Texas Christian Marriage Retreats

No matter the depth of your crisis, our Texas Christian marriage retreats can guide you toward restoration.

Call us at (281) 304-1500 to learn more

Upcoming Texas Christian Marriage Retreats

May 3-5, 2024

Houston, TX

Registration $1495

Early Registration: $1395 before 4/5/24

REGISTER

Financial Assistance

Event held at the Hyatt Regency
Conroe
$165 per night room rate

July 19-21, 2024

Dallas, TX

Registration $1495

Early Registration: $1395 before 6/17/24

REGISTER

Financial Assistance

DoubleTree by Hilton- Love Field
3300 West Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, 75235
$149 per night, includes breakfast

Coming Soon

October 18-20, 2024

Jordan Ranch, Schulenburg, TX

November 15-17, 2024

Dallas, TX

Financial Assistance Available

We Choose Only the Best Texas Retreat Venues

Many Texas couples are struggling with unhealed hurts and pain in their relationships. This can be especially challenging during these difficult economic times. Our ministry is based in Texas and during the year we will have retreats in Dallas, Jordan Ranch in Schulenburg and Houston.

Our selection of venues is integral to the unique experience of our Christian marriage retreats in Texas, providing the perfect backdrop for married couples to heal and renew their commitment.

The hotel in Dallas is conveniently located near Love Field Airport. The DoubleTree has recently been remodeled, offering spacious sleeping rooms. The dining room serves excellent food, and a substantial breakfast buffet is included in our block of rooms. The hotel also provides comfortable, private seating areas for couples to sit and engage in their projects and exercises during our marriage retreat in Texas. This option is more cost-effective than the all-inclusive one.

Jordan Ranch is an all-inclusive upscale retreat venue situated on 88 private acres in a remote, tranquil countryside setting. The ranch offers serene walking trails, a pool, hot tub, and a lake. The luxurious lodge boasts first-class meeting facilities and a dining room where the chef prepares excellent cuisine. The rooms are private and comfortable.

In Houston we will be at the Hyatt Regency Conroe. This is an upscale, luxurious hotel on the north side of Houston. Nestled in the middle of beautiful pine trees, it backs up to a nature preserve where you can jog or walk. The exceptional  staff are full of Texas charm and hospitality. This new hotel boasts clean, spacious rooms and comfortable beds. The Woodlands is well known as a forested suburb 40 minutes north of downtown Houston. It is one of the nicest places to visit in Houston. Conveniently located near restaurants and a major freeway it is easy to get here from George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Intensive Retreat Weekend in Texas

program begins friday at 7:00 pm and concludes on Sunday at 4:00 pm

overview

Our Christian marriage retreats in Texas are conducted in a small group setting with 10 to 15 couples and are centered on the truths found in the Bible. These weekends are designed to be experiential; we don’t simply provide instructions, but you actively engage in the work throughout the weekend.

After or during each session, you will participate in step-by-step exercises or projects, either individually or as a couple. These interactions are kept private, and you won’t be sharing with other couples. Your discussions and exercises will take place in a safe environment with clear guidance and direction.

We learn to communicate through the hurts, upsets, and disappointments by appropriately sharing our painful feelings and actively listening, understanding, and validating our mate’s hurt feelings. Together, we work through the pain we both have experienced. We also acquire the steps of true, biblical forgiveness, enabling us to heal the past and equip ourselves with tools for effective communication when issues arise in the future.

Contrary to what many couples may believe, it is not necessary to meet privately with counselors or coaches for the entire Intensive. Our Texas Christian marriage retreat is thoughtfully structured to address the most complex issues in marriage. We do, however, have coaches and counselors available to assist couples if they encounter challenges or feel “stuck” during the program. We also offer a structured time to meet privately as a couple with one of the marriage coaches or counselors.

