Naomi and I had been married for around 5 years when we began the Together course with a slightly younger, recently married couple. I think all of us would say we found the course really helpful on three levels; we got to know our respective spouses better, we got to know the other couple better, and we grew to understand ourselves a little better. The course is really flexible in that you don’t have to do it religiously every week, and even if one couple (or both!) has neglected to do their homework each session stills ‘works’.

One of the things we particularly enjoyed was the space to discuss things which are really important but perhaps don’t always find their way into our conversations. There are so many areas of marriage where it is easy to be complacent, but Together doesn’t let you off the hook!

We found the sessions on emotional intimacy and handling our feelings particularly useful. By bringing out the different ways couples handle things, and the strengths and weaknesses of our varying personal preferences, the material pierces directly to the heart without being overbearing or demonising certain personality types.

All in all, I would highly recommend the course to couples at any stage of marriage. It’s also much better used in a group (rather than just a couple in isolation) and I think it would particularly work well inter-generationally. There are not many more important things in which to invest than one’s marriage, and Together is one of the best tools I know for doing just that.

Together is FamilyLife’s small group resource for married couples. It’s unique; combining practical relationship tools with what the Bible says about relationships. There are nine sessions, each on a different topic; including God’s purpose and plan for marriage; expressing love, handling feelings constructively and managing conflict. Discussion questions are appropriate for a group setting with a separate Couple Time for more private issues and application. Find out more about Together: click here.