We understand first-hand about troubled marriages. Early in our relationship, we struggled with miscommunication and poor conflict resolution. By the time we had been married 17 years, our relationship had dwindled to conversations about only the essential matters regarding our farming operations and children.
With me (Sharon) feeling as though I had no other option, Richard and I eventually separated for 16 months. I began to plan for divorce while Richard, on the other hand, was resolved that God was going to intervene and heal our broken relationship. After working with four different counselors over four years before and during our separation, the breakthrough finally came when we attended a PAIRS® seminar. God worked a miracle, and we reconciled a few months later.
Now, we have a passion to share the skills we’ve learned (and are certified to teach) with as many couples as possible. With our goal of helping others find hope in their struggles, we have taken what was a tragedy and turned it into triumph and a ministry. Our prayer is that no one will go through what we’ve experienced (1 Corinthians 1:4, NIV). In the years since our reconciliation, we have learned much about relationship education, marriage coaching, and many other ways to help build, strengthen, and restore relationships.
In 2005, we moved to the Washington, D.C., area as catalysts for change in marriage and family ministry. We taught couples workshops, seminars, and marriage coaching. Early in 2009, God called us back to Ohio to our family farm to continue marriage ministry from our hometown.
I (Richard) obtained a B.S. in Farm Management from Purdue University and have worked as a professional farm manager in Bloomington, Illinois. Following my father’s death, I moved back to the family farm in Ohio. In the years since, I have crop-farmed, raised beef cattle, fed calves for a neighboring dairy, and run a trucking company.
In the past, I (Sharon) have worked for a publishing company, served as art director for a collegiate sportswear company, was executive assistant to the owner of multiple restaurants, served as bookkeeper for churches in Ohio and Maryland, and have been the office assistant for a national marriage ministry. Today, I work as the bookkeeper for the family farm and volunteer with a discipling ministry.
We provide life and marriage coaching to individuals and couples, consultation with businesses for hiring and team-building, and teach relationship education seminars for churches and organizations. We are certified in several relationship curricula and assessments and are trained life coaches.
We have a son, Matt, who is an area crop specialist for a soil consulting company in Lincoln, Nebraska. He is married to Kelsey, and they have two beautiful daughters, Paige and Claire. They have recently moved back to the farm in Ohio. Our daughter, Sarah, is a business jet pilot based in Columbus, Ohio.
(If you’d like to know a little about what we do other than marriage ministry, we have another blog here.)
stubborn-pursuits.com 