This past weekend we attended a marriage conference along with 700 or more other couples from Sovereign Grace Ministries (the ministry that our church is a part of). The conference theme was Marriage and the Mercy of God. It was a wonderful and refreshing time for our souls. Dave Harvey, Paul Tripp, Gary and Betsy Riccucci, and Aron Osborne taught with excellence. We have come away feeling hope for viewing our marriage as a ministry and growing in this ministry because the gospel was so faithfully preached!
The two foundational biblical truths that spoke to us as a couple were: 1) Our relational conflicts are a vertical problem, not a horizontal problem. Meaning: The problem is not that we don't love each other enough, but that we don't love God enough! When we respond to one another with anything other than mercy it is because we are unaware of the depth of God's mercy toward us. He has given us the very opposite of what we deserve. What would happen if were to give to each other what we don't deserve? Instead of responding to sin with sin, how about responding to sin with kindness? 2) Mercy has vision so we must learn to forbear! Meaning: We must look beyond the offense at hand and see Christ transforming the heart of our spouse... trusting Him to do as He has promised! See them not as they are now, but as what they will one day be. What would happen if we could "see" each other as sanctified?
I must also add that Jeremy was such a servant at the conference! He arrived a day early and served for about 2 hours before every session, during every session, and for a short time after each session. He served the entire time with joy in his heart! He is an amazing example to me of what a humble servant should be! I love you, Jeremy!
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