Covenant Marriage

For me, I thought all marriages were covenant marriages. According to the state of Arizona, there is a difference, and I am glad. With the high rate of divorce in this country, I am glad that there is at least an attempt by this state to reduce that number.

A covenant marriage is a step beyond a normal wedding. To receive a covenant marriage license, the couple must complete pre-marital counseling (supported by a notarized certification by the clergy or other person doing the counseling). After the marriage, before a couple can divorce, they must go through counseling.

It doesn't prevent divorce, but it will hopefully reduce it. The one thing that I wish they would change, is that right now, anyone can officiate a wedding in AZ. I wish that they would limit that to licensed clergy and officials of the court. I think that would help reduce the divorce rate as well.

Saturday night I will officiate my first covenant marriage. I personally know the couple and am excited for them. I am also proud that they are taking this extra step and giving their marriage a good foundation for success.

Another way to reduce divorce is to eliminate the term from your vocabulary. If you don't view it as an out, then when troubles come, you have no choice but to work things out. That's not easy or popular, if we made divorce more difficult, less couples would take marriage so lightly.

Happy Anniversary!

To Paige, my love in this life, happy 24th anniversary!!!

At once it seems like we've been together forever, and at the same time, like we just met. How amazing it is to go through this journey of life together. We've seen tough times, and great times, and we've seen God work over and over.

We have both changed over the years, and I wouldn't miss it for a moment. I love sharing life, love, and ministry together. Together we're a great team, the parents of two incredible boys (young men).

I love to stay home and snuggle because you enjoy that. I love to go on adventures, because I like that, and you enjoy the sights with me. We've seen some incredible works of God, and we've participated in some too.

I will love you, honor you, protect you, and continue to help you grow in Christ as we grow in Him together.

I LOVE YOU!

Going All The Way - Craig Groeschel

Craig's got another book out and it's about marriage. It's very timely as we go through this marriage series. His other books are great, so I imagine this will be too!

Here's the summary from Amazon:
“Going all the way” used to mean getting what you want from the opposite sex now…and paying for it later.It’s time to redefine. Smart advice for a new generation about love, sex, and happily ever after.You’ve seen marriages fail time and again. Even relationships you thought were bullet proof don’t last. Once promising couples dissolve in the acid of selfishness, conflict, or unfaithfulness… or fade away to a cold, gray lovelessness. No wonder that for our generation, “getting what you want” is often a substitute for love, and disillusionment about marriage is the new normal. So what do you do if you want a marriage that doesn’t just survive, but thrives? That doesn’t just begin romantically but ends magnificently? Answer: You do something different.Whether you’re thinking ahead to marriage, are about to be wed, or have been married for a while and want to make changes, this book can help. Going All the Way will guide you through the choices and commitments you need to make now in order to build a strong and vibrant relationship that will go the distance. In a world where going all the way means putting yourself first, author Craig Groeschel will show you how, by putting God first, you can build a soul-enriching, lifelong relationship.With practical, candid discussions about sex, first dates, integrity, forgiveness, and communication, Craig will help you prepare for and experience a relationship that gives fresh, hope-filled meaning to “going all the way” with the one you love.

Make sure you get a copy, I will!