This year, Cara and I celebrated 30 years of marriage. I love her dearly, and she loves me dearly, too.
We decided to attend a marriage retreat with some friends this summer while on vacation. It was incredibly enriching! It allowed us to celebrate our God-given relationship full of his love and our love, his blessings, and our commitment.
As part of the retreat, we took an assessment and, well, it shows we have an exceptionally strong marriage. Praise God! Thank you, Cara. I treasure you deeply and can’t wait for another 30 years, babe.
But we’re not perfect on our own. We need continued education, encouragement and equipping ourselves to be strong in the Lord. Also as part of the retreat, we are engaging with marriage coaches taking us through a planned course of strengthening our bond.
We just completed our Marriage Coaching Goals, and I want to share a few with you as an example of things to work on. The goals are put together in 5 different pursuits for growth.
This is for you if you are currently married or about-to-be-married, if you might be married someday, or if you are single and have friends you’d like to encourage.
Growth Pursuit
Goal: Become stronger spiritual partners and spiritual leaders. Continue in regular devotions together.
2 Peter 3:18: Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever!
Restoration Pursuit
Goal: Develop and use a conflict resolution plan – Ask about the problem. Brianstorm solutions. Check-in with each other.
Ephesians 4:32: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Friendship Pursuit
Goal: Grow in friendship and emotional intimacy by creating environments for purposeful and enriching conversations, and scheduling fun time together.
Romance Pursuit
Goal: Deepen romance and enjoy physical intimacy by speaking each other’s love language more frequently, and by becoming as physically healthy as we can be for God and each other through mid-age and beyond.
Song of Solomon 8:7: Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.
Impact Pursuit
Goal: Make an eternal difference in this world by developing a mission statement for our marriage.
2 Corinthians 5:15: He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, for him who died for them and was raised again.
For those subscribed to this blog through email, I’m including a picture of our family. May yours be as beautifully blessed as mine.
PRAYER: Thank you, God, for your design of marriage. It is your foundation for society and well being in our world. Be patient with our modern age as we seek our own ways that distance ourselves from your design, and have mercy on us. Lead everyone to champion marriage and experience its richest blessings. Bring closer to your care and love those marriages that help, or growth, or hope. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: If you were to design a marriage mission statement, what would it include (asking for a friend)? Shoot me an email and let me know!