For those who prefer a more private setting, we offer a Private Intensive experience for two or three days. Please feel free to call us for pricing and availability details for the Private Intensives.

day one - foundations of faith and commitment

Day One begins at 7 PM and serves as the foundation for the weekend. We are laying the foundation and providing the basics. During this time, we will delve into the origins of a God-centered marriage, explore what may have gone wrong, and examine the stages of marital decline.

day two - communication and connection

On Day Two, our program begins at 9 AM. We will explore our most important emotional needs and understand their significance within a marriage. Most importantly, we will learn how to express our upset feelings appropriately, starting with non-threatening exercises to practice these skills.

Our emphasis on empathy will help us connect with our partner’s hurt feelings and navigate each other’s pain. We’ll address unresolved issues and establish an emotional connection that enables heart-to-heart communication, a skill many couples have not yet mastered. We teach this process in a step-by-step manner, providing closely guided exercises for learning intimate communication.

Furthermore, we will model and demonstrate what Biblical forgiveness entails and how to achieve it, especially for the most significant hurts. Saturday evening will be dedicated to a major restoration project, during which most couples experience a profound level of healing. During this time, you’ll have the opportunity to meet privately with one of our trained marital coaches or counselors. They will spend approximately 75 minutes working with you to ensure success with the project.

day three - vision for the future

On Day Three of our Texas Christian marriage retreat, we assist you in developing a personalized plan for making attitude and behavioral life changes, equipping you with the necessary tools to take those crucial next steps that will lead to a healthier, happier and godly marriage moving forward. During this day, we will closely examine the attitudes that need to be changed and focus on creating a plan for progress in specific areas, outlining how to accomplish these changes.

One of the key activities at our Texas intensive marriage retreat involves writing a heartfelt letter to your spouse, expressing appreciation and acknowledging their significance in your life. We will also explore what is required for success in your marriage and how to cultivate love and intimacy.

After completing our Texas weekend marriage retreat, many couples share that they have experienced a significant emotional reconnection. They have genuinely listened to their partner’s pain and understood them, often for the first time ever. Couples have been able to leave behind old grievances and are now prepared to move forward together, united in purpose. They have gained valuable tools for communicating on a deep and intimate level. Most importantly, many couples report feeling a renewed connection with God and a recommitment to their life and marriage in Christ.

What Makes Our Approach Different

real truth

Discover practical, proven, biblical tools for your marriage through a well-established process that can rekindle your feelings of affection for each other, foster lasting change, and ultimately restore love and harmony to your marriage.

real renewal

You will acquire and apply practical tools and relationship skills that will aid in improving communication, understanding each other’s needs, finding practical ways to meet those needs, minimizing frustration, and ultimately experiencing greater fulfillment in your relationship.

real insights

Because certain gender differences between males and females can lead to significant conflicts in a marriage that may threaten to drive a couple apart, our Christian marriage retreats in Texas offer valuable insights and understanding. These insights will help you embrace and appreciate each other’s unique qualities and how to harness those differences to foster greater harmony and intimacy in your relationship.

You will receive guidance from marriage facilitators, coaches, and counselors who not only approach communication in a serious and problem-solving manner but also embody authenticity and a sense of fun. They will share personal examples that you can relate to and provide you with practical tools that you can readily apply to your own relationship.

Through this process, you will uncover invaluable new perspectives on the attitudes and actions that can reignite love and revitalize your marriage, creating a vibrant and fulfilling partnership once more.

Personalized Confidential Marital Assessment

Prior to attending, each person will complete a confidential Marriage Inventory Questionnaire, which will specifically outline their struggles and conflicts within the marriage. This questionnaire assists our team in understanding what each couple is experiencing in their marriage, allowing us to better tailor our support to your unique needs.

