July 2014 Update

July 2014

 

Belated Greetings From Texas

           Some of you may have noticed we missed sending a letter out in June. We apologize, it was the 2nd time in 15 years we missed a month.  We have had some extenuating circumstances recently. We appreciate your understanding and grace.

FamilyLife has agreed to let us continue working in our current capacity while living somewhere other than Little Rock. We moved to Little Rock 14 years ago from the Pacific Northwest. It has been a wonderful transition for us. However, both of our sons and their families have now relocated to Texas. With no other family in the Little Rock area we knew we would not want to stay there long term.

So, we put our home up for sale after Easter. It sold in two days with a closing date of May 30th. We were not able to find and purchase a home in such a short time so we put all our things into a Penske truck and hauled them to San Antonio and put them in storage.

Yep, we’re moving to San Antonio. We will now only be a couple of hours away from our sons instead of a full day’s drive. Since we look at this as our final move we made sure we are in an area with all the goods and services we’ll need. There are plenty of things for our family to do when they come to visit. (We’re hoping grandchildren will still want to come visit even when they are teenagers.) That goes for all of you as well. We have a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in the Northeast section of San Antonio. So feel free to contact us if you care to come visit.

Though we will be working quite a few of the Texas Weekend To Remember events we may also fly out to some of the other locations across the country as well. We will certainly make an effort to get back to the Northwest on a regular basis since we have family there and a large percentage of our supporters along with our sending church.

When not working events we will continue our normal office responsibilities but will do them from Texas. We feel so blessed that FamilyLife has allowed us to work from home!

Our house does not close until August 1st. Consequently we have been staying with our sons and their wives. They have been most gracious to support us during the transition. Instead of staying too long at one house we are staying too long at both homes!

Follow Up from Austin WTR

Here is an update from our final spring event in Austin June 6-8. We had 449 in attendance and 26 salvations!  Here are a couple of comments from the event:

I really thought we were at a breaking point in our marriage.  This has helped show us there are more ways, and our marriage serves a bigger purpose for each other, rather than the selfishness we get wrapped up in. 

Married 8 months

The event provided clarity, direction, and ways to apply the information.  It was a gut-check to step up as a man.  Sex session was amazing.  Even my wife really enjoyed the info, too.

Married 11 years

Austin, TX Weekend to Remember

AUSTIN, TX 

Top Ten Comments

June 7-9, 2013

Attendance: 396

Salvations: 22

1.       Friday night I had to drink just to attend. My spouse and I angrily wrote “Divorce” in each other’s manuals. Not a good start. Through your biblical teachings and understanding of male/female differences, I believe we are off to a new start. Thank you to all involved.

Married 22 years

2.       This weekend has revolutionized the way my fiancé and I thought about our future marriage. I’ve learned how to not only be an excellent husband and father, but how to be a REAL man of God.

Engaged couple

3.       This getaway has had a major effect on me, my husband, and our marriage. We have been so blessed and our marriage and life have been renewed. We would have failed had we not come here.

Married 1 ½ years

4.       During the 1^st night I felt lost and that my marriage was hopeless. But over the next 2 days, I felt a renewing of my faith and commitment to God and my wife.

Married 5 years

5.       Having experienced a prior divorce, this weekend cultivated a renewed hope beyond just surviving and “being” married again, but thriving and growing in oneness. The section just for men was a wonderful call to vision. Also, my wife and I are recently married; this is a crucial way to build a foundation.

Married 1 month

6.       One of the greatest dates I have had with my wife! Should have made our first Weekend to Remember after 2 years of marriage instead of 32 years.

Married 32 years

7.       When I first showed up, I was at my last straw. I was mad at God for the bad things that have happened. I blamed everyone and everything. By the third day I felt the conviction of this. I have a new sense of responsibility for my wife and children. I’m all in!

Married 12 years

8.       We are excited to apply what we have learned in our home and marriage. Before our marriage was good, now it’s going to be fantastic!

Married 2 years

9.       This getaway is our “shot in the arm” that absolutely is needed as we tend to get “idle” in our growth with each other and sadly even with reconnecting ourselves as a couple back to God-united. We run to him on our own but forget to go to him together. This weekend reminded us and aligned us again with God as a couple.

Married 2 years

1.   Our marriage was at a place where we were more like roommates than married. Physically I was still there, but my heart was not. Due to many issues (too many to list) I thought that this was all I could ever expect of my marriage. This getaway changed that! We are now on the road to not just recovery but to the marriage of my dreams!

Married 12 years

1.   Pastor comment/thank you

I am a lead pastor of a 7-year old church plant. These past 7 years have been the most challenging times for my marriage and family. Weeks ago I was getting ready to leave my wife. I sought personal ministry from a close friend of mine who is also a pastor. He and his wife have helped us on a journey to reconciliation. This weekend couldn’t have come at a better time. This is truly a weekend to remember. My marriage is now healthier than ever. God has done a quick work, and we know he is faithful to finish the good work in us!

John and Sue in the Blogosphere!

Welcome to our new blogsite!

We hope to use this site to keep you appraised of what God is doing through the ministry of FamilyLife. In particular, we want to keep you posted on the events we are working and all the awesome miracles God is performing to heal and strengthen marriages and families throughout the world.

Please come and see us often.