TESTIMONIALS

Testimonials

Rosie and Scott Ybarra

Kristy & James Shirley

We have only been married for a year and we were already having many issues. We didn't know how to argue the correct way due to a huge lack in our communication skills.  Starr & Bob have given us the many tools on creating a closer relationship with God which has in turn made us much closer. We have learned many techniques for stronger communication skills among other things. We have only been in their classes for about 4 weeks and still have more to learn, but there is already a HUGE change in our relationship. We don't ever want to stop taking their classes- it's so much fun and is one of our date nights! I urge everyone, no matter how long you have been married or if you are planning to marry to take MARRIAGE 101 classes with Starr & Bob. (Photo taken in Starr & Bob's home and used with their permission)

Jon & Jaymee Coker

I've (Jon) known Starr and Bob since I was a teenager working at TV station long before getting married. Jaymee and I tied the knot in 2013 and in our first year we started taking their marriage classes. Our goal was really just to pick up a few tips to add to our foundation, but we ended up falling in love with the classes and the couples that attended. After one particular class on imprints, we drove around for hours and even parked another 2 hrs. and talked in the car about our childhoods and family culture. Identifying our childhood hurts helped us to understand our love languages, love styles, and personalities. I'd say that our greatest paradigm shift of the whole course took place in that class. It compelled us to revisit those painful places and deal with every issue and close every door that had the potential of welcoming our pasts into our future. In many ways, that class saved us from years of conflict we would've encountered. 


Today, Jaymee and I are happier than ever. The week of our first graduation (we have gone through several series of 9 weeks), we found out that we were pregnant with our first child and as a father, I'd say that the greatest joy is knowing that my daughter will never have to struggle with what we struggled with. 


We thank God for people like Starr and Bob who made such powerful resources available to us. I strongly recommend this to couples who are considering getting married, newlyweds, or couples that have already been married for decades. It's perfect for all stages and you won't regret it! Starr and Bob are amazing!! The power of their teaching is in their two secret ingredients: EXPERIENCE and the Word of God! They've lived through all of this stuff and they're now so graciously walking others through it with a Christ-centered focus. Every couple needs this! (Photo taken in Starr & Bob's home and used with their permission)

Betsy & Rick Lampton
Rosie and Scott Ybarra

Juan & Yolanda Riojas

We decided to take MARRIAGE101 classes so we could work on improving our marriage. After being married 28 years, we realized we had been taking each other for granted in addition to having lost the communication that we shared many years ago. Our relationship was almost like a business. We would meet at the table, figure out the budget for the week and then go our separate ways the rest of the week. 

 

We are still in love, but we haven’t been showing it or making it known to each other like we should. Then, on movie night during the class, we watched the couple’s listener/speaker and holding therapy and began to understand how imprints from childhood affect our adult lives and that was a real breakthrough! We prayed and asked for forgiveness from each other and talked things out. There has been a lot of progress since we began the classes and we intended to take more of them. 


We are working on communicating our love and affection for each other as a one-flesh married couple-our marriage is based on LOVE.  (Photo taken in Starr & Bob's home and used with their permission)

Patti & Steve De La Vega

When we first heard about the classes from my cousin Donna, we were very excited. We have taken two separate, 9 week series of classes. With each class, we learned a lot and applied what we were taught, but our progression was slow. After this last series of 9 classes, we became more committed to each other. 


We have learned so much more about ourselves and each other and what we need to do to become better partners and lovers to each other. Now that I know Steve's love language is words of affirmation and quality time, I can begin to speak in his language instead of my own so I can reach him and he can feel loved. We also learned how to pray and I'm trying to pray more for everything that we want to accomplish together. 


I also want to say it's been a lot of fun making new friends. I realize now, that in order to forgive myself and the people that hurt me I had to remember so I could let all that go!!! I LOVE MY HUSBAND AND I'm very grateful that we have recovered and have each other again! I want to thank Starr and Bob for all their time and effort they put into teaching and counseling us.  They are an amazing couple and great friends to open up their home to help people they don’t even know. (Photo taken in Starr & Bob's home and used with their permission)

Betsy & Rick Lampton
Rosie and Scott Ybarra

Tony and Donna Barbosa

Tony and I had been married for 6 years when we initially enrolled in the Marriage 101 classes. We enrolled in class because we wanted to strengthen our marriage and learn healthy ways of dealing with our marriage problems.  That was two years ago and since then, we have learned so much from Bob and Starr. 