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Real Stories from Real Texan Couples

We were on the road to a possible divorce. It was a marriage that was complacent, unloving and uncaring. We had been unable unable to work out issues, and we had definitely lost that “loving feeling”. Growing up in church, with a strong faith in God, I never thought I needed marriage counseling. This was the best weekend for us. Thank you for being our life lines; we can start a new beginning
Kay
Married 7 years
We were distant and had lots of dividing hurts. We were both considering divorce but this program helped us to forgive and heal and learn to appreciate each other again. I love that this program is God-based. It took God’s love and his forgiveness to heal our marriage through this weekend. We would not have been able to do it by ourselves.
Gary
Married 24 years
Forty-eight hours prior to the retreat we had separated and were making the choice to move on. I prayed, looked on the internet, called Sue to get more information, reached to my husband about it and registered. Now we are at the end of the retreat and have made a commitment to each other and to Christ to work, build and persevere to stay together.
Karren
Married 1 year

How to Best Prepare for Your Marriage Retreat

To enhance the quality of your experience at our Christian marriage retreats in Texas and ensure your readiness for the weekend, there are several important steps you can take to maximize your success:

  • Take care of any loose ends now that could potentially distract you from fully engaging in the weekend. Complete any pending projects, delegate tasks, and communicate with friends and family to inform them of the dates you will be unavailable.

  • Keep your focus – We recommend a “media fast” for the weekend. Please refrain from bringing your laptop or iPod and limit the use of your cell phone. If you must stay in contact with loved ones, kindly request that they only call in case of emergencies.

  • Prioritize rest and get to bed early this week to ensure you are more resourceful during the weekend. The Marriage Renewal Weekend is an intensive marriage restoration experience, with each day filled with instructional sessions and private interactive projects and exercises.

  • Reduce stress by planning your travel time to the retreat. Leave early and arrive ahead of time to minimize stress and ensure a smooth transition.

  • Avoid Conflict – Avoid sensitive discussions about marital issues. Give each other some space.

  • Dedicate time for prayer and seek God’s guidance in your life and marriage as you embark on this journey.

  • Approach the weekend with an open mind, a teachable spirit, and a willingness to actively participate and learn.

Your Texas-Based Marriage Retreat Team

Cornerstone was founded by Roy & Sue Milam in 1995. They have been married for 35 years. They share a passion for restoring marriages and helping couples build strong marriages and family relationships. Roy Milam has a Master's degree in counseling, is a Marriage and Family Pastoral Counselor and an Ordained Minister. He authored "The Truth About Divorce".

Sue Milam is also an Ordained Minister with a BS degree in Organizational Communications. She is trained in Counseling and Transformation Prayer Ministry. They have 3 grown children together and 2 from Roy's previous marriage, as well as a granddaughter.  Through their Christian Marriage Retreats, they have taught hundreds of weekends and have taught thousands of couples how to heal the hurts in their relationship, resolve conflicts and live together in oneness and unity. They live in Conroe, Texas.  

Four speaker couples work with Roy and Sue:


Andy and Donella Cecrle reside in Santa Ana California. Andy is a licensed professional counselor in the State of Texas and is an Ordained Minister. Donella has a Masters in Social Work and has served as CEO of a non profit organization. Both are passionate about helping couples restore and heal their relationships. They have helped hundreds of couples find renewal in their marriage. They have 2 adult children.

Dave and Sue Nofziger reside in Defiance, Ohio. Dave has a Masters in Counseling  and Theology and is an Ordained Minister and licensed Social Worker and has been a Pastoral Counselor for over 35 years. Dave is the director of Hope Alive Counseling Services and is the author of "Brain Washed, Transforming your Self Image through the Amazing Love of God". They have 2 grown daughters and 3 grandchildren.

Todd and Erin Stevens are a dynamic couple, with Todd serving as Senior Pastor at Mt. Vernon Church in Columbus, Mississippi, while Erin has excelled in her role as Executive Director of a Non Profit, with Todd holding an MBA. Together, Todd and Erin Stevens lead marriage workshops, co-authored the book "How to Pick Up a Stripper," and are dedicated to helping couples strengthen their relationships. They have three sons, with one still living at home.

Philip and Elizabeth Varjas have served together in Cornerstone Ministries since 2003. They have taught numerous marriage classes, retreats and seminars. Philip and Elizabeth have been counseling couples from their church for over 20 years. They live in Houston, Texas and have 2 adult daughters and a son still at home.

The leaders of the weekends do not practice as therapists or diagnose mental health diseases or disorders. If you are suffering from addiction it is best to get into treatment before attending our programs.


