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I haven’t been to a marriage conference before. I don’t think wild horses could drag my Hubby there so I’m no help at all. I’m wondering how did you get him to go to one!

Oh wait, you were wanting some encouragement. You’re going to have a good time because any alone time with your man is good for your FOMMM-LY. (I couldn’t resist)

I know the conference will be a blessing to you both. Not to mention being in the beautiful NC mountains in late October!

We’re currently doing a Bible Study on marriage at our church here in TX. Sacred Marriage. It has been a blessing to us and our marriage in so many ways. God is so good.

hmmm…

be open minded. and don’t apply everything you hear or learn to him (apply it to yourself).

Other than that, you’ll probably laugh and hold hands and learn that you’re way more normal than you could’ve ever hoped you be!

Take good notes for those of us who’d love to go to one but can’t right now!

Hey, you’ll be in my state! You’re gonna LOVE it in the mountains - it’s the perfect time to be there. It might actually be your favorite part of the conference! Hangin’ out with your hubby, enjoying God and His beautiful creation, nature walks, breathing the fall air, leaves changing, black bears surrounding the premises… ha ha! Just joshin’!!!

I’m not a big conference person, to be honest. But I have been to a few marriage conferences. I think my favorite part is having so much time with my husband. And to be able to spend it away from the hustle and bustle of every day life always gives us fresh perspective on our relationship, on our dreams for the future, and on all we’re involved in at the present. Also having older, wiser couples speaking into our lives and encouraging us is a great part of marriage conferences!

My mother-in-law is doing a women’s conference at Ridgecrest this weekend too! It’s called Wellspring Women’s Conference. How crazy is that?! I guess there’s always lots of different events going on there at once. You guys are gonna have a great time!

My husband and I have attended Tommy Nelson’s Song of Solomon conference three times. Either it really is that good, or we’re a little slow. I’d like to assume the former.

The first time we went we were engaged. AKA the everything is fabulous, we’ve got this whole marriage thing figured out stage. That was until he got up there and started talking about the 10 commandments of a healthy relationship. I had disobeyed about 8 of them.

Needless to say, it was a turning point in our relationship. It’s a conference that’s great for anyone, single or married. The first night is all about courtship and the second day is about marriage. So good!

First of all…everyone should experience Ridgecrest. It’s a great OLD place with lots of memories for Southern Baptists everywhere! Second…..the best part about a conference like this is the “being away” from all the busyness of life. You’ll realize pretty quick into the retreat that we are rushing through our lives. Meaning, we are too busy and the slow life is GOOD!

We tend to take better care of one another when we’re not balancing the world on our plate!

Have fun…enjoy the country cooking and making of new friends. Oh and the Word that God has just for you guys.

Blessings!

Joanna - I’m as surprised as anyone that my husband was so willing to go. He’s not a conference person, not a “hey let’s talk about our feelings” person - but when I mentioned it to him, he said, “Yeah. That sounds great.” I think seeing North Carolina in late October probably influenced his decision - plus, some friends of ours will also be there, so there’s lots of laughter in store.

Two more things I forgot to mention:

1) Lavonda, that’s good advice - I’ll remember that!

2) Wanda, I’ve never been to Ridgecrest before. I feel like I’m setting out on a Baptist rite-of-passage. :-)

We haven’t been to a marriage conference yet, but after 13 years, it might not be a bad idea. The name “Festival of Marriage” cracks me up. I love it! It sounds like you’ll be attending a masquerade ball and frolicking in the streets. I would definitely attend a “Fiesta of Marriage” because that would mean Mexican food!

two words: take kleenex

I’ve only been to one marriage seminar, and wow, it changed my life. Thankfully, it was near the end of my first marriage, but I carried the lesson to my second marriage and I feel it was beneficial.

In what key shall I sing FOMMMMMMM?

You know I have been praying for you both and for this since SA. I am praying for you both to be so very blessed and for God to speak to you both and pour out His favor upon you.

Love, Holly

PS My Chris and I have gone to about 7 or 8 Familiy Life marriage conferences. We always call them a good marriage check up. Sometimes, God has had us work on little details and sometimes God has spoken over some large areas in our lives. Every.single.time we have left the conference with a pretty huge decision that God wanted us to come to (like moving away—which we have done twice on His leading from these conferences.)

