Originally we learned about Kardia Biblical Counseling through some family members who had gone through it. We only heard good things about the experience and decided we both wanted to do it as well, but we never knew the lasting impact it would have on our lives.
When we were first sent the prework, it seemed like a lot. However, we were given plenty of time to finish the work and quickly learned that the workbook brought up several great conversations between us. While working throughout the workbook, we were able to talk to each other about our past pain, mistakes, and experiences that we had forgotten to talk about with each other.
Once the day came to start our counseling, both of us were a little nervous. It was scary to lay out our lives to someone we weren’t familiar with. However, Pastor Hubbard and our prayer partner did a great job of helping us feel safe and comfortable when sharing about our past.
Through premarital counseling, we learned how our past affected us, where each others’ pain came from, how to care for each others’ pain, and how we both tried to perform to live up to others’ or our own expectations. Pastor Hubbard helped us both find the conclusion that we do not need to put pressure on ourselves to live up to others expectations. Nothing we do can make Jesus love us any more than He already does. We can live in the joy and freedom that Christ gives us through this truth.
Caring for each other's hearts was another major point of focus throughout the counseling. We both felt that we were doing this already, but Pastor Hubbard showed us how to properly care for each others’ hearts on a deeper level.
By the end of our week of counseling, we felt more prepared to deal with issues, arguments, and marriage. We were given a binder with a copy of all the charts, diagrams, and cards that we had used during that week. These have served as a super helpful reminder of what we learned. Counseling with Pastor Hubbard was an amazing relationship-strengthening experience. Both of us are incredibly thankful for the way God used Pastor Hubbard to help us begin a Godly marriage.
Thank you pastor for the time you set aside to meet and work with us!
Cedric and Vanessa