Our Mission

We desire to see marriages that are strained and hurting brought back to a place of health, intimacy, love, and trust. We seek to help couples restore and strengthen their marriages and build their marriages and families according to the timeless truths of Jesus Christ and the Bible, as well as the latest research on marital relationships. We seek to make our services available to all who desire to restore and strengthen their marriages for each other and for future generations.

Our Vision

We envision husbands and wives and families all across our nation who were once hurting, broken-hearted, and discouraged being healed, restored and strengthened in their marriages. We perceive couples who are equipped to relate to each other more happily, lovingly and intimately in accordance with God’s plan for marriage. We see couples being transformed by God’s Spirit, love and truth, strengthened in their faith, growing closer to God and each other.

Our Strategy

Healing hurting marriages- Our strategy for healing hurting marriages includes hosting Christian couples retreats in Texas, and offering intensive weekend retreats, faith-based counseling, and online programs. They are focused on dealing with spiritual, interpersonal, and relational issues, with a four-session follow-up program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cornerstone is a Christian ministry grounded in the principles of the Bible. Our teachings are firmly supported by scriptures, which are included in the manual provided as well as in the PowerPoint presentations. In preparation for the weekend, we distribute prayer requests to our extensive database of over 16,000 individuals. Many of these individuals have attended the weekend themselves and have made a commitment to pray for couples who are participating. The remarkable power of prayer is evident in the countless couples who recommit their marriages to God through this process.

Who should attend? Couples who:

  • Feel distant or are experiencing strain due to stress and life pressures and desire a closer relationship.
  • Are dissatisfied with their relationship because of conflicts or communication challenges.
  • Are in the process of recovering from a trauma, crisis, or significant hurt, such as infidelity, unemployment, a family death, separation, or are contemplating whether to stay together.
  • Simply wish to enrich their relationship, improve communication, and deepen their level of intimacy.

Please note that this is a non-denominational program, and couples from all backgrounds are warmly welcomed.

Our Cancellation and Refund Policy for the couples counseling retreat in Texas: Your registration fee is refundable, minus a $50 per person processing fee, provided it is canceled in writing at least 30 days prior to the Marriage Renewal Weekend you are registered for. Registrations made or canceled less than 30 days prior to the event are not refundable for any reason.

However, your registration will be transferred to another Marriage Renewal Retreat (costs for lodging and meals not included), within one year of the date of the retreat you were originally registered for. Please understand that while our mission at Cornerstone Marriage & Family Ministries is a Christian one, we are obligated to operate in accordance with business practices just as businesses are. In order to serve our clients, we make advance commitments to secure adequate meeting and lodging space, support personnel, counselors, program materials, and resources.

Therefore, we simply cannot make exceptions to our cancellation policy but must adhere to this policy without exception, including emergencies. Please understand that this is not intended to be in any way uncaring or harsh. Still, it is a business reality that the ministry is obligated to, and one we ask you to accept when registering for an event. Thank you for understanding and agreeing to these terms.

Our Cancellation and Refund Policy: Your registration fee is refundable, minus a $50 per person processing fee provided it is cancelled in writing at least 30 days prior to the Marriage Renewal Weekend you are registered for. Registrations made or cancelled less than 30 days prior to the event are not refundable for any reason. However, your registration will be transferred to another Marriage Renewal Retreat (costs for lodging and meals not included), within one year of the date of the retreat you were originally registered for. Please understand that while our mission at Cornerstone Marriage & Family Ministries is a Christian one, we are obligated to operate in accordance with business practices just as businesses are. In order to serve our clients, we make advance commitments to secure adequate meeting and lodging space, support personnel, counselors, program materials and resources. Therefore, we simply cannot make exceptions to our cancellation policy, but must adhere to this policy without exception, including emergencies. Please understand that this is not intended to be in any way uncaring or harsh, but it is a business reality that the ministry is obligated to, and one we ask you to accept when registering for an event. Thank you for understanding and agreeing to these terms.