June - July 2015 Prayer Letter

     Though school is nearly out and summer is around the corner, our spring WTR season is

still going strong. We had one event in Dallas the weekend after Mother’s day.

Here are two comments from Dallas:

 

  As a church pastor, I approached this weekend with the attitude of an observer.  I thought I would evaluate FamilyLife to see if it would be good for others I know.  However, through the weekend I was the one whom God evaluated through the sessions and projects.  I was weighed and found lacking in some key areas.  Thank you for the healthy “heads up”.  I will use what I learned to improve my marriage. 

   We were the couple with divorce papers in the car.  We realized this weekend that our marriage is worth fighting for.  We redirected ourselves to Christ, each other, and our family.  We have a blueprint and tips to help us navigate through life together.   Husband, married 19 years

    Then off to Corpus Christi the last weekend of May. Here are two comments from there:     

   Life-changing and we were thinking about divorce.  Arguing was daily for months and now we want to work on us and have the tools to do so.  Wife,  Married 19 years

              We’ve been married 40 years and we have been to many marriage events and read lots of materials.  This was FRESH and very useful.  Great choice of speakers.  This helped my wife and me prepare for the next phase of our life together.  Husband, Married 40 years

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

 

   We feel so grateful to work the Weekend to Remember events. They are a lot of work both physically and mentally. We set up the ballroom and resource center on Friday and tear it all down and pack it up on Sunday. I logged 20 miles on my pedometer this past weekend in Corpus and it was a small event.

   Still, it is so worth the hard work. How rewarding it is when you see God changing lives for eternity.

   I had a commercial crane worker volunteering in the resource center this past weekend. He had never attended the event before. When I asked if he gained anything from the weekend, this was his response: “ I came here with a half full tool box and I’m leaving with a complete mechanic’s set”! His wife’s response was, “I came being my husband’s coach, I’m leaving being his cheer leader!”

   We hope all of the married couples on our team will consider attending a Weekend to Remember whether for the first time or the 20th. Even if the material is the same, you are always at a different place in your relationship and are impacted differently by the content.

   If it were not for your financial support and prayers we would be unable to do this job. Thank you so much for investing in us. We hope you feel a part of what goes on at these events as much as we do. To God be the glory!

Houston (Clear Lake) Weekend to Remember, June 5-7, 2015

Houston (Clear Lake) 

Top Comments

 

Attendance:  392

Salvations: 4

Re-commitment: 71

Holy Spirit: 72

This is our second one.  The first one we attended was in December 2012, the day after I found out I was pregnant from an affair.  Our life changed so much that weekend.  2 ½ years later, we wanted to attend again under different circumstances.  Thank you for all that you do.  These weekends help our marriage tremendously.  It’s like marriage 101 refresher courses for us, and we will attend again and again.  PS. We had a beautiful daughter after having four boys.  Such a blessing!  Wife, marital health 3 to 9, Married 11 years

Showed us what we should and shouldn’t be doing to get closer to each other and to God.  How to love each other in a way that works – instead of what we think should work. Wife, 8 to 9, married 16 years

Janet and I had a moving time sharing the letters we wrote to one another during one of the project sessions.  I hate writing letters.  I never know what to write, but the questions in the FamilyLife manual with prayer and the Holy Spirit, opened up a flood of thoughts and memories that I could share to express the love Christ has given me for Janet. Husband, 8 to 9, married 25 years 

We openly had conversations about our past/future.  We decided to talk about the concept of refraining from sexual intercourse during our engagement.  This has given us a new possibility for love – ways to be honoring to my God that I never knew before.  My fiancé and I know the potential dangers of marriage and are now not blind.  This sets us up for success like we never before could imagine! Pre-married, 7 to 9

I have been struggling in my marriage and parenting and feeling so burdened, alone, and overwhelmed and not supported – knowing God and who He is, but not experiencing/seeing any reprieve. But, my husband took a first step in turning our marriage around – so I’m not alone anymore – thank you.  Wife, 2 to 8, married 14 years

Why didn’t we do this earlier?? Husband, 5 to 7, married 12 years

Gave us a chance to just be us and not worry about the kids and teach us to listen to one another.  It was like we were dating again – very nice! Husband, 8 to 9, married 6 years

This weekend was a much needed time for us to get away and just be together.  I feel closer to my spouse; have some tools in my pocket to hopefully be a better communicator during conflict.  My hope is that my heart will not harden and that I will remember and cherish this time.  Wife, 6 to 8, married 13 years

Encouraging; brought us deeper, new level of connecting and closeness.  My husband said, “It feels like the Holy Spirit has filled our sails,” after this conference.  We needed this time away from our daily lives.  Well worth it, so much fun with my best friend! Wife, 7 to 10, married 2 years

My wife and I were separated!  She had filed for divorce. We decided to attend this conference to help try and save our marriage, it is going extremely well.  I had anger issues and was a closet alcoholic.  I have recently accepted Jesus Christ in my life and family.  There is no place for alcohol in my life today and Jesus is leading me and my family on His path.  This conference has given me direction and allowed me to see that the direction he has provided is the accurate direction.  This was simply awesome to look at my family and wife in a new light.  Husband, married 9 ½ years