 We have attended three series of classes now and every class is different.  They have so much knowledge and are experts at how to have and build a great marriage. They are not only great educators, but counselors, role models, mentors and prayer partners.  


The class titled “Understanding Each Other” that we just graduated from brought much needed awareness, as we were encouraged to seek to understand our spouse rather than to be understood, along with becoming an expert on our spouse. We were also to question if being right was more important than having peace.  


In class, we learned about our love languages and love styles and also were introduced to the book” How We Love”.  Our marriage would not be as happy and healthy as it is today without their commitment to their marriage ministry. We are still learning and growing and we still fall back into old habits, but the frequency is lessened as we strive to get back on track to the principles taught that are essential for building a solid foundation.  (Photo taken in Starr & Bob's home and used with their permission)

Shawn and Tara Brozino

As soon as my husband and I were married we, being well acquainted with Bob and Starr Calo-oy, started attending the Marriage101 classes. We have attended 3 sessions together and gave gained valuable tools that benefit our marriage.  Each session is different than the one before, and with each class we have gained a greater insight into each other, and insight into God’s view of Family and Marriage. 


We highly recommend attending the class, and encourage others to utilize the one on one, couples counseling. We have gotten close with many of the other classmates and enjoy the fellowship. We look forward to future classes.

(Photo taken in Starr & Bob's home and used with their permission)

Betsy & Rick Lampton
Rosie and Scott Ybarra

Rosie and Scott Ybarra

Where to begin?

Scott and I were married January 23, 1991. 


He was 19, I was 18 with my baby Marisa who was only one year old. We were best friends before we got married and had planned on waiting to marry but Desert Storm helped push that up. We got married in a little chapel in San Diego, CA before a minister and my two favorite aunts. 


The day we got married Scott had to leave to report to his duty station and one week later he was headed to meet his ship already at the Persian Gulf. 


Those five months were very stressful since Scott’s ship the Princeton, had been one of the ships that had been hit by a mine. It was very difficult not knowing what was going on or even if Scott was alive. 


Weeks after the disaster I received a phone call from Scott telling me he was alright. I was very happy since we were going to have another baby. Our son Kenny was born October 8, 1991. Two years later our son Kevin was born. 


The children brought so much joy to our hearts. We loved having them and we were sure we wanted more. Sadly, on October 12, 1993 our son Kenny died when he choked on a balloon the weekend of his second birthday. 


Kenny was very sweet and had so much energy. He looked just like Scott. This was a very traumatic experience for our whole family but especially between us. We grew apart and as time went on we grew further and further apart. Our marriage was never the same.  


As time passed by we just existed. It seems we lived our lives on auto pilot. Not having a direction. Not really giving life much thought, honestly. We simply did the normal family things that families do. As the years went by we became different people. People we didn’t know and didn’t recognize. That made it easy for me to start thinking about divorce. Since we didn’t know each other anymore I wasn’t happy and in my heart I knew Scott wasn’t happy either. We fought all the time. Scott was withdrawn and couldn’t keep a job. I became cold and mean. It was terrible and why Scott stayed I haven’t a clue but I stayed because of the children. 


We both knew our marriage covenant was important to us but we were broken and didn’t think we could ever be repaired. For years, we had been to counselors both private and church; we were wounded and nothing helped. We were arguing more and more and our finances were devastated our children were suffering because of the turmoil we were in. We knew we didn’t want it to be this way but didn’t know what to do. Separation after separation, year after year was making easier for us to live apart. We were ready to give up. We both lost hope.   


For the last year I had been watching “Great Day Sunday”. I really enjoy watching the show as I get ready for church. I enjoyed watching the Marriage 101 segment and little by little I learned new thoughts. I started to think differently about my situation. However, because I didn’t believe anything would or could change I didn’t call. We had just separated again for the last time I resolved, and I had this fear in my heart that I was making the worst decision of my life. I had watched the show that weekend and heard Starr say your marriage can changed but again I didn’t call. I was worried about rejection, worried about the cost, worried we were too far gone. 


I watched it again. Again, she told about marriages they had help save. She mentioned the free classes and free counseling which I was very happy to hear. Somehow that had always escaped my attention but still I didn’t call. Until one day when it hit me that my marriage was really over. I still didn’t have the courage to call so I emailed Starr and she contacted me the very same day. When I spoke to her I was scared, ashamed, embarrassed, angry, resentful and full of doubt. After speaking with her she gave me hope. 


