Dr. Joel and Dr. Kathy have been married since 1984. In 1985, things went downhill fast! The arguments were loud and dramatic. In 1987, they began to pastor their first church. Though they both loved the Lord and wanted a happy marriage, the dysfunctions continued to increase. Joel became skilled at mental, emotional, verbal, and spiritual abuse.
In 1991, Joel’s abusive treatment of Kathy culminated in his committing adultery. By this time their first son, Chris, was 2 years old and their daughter Jenifer was 1 year old.
They left the ministry to travel on the road in full-time secular work to restore their shattered marriage and save the family. Things got worse. Three years of struggle ensued. Finally, they attended a one-week set of classes that were designed to teach couples how to minister to severely abusive marriage relationships. Joel and Kathy realized that Joel was an abuser! Joel accepted this “verdict” and began to transform into a loving and kind husband.
By this time, Josiah was almost one year old and Shekinah was ready to be born. Shekinah Glory, born in 1994, lived with parents who were healed and happy for fourteen years. On September 17, 2008, Shekinah suddenly went to be with the Lord. Kathy had been prepared to divorce Joel in the spring of 1994. Being pregnant with Shekinah was the only reason that Kathy did not follow through with the divorce. Joel and Kathy say, “Shekinah was our angel who kept us together long enough to attend those classes and was with us for those first 14 wonderful years of our progressively healed and happy marriage.”
Joel and Kathy have been experiencing an outrageously happy marriage for many years and have been in full-time marriage ministry since 2004.