Our Stories
Founders
Shawn and Lauren Sparks
Shawn and Lauren Sparks are founders of Love for a Lifetime and are passionate about helping couples discover the joy, intimacy, and purpose found in a Christ-centered marriage. More than anything, they desire to help couples realize that God is the glue to a thriving, joyful, lifelong marriage and that His design for marriage is far greater than what the world often portrays.
Their passion for marriage ministry is rooted in their own story. Before Love for a Lifetime, both Shawn and Lauren experienced the pain of divorce and the challenges that come when relationships are not built on a firm spiritual foundation. Through God's grace and redemption, they experienced firsthand the transformation that occurs when a couple fully surrenders their relationship to Christ.
As they began pursuing God daily and allowing Him to work in their hearts, they saw their communication improve, forgiveness grow, wounds heal, and their desires align more closely with God's purpose for their lives.
That transformation ultimately became the foundation for Love for a Lifetime. Having experienced both brokenness and restoration, Shawn and Lauren are passionate about helping couples build marriages rooted in faith, truth, and lasting love. They believe that no matter where a person is in their journey, whether newly married, struggling in their relationship, blending families, or recovering from past hurts, God is a redeemer who can restore what seems impossible.
For many years, Shawn and Lauren have invested in couples through mentoring, teaching, small groups, premarital preparation, marriage enrichment events, and ongoing discipleship. Through Love for a Lifetime, they have had the privilege of walking alongside hundreds of engaged and married couples, equipping them with practical and biblical tools to strengthen their relationships and deepen their walk with Christ.
God has also expanded their ministry platform through the wedding industry as owners of Sandlewood Manor and Chateau Nouvelle. While both venues are known as premier wedding destinations in the Houston area, Shawn and Lauren have always viewed them as opportunities to impact marriages from the very beginning. Their heart is not simply to help couples celebrate a wedding day, but to help them build a marriage that thrives for a lifetime.
This vision is what drives their involvement with Love for a Lifetime. Through events such as Date Nights and Dinner with a Purpose, mentoring opportunities, speaking engagements, and resources like the Authentic Marriage Podcast, they seek to create environments where couples can grow closer to one another and closer to God.
At the heart of everything they do is a simple belief: when marriages thrive, families flourish, communities become stronger, and generations are changed. Their mission is to restore marriages, strengthen families, and help couples build a love that truly lasts a lifetime, one that is built on the
Founder of love.
Today, Shawn and Lauren live in the Houston area with their blended family and continue to invest their time, resources, and experience into helping couples experience the abundant life and marriage God intended.
Board Members
Chris & Brooke McCarty
Chris and Brooke McCarty have been married for over 30 years and are passionate about
helping couples build strong, Christ-centered marriages. They have found in their own
relationship that a marriage thrives when both husband and wife are intentionally seeking the
Lord—and it’s from that foundation that their heart for ministry has grown.
Since 2018, Chris and Brooke have been teaching and mentoring couples, walking alongside
hundreds as they pursue healthier, stronger relationships. Their approach is both practical and
faith-driven, grounded in real-life experience and a deep belief that strong marriages don’t just
impact a couple—they strengthen families and, ultimately, entire communities.
Chris spent 30 years in the corporate world, including 28 years in the oil and gas industry, and is
now semi-retired, dedicating his time to projects and ministry opportunities he feels called to
support. Brooke began her career in the professional world before stepping into her role as a full-
time mom and family manager. During that season, their family spent nearly a decade living
overseas, an experience that deeply shaped their perspective on faith, family, and marriage.Together, these experiences reinforced their belief that only a Christ-centered marriage can truly
endure and thrive through every season of life.
This passion is what led them to become deeply involved with Love for a Lifetime. Through this
ministry, they help create intentional spaces for couples to reconnect—whether through fun and
engaging Date Nights, meaningful conversations at Dinner with a Purpose, or ongoing
encouragement through resources like the Authentic Marriage Podcast.
At the heart of everything they do is a simple belief: strong marriages are built through
intentional time, open and honest communication, and a shared pursuit of Christ. Love for a
Lifetime exists to help couples cultivate those rhythms and strengthen the bond they share.
Now based in the Houston area, Chris and Brooke continue to invest in couples and their
community. As empty nesters with two adult children, they enjoy reading, teaching, and serving
together.