Love for a Lifetime

This weekend, my parents sent Jason and I, and my brother and his wife, to a FamilyLife marriage conference called "Weekend to Remember". The weekend involves three speakers that lead the entire weekend and share with us their personal experiences. After each session, you are given projects to do with your spouse that helps you open up and communicate about how to build your marriage. And on Saturday night, you're encouraged to have a date night to spend time with your spouse and reflect on everything you've learned. The topics ranged from communication, what the roles are of a husband and wife, to leaving a legacy for the next generation.

It might seem weird that we went to a marriage conference. I mean, we've only been married for eight months and we haven't even had a real, serious fight since we started dating. And let's be honest, it wasn't exactly how we had wanted to spend a valuable free weekend. But, my parents thought we would get something out of it, so they covered the costs. How sweet of them!

So, we attended and it's probably one of the best experiences we've had so far as a married couple. And while I married a fantastic man who is no stranger to all the critical values and principles that a married couple should have, I think we both learned a lot and were reminded of what it takes to have a marriage where we are truly one, so we were really thankful for the opportunity to attend the conference. I'd probably be so bold as to brag that we have a fantastic marriage with very few flaws at the moment. At the same time we haven't even been married a full year yet and we're still in that newlywed state where we still just always want to make each other happy. So, I guess I can't expect that it will always remain in this perfect state of bliss.

And I'm not naive. I know, without a doubt, that we're eventually going to face some difficult times in our marriage, and the way we handle those situations is really going to play a role into how strong we are as a couple. The way we address each other's needs, communicate, and support each other can make or break us.

I definitely was reminded of some of my weaknesses. But, I know that with God's guidance and my husband's support, I can strive to become the very best wife possible, which Jason totally deserves. This weekend inspired me and reminded me of all the valuable tools that are necessary to maintain and grow a great marriage.

For any couples out there that have recently been married or are getting married soon, I definitely recommend attending one of these conferences. It's not lame, it's nt cheesy, and it's not a waste of your time. It's a great way to jumpstart your marriage and build a marriage that is built on God, love and oneness. I definitely hope that one day I'll be able to bless my children with a gift like this.