Things I'm Learning

We have been mentoring a pre-engagement couple for about 7 months now. They are so wonderfully sweet, and so desperately wanting to do things right so that they have a great marriage. But for a while now Micah and I have been sensing that they need to put Jesus first. "Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you." I mean you can read all the right books, put all the principles in place, say all the right things, and still end up in divorce. We by no means have it all together, nor do we always put Christ first. But we aim to. We so desperately need to present this to them in a gentle, loving way. Pray for us. "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Colossians 1:17

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:9-13

What have I learned from all this? When you have to teach someone something, you are always forced to completely understand it...to turn it over...to mull it over inside and out...to truly know it. Otherwise it is obvious that you have no idea what you are talking about! Whether it be fractions or marriage or Christ I aim to know my subject and be transparent.

We have the privilege at church of getting to know 20 other couples who also mentor married couples, pre-engagement, and engagement. Some of them have been doing it for 15 years! Some of them have been going to Grace for 30 years! That astounds me. I can't imagine being anywhere for that long. But I was so amazed last night listening to them. Their hearts are truly incredible. They desire nothing less than to know Christ and to point people in that direction. I have learned that to truly have a great marriage you must lose all selfishness, pride, and haughty thinking. You must truly give it all away. I have loved reading the book "Created to Be His Helpmeet". Our church has not recommended it, and many don't like it. I'm somewhere in that category, too. It is an incredibly hard book to read, and I don't completely agree with her on everything. I won't ever be able to do everything in the book, and I don't think I ever want to. But what is great about it is that she sees marriage as a ministry, an opportunity to become more Christ-like, and an opportunity to serve your husband and she gives examples of how to do that. Not many people have the guts to do that. It is strong, but in this day and age I think it is what many of us need to hear. Or, at least I do.