|
We mentioned recently that Kyle Idleman, Senior Pastor at Southeast Christian Church, did a four-week series called Generous Marriage. It was great and if you haven't heard it, we'd encourage you to listen to the series. To listen, click here
In his last message, called "Generous with Grace," he pointed out a couple had come to them and said they were calling it quits. Kyle said they begged the couple to please see a marriage therapist. Reluctantly, they agreed. A few weeks later they came back and said the counselor agreed that their marriage needed to die. They needed to start over with a new marriage, with each other.
In other words, we take it the couple needed to begin anew with Jesus at the center of their relationship.
Grace and peace,
Penny and David
(Note: We want to point out we are going to go out of our comfort zone, and probably yours, this month. However, we believe these are things that need to be addressed outside the secular world.)
|  | |
Anatomy of An Affair with Gary Thomas
When we hear about extra-marital affairs, we may be disgusted, disappointed and can even become judgmental. We've heard people say, "How Could She/or He Do That." "What a *x*x*x." "What's wrong with them?" "He or she is just a homewrecker." "I never would have thought that could happen to them." "I don't understand."
Gary Thomas, author, speaker, conference leader, shares the anatomy of an affair.
If you want to know what's really behind most affairs, read Thomas' article. Click here
| |
Problems with Parents and In-Laws
Nancy Landrum, a Relationship Coach, points out "Sometimes in-laws become out-laws."
Landrum says, "If your parents or family are criticizing your spouse, it is your job to set a strong boundary to put a stop to it. If your partner's parents or family are criticizing you, it is your partner's job to deal with his/her family. Each partner is responsible to deal with any problems with his/her family.
|  | |
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." Genesis 2:24
The two become one flesh in the intimacy and commitment of sexual union that is reserved for marriage.
Even in sexuality husband and wife are not to consider their bodies as their own but as belonging to one another (1 Corinthians 7:3-5). In addition, they are to focus on bringing pleasure to the other.
We think that is also evident in the Song of Solomon. They were striving to please one another, verbally, physically and emotionally.
According to a study published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, only 18.4% of women report that intercourse alone is sufficient to reach orgasm. While that is not the only way to bring pleasure to a woman, it is one where awareness is lacking.
Dr. Cutrer,(1951 - 2013) was a licensed OB/GYN, held a graduate degree from Dallas Theological Seminar and was an ordained minister. At the time of his death he was a Gheens Professor of Christian Ministry at The Southern Baptist Seminary. He wrote a book called Sexual Intimacy in Marriage. In this book, he states the clitoris is the only organ in the human anatomy for the sole purpose of receiving sexual pleasure for women. It goes on to say, it is probably the most important (yet poorly understood and difficult to find) female structure.
We knew Dr. Cutrer personally and highly respected him. If you would like to know more, we encourage you to read this book. In addition, he does the best job of explaining headship and submission than any other author I know.
|  | |
15 Date Ideas for Married Couples
One Extraordinary Marriage recently came up with 15 unique Date Nights. Here are their highlights.
- Hot air ballooning at sunrise
- Sample various food trucks
- Build a time capsule
- Rafting, kayaking, or pedal boating
- Be each other's wedding date.
- Take a bike tour.
- Laser Tag
- Cooking classes
- DIY project night
- Go skydiving.
- Hike and a picnic
- Karaoke
- Virtual reality gaming
- Blindfolded taste testing
- Art gallery tour followed by your own session.
They offer comments about each of these date nights. Therefore, if you would like their additional insights, plus a look at their resources, click here
| |
|
A New Beginning
August 18-20
Nashville, TN
A New Beginning is a turn-around weekend designed to help couples who feel stuck in an unhealthy marriage, couples who are frustrated and unhappy and couples considering divorce.
Register by clicking here or
Call 800-650-9995 - Register by August 11.
|
August 11 - 13, 2023
New Albany, Indiana
Worldwide Marriage Encounter is a weekend for married Christian couples who value their relationship and desire a richer, fuller life together. Attend a Marriage Encounter weekend and learn the tools needed to keep your marriage strong.
This is a short notice, but you may be able to still get in. We've heard very positive feedback from this event.
To register, or for more information, click here
| |
Love and Respect Building Blocks - Small Group Study September 19 - October 24 - 6:30 p.m.
MERCI Barn
8510 Hwy. 111
Memphis, IN
Cost: $10 for Study Guide.
For more information, or to register click here or call 502-767-3918 or email: mercibce@gmail.com
| This study is a winner for marriages - sharing the most important elements of the Love and Respect book. Bob and Carol Esham, with MERCI Indiana, said it changed their own skewed perspectives and their marriage. | |
Shaking the Foundation - Free
September 22, 2023
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
MERCI Barn
8510 Hwy. 111
Memphis, IN
| |
Whether you've been to this eye-opening Free Marriage Workshop previously or hearing about it for the first time, you'll be surprised what you can learn that would certainly improve your marriage.
"But those who marry will face many troubles in this life. . ."
Is this a surprise to you? You can be prepared for any shaking in your marriage while your foundation remains strong and intact!
At this workshop, you'll learn where some of these "troubles" come from and how to be best equipped to handle them before they lead to misunderstanding, disappointment and resentment.
To register, or for more information, click here
|  | |
Tech Addiction and Marriage
A new survey by you.gov on behalf of The Institute for Family Studies and the Wheatley Institute confirms that a large portion of couples is struggling with smartphone addiction, and their marriages suffer as a result.
- Did you know more than one-third of married Americans (37%) say their spouse is often on the phone or a screen when they would prefer to talk or do something together as a couple.
- 1 in 5 married adults (21%) with a spouse that overuses a phone say they are not happy with their marriage, compared to 8% of couples who do not report a phone issue.
- Couples with greater control over their phones are more likely to report more frequent sex.
| |
Marriage Struggling?
If so, we would encourage you to watch this message from Jimmy Evans.
| |
