“I’m afraid I’ll be different when I get home,” my husband said over the phone from Afghanistan. I fell silent as my heart broke and a lump formed in my throat. What had he experienced to inspire these words?

At the time I didn’t know. I still don’t fully know. But my husband was right — he was different. Not in a bad way. But, certainly, the war had changed him. And, it had changed me too.

We were young when he first deployed. Twenty-four to be exact. While he fought terrorists overseas, I stayed home to complete my master’s degree and work full time. That year apart we both experienced life-changing moments that have shaped who we are today. And with every deployment or long-term separation since, these experiences have grown and taken up significant space in our story.

Corie Weathers and her husband Matt, an Army chaplain, coined the term “Sacred Spaces” to define these significant moments within their marriage after a particularly hard deployment in 2009. Today, through the Sacred Spaces Campaign, they are challenging military couples around the world to take back lost territory in their marriages.

Their campaign was inspired by Corie’s recent trip to Afghanistan with US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter. She was invited to participate as the 2015 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year. While in Afghanistan, she hoped to gain a better perspective on her husband’s deployment experience. She didn’t expect, however, to dive deep into the heart of their marriage and face the hurt and misunderstandings that had created so much change.

Upon return, Corie wrote a book documenting her journey and titled it appropriately, Sacred Spaces. The book will be available for purchase on August 1, 2016. Get your copy here.

“I wish this book had been around when Chris and I started our lives together,” said Taya Kyle, The New York Times bestselling author of American Wife and executive director of the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation. “Your heart will break and heal with every turn of the page.”

Along with Taya, I too was privileged to read an advanced copy of Sacred Spaces. Her story is moving, eye-opening, and real. But best of all, it offers a glimpse into the realities of military life from both perspectives.

After reading the book, I was moved to join Corie’s campaign and was eager to create more shared sacred spaces with my husband to counterbalance the experiences we had apart.

Now I challenge you to join me. This month, with Corie’s help, I hope to inspire you to close the gaps within your relationship and to pursue your spouse’s heart intentionally.

(Only one registration per person required. Registered before? No need to do it again.)

Here’s How:

1. Register for The MilSpo Guide to Self-Care here.
2. Get the book. (It is worth every penny, I promise!) — A critical step that will help you understand the real meaning behind Sacred Spaces. 
3. Download the Sacred Spaces: Intentional Marriage Challenge
 commitment card — Document your intention after reading the book and commit to it for at least 30 days.
4. Join the InDependent Virtual Community for a peer-to-peer discussion. Make sure to post pictures of you with your book and commitment card.

5. Share your experience with your military spouse network using the hashtag #SacredSpaces. 

Group Coaching Session:

Join Corie Weathers for a live coaching session on Wednesday, August 17, 2016, via Google Hangouts on Air at 8 p.m. EST. An email reminder will go out to all registrants Sunday, August 14.

Space will be limited. First come, first served. If you can’t attend, the session will be recorded and emailed to those who pre-registered.

Peer-to-Peer Discussion and Meet-Up:

In addition to the InDependent | Virtual Community, the local Community Ambassadors will also be leading discussions and will host an in-person gathering at the end of the month where you’ll have an opportunity to meet like-minded spouses.

Hundreds of military spouses have already committed to pursuing their spouse’s heart intentionally. Will you?

(Only one registration per person required. Registered before? No need to do it again.)