That very night I decided to give my marriage life. I didn’t tell Scott where we were going. He had no idea I had set up an appointment with Starr and Bob. Just happened he wanted to attend my nephew’s football game the same night as the appointment. We both went and it changed our lives.


After the appointment, Scott felt better but described it as going through an intervention. We started intense couple therapy. Starr and Bob both worked with us one on one. That was last September. We attended their marriage classes and implemented the homework. We have found tremendous support from Starr and Bob as well as our fellow classmates. Today we are on the road to a marriage made in heaven. We are no longer separated and looking forward to celebrating our nineteenth anniversary this weekend. We know we will make it. We now have the tools we need to be able to overcome any obstacle thrown our way. We have the hope and belief we will make it. Our hope is by sharing our story we will give hope to those who feel the same hopelessness, the same despair, and the same pain we faced.


We are not the same people we were when we started. Our love for each other has been rekindled, brought back to life. We have no doubt today we will make it but we couldn’t have done it without our faith in God and the blessing of a Sunday morning show that cares enough about people to bring world changers such as Starr and Bob Calo'. Our children and grandchildren thank you.  



Sincerely,


Rosie and Scott Ybarra

Betsy & Rick Lampton

In May of 2009 our marriage was shaken...

Shaken to the core of its foundation. I discovered that my husband of 8 years was having an affair in Oklahoma City where he worked…


I thought divorce was an option and only a phone call away…I had been praying to God, asking him to intervene when I saw Starr Calo'oy'-‘ show on TV…it was only a 5 minute segment, but what she revealed “in Christ” struck a cord in my heart…


so I quickly wrote the telephone number down and put it in a safe place.Several weeks went by and with much prayer and with my husband’s knowledge, I called and asked if there was room in the Marriage 101 class, revealing to her and Bob what had devastated our marriage. 


Both said that they would like to meet with us that night(much to my husband’s surprise!)


Our first encounter with Bob and Starr was life changing…my husband and I both confessed that we had taken each other for granted….let the marriage go stagnant and held each other responsible for the others shortcomings.


That night, Starr and Bob prayed over us us and God ccame into our hearts and lives…we started attending Marriage 101 and continue to attend…We have met other couples in class. Some who have been married for many years and some newlyweds…all of us are trying to improve our relationship with our spouses, with each other and with Christ. Marriage 101 and the people who attend are non judgmental…it is not in your face or confrontational. The class itself is uplifting and instills hope. By attending, we have learned, by reading and studying the Bible, that the marriage takes three!!


We have learned to start each day with prayer (which helps us with better communication and understanding each other) and my husband is now praying aloud to the Lord, Praise God! We have learned to put Christ first, spouse second and ourselves last(Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. God is Love. Whoever lives in love, lives in God.”We love because he first loved us”1 John:4


 We have called upon Bob and Starr as our prayer partners…our partners in Christ


We plan to attend until they Kick Us Out


Sincerely,


Rick and Betsi Lampton

Betsy & Rick Lampton
Rhonda Ramirez and Toby Rehr

Rhonda Ramirez and Toby Rehr

Our testimony regarding Marriage 101, started on a early or rather very late night of our regular arguing. The arguing that doesn’t have a purpose and to find out who could ‘out yell the other one’. 


The TV had been on channel 5 all night while we argued. We were still arguing at 6:30 in the morning when Great Day SA came on. Starr was on…she began to speak about marriage, and prayer, and communicating with your spouse. Suddenly… silence! We were both out of breath, from yelling at each other, but I still had enough energy to poke at Toby and tell him, “ See!!! That’s what I’m talking about…”


 I always wanted to be right, as did Toby. I took the number and website down from the TV, but it was still 3 more weeks before we had our first counseling appointment with Bob & Starr. That was after we had one last big fight, and after that one we separated from each other. Then, after they counseled us for 3.5 hours, we started going to the Marriage101 classes.


In class, we were learning about anger. We learned that I am not right, he is not right; our Lord has all the answers. We need to have each others back, “It’s us against the World!” (Starr) After the first class, we left and looked at each other and began that night, to fall in Love All over again!  


 We have learned about our relationship and communication with each other and our Father. We pray with our kids now, which we didn’t do before.


