a beautiful 17 year old daughter from that marriage), we wanted to pursue the option that would best support us as a couple of a man entering his second marriage, and a woman gaining a husband and a step-daughter. We knew we wanted to have premarital coaching. In our search with our respective pastors, we found that this was provided through Guide Your Heart. We were excited about this option and after reviewing everything, we decided the best path for our marriage would be by getting married in the United States.

Premarital coaching helped strengthen the foundation of our marriage. One of the first sessions was reviewing our test results of our strengths/weaknesses and personality traits. This opened our eyes to our differences and likenesses - giving what we saw in each other a name and revealing ways that they would work together in our marriage or ways that they might cause friction in the future. Learning these basic facts about ourselves and how they would mesh or contrast was helpful as it showed we are two different people entering a union; we aren’t playing against each other as husband and wife, we are always on the same team.

The coaching has given us tools to use during disagreements. That giving voice to what you believe is happening can help your spouse understand where your hurt and confusion is coming from. An open dialogue that frees you from developing resentment is a powerful tool. It cannot be overstated that communication is key. It was so helpful to open our relationship to coaches that wanted to guide us in a healthy start to our marriage that would be a strong foundation for us in the years to come. We are grateful for the booklet we walked through together as it will be a continued resource we can refer to in the future. Thank you for investing in marriages before they even start!