As one who works for the military and being raised by a father who served in the Army during WWII, we have a heart for those who serve. Those who are in the military (both directly serving and married to one who is) have a unique struggle. The military often requires long hours and even longer deployments, which is tough on marriages. The fact that many are new to the marriage makes this all the more difficult.

Please take the time to encourage and pray for any military couples you may know.

Recommended Reading:

FamilyLife Military Marriages Resources

Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives

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(71 customer reviews)

67 used & new available from $4.05

Called to Serve: Encouragement, Support, and Inspiration for Military Families

Price: $9.99

(7 customer reviews)

21 used & new available from $3.98

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I have previously written about how society loves to beat on marriage and how the typical depiction of marriage is as something that is to be suffered through or escaped from. Recently at a Christmas show I attended, the only marriage depicted in the production was a portrait of dysfunctional marriage. The husband was whipped and the wife was selfish to the extreme. And this was a Christian based production.

The reason I am such a big fan of the works of Sherwood Productions, is there depictions of what marriage should be. Their movie Fireproof was the first movie in years I have seen in the theaters that actually made me feel good about marriage. Along with their recent release of Courageous we finally are seeing husbands more than bumbling fools and wives as something other than life sucking vampires.

This report shows the importance action on the part of Christians to do all they can in support of marriage.  We need to show people that marriage is not obsolete, but it is vital for society. Marriage is the foundation of every culture.

Study after study has been released about how important a stable family is for child development, yet 39% of people say that marriage is obsolete. To me that is saying that 39% of people are saying that I do not care about our future as a society. If we really care about the future, then we should all be doing all we can to encourage marriages. Strong marriages build strong homes. Stong homes build strong communities. Strong communities build strong nations.

Please join us in praying for marriages, encouraging couples to pray together, promote marriage events (Art of Marriage & Weekend To Remember), and to show the world that not only we are glad we are married, but that there is more security, fun, comfort, and sex in marriage as God intended.

Recommended Reading:

The Four Seasons of Marriage

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Sacred Marriage: What If God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy

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Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts: Seven Questions to Ask Before and After You Marry

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(75 customer reviews)

90 used & new available from $5.58

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One website allows you to See how many Kardashians you have been married.  A “Kardashian” is defined as a unit of measure representing 72 days of marriage.  Kelly and I have been married for ‎90.68 Kardashians and still counting.  For us, forever is till death do us part.  We are in it for the long haul.  The time to get out of it was before you said your vows.  After that, all your efforts should not be towards making the best of it, but to having a rich fulfilling marriage.

So we are not going to try and keep up with the Kardashians.  Rather we are doing so much more by actually holding to our vows.  So I guess I need to say the we are Keeping Up With Our Marriage.

Marriage is meant to be so much more…

Starting Your Marriage Right: What You Need to Know in the Early Years to Make It Last a Lifetime

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The Marriage You’ve Always Wanted

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(21 customer reviews)

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A Lasting Promise: A Christian Guide to Fighting for Your Marriage

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(18 customer reviews)

173 used & new available from $0.63

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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As a couple who have been devoting ourselves to marriage ministry, this summed up what we have been dealing with in our community. While doing premarital counseling we see the joy and excitement these young couple have at the start. Where do they lose that feeling?

In time the marriage is tarnished with disappointments. Those quirks are no longer funny, but annoying. We have seen past the makeup and perfume. The mystery and excitement are no more. But does it have to be that way?

After the first year the infatuation is usually gone. The lust has been tempered. It is at this time we need to remember why we married. We married to love each other, to have a lifelong companion. Over time if we actually work on our marriage we should be closer, we should know how to love each other deeper, we should be able to please each other more.

My catch phrase is, “Marriage is meant to be so much more!” I am not sad to say I am married. I am overjoyed that I have a spouse to love and hold. We love each other more. Our sex life is getting constantly better.

Has it always been easy? No way! We have had to work at it. We have been bathed in fire. Having worked through it together, we are that much closer and our marriage is much stronger.

What can we do to not just keep our marriage healthy, but to make it so much more?

• Pray with your spouse. Studying all the stats has shown that, the divorce rate is almost zero for those that pray together daily.
• Date your spouse. Just because you are married, it does not mean the fun or pursuit should stop.
• Find a Christian accountability part. You need someone to hold you to your vows and help work through issues.
• Leave your patents/childhood family. Never complain about your spouse to family and break off the dependence.

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15 Inexpensive Dating Ideas

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See also Heratage Foutation’s Article: Obama Drops Pretense, Administration Will Not Defend DOMA

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Call 1-800-889-5265 and tell them you are part of Jay Tidwell’s group.

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Please check out our group page to learn more and get our awesome group rate:

http://www.familylife.com/groups/twogetherministries

I want to let you know that Sara Groves, a Christian recording artist, will present a concert at the Gaylord National Resort at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday February 12.  Couples registered for that WTR will be able to attend the concert free.  Hopefully this will enhance couples date night experience. For those not attending the WTR, tickets can also be purchased for $10/person in advance http://www.itickets.com/events/256508.html or 1-800-965-9324 or $15/person at the door.

Spring Weekend to Remember Schedule:

• February 11-13                  Gaylord National Resort – National Harbor, MD
• February 25-27                  Hershey Lodge – Hershey, PA
• March 11-13                       Reston Hyatt - Reston, VA
• March 18-20                       Baltimore Hyatt Inner Harbor – Baltimore, MD
• March 25-27                       Skytop Lodge - Poconos, PA
• April 29-May 1                   Skytop Lodge – Poconos, PA
• These are the one nearest the DC area. Other locations and dates are available.

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All Christians need to support marriage as not only a sacred institution, but as a central building block of our society. Kelly, my wife, sees first hands the results of the downfall of marriage in her work with teenage mothers in our area. “Marriage is meant to be so much more!”

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Come out and enjoy Mark Cable and The Great Date Night!

Friday November 5th, 7:30pm at First Baptist Church in Martinsburg, WV!

All couples are welcome!

Tickets are only $10 per couple!

Reply with any question.

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