Over the past few weeks, I've become increasingly aware to the stress that exists in the marriage relationships of my friends. One has mentioned divorce, one is in deep apathy, one is dealing with unmet needs and young kids and two others are something different. So I began to ponder with my ponderer...what can be done? Well certainly we must do something, because relationships in stress can cause terrible damage to the point of calling it quits, or after 40 years you don't even know each other anymore. As Steven Covey so famously said "Begin with the end in mind". In other words, what kind of relationship do you want to end up with...so lets work to get there.
I believe the Lord began to give me some direction. Let's start with me. No, let's start with me...like how much I pray for and nurture my wife? How am I progressing as #1 a Child of God, and then Husband and Father. But how am I as a friend to my married male friends? Am I a encourager, support, listener and at times counsellor? Or just another friend my friends complain to about whats wrong with their spouses. So...it begins with my heart, my seeking, and what I'm doing to see that I'm going in the right direction. I guess it's like "search me oh God and see if there be any wicked way in me".
After I get a good clear sense of my own inadequacies, I'll move on to phase 2, gathering a coalition of men to join me on this Marriage Renewal journey in 2014. What I'm seeing right now, is monthly relationship focuses for 8 months with a few strategic retreats, dates and relationship building events thrown in.
Oh Lord, make 2014 the best year so far, but only to be outdone by each one following. And Jesus....thank you for my wife, without her I am incomplete.
PS..Today marks my parents 49th wedding anniversary, my mom however will be celebrating it in Heaven.
