According to Lilies

The Blog of Joshua Hughes, Worship Minister at Four Oaks Community Church.

August 11, 2009

Marriage Retreat

Recently Katie and I got away for a few days to celebrate our fourth anniversary and to take part in a do-it-yourself marriage retreat.  Some friends in the church were kind and generous to provide a place for us to get away, and Reagan had a grand time hanging out with my parents and Aunt Jessica.  The materials we used for the retreat are produced by 9marks ministries, and it was a rich time for us.  You can get get the materials here.  I can’t recommend it highly enough.  I was amazed by how many of the questions in the materials I had never asked before, or hadn’t in a long time.  I was freshly aware of my responsibility to contend for my family and to care for my wife with intentionality. 

As I’ve heard Pastor Paul Gilbert say many times, we will either take our cues for how we relate to one another in marriage from the world or from God’s word.  I was provoked by our time away to move more toward the latter.  Husbands, even if it’s not possible to get away for a night or two, I’d highly recommend reading over the document linked on the 9marks site and consider how you might more intentionally care for the wife God has given you to love, protect and cherish. 

posted by Joshua Hughes