Apr - June 2024 - Quarterly encouragement
Encouragement and Unity!
Have you ever needed encouragement in your marriage? Or maybe needed hope to get through a tough circumstance or to believe that a situation with your spouse would eventually get better? If you have (and we all have!), where did you turn to for inspiration in times like these? Well, we hope that after you read this email you will be reminded and encouraged that going to the Word of God and listening to the Holy Spirit is the ultimate source of encouragement, hope and inspiration for your marriage, and even graces you to live in a level of unity with your spouse beyond what the two of you could achieve on your own!
This Month's Scripture:
Whatever was written beforehand is meant to instruct us in how to live (within our marriage). The Scriptures impart to us (our marriage) encouragement and inspiration so that we can live in hope and endure all things (with our spouse). Now may the God of great endurance and comfort (for you in your marriage) grace you with unity among yourselves (you and your spouse), which flows from your relationship Jesus, the Anointed One.
Romans 15:4-5 - The Passion Translation (parentheses added for emphasis)
A MINUTE for your MARRIAGE:
Isn't it amazing that whatever you are facing in your marriage, God has already given us instructions on how deal with it in His written Word? The questions now become are you reading the Word, listening to Him and then following it? Because if you are, then you will find that there is an encouragement and an inspiration that comes upon you in a supernatural fashion that cannot be attained by any other source!
So many marriages are facing circumstances that may seem overwhelming or impossible to bear. However, if you continually plant the Word of God in your heart, you will start living with a newfound hope and endurance that will help you get through any situation! As you learn to go to the Word as your primary source of encouragement, you will start to find yourself able to endure and withstand any demonic attacks on your marriage! And allow us to let you in on a widely forgotten truth: your battles are in the spiritual realm, and NOT with flesh and blood (your spouse, another person, etc.). And the battle has already been won! We just need to plant the Word, believe the Word and meditate on the Word until we see it come to pass!
God wants to use His Word to grace us with the ability to walk in unity with our spouse, regardless of the circumstances around us, but this does not just "happen" because two people say they love each other. Instead, this grace comes from our relationship with Jesus and with the Word! So, if we are not continually feeding on the Word, and being encouraged by the Word, then it becomes that much more difficult to walk in unity with our spouse, especially when challenging circumstances arise!
And just as the Word will give you the grace and encouragement that you need, it is only time spent with the Holy Spirit that will give you the specifics about what you and your spouse need to do from a practical standpoint to overcome your situation! So don’t neglect spending time praying in the Spirit and listening to Him!
And like we say at the end of every one of our emails, if you ever face a situation in which you think you need more strength than you seemingly have, remember that There's A Grace For That!
Be Graced! - Russell & Amber