Values, Vision, Mission, & Goals
Liberty University
PACO 615: Marriage and Family Counseling
Dr. Elias Moitinho
February 7, 2025
Values, Vision, Mission, & Goals 3
Section One:
The Case Study:
Ryan (age 28) and Ruby (age 26) have been married for one year. They have been
together for a total of eighteen months. This is Ryan’s second marriage and Ruby’s first.
However, Ruby has twin girls from a previous long-term abusive relationship. Loreli and Anna
(age 6) have gotten a new little sister, as Ryan and Ruby got pregnant two months into their
relationship and wed a month later. They now live as a family of five, with Lindsay as the
youngest.
Their family is middle class. Ryan and Ruby live with her parents in a small house in a
small town. Ryan sells insurance but works in the city two hours away. Ruby used to work in a
warehouse, but Ryan asked her to quit her job so she could focus on the kids. Reluctantly, she
agreed, but their finances took a big hit. While Ryan brings home $5,000/month, most go to
significant bills, so they do not have extra to put into savings.
Ryan and Ruby have found themselves growing apart. Ryan is upset that they have not
been intimate in a long time. Ruby feels unappreciated and worthless. Both have been coping in
negative ways. Ruby has withdrawn emotionally, and Ryan has started drinking more frequently
and started vaping behind Ruby’s back. Ryan has expressed that he is committed to doing what
it takes to save their marriage, but because of how badly his last marriage ended, he is afraid of
asking for help. They rarely communicate throughout the day. Even though Ryan texts her
whenever he gets to work, she does not reciprocate. He feels that she is drifting away, so he
asks her one night if she would do marital counseling with him. She was not happy with the
suggestion but agreed to try. They came into the office, and Ryan sat down on the loveseat.
Ruby took the pillow and wedged it between her and Ryan as she sat down. Both look very
defeated.
Values, Vision, Mission, & Goals 4
Section Two:
Values:
Ryan and Ruby are both Christians. Their values align with scripture, and they hold the
Bible in high regard. They hold that marriage is a sacred covenant that should not be broken.
Family is also essential for both, but they come from broken homes. Their experiences as
children of divorce play a role in why they do not want to give up on their marriage. Ryan does
not want to get divorced again, as the first one wrecked him, and Ruby has expressed that she
never wants to give up on the marriage. They both fall under the permissive parenting style,
“Parents who adopt this style tend to be more accepting and supportive of their children. They
focus on promoting their children’s self-esteem and independence.” (Moitinho-Moitinho, 2024,
p.214). Their finances are in a tricky spot. While Ryan is good at his job, his wife is not working,
leaving them no room to save.
Vision:
Ryan and Ruby are Christians; therefore, they will build their values and philosophies
around what Scripture says about their covenant.
Mission:
Ryan and Ruby aim to love God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. They will
demonstrate this love through their marriage covenant, their treatment of one another, and
their children.
Goals:
Regarding physical activity, Ryan and Ruby decided to start going on family hikes on the
weekends, and Ryan has started to reduce his alcohol consumption by abstaining from drinking
during the week and stopping vaping entirely.
For the psychological, Ruby and Ryan have committed to calmly communicating their
feelings to one another. Ruby will work to be more emotionally available, and Ryan has
Values, Vision, Mission, & Goals 5
committed to listening more to his wife’s needs. They also pledge to join a married couple’s
bible study and be more open about their difficulties.
Relationally, Ryan and Ruby have set a goal to spend their weeknights together after the
kids go to bed, with the caveat that once a month, they have an actual date night by going out
and asking each other questions to get to know each other on a deeper level. The date nights
and the weeknights cannot involve a movie or any other activity that prevents them from
talking and listening. They also will express to one another gratitude for one another for
listening (Gottman
& Gottman, 2006, p.108)
Financially, Ryan and Ruby acknowledge that they need to start building a savings
account and saving for their own home. This meant that Ryan agreed to let Ruby go back to
work part-time and since they live with her parents, they would save money by having them
babysit the kids when they are both at work.
Professionally, Ryan has committed to helping Ruby develop her resume and find a job
that will be fulfilling, even if it is part-time.
Recreationally, besides hiking as a family, Ryan and Ruby agreed to find something they
could do together. Ruby has always found furniture restoration to be enjoyable, so Ryan decided
to join her in her projects and help sell their finished work. They set a goal that whatever they
make in profits for their projects, they will use for a vacation as a couple.
Spiritually, they both agreed that they need to be in God’s word much more. So, every
morning, they decided to read through the Bible. They would read through the New Testament
first and then read through the Old Testament next.
References:
Gottman, J. M., Ph.D, & Gottman, J. S., Ph.D (2006). 10 Lessons to Transform Your Marriage.
Harmony.
Moitinho-Moitinho (2024). The Dream Home: How to Create an Intimate Christian Marriage.
Kendall Hunt Publishing – Custom
Values, Vision, Mission, & Goals 6
Wholesale. https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9798385150977
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