Our Story
Like every marriage journey, ours has been full of hills and valleys, highways and lanes, backwoods paths and rocky roads. We give God all the credit for blessing our marriage in ways we could never have imagined and for protecting us even when we were totally unaware of our need! The Marriage Adventure Workshop is a ministry we are passionate about! For us, we guess you could say it's something we've been working on for almost 40 years. Each and every lesson and activity comes from our life experiences. Together, we have combined our skills, talents, education, and ministry gifts, to create a one-of-a-kind marriage retreat designed to help husbands and wives (just like us) connect, communicate, commit, and celebrate on a vulnerable and authentic level.
Tom & Jo Ellen Black
Creators and Facilitators
The Marriage Adventure Workshop
We firmly believe the keys to a great marriage are to:
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Keep God as the center- no matter what;
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View your spouse as your very best friend;
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Recognize growth usually happens in the struggle- embrace it;
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Never stop working at building a solid relationship; and
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Always hold on tight to each other- because life and love and marriage is a worthy adventure
We live in Mid-Missouri on our farm we affectionately call Grateful Acres. Tom is a retired Army Guard Master Sergeant and a former police officer. Jo is a retired educator having spent 20+ years in the classroom as well as several years in administration & curriculum development.
Together we have spent many years in ministry: Tom having served as both a lay and pulpit minster, youth leader, and men's group facilitator; Jo has served as a worship leader/musician and women's ministry facilitator. We are members of Encounter Church in Sedalia, MO.
Our own personal adventures include camping, gardening, walks in the woods, riding 4-wheelers, and traveling. But our best days include being surrounded by friends and family- especially our 4 adult children along with their amazing spouses and all 5 grandchildren!
We invite you to join us on our next great Marriage Adventure! We promise- the time and effort is worth it- because you and your marriage are worth it!