After graduating from college, we began ministering at the University of Louisville. While working with college students we realized what a key role parents play in molding one's spiritual life.

Through our experiences on campus, God burdened us with the need to strengthen families with the principles outlined in God's word. Julie explains, "It was amazing how many spiritual problems are a direct result of baggage brought from bad family experiences." John noticed, "So many parents aren't there to give kids direction. Either they work too much or run and hide when things get tough."

Knowing we wanted to start our marriage right, we decided to attend a FamilyLife marriage conference just one month after our wedding (in 1999). After the conference, God made it clear to us that He was moving us to minister to families.

In January of 2001 we moved to Little Rock to work at the headquarters for FamilyLife, which is a division of Cru. John began as the Personal Assistant to the President, Dennis Rainey. Now John writes and researches for the ministry, helping create resources like The Art of Marriage, Stepping Up, Passport2Purity, Passport2Identity, and his recent book, True Identity. John also teaches Bible Study and Communication classes for Cru in the U.S. and overseas. John and Julie also teach together at FamilyLife's Weekend to Remember events in cities across the country. Julie's main focus is being a full time mom to our three children, John Isaac, Caroline, and Schaeffer.

It's no coincidence that the Bible starts with a marriage and ends with a marriage. In the New Testament, marriage is often compared to Christ's relationship with the Church. The greatest method we have to spread the gospel to the world is through the family - parents living out the gospel in front of their children everyday.

We are so convinced that God is working through FamilyLife to make a reduction in the divorce rate that we've commited our lives to it. Please pray fo us.

Website: http://www.familylife.com