The Choice Wine Testimony

November 28, 2017
, News

Out of the couples who are living the 7 steps, 100% have reported that they are either “happily married” or “very happily married”. Each one of these couples have their own stories: their own struggles and challenges, much like the spouses at your parish.

These steps in The Choice Wine reduce the probability of divorce to practically zero! If you want to give the gift of a thriving, joyful marriage to the spouses in your parish, we encourage you to find out more about bringing The Choice Wine to your parish.

November 2017 Newsletter

November 3, 2017
, Uncategorized

 

“That’s a Wrap!” – TMIY Filming in New Studios

 

Earlier this year, Paradisus Dei moved into new office space in Houston, TX.  Among its many features – a chapel, a large multimedia conference room, expanded professional workspace, dedicated offices and storage – is a brand new, built-in studio. Large enough to house the TMIY set with room to spare, this studio was put to great use last week during the filming of two semesters of TMIY.

 

The studio includes a production room, a viewing room, and workspace for the production team.  All the spaces were humming with activity as Steve Bollman and crew filmed 26 sessions of TMIY in just one week. Not only did everything go extremely well, the onsite studio facilities resulted in improved production quality.

 

The filming introduced new content – including an entirely new Year 2 spring semester – updated existing content and “refreshed” the look and feel of That Man is You!   Set updates, interactive displays, lighting features and redesigned graphics are just some of the features the men currently in TMIY Years 1 (Becoming a Man After God’s Own Heart) and 2 (The Unveiling of Love) will experience this firsthand in the Spring Semester 2018!

 

The studio is just one example of Paradisus Dei’s commitment to bringing life-transforming programming to families at a fraction of the cost and time of “normal” production.  This studio, and the programming it produces, demonstrate the stewardship of funds entrusted to Paradisus Dei through the program appeals.  We thank you for your prayerful generosity and look forward to providing future updates on the continued studio build-out and usage.

 

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Discover Radiant and Valiant: engaging, faith-based periodicals for young adults

 

At tradeshows, events and on the phone, we frequently hear about the deep love and concern folks have for our young people, as well as the fervent hope that they will walk the path of faith.  Our Sunday Visitor recently released two new periodicals that will help them do just that – Radiant for young women and Valiant for young men.

 

These periodicals cover a range of current, life-impacting topics with a faith perspective, in a fresh and easy-to-read manner.  Further, each was designed throughout with their target audience in mind.  Beautiful covers, engaging articles and practical spiritual offerings come from compelling authors, each offering the reader unique reflections for their own lives. Radiant and Valiant are offered via subscription from Our Sunday Visitor, either quarterly or annually.  Gift subscriptions are also available.  These delightful periodicals are sure to be a hit with the young adults in your life.

 

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Registration Now Open for
The Choice Wine: 7 Steps to a Superabundant Marriage

 

Most married couples remember the time before their wedding as full of preparations.  Then the wedding and honeymoon come and go like a flash, and before you know it, the couple is re-immersed in everyday life.  So, too, are all the people who helped plan the wedding!  Many couples are left to answer the question, “so…what next?”

 

Whether or not this sounds familiar, and whether or not it took just days or years as a couple to ask that question, The Choice Wine is a great answer to the question, “so…what next?” Introducing the 7 Steps to a Superabundant Marriage, The Choice Wine teaches couples the steps to having the kind of marriage that God intended for them, from the beginning of time!  Consisting of nine sessions, The Choice Wine offers the flexibility to be done at the Church, in a small group meeting in the home of a host couple, as an individual couple or as a weekend retreat. And couples love it!

 

“You have to do it.  You absolutely have to do it, for your marriage, for your family.  It’s a must…”
-Participating couple, Baton Rouge, LA. Click here for video.

 

Paradisus Dei is accepting registrations for new groups for the Spring of 2018.  Getting started is easy.  Click Here, choose the format, and fill out the information on screen. We will be in touch to help you get started.

 

 

 

TMIY Hurricane Relief in Action

October 19, 2017
, Uncategorized

On August 30th, in the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Harvey, Steve Bollman emailed the entire TMIY network requesting assistance for Houston-area TMIY families that were impacted. We had no idea what to expect.

The response was overwhelming.

Close to $150,000 poured in. Even a group of military servicemen in Germany sent in a donation.  Incredible.  Most of these funds have been distributed, providing much-needed relief and hope to impacted TMIY families.  The video shows just a glimpse of the difference they made.

This hurricane relief effort is a shining example of Covenant 2/Step 2  – Use Money for Other People.  It made an incredible difference in the lives of those who received it.  From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.

The recovery from Hurricane Harvey will be a long-term process for those impacted. And of course, Hurricane Harvey was not the only disaster experienced in recent months.  Let us continue to lift up those impacted by these events in powerful prayer.

 

Incredible Growth From A Mustard Seed

July 6, 2017
, News

We are all familiar with the parable from Matthew’s Gospel wherein Jesus tells us “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field.” This seed is often used as an analogy for the work we undertake with faith that God will help a good thing grow.

And indeed, here at Paradisus Dei, we have witnessed increasing faith bearing great fruit. This fall, we will reach a milestone: 100,000 men who have taken part in TMIY! Think of the population of a healthy-sized city where every single person had grown in their relationship with the Lord!

The growth of the mustard seed is not the end of the story, you know. Christ goes on to tell us “it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” In other words, the seed does not stay the same – it becomes a tree that is a home for others.

