A surrendered pen {from a marriage and parent perspective}

Our community just had the privilege of having Eric and Leslie Ludy, best-selling authors of, When God Writes Your Love Story, here over the weekend to speak to adolescents and young adults on the topic of surrendering their love life over to God – the One who knows you better than you know yourself and, believe it or not, who cares more about this area of your life than you do.

For adolescents and young adults, it was a powerful message, challenging them to consider being faithful to their spouse - as though they exist (they do!) - before they ever meet them. A challenge to proceed in life as though their future spouse could see every decision they make. A powerful concept with a "beyond your dreams" romantic storyline, and so much more, encompassed this two-day event.

Nearly five hundred people shuffled through the doors Friday night to listen to Eric and Leslie’s hilarious, dynamic, and tell-it-to-you-straight speaking style. Although they targeted the single audience, much was to be gained for married couples, as well as, for parents.

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There was much to be gleaned for marriages.

A God-centered relationship/marriage will always point each other to Christ. When the highest goal in our relationship is the others growth in their relationship with Christ, the focus then is taken off of ourselves and the self-serving conception of what our spouse can do for us. Christ meets every need we have so that we are free to love our spouse without expectation, primarily driven by our own unhealthy baggage.

In a God-centered marriage, a wife will look most beautiful and radiant to her husband when thriving in a relationship with Christ. (Personally speaking, this is the most attractive attribute to me in my husband...such strength and courage in the man that God has created him to be. It is incomparable.)  

When we look to Christ first, we stop looking to our spouse to meet all of the desires of our hearts, which Christ alone can fulfill.

Let the man be the man. He was created to be a warrior. That is, to risk his very life for his wife, family, and for what he believes. We, as wives, play a huge part in whether or not our men step up to that position. Let them lead.

A God-centered marriage grows more beautiful with time, as opposed to disillusioned over time.

In the good times and the bad, marriage is a glorious taste of heaven when the Author of romance holds the pen.~ Leslie Ludy

There was also much to be gleaned for parents.

As a parent, I am reminded to pray for my children’s spiritual lives and their future spouses continuously. This is an area I won’t have control over in their future and ultimately, God will, as they allow Him.

As a parent, I am reminded that I am laying the foundation for success in the area of love and relationships in my children’s lives.

As a parent, I am reminded that I am providing the training ground for who my children will become one day i.e. how does brother treat sister and mom – training ground for how he will treat his wife one day.

As a parent, I am reminded that what I teach now does make a difference. I am the most impressionable person in my children’s lives as a mother of preschoolers (0 – Kindergarten).

As a parent, I am reminded that my life and relationship with Jesus Christ will be the role-model for my children…not just my words.

As a parent, I am reminded that Rob and my marriage should point our children to Christ as they see that our marriage points each other to Christ.

Although the concentration for the weekend was the surrender of our love lives and targeted toward singles, the bigger picture and how it applies to all of us is in the surrender of every part of our lives to Christ.

Where ever we are – single or married; with child or childless – when we surrender the pen of every part of our lives to Christ, He will take our circumstance – right where we are – and create a magnificent story.

The event "core" team (minus two) with Eric and Leslie Ludy