Testimonials

"The challenge that was given in each email was very helpful. My wife and I have been married over 20 years and we had something come in between us. This sent our marriage into the crazy cycle. It just uncovered hurts and past events that were already there. Over the time and reading and praying, God revealed I have many past hurts from my upbringing I never dealt with, which are reflected in outbursts when tension arises. ...working through the 15 day challenge, I am learning to LOVE my wife in a deeper way to see her heart not her attacks. I have never needed this 15 day challenge more than I did over the last few months."

Already having authored the best relationship material available, Emerson and Joy are shedding new light and deeper understanding about the Love and Respect thought process that will change your life.  Under the banner of The Illumination Project, this father/daughter team are now combining their brilliant observations with a unique style of ‘wisdom meets passion’ to bring our society some of the answers for which many of us have waited our whole lives.

Our home group is predominantly married with teens, but there are some divorced and singles and retired. What we liked about TIP is that it wasn’t the usual fill-in-the-blank video presentation.

Dear Emerson, Wow! After 16 years, 3 kids,  I feel like I should have done a marriage refresher years ago and not waited until a crisis.

Starting this small group has allowed us to examine what our own church has on these subjects and, surprisingly enough, this message has been in our literature for decades. But [TIP] brought it into a modern, practical light.

I hope it opened up eyes to the way that authority can truly speak into your life as a younger person and how to receive what that generation has to give us. Not only that, but the example of seeing a daughter listening to her father is beautiful. A lot of people have father issues or mother issues, but there are a lot of mentors or older people in the church who are looking to pour in, and I think the younger generation just needs to allow them. And not only allow them, but maybe encourage them when the older generation is shy or doesn’t think that they can.

"Hi! I am a young mother and wife...our son just turned a year old a few weeks ago. I recently listened to your book Mother and Son. I am so thankful for the principles you’ve shared on respecting both my husband and son, and I am praying God transforms me and helps me meet their needs. I know I have a lot of progress to make, but I also already see how God has started to help me be more aware of my husband’s need for respect, and also prepare my mind to raise my son in a way that molds him into a man of honor and shows him I hold him in a high regard, no matter what mistakes he makes. I know that when I ask for wisdom, God gives it freely. I am so very thankful that I have been given such advice so early in our marriage and parenthood. I know there are many women who wish they would have known these truths earlier. Thank you for the wonderful work you are doing for the kingdom, and ultimately for our Lord Jesus."

For the first time I am using "Respectfully Yours" to facilitate a woman's study in our area. We are just finishing Chapter 4 but I just had to write and tell you what a wonderful study this has been so far. The importance of chapters 3 and 4 is incredible. There is great importance in all the scriptures you give, having accountability partners, and application. The ladies are challenged and have been responding. I am excited to continue on and see what God is going to do in the hearts and marriages of these ladies! Thank You.

My group and I are loving this study and have had some amazing discussions because of it. Many of them are still wrestling with [the issue of unconditional love, grace and forgiveness], and I’m so excited to see some of the thoughts and lightbulb moments that are emerging because of it.

When it comes to dating and friendship, my Christian peers and I need all the wisdom we can get. Joy’s heart is to lead and encourage our generation, and I trust The Illumination Project will do just that.

Personally, God has laid on my heart to do what I can to attract every woman in our church to accept the invitation to attend Respectfully Yours. This includes ALL women. Every woman has a man or men in her life that she can positively influence and encourage so that God's intentions for them as men are sought and desired. Too often, we hear about the church being woman heavy in spearheading and the doing. That's our nature, I know. But, we must do what we can to change the trajectory we are on that has resulted from decades of emasculation. Mothers, wives, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, female employees and employers, must begin to better relate to the male spirit and vigor that they were originally intended to demonstrate.

So far, 80 women have "graduated" from Respectfully Yours. I currently am leading 17 more through the 8-week curriculum.

I’ve seen the Crazy Cycle in my past, I’ve seen it in my own relationships, and I saw it in my parents’ relationship. I could never put my finger on it, though, and it scared me…Learning about this makes me so hopeful—hopeful that perhaps I won’t find myself in a relationship that ends up drifting away.