
Family / Marital Well‑Being
…involves healthy relationships with family of origin, partner/spouses, and parenting/nurturing younger generations.
“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part, but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. “(I Corinthians 13.4-10)
One thing that I can do right now:

If you were to call any family member right now, who would it be and what would you say? If that family member has passed away, write out the conversation that you might imagine having with them. If they are still living and available for a conversation, consider giving them a call.
Spiritual practices for family / marital wellness:
- Make a genogram, a map of your family of origin. Here is some help with the basics
- Let go of some of the unhealthy messages that the Church unwittingly (or wittingly) teaches us about marriage and families. There are often unspoken hierarchies that leave people out, or cause unrealistic expectations. Clergy families in particular often find themselves at the heart of these pressures. Ask how you might let go of some of those expectations, for you and/or your family.

A few books about family / marital wellness:
- Smith, Traci. Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home. Saint Louis, Missouri, Chalice Press, 2017. Available on Amazon.
- Craig, Kayla. Every Season Sacred: Reflections, Prayers, and Invitations to Nourish Your Soul and Nurture Your Family throughout the Year. Carol Stream, Illinois, Tyndale House Publishers, 2023. Available on Amazon.
- Miller, Meredith. Woven: Nurturing a Faith Your Kid Doesn’t Have to Heal From. Nashville, Tennessee, Worthy Books, 2023. Available on Amazon.
- Cindy Wang Brandt. Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children with Justice, Mercy, and Kindness. Grand Rapids, Michigan, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2019. Available on Amazon.
- Hitchcock, Christina S. The Significance of Singleness: A Theological Vision for the Future of the Church. Ada, Michigan, Baker Academic, 2018. Available on Amazon.
A person I could talk to:

There are some therapists and counselors who specialize in a family systems approach to counseling. Marriage and Family Therapists offer a systemic way to look at our relationships, and can be helpful to couples and families searching for healing and strategic support. You can find a therapist/coach who specializes in this type of work at www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/marriage-and-family-therapy.
A Ministers Council resource available to me:
Sabbaticals can be powerful healing for clergypersons, as well as their spouses and families. Visit Sabbaticals Planning for sabbatical resources and opportunities.
Other denominational resources to explore:
The Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB) offers a resource for well-being, which includes support for family and marital well-being: MMBB Cares.
Resources can be found at the Center for Continuous Learning, offered through ABHMS: