by Dan Flynn
Gail and I were married in July 1983, in Baltimore, Maryland. Yes, it was a wonderful day with good friends and family gathering on the East Coast at Calvary Lutheran Church. What we didn’t count on that day was the heat.
Calvary did not have air conditioning so the 95 degrees with 95% humidity was draining and exhausting. We all sweated and gratefully no one fainted from the heat.
And so our marriage began.
At that time my pastor said we didn’t need premarriage counseling. We were fine. After we were married no one really spoke about marriage enrichment. People just lived life, so why do other stuff?
In fact, I can only remember doing one marriage enrichment experience thoughout our early years of marriage. Today I’m quite surprised.
Research tells us that marriages keep evolving as the various seasons of your marriage change. Going from pre- children, to young children, to adolescent parenting, to the empty nest … each season brings different stressors.
In fact, many marriages don’t survive the stressors, or people can be pretty bruised because they don’t understand the changing dynamics of their relationship.
Our congregation is committed to encouraging marriages no matter the season of that marriage. God Himself at the very beginning creates marriage. Throughout Scripture we have marriage used as a model of God’s relationship with us (most pointed in Ephesians 5:21ff).
Encourage means to “give courage.” We want to “give courage” to all of us walking life together in marriage.
And marriage should make us laugh. Yes, it is hard work to nurture a lifelong relationship but we should also laugh and celebrate that relationship.
On March 13, you can come for dinner at 5:30 ($15.00/person) by Angel Food Catering and then go to the Ultimate Date Night program by Jay and Laura Lafoon ($10.00/person, $15.00 at the door). Our goal is to eat well and laugh a lot.
Husbands, bring your wife to a date night at church. Surprise her with dinner and maybe some flowers. You’ll hear some great stories, laugh a lot, and really celebrate your marriage.
Watch a video of Jay and Laura talking about their Ultimate Date Night.
Register today!
