Healthy Marriages Build Healthy Churches

On our living room coffee table, I keep a picture book filled with photographs of mine and my husband’s wedding day. My two older boys look at this photo album a few times a week, and they study every photo and love to ask Jordan and I questions about our wedding and being married. Our 19 month old points to every picture and says “Mama” and “Papa” with a big smile. I love telling our boys about our wedding day and how much I love being married to their Dad. Marriage is a gift from God. But marriage is also hard! I realized when I got married what a selfish person I was. No longer do I care for my own wants and desires, but there is a factoring in of my spouse’s want and desires, too. Marriage isn’t me and my spouse giving 50/50 but its actually giving 100/100 to one another. It requires a dependance on God, the One who created marriage!

The Bible tells us in Genesis 2:23-24 that God created marriage.

And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called

Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

God uses the example of a husband and wife uniting together in marriage as a picture of

Himself and His bride, the Church. The Church consists of the entire body of believers who have placed their faith and trust in Jesus as their Savior. Jesus Christ, or the Bridegroom, has chosen the Church to be His bride.

"For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church." Ephesians 5:29-32

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved

the church and gave Himself for her,”

Ephesians 5:25

Marriage reflects God’s sacrificial love for the Church. God is FOR marriage! Do you know who isn’t for your marriage? The devil. Because Satan hates God, he hates the biblical union of a husband and wife. Marriage is an illustration of the Gospel. Satan knows if he can attack your marriage, he can attack the picture of Christ and the Church.

Jordan and I had the honor and privilege of beginning a marriage enrichment course at Mid-Way called Re|Engage this past Spring. It was such a sweet time learning about God’s design for marriage and how to live that out with our spouses. Forty-five couples were able to participate and it was such a sweet time together as we learned about God and His design for our marriages. Re|Engage brings couples together to learn about God’s design for marriage and apply biblical principles for building a healthy relationship.

“Whether your marriage needs to be reignited or completely resurrected, Re|Engage is a safe place for you and your spouse to reconnect.” -www.reengage.org

As I mentioned earlier, my husband and I have three boys, ages 1, 5, and 6. They are sweet, fun, energetic, and take up all of our time while they are awake! A full day can go by and Jordan and I realize we never even had a normal conversation between us that didn’t involve the kids. Re|Engage was so life-giving to our communication skills! It taught us how to designate at least one uninterrupted time a week to “meet” and discuss the chapters and questions in our Re|Engage book. Every time we would meet, I would feel encouraged by our conversation and closer to my husband.

We definitely don’t have everything figured out or have a perfect marriage. Jordan and I joke that the Lord allowed us to become the leaders of Re|Engage because we have a lot of work to do on our marriage and we get to take the class twice a year! Every marriage has room for improvement! Re|Engage creates that safe space to do so within a small group community of other married couples and a mentor couple.

If your marriage needs saving or you want to take your marriage from “good” to “great”,

Re|Engage is for you!

What does a typical week look like at Re|Engage? Every week begins in a large group setting, where you will hear stories of hope from our Mentor couples whose marriages have been transformed. After meeting as a large group, couples will break off into a small group, with each group led by a Mid-Way mentor couple. Together, you and your small group will work through the 14-lesson curriculum and learn how to effectively communicate, resolve conflict, and grow closer to your spouse.

If you are married, would you begin praying about signing up to take Re|Engage this Fall? It will last for 10 weeks from mid-September through mid-November. Sign ups and more information will be available this Summer on www.mid-way.com.

Prayer Tip: Pray that I would let my marriage be all that God created it to be

- a reflection of God’s love for His Bride, the Church.

Prayer Points ~

• God, thank You that You created marriage and are FOR my marriage.

• God, please help my marriage be a reflection of You and Your bride, the Church.

• Lord, please protect my marriage from the schemes of the enemy. Please help me

recognize his lies and replace them with truth from Your Word.

• God, please help me be a loving, godly, and faithful wife to my husband.

God, I come before You in Jesus’ Name thanking You that You are the Creator of all good things. Thank You that You are the designer and creator of marriage! Thank You that You are FOR my marriage! Would You help me to be the loving and faithful wife to my spouse that You desire me to be? I pray that I would grow in my relationship with You so that I’m able to better my relationship with my spouse. I pray that I wouldn’t just give 50% in my marriage, but that I would give 100% with Your help. I know there is always more room to grow. I pray my marriage will be a reflection of You and Your Bride, the Church. Thank You Lord that You have good plans for us! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Kaitlyn Beaton

Flourish Women’s Ministry

Mid-Way Baptist Church