Marriages Restored Weekend

My blog-friends, Ben and his wife, Ann are running a marriage renewal/restoration weekend. Have a look at the information and plan to go or send it to someone you know who may be of benefit.

By the way, before you brush it aside too quickly and think that you don't need it, let me share a short story from my experience.

Quite a number of years ago, my wife and I heard about a Marriage Encounter weekend at church and we signed up immediately to go. We were new to that church and found out that the church actually organizes the retreat regularly. That week, we were invited to a couple's house for fellowship. During our convesation, the topic of the Marriage Encounter weekend came up.

"We signed up. Are you guys going?" we asked.

"No." The husband replied. "We don't need it."


I can't remember what else went on during that convesation. But, what I do remember is just about six months after that evening, a very distressing and devastating thing happened.

The husband, who was one of the deacons at the church, returned home after a deacons' meeting and found a note that the wife had left behind. She had taken off with the kids with another man.

Incidentally, the "other" man was also present at that deacons' meeting. He had left the meeting, left his own wife and kids and met up this woman and taken off together. Out of the state to another state, we later found out. The whole drama hurt a lot of people in the church and out of it. It was very ugly.

Now, I am telling this story not to tarnish anyone. Please don't start judging and thinking that "all Christians" are hypocrites, or say "Those deacons are not spiritual" or anything like that. We are all broken in one way or another. We all need God's grace and mercy. It could very well have been my wife and I. Or your spouse and you.

And, Ben and Ann's story will reveal to you the extend of God's grace, mercy and love. So, have a look at their blog and check the weekend out.