A Valentine Weekend to Remember

This past week we hosted a Romantic Reflections marriage retreat at The Lodge. This three-day marriage celebration for pastors and their wives is designed to offer a relaxing, refreshing retreat while highlighting and renewing the romantic side of marriage.

The daily demands of ministry can sometimes overpower a couples’ priorities. We’ve seen God rescue marriages on the brink of divorce and bless strong marriages with new commitment. The following is a paraphrase of a pastor’s story of how God worked during a recent retreat.

My wife and I we’re driving to the Romantic Reflections weekend at the Life Action Lodge, during Valentine’s week, no less. You’d think we would be talking about happy things, but our relationship had become so tense over the years that while we drove, we even mentioned the possibility of divorce.

Later, when we sat around the table with the other couples after the Valentine meal, Ed (our host) said he wasn’t going to teach right then; he just wanted to ask us a couple of questions and have us go around and take turns answering. I was dreading that! How do you be honest about all the junk in your marriage—and me a pastor, no less?

Ed’s questions were, “How has God shown His love to you this year?” and “How do you see God’s love displayed in your spouse?” Needless to say, I wasn’t the first to respond; in fact, I just sat there and listened to the other couples.

As I listened, though, God’s Spirit started doing an overpowering work in my heart. I can’t even explain it. You’d think a pastor would be really good at this kind of thing, but I think what was happening was that God was breaking me and calling me to repentance, which hadn’t exactly been my lifestyle lately.

As the last person shared, I finally spoke to the other men in the group. I said, “I don’t know what to say. You are all so ahead of me in this. In fact, I’m surprised my wife is still even with me.” I told them we had used the “D” word on the drive over. By this time I was crying as I talked (sure didn’t plan that!), and my wife was sobbing. Some Valentine’s date!

But it’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay. As Ed stood praying over me and my wife, God started restoring our love for each other.

We go home today, and boy am I energized! I can’t wait to get back to my home, my kids, my church, and tell them what God has done. How can so much change in the space of a just few days, even during a dinner conversation? Somebody’s been praying for us!

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for The Lodge, for Ed and Gayle, for people who care, for what You did this week, for what You’re going to do in our home and church, and for Your power to change anyone—even a pastor and his family!

We are praising the Lord for the way He is using The Lodge ministry to help refresh and renew pastors and leaders. You can learn more about The Lodge by visiting www.ReatreatAtTheLodge.org.

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