FIGHTING & FORGIVING

 

Hey there, friends! As a lot of you probably have seen via our social media, Aaron and I recently attended the FamilyLife Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! This trip was so encouraging and filling that I wanted to dive a little deeper into some of the things we both learned and taught.

 

The mission and vision of FamilyLife has been the same for over 40 years of ministry:

 

Mission → “To effectively develop godly families who change the world one home at a time”

Vision → “Every home a godly home”

 

Aaron and I truly felt so honored to be invited to this ministry that cares so much about family and marriage.

 

They are loaded with resources about how to pursue the relationships that matter the most in our lives. They are not only passionate about families, but they exist to help families grow together as a unit that impacts their corner of the world.

 

Most of what our children contribute to the world is first learned in our home. And if we commit to a home that is Jesus and Gospel-first, we will reflect Jesus outside of our homes.

 

 

For several years, FamilyLife has been hosting their Love Like You Mean It cruise that helps couples take their relationships deeper. We truly believe that in order for parents to love their families well, they need to love one another well.

If we are loving and serving Christ and each other, that is one of the best examples we can give our children.

 

We heard story after story about how people’s marriages were restored and revived from a week on a boat. We met people who have been going for 5-6 years and they put it on their calendar every single year. They love getting poured into by amazing teachers and having intentional time with one another.

 

With that said, we were incredibly humbled to be there and have the opportunity to speak into marriages.

 

The topic that Aaron and I spoke on was Fighting and Forgiving, two topics that are chapters in our COMPLEMENT book which was released last year.

Believe me, I know that these are two huge topics and can feel like a mountain to tackle. It’s definitely not something that can be wrapped up in a 40-minute talk.

 

BUT the good news is that there’s grace, and we don’t have to have victory overnight.

 

So we came up with two key points:

 

  1. Fight with an end in mind
  2. Forgive with the cross in mind

 

I think we often make it more complicated than it needs to be. Is fighting difficult? Yes. 

Does that mean it can’t be resolved?

 

Absolutely not.

 

Learn to fight well, knowing that there is an end to the conflict if you commit to finding the end together, and that end is UNITY.

 

Forgive one another with the cross in mind, knowing that Christ has forgiven you. Me. Us.

 

If you want to learn more about FamilyLife cruises, you can visit this link.

 

Also, if you’re interested in joining us on a cruise, we’re heading on another one later this year with Lysa TerKeurst! You can find out all the details HERE.