 We haven’t had an argument in over 2 months! Toby and I have been a couple for 9 years and we have been engaged for 7 of those years. Starr and Bob explained how we are examples to our children and how important marriage is to them as well. We are very happy that with the Holy Spirit sending Starr and Bob into our lives, Toby and I will be having our wedding October 23, 2010!!! Our children are so unbelievably happy! There’s not a lot of time to plan, but we are so blessed because Starr and Bob have accepted to marry us on our special day and at their home! It’s perfect because that is where we fell in Love again! Thank you KENS for hosting Marriage 101- it has changed not only our lives, but is positively affecting our children and future generations to come!

Quincy & Tasha Todd

From the first moment Quincy & I laid eyes on each other, we knew that we were meant to spend the rest of our lives together. Initially we couldn’t seem to get it right, however we know God knows best and we live by his timing. We tried to force a relationship; we separated and eventually came back together. This time around we have grown and matured in so many ways. Quincy and I have made a vow before God and our loved ones to spend the rest of our lives together. Just like anything else, practice makes perfect.


We were referred to Marriage 101 (Starr & Bob) classes by a close friend. We were both very reluctant about taking the class, because we felt we knew exactly what we were doing this time and we didn’t need help. Something in our spirit moved us to try it out and see how it goes. Outside of choosing one another, taking this class is one of the many great decisions we have made.


Quincy and I have learned to romance one another all over again. We have discovered underlying issues that may have caused problems later on in our marriage, but learned to come together and work them out.


We celebrated our 1 year anniversary (7/14/13) and I strongly believe these classes made our first year smooth sailing. Everyday is not always smiles and fun times and we don’t always agree. Marriage 101 has taught us to work through those days in prayer and a loving way. Praying in our house has become a daily task without even thought. Our faith in God & knowledge has grown to another level. Marriage 101 with Starr & Bob has strengthened our marriage along with our friendship with one another. I would recommend this class to anyone who wants to be married/already married or thinking about divorce. Starr & Bob genuinely care and we feel we have formed a Christian relationship with them and look forward to taking other classes.

Quincy & Tasha Todd
IRENE GARZA & VINCE PEREZ

Testimony By An Anonymous Student January 2017

 Mrs. Starr, thank you and Mr.Bob so, so much for your help. Sorry we could not finish the marriage counseling classes. We are having a very difficult time with our work schedules and finding a baby sitter. It was actually adding tension to our situation.


BUT what happened was a God given miracle and we owe you guys a HUGE thank you. So, we were living separately and it was touch and go. We were not intimate or really together. Once we started the classes with you guys, we got a little bit of understanding, but the distance was still overwhelming and a distraction. So, we left you guys we got a little bit of understanding, but the distance was still overwhelming and a distraction. So, we left you guys and we went from 3% invested in our marriage to about 75%. Soon after, it dropped to roughly 50-40% and almost looked like a total disaster. 


Somehow, we tried and she started "spending the night" at the house on weekends. We tried and tried but the "connections" was gone and the intimacy was vacant due to emotional blockage from the pain and the thoughts of infidelity, so to speak. It was more so me, not being able to accept that after 16-17 months of separation she had been intimate with any other person.


But the breakthrough came when I learned, from your teaching, that because I had also been with other people, how could i judge her? you taught me to understand how and why she was the way she was or though the way she did; the teaching you did on imprints. I also learned to understand myself. I truly believe you guys laid a foundation of understanding that helped me see things on an entirely different level. 


We had a few nights of laughing, crying , talking and opening up on a level we had Never done in 5 years of marriage and 24 years of being together. The Great news is that now, her and the kids are living with me again and we are doing so,so,so SO MUCH better. 


We are about to 88%-90% better and have open communication and understanding. Our lives are totally different, thanks to God and you two. We don't fight verbally like before, and it's easier to put myself in her shoes and vice-versa thanks to what you guys helped us with. 


So sorry for the disappearance, but it was better and ended up helping us. We owe you guys so much appreciation. We are talking about renewing our vows and having a ceremony soon and I'd like to invite you guys. I really appreciate you and Mr.Bob very much. Thanks again and God Bless. 



IRENE GARZA & VINCE PEREZ

Irene and i had been in a relationship for four years before our world came to a halting crash in April of this year- 2017. We met years ago but hadn't had any contact with each other for several years when i made a fateful phone call that brought us together again. Irene had reached out to me before, but for whatever reason i had not sought out a relationship. 


