Summary of September 23 Care Group

Homework for next care group: READ CHAPTER ONE!!!

Thanks to Cheryl for the amazing Apple/Walnut Cake!

We sang the hymn "How Deep the Father's Love For Us." Tony read from II Cor 12:7-10 "So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." He then asked us to recall either a specific incident or season in our marriages where we saw that God was with us, leading and guiding, and now we give thanks to Him for His faithfulness. Themes discussed were:

-Trials can be a testimony to God's faithfulness as we see His loving help and care.
-We sense the Everlasting Arms of our Father when we are in need.
-Through any and every season of marriage we must keep trusting God.
-We are thankful to see God's sovereignty in the situations where God alone could have helped so wonderfully and saved us!
-Even during a time when we aren't understanding God's plan we can continue to have faith and even be willing to suffer because we know He is with us and is in control.
-God is with us through dark nights of the soul and honors our committment to our spouses and to Him.
-The gospel sets things right in our marriages. It can keep us from getting way off-center, and can prevent us from putting even "godly" things in a wrong position in our marriages.
-After all these years we give thanks to God for how He has worked in both of us for His glory and our good.

We truly sensed that God was pleased with our discussion and ended with a quote from Job "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you." We all are so glad to have opportunities to share about and process how God is specifically helping us and keeping our marriages fresh and honoring to Him.

Summary of September 7 Care Group

Thanks to Debbie for the most amazing marshmallow treats and a great bundt cake!

We are starting the book by Dave Harvey "When Sinners Say I Do." Tony asked us all what our hope was for this book journey. Here are some responses:
-to be more considerate and loving
-to be more skilled at tracking my sinful cravings and selfishness that triggers all sorts of problems in marriage and life in general
-to have help seeing the workings of my heart
-to see sin for what it is and then be able to receive and give grace more freely
-that God would reveal sin in my life and deal with it so that our marriage could be better
-I want to finish well and give glory to God.
-The potential of Christ being glorified in marriage is exciting. It takes time. It's a picture of Christ and the Church. There's a greater, grand purpose.
-to value God's grace "Till sin be bitter, Christ be not sweet."
-to keep my eyes fixed on Him as he leads, guides and causes growth
-to not think more highly of myself than I ought
-to grow in demonstrating the unconditional love of God
-God is more interested in changing us and making us more fruitful than we are, and it's all for His glory!