Similarly, the many men, women, and young people who have been transformed by Paradisus Dei programs are changing the world around them. Men are becoming better leaders, resulting in healthier relationships with God, their wives, and their families. Marriages are becoming more joyful, thus strengthening the family and their wider community. Young people are finding the answer to tough questions, entering adulthood with the seeds of faith.

Paradisus Dei is not only concerned with learning about the faith—though that’s important too. It is about helping people around the country discover the superabundance of God. 100,000 is a great start, but it doesn’t begin to reflect the number of people who have been touched by loved ones who have attended our programs.

We hope and pray that 100,000 is just the beginning!

If you are ready to start your parish’s journey with one of our programs please let us know by email at [email protected].

Paradisus Dei Ventures into New Space(s)

May 31, 2017
News

With a sense of profound gratitude, Paradisus Dei fully embraced the blessings and benefits of two new spaces this May – digital and physical.  Digital refers to the launch of a completely redesigned website, and physical refers to the official blessing of the brand new Paradisus Dei offices.  These new spaces greatly increase the ministry’s capacity and effectiveness.

Simplicity. Engagement. Action.

Those three words define the intended user experience at www.paradisusdei.org.  This approach originates from Paradisus Dei’s mission: to help couples and families discover the superabundance of God.  This discovery happens through experience. The website’s design quickly funnels users to the type of experience they want to have. And past participants in Paradisus Dei programs have proven that experience ultimately leads to action!

A new platform underpins this website, bringing with it all of the latest technology.  That translates into a more enjoyable user experience, more ways for the ministry to stay in relationship with our website community and easy expansion over time.  Website users will appreciate such conveniences as videos that play on-page instead of linking to outside pages, multiple on-page options for asking questions or requesting information, easy-to-download resources and fluid site navigation. The new platform supports an interactive, step-by-step program overview, including how to get started, downloadable program samples and FAQs for each ministry and program.

All of these features come into play through four primary categories: Experience It, Live It, Share It, and Fund It.  These categories represent the options for engaging with Paradisus Dei and form the foundation for the website.

  • Experience It – provides information on how users can experience Paradisus Dei. Ministries, programs, events and other options are presented.  The Choice Wine, That Man is You!, Hope Undimmed and the Mother Daughter Retreat are explored in great detail.
  • Live It – provides information on how users can continue to live their faith. The 7 Steps are presented, along with video reinforcement and practical suggestions for how to live each step daily.  A weekly video reflection series is offered. And partnerships to help users live their faith are highlighted.
  • Share It – provides options for users to share their experience. Downloadable resources provide a starting point for sharing with Friends and Family, Church and Diocese and Local Conferences.  Users can also share their story with us, join the Mission Outreach team or hear others’ stories.
  • Fund It – provides information for users on how to financially support the mission and work of Paradisus Dei. No donation is too small, and options for monthly giving and Paradisus Dei’s giving levels are explored.  Contact information for the development team is provided for further conversation.

This new website allows Paradisus Dei to engage the online community in support of actual communities – families, churches and dioceses.  But the work doesn’t stop here.  Phase 2 of the website project – conversion and improvement to the parish implementation web tools – will launch in June with completion expected in October 2017.

 

Giving Elbows More Room to Work

Earlier this year, Paradisus Dei moved into new offices off of Richmond Avenue in the Westchase area of Houston.  These offices were custom designed to meet the needs of the growing ministry.  Final work was completed this spring, allowing for the official office blessing to take place earlier this month.

As an international Catholic lay ministry dedicated to helping families discover the superabundance of God, it was critical to start the time in the new space the right way.  Cardinal DiNardo graciously accepted the invitation to preside at Mass and officially bless the new space.  The significance of this event mirrors the significance of the space for the ministry.

The reason for referring to it as “the space” is due to the fact that it contains more than just offices.  Some of the highlights include:

  • Chapel – this beautiful space provides the appropriate atmosphere for the Paradisus Dei team to “give God some of their time,” throughout the day, where the Paradisus Dei family, past and present, is remembered in prayer.
  • Collaborative spaces – a large conference room, small conference room and casual meeting room provide the spaces for creative collaboration, where various teams can meet separately, but at the same time.
  • Professional workspaces – meeting the diverse needs of the growing team, these spaces include deluxe cubicles, offices and a dedicated workroom. Elbows with appropriate room to work get more done!
  • Studio – connected to the office space, having an onsite studio is an incredible blessing for the ministry. As this is being read, Steve Bollman and the team are filming a new year of TMIY, literally feet from their offices.
  • Editing Suite – connected to the studio and boasting the space needed for group viewing of content, the Editing Suite will the production process more collaborative, creative and effective as a result.
  • Storage – dedicated, onsite, but closed off storage keeps the clutter away from the other purpose-driven spaces. The staff is especially grateful not to share their knee-room with boxes, and that makes a difference!
  • Room to grow – the icing on the cake is that all of the above was done with an eye toward continued growth. Whether it be people, projects, processes or technology, the new space will serve the ministry well for years to come.

These new spaces, and the blessings and benefits that accompany them, allow Paradisus Dei to better fulfill its mission to help families discover the superabundance of God, to better serve couples and families.  You are invited to continue to be a part of this essential mission.  Contact us to learn more, or visit www.paradisusdei.org.

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