Finding Joy in Memories: D&D Ministries’ Weekend Trip
Family life · Infant Death · ministry

Finding Joy in Memories: D&D Ministries’ Weekend Trip

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Last weekend D&D Ministries headed to Indiana and Illinois. I was scheduled to speak at Camp Assurance in Danville, IL and then Dale preached and I taught the ladies’ Sunday school class in a church in New Richmond, OH.

I was excited to be going through Indiana – our “old stomping grounds.” We lived there for fourteen years – those were the years we raised our girls, and had some of the most difficult seasons of our lives. There were hard ministry issues, the death of our second daughter, a meager salary, and long work hours for Dale.

But as the Lord often does, He turned those difficulties into some of the most precious blessings, and also loaded us with many joys that outnumbered our sorrows. Of course we couldn’t see and recognize all those good things at the time. Those kind of perspectives sometimes take years to see. As we drove through the cities where we lived and served, the memories flooded my heart. But there were a couple other events that truly brought the emotions.

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Packing for the Journey of Marriage
Marriage

Packing for the Journey of Marriage

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You can listen to this post here on Refresh Her podcast. (There appears to have been some kind of strange glitch in the upload today, and I’ve tried to repost the episode. If it has my voice doubled over the introduction, just fast forward about 25 seconds and the rest should be clear. So strange!)

There’s nothing like packing for a trip, only to arrive at your destination to find that you left something important behind. When you got married, you had “packed your luggage” – not just for your honeymoon. You had filled your fiancé’s life with what you both felt would get you through this journey of marriage. What brought you together? Something had to have been “packed and ready ”between you and your mate.  What was it?  What attracted you to your spouse?  What kind of fun did you have in those early days?  Have you revisited those memories lately?

In Genesis 24, we get a little picture of the beginning of Isaac and Rebekah’s marriage.  There were many attributes packed into Rebekah’s character that Isaac could admire. Their story has some great lessons for our marriages and reminders of the things we need to be sure to bring along all the years we are married.

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Ingredients for a Healthy Marriage
Marriage

Ingredients for a Healthy Marriage

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I love the exchange of a recipe card. It’s written in the handwriting of the giver. There was an occasion that transpired that brought the request for the recipe. Perhaps a shared meal in a home, a church function, or a family reunion. The recipe was too good to not enjoy again, so the request was made-

Will you share your recipe with me?

We know others will enjoy it, so we make the recipe, and the process is likely to be repeated.

I think the same is true of good advice or teaching. When we hear something that could benefit others, it should be shared so they can enjoy it, too. Last weekend my husband shared solid, practical marriage counsel for enjoying a joy-filled relationship. It’s too good not to share with you!

Five things that will destroy a marriage…

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Trust God’s Hand, Part 2
acceptance · Sovereignty · trust

Trust God’s Hand, Part 2

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You can listen to this post here on Refresh Her.
Part 1 of this lesson begins here, if you missed it.

When there is a problem and things are going rough, it’s so easy for me to jump in and try to “figure it out” for the Lord! But His ways are so much higher, and I have learned that I must trust Him, rather than getting in His way. Sometimes I simply fret and worry, instead of enjoying the peace of knowing He will work it all out.

Continue reading “Trust God’s Hand, Part 2” →