God's design for Marriage

Today was one of those days that make you smile.  I feel great joy.  Since March I have had a desire to do another marriage conference not just for church leaders but all married people in our church.  I could see all the new, young marriages struggling and in need of encouragement and guidance.  The desire in my heart would not go away and I shared it with Josh and a couple of our pastors.  Today we had a marriage conference at our house!

I was filled with joy to see new believers come, our neighbors who are older and have been married long yet willing to learn and grow, newly married couples -- some not doing well right now -- still came to participate, and many women who's husbands are not believes came to be learn.  

I don't know yet how God will use this time together, but I do know He was here and at work.  His truth on marriage was taught, we laughed together, did new things, and a testimony of a marriage changed by God was shared.  And God was glorified as marriage was honored.

Josh and Pastor Martin did most of the teaching but I was able to add a couple extras.
We really focused on that God makes us one in marriage.  No one should be able to separate and when one thing is separated it breaks -- you are torn apart.  It can be hard to understand 1+1=1 so I took play dough and had a couple come up.  The pink play dough was the women before marriage and the green play dough was the man before marriage.  When they united in marriage their play dough came together and mixed.  The couple mixed the play dough until it became a new color.  There were traces of the pink and green so I told them to now separate and take your color back.  They got the point -- they could no longer separate because they were now one new color.  They could tear apart but they would both carry a part of each other.    

I used David and Betty because they have been one the longest.
David just came to Christ which I am thrilled to see God at work in him, in them and their home!
(More on that in another blog!)

We also did an illustration on Ecc. 3:12 a cord of  three is not easily broken.  God is the one who makes us one.  One strand is like a person before marriage it can be weak.  In marriage two strands come together and I could still break the strands.  But in God's design for marriage He is our center.  He is the third strand that makes us strong.  It can not be broken.  God is the one who makes marriage beautiful, makes it work, makes it a blessing, and strong.

Before lunch we moved outside for Josh to again illustrate oneness and that you either both win or you both loss.  There is no such thing as one winning and one loosing because you are one.  Josh has six couples volunteer to race then he told them it was a three legged race.   They are one and they need to be united and work together if you want to win.  You either both win or both loose.  I LOVED seeing everyone laugh and couple play together, hold each other, and cheer each other on.  You may think this is no big deal but most of what the couples did to day were VERY uncultural but in a good way because it is God's culture to love and honor in marriage.  The couples did a great job racing and even got a prize of soda with their lunch.  And now we all have a great mental picture of winning - as one!

Then for lunch each couple had to have a "date" in American lingo.  The women were to take a blanket and find a place in the yard to eat while the men had to get the food and serve their wives.  This is HUGE!  Women serve their husbands not the other way around.  It was a beautiful sight watch men serve their wives - some for the first time ever.  There were giggles around but it was a laughter of joy.  I loved looking around the yard and seeing couples together.  They also had to ask two questions; and we one and is there anything/anyone separating us?  Then they were to say to one another, "You are mine forever" from Song of Songs.  (Real fear here of being left for a new partner because it happens.  There is no trust.)

I continue to be excited to be apart of what God is doing here.  And I feel empowered and encouraged.  I was so blessed by everyone thanking us for today - appreciation isn't normal here.

Sometimes I miss America when I think about what is happening - camping, swimming at the beach, picnics, vacations with family...  But the joy that I felt today as I was able to welcome my friends into our home, serve them, bless them with a meal and treats, and share God's Word with them is better than anything else I may desire in this world.