How WSF Came to Be

Melissa Vandeburg • February 10, 2025

Struggle to Dream to Reality

Wyoming Strong Families has been a dream for us for 15 years, although if someone had told us we would have been marriage ministry leaders 20 years ago we would never have believed them. Our own marriage was in crisis. Our family was being torn apart and we had two small children.

We were living in a small community in WY and struggled to find anyone to help us. The feelings of aloneness and hopelessness were overwhelming. Because of lack of resources and help, we struggled through a painful 3 years healing process that was a lot of ups and downs. We hunted up every resource we could on how to have a healthy marriage. God was faithful and met us with his redemptive plan as we learned we had built our marriage on the wrong foundation.

As we began to rebuild a new marriage, God began to reveal the bigger plan he had for our lives. We moved and began leading bible studies and discipleship classes in prison. This opened our eyes to the magnitude of the effects of broken homes on individual lives and society. We had as many as three generations in prison serving at the same time. God gave us a passion for getting on the upside of these problems by strengthening marriages and families to avoid the crisis and unhealthy generational patterns. We began leading parenting classes, couples small groups, hosting marriage getaways, events and classes in our church and surrounding communities.

We dreamed about more families in Wyoming having access to help and resources so more marriages and families could be enjoying healthy relationships. We had an 8 year plan to wrap up our home business and careers, when we had better retirement investment, and then we would serve families full-time.

One evening after several couples had asked us for help and we had to say “no” due to being stretched to maximum capacity, God devastated our hearts for the deep needs of hurting families. How many families could we help in the next eight years rather than build a comfortable future? That night we said a simple prayer, “God we are willing to serve families full-time now if you will show us how.”

Seven days later, we were filling out applications to be full-time missionaries with FamilyLife. We left mid-career and comfortable to raise support and become full-time missionaries….not so comfortable. In fact it has truly been a faith journey to trust God and believe that the eternal investment is far more valuable than anything earthly.

Since 2008 we have been praying for the dream of God bringing more help and hope to Wyoming families, and in 2022 FamilyLife granted us the opportunity to serve families in Wyoming through a local family and marriage initiative that will bring help to 1,000’s of couples throughout Wyoming. We dreamt big and prayed big and God answered!

From Fear to Courage

By Mike & Lana Wortham • March 2, 2026
Watching friends who never wanted divorce ultimately separate after years of marriage deeply burdened us. They felt trapped in negative patterns, unable to see a way forward or believe that change was possible and were deeply hurting and we felt so inadequate to help. Several years ago we attended the Dare to Be Different Marriage Mentor Training. We were skeptical that we were in any way qualified to counsel other couples but were curious. We learned that mentoring is not the same as counseling, but more like discipling. The unique dynamic of the couple-to-couple strategy to walk alongside couples empowering them with skills to work through conflict in their marriages gave us courage that maybe we could help struggling couples. As we began to step out and mentor couples, we got to experience God use us to help couples in their relationships. One of the most memorable couples we worked with had been separated but were back under the same roof, seeking help. With each session we witnessed a beautiful transformation as they moved from avoiding eye contact and physical touch to openly discussing their issues, facing each other and sitting closer together. We are so blessed that God allowed us to be part of His process of restoring their marriage. They have four children and knowing these four kids still have their mom and dad together gives them all a brighter future. All glory to God! Now we have been mentoring couples for many years and love it! It is one of our favorite ways to minister together as a couple. We are forever grateful for the training we received from Wyoming Strong Families that gave us the courage to offer help to couples. We’ve learned that marriage mentoring isn’t about having a perfect relationship; it’s about being willing to walk beside others with humility, honesty, and hope. You don’t have to have all the answers; you just have to make yourself available for God to work through your story. When couples choose to invest in other couples, something powerful happens: faith grows, hope returns, and communities are strengthened one marriage at a time. If you’ve ever wondered if God could use your story to make a difference—He can. The miracle isn’t just in seeing a marriage saved; it’s in watching two people discover that with God there is always a way forward.

Finding Marriage Ministry

By Ashley Tubbs • February 17, 2025
Ashley didn't think marriage ministry was for her.

Forgiveness Through Christ

By Abby Harris • February 17, 2025
Her husband's confession nearly tore them apart, but their willingness to work together saved their marriage and brought them closer to Christ.