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."

One thing that I just love about The Illumination Project, what makes it unique, is that you have these two different generations being represented in Emerson and Joy. With Emerson, you have his wisdom and years of writing on this stuff and traveling and counseling couples through marriage, and so you have his passion and his truth. But on the other hand, you have Joy representing the younger crowd, and she makes it relevant and brings her passion and charisma, and the real-life context that we young people are up against. And that synergetic relationship working together is really a phenomenal dynamic to watch. Not to mention: People want to talk about this. They want to talk about love and romance and dating and marriage.

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"Thank you so much for the 15-day plan...I really was happy to have a review of the material and the ability to print it out and apply it over and over! I intend to keep reading it from time to time and I am sure the application will be ongoing in my marriage. What stood out to me in the 15-day plan:  awareness of the differences in our felt needs, the importance of the tone used in conversation, avoiding contempt, expressing positive regard for the person, and the significance of giving your spouse what they need but do not deserve."

The love and respect course brought something nice in our relationship, which we did not even expect, because we did not know if we would hear anything new. I was cheering for the course because when I read the description I instinctively felt that we needed it. Although I had to start encouraging my husband to participate in the beginning, I must admit that during the course he became a major initiator of discussions and "homework", which enthused me and pleasantly surprised me. I noticed how strongly the content spoke to my husband and how it opened his heart, and helped him to express things he either did not know or know how to say it. We experienced each meeting like unwrapping a delicious candy that we enjoyed and savored ...The meetings were very pleasant, nothing intrusive, filled with a dice [sic] of humor and the richness of real experiences.

"I do not have a 'sudden miracle' story for you currently, but I do believe a miracle is happening gradually in our marriage relationship. My husband and I are going to see a counselor...and he initiated this! Although he said at the conference that he felt we were 'beyond this' in terms of the answers we need, he has noticeably softened since, and I know I have changed my attitude as a result of the heart-changing, mind-renewing message you shared."

I loved this book and recommended it for a book club of moms. It was helpful for each of us...Particularly appreciated the shoulder to shoulder time explanation, and the explanation of using the word respect in conversations with my sons. The book was helpful because it allowed me to see how my communication needed to be different with my sons than it is with my daughters. It made me more intentional in conversations with my guys.

I am newly married and this is what I needed to hear to help my groom and me make some early course corrections (especially me!). I had heard about the Love & Respect book but never really understood the heart of the author. Now I want to learn more because this is God’s precious truth to us.

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.

I dare you to find a small group study with a more beautiful, unexpected design (or stickers. Adults never get stickers anymore.) But it’s more than just a pretty face...I love that it was written with a diverse group in mind --both men and women, married and unmarried. It stirs up important conversations that we wouldn’t be having with each other, otherwise.

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.

Your teaching has touched our family in a way that will change us for generations to come and I can never thank you enough.

I just appreciate so much Joy’s heart and her father’s heart and their ability to communicate generationally—even cover that generational gap—and draw together themes that are timeless but need to be communicated in a way that is going to speak to an audience that is already cynical, already skeptical.