Communication has extremes… and most of us slide into one without even realizing it. 👉🏽 Some of us OVER-PROTECT. We soften everything… avoid telling the truth… carry the emotional load… and try to “keep the peace” by cushioning every hard thing. It feels kind… but it actually keeps people from growing, owning their choices, or rising into strength. 👉🏽 Others of us DRIVE HARD. We push… we point out the gap… we want results… we speak with fire, clarity, and urgency. It feels honest… but it can land like pressure, intensity, or criticism — especially when someone is already overwhelmed. 👉🏽 What about when someone is going through a challenge? This is where communication often swings to one EXTREME or the other: Coddling: • Over-comforting • Protecting them from responsibility • Excusing unhealthy patterns • Carrying what is theirs to carry • Treating them as fragile Invalidating: • Ignoring their emotions • Minimizing their reality • Pushing too hard, too fast • Talking over their process • Making them feel weak for struggling Both responses damage connection. Both responses stunt growth. So what does HEALTHY communication look like in hard seasons? It’s the middle ground — the place where truth and compassion sit together. It sounds like: • “I see what you’re walking through.” • “It makes sense that you feel the way you do.” • “And I still believe you have the strength to work through this.” • “I’m not doing it for you, but I’m here with you.” • “This is hard — and you’re capable.” • “Feel what you feel, and let’s choose the next step.” No coddling. No invalidation. Just support + responsibility. Compassion + empowerment. When someone is struggling, they don’t need rescuing… and they also don’t need pressure. They need a voice that honors the reality of the struggle without stealing their chance to grow through it. #Growth #Support #Activation #Empower #Mindset #EpicYourLife #Validation #Love #AmishMatchmakers #Single2Married #Relationships

I keep seeing TikToks and posts about people’s “narcissistic parents.” And it’s getting out of control. One girl showed off a tattoo “symbolizing everything her narcissistic mom did for her”… then wipes off the cream and—nothing. Blank. Are you fucking kidding me??? This is where we’re at? Shoving our parents into a trendy psychological box because society handed us a shortcut label that lets us avoid actually healing our own past? Your parents — who, by the way, are wounded children from their parents’ generation — get judged, boxed in, and scapegoated so you don’t have to face your own responsibility. Every single one of us has childhood wounds. Every single one of us lived through something. Some had it brutal. Some had it confusing. Some had it disappointing as hell. But MOST parents were doing the best they could with the tools, trauma, and limited emotional skill set they inherited. YOU — and YOU alone — are responsible for the work that makes you a healthy, functional adult. YOU decide how deep you go in rewriting your story. YOU choose whether you stay stuck or rise above it. And honestly? You’re far stronger than the victim narrative you cling to. Take responsibility for your life. Be grateful you’re even here to talk about it. Grateful you survived it. Grateful you have breath and choice and agency. Because blaming your parents, dragging them online, and labeling every wound as “narcissistic abuse” doesn’t heal you — it keeps you small. Your parents may have messed up in all the worst ways, but you’re still here… with the ability to bitch, complain, blame, judge, and live your life in a world full of challenges. Don’t waste your strength staying wounded when healing is fully in your hands. #epicyourlife #amishmatchmakers #Single2married #healing #newstory #mindset #blame #judge #responsibility #ownership #generational #trauma #rantover #scapegoat #narcissism

Art of Validation using the 3 Faces of Papa God — Lion, Ox, and Eagle — to help men understand how different personalities receive validation. He explains that validation is not approval or fixing, but seeing someone the way Papa sees them and speaking identity, courage, and strength into them. For the Lion man, validation sounds like honoring his courage, mission, and leadership. For the Ox man, validation recognizes his loyalty, consistency, and the weight he quietly carries. For the Eagle man, validation celebrates his creativity, insight, and spiritual sensitivity. Carlos walks the men through how each face gets shut down, what language opens them up, and how understanding these faces helps men lead their families, love their wives better, and strengthen their brotherhood. The teaching ends with a practical challenge for each man to identify his dominant personality and intentionally validate someone this week, also a very personal message to each personality.

It just wouldn’t be an Epic Intensive at the Ranch without this song. Somehow… it always finds its way into the weekend. For our Amish clients, it’s a beloved hymnal they grew up singing. For my mom, it’s a German Christmas song from her childhood. Different backgrounds, different memories — same melody, same message: Love. And every time we sing it, the whole room shifts. People soften. You can feel the unity. It’s like the atmosphere says, “You’re safe. You belong.” That’s what these weekends are all about — creating a space that feels like family while we dig into the deep work: 🧡 Confidence 🧡 Communication 🧡 Commitment Whether it’s through Triggers to Triumph, Epic 30, MVP, or our planning sessions, we’re building stronger people, stronger marriages, and stronger families. If you want to experience it with us in January… drop a 🧡 and we’ll get you all the details. We’d love to have you. Fun Fact: Every Couples you see here worked with us prior to Marriage✨ Not only did they want Marriage… they wanted EPIC !! #AmishMatchmakers #EpicYourLife #Single2Married #GottistdeLiebe #Amish #Mindset #Transformation

Sunday’s sermon from Pastor Nathan hit all the feels with the practical application we’ve desired from the pulpit! It felt like God whispering, “Yes. This is it. This is a hug from me, and the confirmation for you to keep going” The whole message echoed the heart behind Epic30… that what we speak, what we declare, what we intentionally choose with our words and our thoughts — literally shapes the atmosphere around us. It was this beautiful reminder that blessing is not passive. It’s not accidental. It’s not something we stumble into. It’s intentional. It’s chosen. It’s spoken. It’s released into the people we love. And listening to Pastor Nathan, it felt like one long, loving confirmation that what we’ve been doing — as a family, in our home, and in this movement — matters more than we even know. Because every time we pause, breathe, and speak life… every time we bless instead of react… every time we choose faith over frustration… we are aligning with heaven. We’re joining in with the same heart behind the blessing spoken over Israel: “Yevarechecha Adonai ve-yishmerecha…” May the Lord bless you and keep you. “Ya’er Adonai panav eleicha ve-yichunecha…” May His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. “Yissa Adonai panav eleicha va-yasem lecha shalom.” May He lift His face toward you and give you peace. We’re not just saying pretty words… We’re shaping identity. We’re creating peace. We’re building family culture on purpose. Epic30 isn’t about just journaling or habit-checking. It’s about becoming awake to the power you carry — and using it intentionally, lovingly, consistently. And I’m just grateful. Grateful that the Holy Spirit keeps confirming the path. Grateful for leaders like Pastor Nathan who bring clarity and courage. Grateful that what God whispers in private, He echoes publicly. In all reality, it’s been a long time since I’ve felt that kind of alignment in “Church”. #EpicYourLife #Alignment #Love #Shapers #intentionality #atmosphere #PracticalApplication #GoodWord