Next week we are hosting Church Planter's Bootcamp.
The next weekend is the Women's Fall Conference for our state's Women's Ministries. I am speaking at a workshop on the Internet... facebook... myspace... texting... etc.... how to keep up communication with your kids... protect them online... GET in their... "SPACE" and know what is going on.
I have had mothers say... I don't look at what my family is doing online because I DON'T want to KNOW!
THIS breaks my heart... fires me up... and I probably get a little too feisty about this... because it is OUR JOB TO KNOW... to protect... to guide... to pray.
All the experts agree... the BEST protection is parental involvement and guidance.
So if you think of us this 10 days, please pray for us.
Pray that:
- the LORD would use us to speak into the lives of husbands and wives
- that we can give them tools to help them grow in their relationship
- we are able to encourage couples to have fun with one another
- we direct them to the ONE who can ... restore marriages... heal the broken hearted and give them the strength... the tenacity to not give up.
Pray for me that I am able to:
- give these women the tools and some 'know how' to get in touch with this crazy technological world
- to give them resources to help them protect their kids and grandkids
- and bridge communication with the younger generation in their lives
- encourage women that they are not too old to learn this and have fun at it too!
My mom now texts, emails and this week my girl is going to set Gram up with a facebook! She wants to stay relevant to communicate with her grands in a way they relate to. GO MOM!
Mostly... Please pray these ladies realize and know that GOD can heal, forgive, and restore if the filth of the world has invaded their home through the WWW.
If you have a tip... a testimony... or a word of advice I can add to my presentations, please email or post a comment. The best resource to know what works is YOU!
Have a great week!
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6 comments:
Hey Mary Beth,
Nathan and I just started "txting with Pastor Nathan" with our youth group. Every night we txt a passage of scripture and short encouragement to any students that want to receive some life in their day. We got a huge response from the students and we have connected with some kids that haven't made the "jump" into Life with Christ yet. It's a simple way to encourage them in a language they get.
Heidi B
Where are these marriage retreats at? We went to one last year at Midland Celebration Center and really liked it. We're always looking for good marriage retreats. I had to look up the word retreat in the dictionary because I always find the term "marriage retreat" a bit ironic. So here's what I found:
Main Entry:
1re·treat Listen to the pronunciation of 1retreat
Pronunciation:
\ri-ˈtrēt\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English retret, from Anglo-French retrait, from past participle of retraire to withdraw, from Latin retrahere, from re- + trahere to draw
Date:
14th century
1 a (1): an act or process of withdrawing especially from what is difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable (2): the process of receding from a position or state attained b (1): the usually forced withdrawal of troops from an enemy or from an advanced position (2): a signal for retreating c (1): a signal given by bugle at the beginning of a military flag-lowering ceremony (2): a military flag-lowering ceremony
2: a place of privacy or safety : refuge
3: a period of group withdrawal for prayer, meditation, study, or instruction under a director
So I'm glad that the kind of marriage retreats you are speaking at are categorized under #2 and #3. But I think you can safely discuss how to carry out the #1a(1) definition in a marriage during an arguement. Like retreating to a different room to pray/vent to God instead of not retreating and choking your spouse. Alright, it's back to work for me, my wisdom has run out.
Gwen
Great Blog Mary Beth (as usual from mom's point of view).
Dad and I will certainly be praying for you and Steve that God will use you to encourage lasting, happy marriages.
I have no "Modern" advise but it never goes out of style to treat your spouse as you want to be treated...we have our moments but most of the time it works.
We have a couple in our church who have been married 60 plus years and she says we can't afford a divorce and I don't believe in murder, so here we are still together. Maybe they should have been to some of your retreats.
Love you...mom
Hey Mary Beth - where will you be speaking and what dates??
You already know this - but our kids do not have computers in their room. We supervise ALL online activity. I have their passwords to all sites (including e-mail) they are on - and I regularly check their activity. Weekly I check the computer history to make sure I'm not getting the wool pulled over my eyes :-) Chat rooms are NOT allowed and neither is my space. I so agree with you - the WORST thing we can do is close our eyes and hope they make the right choices because we don't want to deal with it. Sometimes we must have the courage to get in their business and make sure we protect them that way. They don't like it - no - but one day they will thank us and will have the same rules in their own households :-)
That's my internet advice. I also advise having a few good friends who will tell you the TRUTH about your kids when they see them making bad choices! I have "spies" as I call them and we regularly check in with each other to see if there is something going on with our kids that we need to be concerned about :-) Hopefully my kids don't read this post!!
Anyway - I could go on but it's all stuff you already know.
Have a good one and I will be praying that it goes wonderful for both of you and that many lives are touched!
Today is the 16th anniversary for my husband Phil and I. Actually, we have been together for some 24 years now, 16 of those being celebrated in marriage.
As I sit this evening reflecting on our life spent together, I still consider the one lesson learned from my parents-in-laws as the most important piece of advice in a marriage, outside of placing Christ as the centerpiece of our home...
As a young woman of 19-years-old, I met my wonderful husband, Phil. Very soon after, I heard my parents-in-laws say to me, "The way you keep your marriage together is to want more for the other person more than you want for yourself." they went on to say that if you do this, both people are completely happy and all the needs of your mate are met.
This life lesson has stood the test of time for Phil and I, as well. Did we always get it right, probably not. However, as we are celebrating our anniversary this evening, I still believe, and have living proof that the position of my parents-in-laws is one of the most powerful success tools of our marriage. After all, when you lay down your own selfish ambitions, and self-centered wants, and make a decision to make sure that your mates needs are placed before your own, love abounds, joy abounds, and, unity abounds. Best of all, each person's needs and desires end up being met.
I praise God that I heard this lesson at such a young age. I came from a family that had a broken marriage, and, it was all about that person, not someone else. So, for me to live this out is nothing short of the best blessing ever. Remember, though, nothing happens in your own strength. Christ must be the centerpiece of the marriage else this life lesson will not be successful.
Rox
Thanks!
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