Marriage was not designed to be a 100-yard dash. It has its own pace, and goes through seasons where it may feel like a sprint, but it is merely one part of a much longer race. FamilyLife, a great marriage ministry, once interviewed people who had been married at least fifty years and asked them for one piece of advice to give to those in the midst of the marriage marathon. Below is the list of “Top Ten” responses…

• You need a Savior.  Putting two sinners together for a lifetime makes this a priority.
• Stay committed to one another.  Love is not a feeling. It’s a decision that needs to be renewed regularly, especially when the relationship is struggling.
• Pray with your spouse.  This takes us away from a “me first” mentality and opens the spousal needs to each other.
• Forgive one another.  Remind yourself that if God can forgive you of all your sins, we are to do no less for our spouses. (More on that topic in a later blog…)
• Realize that there is no such thing as a perfect spouse.  And no, we probably aren’t going to be able to ”fix” their flaws.
• Have faith that God knows what He is doing.
• Trust that God gives grace and direction as you trust Him. Regardless of what life throws at you, this is paramount for your marriage to thrive.
• You will need to make compromises.  No, you can’t always have your way.
• Be objective and try to take emotion out of problem solving opportunities.  Don’t let a slip of the tongue escalate into a battle.
• Love your spouse.  In what you say, do, and think. That love can only come from God.

If your marriage feels a little stale, I would encourage you to get out of the rut you are in. Try dating your spouse all over again. 

For any questions or concerns in your marriage, please feel free to reach out!

Eric Stockholm
estockholm@fblr.org
Biblical Counselor

       What do you think of when you hear the word middle school?  If you are like me, you think of all things awkward.  First awkward school dance, first crush, a mouth full of braces and so forth.  In fact, one of my most embarrassing memories has to do with a middle school dance.  I  got up the courage to ask a boy to dance and he told me he needed to go to the bathroom first.  Then, he somehow ducked out of the back because I never saw him again that night.  I want to believe he got sick and had to leave early, but I know better....it was the odd velvet dress I had on despite it being decently warm outside (see above for proof).  Thanks mom.

        There is just no way around it.  Middle school is hard.  You don't fit in with the younger kids, but you are certainly not old enough to hang with the seniors.  You are "stuck in the middle" and we have found that church is no exception.  

        So, how do we handle this at FBLR?  Continue to look the other way, or meet the students  where they are?  We have decided, without a doubt, we must meet them where they are.  We are pulling our 6th-8th graders and becoming laser focused on what they need during this transition from children's ministry to high school ministry.  We are writing our programming with their needs and the needs of their parents in mind.  We are working hard to have just the right amount of food, fun, outreach, and discipleship in place while doing it.  

        How does that look?  It looks like the main event being held on Sunday morning from 9:00 until 10:00.  Students will start with worship, transition to games and Bible, and head to the service at 10:15.  Then, on Wednesday night it looks like breaking bread together with a meal and intensive discipleship from 5:45-7:30.  There will be other opportunities on Sunday afternoon to hang out and deepen relationships.
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      Join us Sunday at 10:15 to get a copy of their schedule or check back on our website often for updates.  Together, we can tackle this time and come out stronger on the other side!

Tamra Norman
Discipleship and Outreach