Cord of Three

Marriage is very close to the heart of God, so close in fact, that he identifies it with the unconditional love Christ has for the church (Ephesians 5:21-33). The mission of Cord of Three is to work to preserve the God ordained institution of the family and there is no greater place to accomplish this than in the marital unit. Couples are encouraged to seek God's truths in this intimate bond, to define a vision to achieve transparent honesty, intimacy, and integrity within their marriage. The counselor serves as a partner to the couple gently guiding them through the crisis and problems that has brought them to counseling. It is our belief that God created man and woman for intimacy. If there is relational problems between husband and wife, we will experience the worst kinds of pain and hurt and today's couples are so quick to push aside their spouse and seek comfort through others or other means - therein is real danger. God not only created marriage, He sustains it. God is committed to marriage for His glory and for your good, and His grace is sufficient to help you make it last. Listed below are some of the common problems couples seek out counseling for, if you identify with one of these signs, please seek out counseling for you and your spouse.

Breakdown in communication Anger and frustration Extra-marital affairs Pornography Lack of emotional intimacy Parenting Problems

Pre-marital Counseling Cord of Three offers 6 sessions of pre-marital therapy to help couples work through transition issues such as personality differences, roles of husbands and wives, intimacy, finances, communication, and family life. Marriage after an Affair Unfortunately, many couples are struggling with reconciliation and forgiveness after one spouse has strayed outside the marriage. Our therapists can help the couple work through the difficult challenges that are involved when there is an affair that has taken one of the spouses outside the marriage for intimacy. Communication One of the most difficult challenges any couple faces after the "honeymoon" period is over is communication. There are basic differences in the way men communicate versus the way women communicate. Unless the couple can begin to understand these differences and work together to build healthy communication inside the marriage, there are going to be problems. The most common problem when there is a breakdown in communication is a violation of Ephesians 5:33 where the man is commanded to love his wife and the wife is commanded to reverence her husband. Our therapists can help to facilitate communication and teach healthier communication patterns so that the couple can grow stronger in their relationship with each other. Substance Abuse Unfortunately, one of the most common problems with couples today is that one spouse is using/abusing drugs (prescription and/or illicit drugs). The damage that drugs do to a person is unbelievable. The damage drugs do to a couple or family is unimaginable. Our therapists are prepared to work with couples to assess their spouse's current level of abuse and his/her needs for treatment (either inpatient for detox or outpatient for support). Pornography Pornography is one of the most destructive problems inside marriages today. Pornography deceives the spouse into believing that it is a "secret" and that it doesn't impact their relationship with their spouse. However, that "secret" is like poison inside the relationship slowly eating away at the spiritual and emotional fabric which holds the relationship together. If you or your spouse is engaging in pornography, please seek out help with one of our therapists or with a trusted pastor. There are many other reasons we see couples in therapy at Cord of Three. We believe that the marriage is the foundation of the family and that in order to preserve the institution of the family, it must begin with the marriage unit being very strong spiritually in the Lord. For that reason, we also believe it is important for couples to prevent themselves from getting to the point where problems escalate to the need for counseling. Cord of Three provides two options for churches or community groups to use as a means for building healthy marriages before problems happen. Marriage Works This seminar is a 6 session seminar with the focus being on building a strong understanding of the role God has designed for the Husband and the Wife. The sessions include: Breaking the Generational Curse The position of the Husband The place of the Wife Couples Communication Languages of Love Roots of Bitterness Marriage Mentoring This seminar is designed to help churches start a marriage mentoring program in their church or community. It is our hope that these marriage mentors will partner with couples who are newly married or who are facing difficult times with the intent to prevent the marriage from deteriorating. The fact that the divorce rate inside the church is as high if not higher than the rest of the country brings shame and reproach on the cause of Christ. We need to be active in helping to prevent couples from seeing divorce as the "easy way out." This seminar includes 8 sessions: Breaking the Generational Curse The Marriage Relationship Couples Communication Facing Marital Problems Becoming Parents Working through Infidelity and Betrayal Creating Safe-Haven Marriages Dealing with Roots of Bitterness For more information about any of these services, please contact Cord of Three at 912-282-0992

"In this world 'love' is not going to make your marriage work, God is going to make your marriage work."