Kim is more quiet and introverted of the two of us. I always say that Kim doesn’t talk a lot, but when she does I want to take notes. She enjoys spending time with me, our three children, and grandchildren. Kim also enjoys reading, sewing, eating out, traveling and slow boat rides. Kim has the gift of hospitality and makes others feel welcome and at ease. She is a beautiful person inside and out. Kim reflects Christ in a way that I want to be like that. I doubt I would be a pastor or want to help others if it weren’t for Kim’s gentle influence over the years.

I, Mitch, am more outgoing and extroverted. I like spending time with Kim and the family and currently, I’m into woodworking as a hobby. I also enjoy traveling and reading.

Ever since I was a kid I have felt the need to see what makes things tick. When I was young we had one phone, and it was mounted to the wall, and it had two wires attached to it. More than once my mom had to have me put the phone back together so she could use it. My mind just works that way. I need to take things apart to know the secret of how they are put together and what makes them work.

Growing up on a farm only fueled this hunger to learn how something ticks. I’ve actually gone to bed with a farming problem and dreamed the answer. My hobbies over the years have contributed to this fascination of experiencing and learning. It’s not enough just to understand how something works. Once I understand how it works I have to grab the controls, continue to tweak it and see if it can be made better. As an airplane pilot, powered parachute pilot, motorcyclist, ATV’er, full-time RV’er, motor home owner and woodworker (I enjoy building lots of things including rocking chairs), I have spent years getting to the bottom of how things work and learning how to improve them.

I’d like to think I can take most anything apart and fix it. My parent’s toaster that was 52 years old and no longer worked – fixed it. Their milkshake maker that was 60 years old and no longer worked – fixed it.

This desire to see how something is put together has fueled me to examine most everything I have experienced. In this blog, I’ll examine God and His purpose for marriage. I‘ll also examine the obstacles to our achieving the kind of marriage God intended and how to overcome these obstacles.

I’d like to say up front that Kim and I aren’t a better match than anyone else. We grew up in northern Indiana on farms just 5 miles apart, but early in our marriage, I was confident we were from totally different planets. This realization, along with my obsession to take things apart and examine them propelled me to find the answers to a successful marriage. The contents of this blog will link my own experiences in thirty-seven years of marriage with thirty-plus years of pastoral counseling and a lifetime hunger for learning. I know I can learn from you. Hopefully, you can learn something from me. Let’s get started!