Please forgive me..but I keep thinking FESTIVUS (from Seinfeld)It is cracking me up. I am so excited to hear your thoughts on the conferenc. I would love to go to one, but finding someone to watch the littles is difficult. Please let us know how it goes! Love, Jenny

Ooh, you’re only a half-hour away from me! You certainly picked a good weekend to be here: I’m thinking our leaves will probably around peak then.

Have fun!!!

Sophie, You and your man are in for such a treat!!

Ridgecrest is always beautiful (I was there last week—the leaves are amazing!!) but the best part is that God is going to meet you there and don’t you know that He has great things planned!

Have a blessed time making a good marriage even better! Pat

Sophie,

I’m praying that you and the hubby have a great experience this weekend! Please say hello! It’s going to be very special with Dale and Jena Forehand keynoting and Travis leading worship…

Thanks for coming! Mark Satterfield - FOM coordinator

Sophie,

Have so much fun! Hubby just got back from that area a couple of weeks ago and he said the trees were starting to show their colors so you should be ALL SET with beautiful leaves.

We went to our first FOMMMMMM 3 years ago this very weekend. It is a wonderful time and the recommitment service is so beautiful at the end!!

Have fun and report back…with pictures! :)

Blessings, friend! Dori

Sophie, I’m so glad you are looking forward to your special weekend away. I know it’s going to be all you’re hoping for. Can’t wait to hear how it all went.

My husband and I have only been to one, but I would definitely go again.

The conference really opened us up and exposed the things that we had ignored for too long. I would love to say that it totally put him in is place and gave him all the things he’s doing wrong, but it pretty much put us both in our place and made us realize what we were doing wrong. We had a wonderful time. It was a great mix of laughs, tears and recommitment. At the final service the speaker had us all stand and together take our vows over again. It was amazing to hear one and fifty couples all renewing their vows in unison.

I look forward to hearing your report.

Five years ago I saw an attorney to see about getting a divorce. I had an affair over 25 years ago and even though I had asked God for forgiveness for failing to honor my marriage vows, I felt that I needed to be open and honest about what I had done and tell my wife. A VERY BIG MISTAKE! For two years my wife would not permit me to be intimate with me. Counseling did not help. I was advised by my minister and our counselor to get a divorce and that I could not make my wife love me. My doctor recommended a divorce so I could get on with my life. My counselor did not understand my wife’s behavior in view of all the loving things I did to show my love for her. My wife had such an angry spirit that made me want to do even more things to regain her trust. Nothing worked, I sent flowers on a regular basis, bought her gifts, wrote her poems, and never echanged anger when I was verbally abused by her on a regular basis. I bought many books written by Gary Chapman. I was working hard to save our marriage, but my wife seemed to have a heart of stone. I prayed, I cried, and finally deciced that she would not change. I learned of the Festival of Marriage being held at Myrtle Beach, SC and register us to attend. My daughter told me in confidence that her mother did not want to go. I had decided if she did not attend or if things did not change after our attendance to the conference that I would go through with the divorce. Interesting enough, I got a letter from my attorney stating that she would not go forward with the divorce as long as I wanted to save the marriage. There was gradual change with my wife after the conference and we have since attend three others at Ridge Crest, NC. June 29th we celebrated our 40th anniversary. There are still issues that disturb me that have affected me emotionally, but I chose to pray and hope that one day I will get my prayers answered. I have been acused of being to kind and treating my wife like a gueen. I shared some of the poems I wrote for my wife with one of the speakers at Ridge Crest. He told me that he was touched by them and recommended that I have them published. I thank God for saving our marriage. I have considered writing a book. Everything I read was about husbands who abused their wife both phyically and emotionally. I found nothing about husbands being abused. I have a three ring binder of notes and documentation of what was happening in our marriage over the two years tht I was treated badly by my wife. I feel that I was tested beyound belief, but with my faith in God I feel that I could offer some go insight into fighter to save a marriage when the other parnner seems unchangeable.

The Festival of Marriage was a great start for change in our marriage and we have made a committment to attend a oonference each year. I highly recommend that a couple with problems attend a oonference. I also recommend Dr. Gary Chapman’s books. Pray and don’t give up.