Then i called her in Feb 2013, we got together, realized we loved each other and our intentions were to have the last relationships of our lives - We thought because we had "known" each other for so long, that it would be easy to live together and make a happy home from what we both could bring into the relationship.


As the first year passes, our past differences came to the surface, causing regular verbal conflicts. The arguments and and differences in opinion became more and more intense. We attempted to downgrade each subsequent " explosion of emotions" but to no avail. The months and years went by as we sugar-coated each verbal confrontation. Ourway with dealing with them was with attitude "okay, that done and now let's move on" but we really didn't resolve anything. All we were doing was was piling up the reasons and justifications, so we could pull them out later to hammer each other with again when a new difference of opinion came up. 


Finally, in April of 2017, the confrontations became so unpleasant, so unbearable, that we both decided that enough ws enough. We hardly aggreed on anything leading up to that day---we both saw that is was impossible to be in a relationship with each other because of the growing anger and resentment and the fact that we could not understand each other in even the most minute things came up. 


So, Irene moved out and we were suddenly both on our own. The main issue that we both realized that caused the break was that we could not, did not have any communications skills. We did not know how to verbally address each other in a kind manner, so we could not connect. 


Although we loved each other and wanted to be together, we had HURT each other to the point that it was better to live without each other than to stay and be part of a relatioship that was so Up and Down. It was draining us of energy and our love was dying. 


I believed that Irene had to change her ways. She believed the same about my having to change. There was no other option! We found ourselves at a stalemate. Little did we know that blaming each other was the worst thing to do.


After what seems like years, (actually, it was approximately 5 months of sheer torment without her by my side) we reached out to each other again. We realized that we still loved each other very much, and both knew that if we got back together without seeking help, we would have the same results as before. Neither of us had any fuel left in our love thanks and we did not want to go thru another round of hurt and anguish, so Irene made it mandatory that we seek seek couseling before we got back together again.


I was skeptical at first, but i was lost without her at my side so i agreed to counseling. We both looked for and compared couseling sites and then Irene found "Marriage101.net. 


Irene called and made appointments for the two of us to begin classes with Bob and Starr Calo'oy and a marvelous transformation followed!! Starr and Bob have done such a Super job in our counseling that we are practically new people, in a very positive manner...We were instantly impressed by the methods Bob and Starr utilized to get us to understand our inner feelings through their teachings on imprints. They prayed for us from the begining, which instantly made us feel sooo good. 


They taught in a small group (10 couples) setting and it put up at ease to know that we weren't the only one couple having problems. It had never occured to either of us that the one person that must change is oneself and neither of us were to blame. 


Bob and Starr helped us start to see each other as a person to have compassion for, like jesus does. That both of us needed to be healed emotionally, mentally and spiritually. The one-on-one couple counseling we received was just awesome! It healed so many areas that had long been deeply rooted in both of us. 


They also taught us the skills to use that they provided with our free counseling sessions, sometimes lasting as long as three hours at a time, so that we could understand and be thoughtful of each other. 


Bob and Starr have transformed us into loving, caring, and understanding sweethearts; soon to be married, and do this (relationship) God's way this time! The combination of the counseling and classes with Marriage 101, our future is now bright and very promising. I have the upmost gratitude. Bob and Starr have not only saved our relationship- but has made it stronger, better and more loving and consideration than i ever thought possible. 


Thanks to all the prayers, their understanding of our issues, and their experience and knowledge on how to solve our problems God's way, according to his Word, we are well on the way to a blissful life together. 


Irene and I will attend more sessions to better our lives, because we love the methods and tenderness that Bob and Starr have shown us. 


Irene and i will attend more sessions to better our lives, we love the methods and tenderness that Bob and Starr have shown us. Irene initially told me that she was proud of me for agreeing to counseling. I, in turn, am so PROUD of my future wife for having Faith in me and for leading me to counseling and receiving the help i so desperately needed to become the man of God I was meant to be. 


Thank you, Bob and Starr for everything--- words cannot express how grateful we are,but the smiles on our face can--and the newfound love and respect that we have for each other speaks well for you and your ministry. We are looking forward to continuing our marital education and learning more about each other and ourselves through future classes and ongoing counseling. 


Share by: