Welcome to
Marriage in God's Hands.
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I'm Willie Lee, your host,
and our co-host for the day
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is Wilma Lee.
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Welcome. Today we get to
talk about an exciting topic:
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marriage and children.
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And we have had plenty
of experience with that,
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have we not? Enough!
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Enough. Well, let's have a
word of prayer before we begin.
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Dear Lord. Thank you so
much for blessing our marriage
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with children. And we pray,
dear Lord, that those who are
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watching and those who are
experiencing children will also
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gain from our talk
today from Your Word.
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Since children are
a gift from You, Lord,
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we know that You are
interested in this topic.
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Please bless us
as we discuss it.
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In the name of Jesus
we pray, Amen and Amen.
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Well, the Bible is very
clear from the very beginning
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when God told Adam and Eve
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to be fruitful and multiply.
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And they produced
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after their kind.
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And, of course,
immediately after sin there were
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difficulties
with their children.
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And not both of their
children but one in particular
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that was
mentioned. And we have a
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situation in which children
today are very much a part of
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the landscape of family.
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In fact, they
center on families.
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And children are the
center of all of those types
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of situations.
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Well, I think that
children are a challenge, but
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I think children are also
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one of the reasons parents stay
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on their knees. That's true.
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Children will keep you
on your knees, won't they?
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HELP, LORD, PLEASE!
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But the Psalmist says
something that's very special,
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and we want to share
that from God's Word.
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Psalm 127, verses
3 through 5, reads:
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"Children are a gift from
the Lord; they are a reward
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from Him. Children born to a
young man are like sharp arrows
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in a warrior's
hands. How happy is the man
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whose quiver is full of them. "
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Um-hmm. "He will not be
put to shame when he confronts
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his accusers at
the city gates. "
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So, children have been provided
for the family to be able to
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grow and to
develop and to once again
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give an indication of
what the image of God is
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and to help restore that
image - even in the growth and
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development of children.
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Well, I think
that it is a blessing
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to realize that
the God who created us,
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who formed us and
continues to work with us
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as we grow and develop,
feels that He can entrust us
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with children to train
up and nurture for Him.
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And I'm always
surprised that He would do that.
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Of course, there would be those
who would want to shoo children
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away even as the disciples
thought Jesus did not want
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to be bothered with children.
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But children
found Jesus attractive,
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and they warmed to
Him just seeing Him around
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and knowing Him.
They could sense...
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and children have that
sense... that He was someone
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who cared about them.
And He spoke about that
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different times: in
Matthew the 18th chapter verse 3
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and in Mark 9, verses 37 and 42.
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Jesus couches remarks around
children as a part of whom
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He wanted to be a part of
and whom He thought would be
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a good
representation of God's kingdom.
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Well, I just can imagine
Jesus having children on His lap
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climbing around Him,
and I just think that that's
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wonderful because - you know,
it didn't seem to perturb Him
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that children probably
weren't as clean and as tidy
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as they ought to be.
But that didn't bother them,
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and the fact that children
thought that that was OK...
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that He was an OK
person to come to...
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makes me love Jesus even more.
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Because children know
people that are welcoming
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and are safe to come
to, and they knew that Jesus
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was that type of person.
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I guess we have to talk about
that because even though we use
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the word clean
as they ought to be,
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children are
children, aren't they?
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And they haven't changed
from generation to generation
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as younger children are still
a bundle of energy and joy.
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But that energy has
an effect upon marriage -
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yes - because that energy
can be directed any which way
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and it can cause a marriage
to have to reorder itself
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when children come along.
Yes! So, we are here to talk
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about the effect of children
on a marriage. Now, I'm sure
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many of you could probably tell
us about children in marriage.
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But we want to be able to share
this because there are many
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who don't know
what is acceptable,
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what is not acceptable,
and don't understand that many
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of the things that they
are feeling and experiencing
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in marriage today are a
direct result of having to
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make a place for the
children in their relationship
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but yet without destroying
the growth of the marriage
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relationship. Well, I
think one of the first things
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that happens - you talk about
energy - is that parents run out
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of energy because
children have this strange thing
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about their clock: it
doesn't match adult clocks.
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So, people don't get sleep.
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That's the first
thing that happens!
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And therefore your
energy is kind of diluted.
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And the thing
that I notice now...
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well, even back when we had
children and I was not working
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outside the home... you
know, I really need my sleep.
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I need my 8 hours, and our
children didn't understand that
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real well. And so when they woke
up in the middle of the night,
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it was really difficult for me
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because I didn't understand
why somebody would want to
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interrupt my sleep. Well,
that's before you understood
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that children are blessed...
are a blessing from the Lord.
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And when they - yes -
are a blessing from the Lord,
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then you have to
reorder your life around them
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and still get the
appropriate amount of rest. Yes.
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So it takes that
reordering to have that happen.
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But more than that, the Bible
also gives some injunctions
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about raising children.
When you look into Ephesians
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the 6th chapter, it
talks about the possibility
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that, if you're not careful,
you might even abuse children
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or you might treat them in ways
that are abusive or not healthy
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in the relationship.
And as we deal with the
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marriage situation, there
are many different systems
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at work in a marriage.
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And a lot of times we don't
understand that those systems
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are at work. Those are family
systems that have sub-systems
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in them. And children are
a sub-system all their own.
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But we also have our parents
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who are the family of
origin of the husband,
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the family of
origin of the wife...
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and they love
their grandchildren.
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Oh, yes. Isn't it interesting
how the parents that raised you
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are not who the
grandparents are?
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In fact, you wonder who these
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people are who suddenly become
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grandparents because it's
like they've lost their minds.
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They do strange things
when they become grandparents.
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Things they never did when
you were a child in their house!
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Right! But now that
they're grandparents,
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nothing is too much or too
good for their grandchildren.
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Oh, my goodness! I think we
were fortunate that neither set
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of grandparents lived in
town because it was enough
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when they came to visit.
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Yeah, visiting grandparents
who leave and then you have to
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pick up behind them and
bring things back to normal.
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Or, if things were
normal when they came...
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You know, even in
Ephesians 6:4 it tells us that
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we do have a
responsibility. In verse 4:
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"Don't make your children
angry by the way you treat them.
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Rather bring them up with
the discipline and instruction
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approved by the Lord. "
So, the marriage means that
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there must be planning and there
must be a disciplinary system.
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And often times, because
we came from different homes
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where the systems were
different, there is at least
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two different ways of discipline
that our marriage must begin
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to talk about and activate.
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And that's where
the difficulty comes.
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There's your way,
and then there's my way.
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But somehow we should understand
that we have that challenge
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and develop our own way
according to God's Word.
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And then when you add
multiple children - um hmm -
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with their own
personalities and temperaments,
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and you find out that discipline
can't be a one-size-fits-all,
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then you really have challenges
when you talk about parenting
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children because, you know,
unfortunately nobody gives you
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an instruction for
how to raise children.
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Well, without
getting into the parenting,
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this is a source
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of some conflict...
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yes... in the marriage.
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And that's one reason
why we highly recommend
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along with most who are
Christian leaders and counselors
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that there be pre-marital
sessions between a prospective
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husband and wife. Because all
these discussions and all these
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types of things should have some
place that they have developed
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as a comfort zone. As a
place where when you get to have
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children you have already begun
to discuss how you would like
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to discipline those children.
What was it like in your house?
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What is it like in our house
of origin? My house of origin?
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And then decide now that we
are together, are we going to
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create like yours? Like
mine? Or somewhere in between?
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Or something totally different
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based upon our
understanding of God's Word?
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So, as a couple...
there's a challenge.
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And that challenge is under-
standing how we're not going to
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allow the children to divide us.
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Well, I think it's
even more primary than that
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because, you know, some couples
come up to this discussion
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and find that one didn't
even plan to have children.
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Oh, my! And then there
is a big challenge because
00:12:04.91\00:12:09.45
now we're expecting a child
and somebody's really not happy.
00:12:09.55\00:12:15.19
And think about the
challenge that is to a marriage.
00:12:15.39\00:12:19.01
So, we've got a couple
of layers here, don't we?
00:12:19.21\00:12:22.31
Yes. We've got the
expectation of children
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and then maybe one
wasn't ready for them then.
00:12:25.11\00:12:30.45
Um-hmm. OK. Because I'm hoping
that if there was a decision
00:12:30.65\00:12:34.47
not to have children at all that
certainly that was expressed
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and there were plans made
to make sure that you followed
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through with that. But,
let's say that for some reason
00:12:42.78\00:12:46.63
there was not the kind
of discussion about how
00:12:46.83\00:12:51.14
the children were planned... how
they were going to be spaced...
00:12:51.24\00:12:53.57
How it's going to
affect the marriage.
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How it's going to
affect the work, the income.
00:12:55.62\00:12:57.75
All of these are issues
that you have gone through
00:12:57.95\00:13:01.65
in your marriage, I'm sure.
And many of you could tell us
00:13:01.75\00:13:05.48
many good stories, and some
of us can tell horror stories
00:13:05.58\00:13:09.06
about what happened. But,
these are necessary things -
00:13:09.16\00:13:12.59
that's right - because
children are a blessing.
00:13:12.69\00:13:14.07
But in order to
continue to be a blessing,
00:13:14.17\00:13:16.64
we must follow God's plan.
00:13:16.74\00:13:19.03
So, when we come back we will
talk a little bit more about
00:13:19.13\00:13:22.10
that and other areas where
children bring special needs
00:13:22.20\00:13:27.39
into the
development of the marriage.
00:13:27.49\00:13:30.03
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Welcome back to
Marriage in God's Hands.
00:14:16.09\00:14:18.61
We have been actively discussing
00:14:18.71\00:14:21.10
some things even while we were
00:14:21.20\00:14:22.84
away on break because
00:14:22.94\00:14:24.60
this gets to be pretty exciting
00:14:24.70\00:14:26.87
when we are talking about the
different modes of married life
00:14:27.07\00:14:32.54
that will emerge when children
come that you did not plan on.
00:14:32.74\00:14:37.23
And things begin to happen...
and, if you don't follow a plan,
00:14:38.20\00:14:42.77
it will disrupt a marriage.
00:14:42.87\00:14:45.77
And it can cause a lot
of conflict and dissention
00:14:45.97\00:14:49.82
in the home. And that's
not what you want to create.
00:14:49.93\00:14:52.83
That's not the environment
00:14:52.94\00:14:53.99
that we need to
create for our children.
00:14:54.09\00:14:56.34
Well, one of the things you do
00:14:56.54\00:14:58.14
know when you have children...
00:14:58.24\00:14:59.58
Even though you have a plan,
00:14:59.68\00:15:01.78
things never go as you
00:15:01.88\00:15:03.65
planned them
because with children...
00:15:03.75\00:15:07.04
You know, I can think of some of
the Sabbaths we got ready to go
00:15:07.24\00:15:10.60
to church and everybody
would be dressed, clean.
00:15:10.70\00:15:13.89
And you would pick up this
child put it over your shoulder
00:15:13.99\00:15:16.72
and... oops! That would
mean starting all over again.
00:15:16.82\00:15:20.86
So things never
went exactly as planned.
00:15:21.07\00:15:24.64
So you learn a lot about
flexibility with children.
00:15:24.84\00:15:29.82
All right. So we are talking
about exercising some of the
00:15:29.92\00:15:32.53
same values that create a
good environment for growth
00:15:32.63\00:15:38.23
and development
of a marriage: humor,
00:15:38.33\00:15:42.02
um-hmm, flexibility,
um-hmm, right. Commitment!
00:15:42.12\00:15:44.83
Time. Time! All those things
you have to go through again
00:15:45.03\00:15:48.92
now with children. Definitely.
00:15:49.02\00:15:52.06
Because they are part of
the picture, and it becomes
00:15:52.16\00:15:54.91
even more critical
that you keep the principles
00:15:55.01\00:15:58.62
involved because
the plans WILL change.
00:15:58.72\00:16:02.18
For certain and for sure
you know your plans will change.
00:16:02.38\00:16:07.08
But the one thing we do know
is that the kind of environment
00:16:07.29\00:16:10.28
that you set up in your marriage
is going to be a culture
00:16:10.38\00:16:16.37
that is going to
instruct your children...
00:16:16.47\00:16:19.88
hmmm... of how to deal
with various areas of life
00:16:20.08\00:16:23.83
including spirituality
00:16:23.93\00:16:27.10
and having God as
the leader of the home.
00:16:27.20\00:16:31.21
And having an
environment that's safe.
00:16:31.41\00:16:35.30
Because the parents have
talked about this and because
00:16:35.50\00:16:40.12
you have created a safe
environment for each other
00:16:40.23\00:16:43.00
in your communication
and a place to be heard
00:16:43.10\00:16:47.04
and to be listened to and
to be accepted unconditionally.
00:16:47.24\00:16:52.51
That same environment also
has an effect on your children.
00:16:52.71\00:16:55.63
It's interesting that you
would choose the word culture -
00:16:55.83\00:16:59.50
um-hmm - for your home,
but I think that you are right
00:16:59.70\00:17:03.61
about what happens because then
your children have expectations
00:17:03.71\00:17:09.00
and they think that's
the way the world is because
00:17:09.10\00:17:12.72
that's the way their home is.
00:17:12.82\00:17:14.91
Yes. And there is
no getting around it.
00:17:15.11\00:17:18.25
You cannot not have a culture.
00:17:18.46\00:17:22.27
If you understand
what I'm saying? Yes!
00:17:22.47\00:17:24.68
Even if you choose not to have
a culture, that is a culture.
00:17:24.88\00:17:28.34
A non-culture is
a culture... yes...
00:17:28.54\00:17:31.59
you create an absence of
something - that's right -
00:17:31.79\00:17:35.26
and what we are talking about
is creating a positive whole
00:17:35.36\00:17:39.38
for that child because
that is the responsibility
00:17:39.58\00:17:44.10
given to the
marriage. That's right.
00:17:44.20\00:17:46.47
And that is helping to bring
up children in the fear and the
00:17:46.57\00:17:50.96
admonition of God.
00:17:51.06\00:17:52.88
You've got a scripture that
you - yes - can share with us.
00:17:53.08\00:17:55.18
Ephesians 5:1-2
from The Message says:
00:17:55.28\00:17:58.55
"Watch what God does
and then YOU do it...
00:17:58.65\00:18:02.13
like children who learn proper
behavior from their parents.
00:18:02.33\00:18:05.65
Mostly what God
does is love you.
00:18:05.85\00:18:09.02
Keep company with Him
and learn a life of love.
00:18:09.12\00:18:12.59
Observe how Christ loved us.
00:18:12.79\00:18:15.61
His love was not
cautious but extravagant.
00:18:15.71\00:18:19.28
He didn't love in order
to get something from us
00:18:19.48\00:18:22.67
but to give
everything of Himself to us.
00:18:22.77\00:18:26.38
Love like that. "
00:18:26.58\00:18:28.74
That last phrase sort
of sums it up, doesn't it?
00:18:28.95\00:18:32.32
Yes. And yet at the same time,
00:18:32.52\00:18:36.02
that sum we don't often
arrive at in a marriage.
00:18:36.22\00:18:41.32
A lot of times in this
generation and maybe in previous
00:18:41.52\00:18:45.49
generations too it just
didn't seem like it to us, but
00:18:45.59\00:18:48.92
in this generation
there is a tendency
00:18:49.02\00:18:53.39
for a parent or
a husband or wife
00:18:53.49\00:18:58.29
to use a child
for their own needs.
00:18:58.39\00:19:01.65
Well, I think probably it
was in previous generations
00:19:01.85\00:19:06.71
because it was
about appearances. OK.
00:19:06.81\00:19:10.74
What would people think?
Um-hmm. But I guess I just like
00:19:10.95\00:19:15.35
the fact that God loves
extravagantly. All right.
00:19:15.45\00:19:19.81
And I'm back to my theme
again about saving things
00:19:20.01\00:19:24.98
for good and that we can't
do that with people we love.
00:19:25.08\00:19:30.64
We must love extravagantly.
00:19:30.84\00:19:33.12
And we must love
that way every day
00:19:33.22\00:19:36.22
because tomorrow's not promised.
00:19:36.32\00:19:38.63
And so with our
spouses, with our children,
00:19:38.83\00:19:41.89
we must love extravagantly
00:19:41.99\00:19:44.45
because this is
the day that we have.
00:19:44.55\00:19:47.29
And so we don't
withhold our love.
00:19:47.49\00:19:49.98
We don't withhold
our affirmations...
00:19:50.08\00:19:52.71
because this is the day we have.
00:19:52.81\00:19:56.23
So that cycles right back
into what we initially said,
00:19:56.43\00:20:00.18
and that is that children
are placed here for the benefit
00:20:00.29\00:20:04.25
of the glory of God. Which means
that they're not really here to
00:20:04.35\00:20:09.67
fulfill our unfulfilled needs.
00:20:09.77\00:20:12.00
And if we have
acted upon our love
00:20:12.20\00:20:17.45
with our spouse and we
have created a safe place,
00:20:17.55\00:20:21.30
we have created a fullness of
extravagant love for our spouse,
00:20:21.50\00:20:24.97
then what is there to
need in which we use children
00:20:25.07\00:20:29.51
to get our needs rather
than share love with each other.
00:20:29.61\00:20:33.17
And that love overflows
into our children's lives
00:20:33.37\00:20:36.47
and teaches them how to love.
00:20:36.58\00:20:38.35
And if we have
rejoiced in our uniqueness
00:20:38.51\00:20:41.91
and we have developed the
gifts that God has given us,
00:20:42.01\00:20:45.78
then again our
children will learn how to model
00:20:45.88\00:20:49.62
and develop their unique
gifts and talents and abilities.
00:20:49.72\00:20:54.54
We won't need then to
look at what might have been
00:20:54.74\00:20:59.16
in our lives. Um-hmm. We
will encourage our children,
00:20:59.26\00:21:02.10
then, the develop the gifts and
talents that God has given them.
00:21:02.20\00:21:05.67
And we will rejoice
in their uniqueness.
00:21:05.87\00:21:08.91
In other words, you are
saying: "I didn't get to do that
00:21:09.11\00:21:11.28
so you are going to
do this as my child. "
00:21:11.38\00:21:13.65
No. We don't have to do
that - no - if we allow that
00:21:13.85\00:21:17.33
to take place in our
marriage and we have supported
00:21:17.43\00:21:20.58
one another - that's right - to
be all that we can be in Christ.
00:21:20.69\00:21:23.12
Then our children will be
able to catch that same value
00:21:23.33\00:21:28.96
in the spiritual
culture of our home. Exactly.
00:21:29.06\00:21:33.63
And we will rejoice when they
00:21:33.83\00:21:35.66
look at who they are in Christ -
00:21:35.76\00:21:37.75
um-hmm - and develop those
00:21:37.85\00:21:39.35
same talents and gifts that
00:21:39.45\00:21:41.05
are given to them in Christ.
00:21:41.16\00:21:42.92
And we will encourage them to be
00:21:43.02\00:21:45.24
all that Christ
would have them be.
00:21:45.34\00:21:47.71
OK. That is a positive!
00:21:47.81\00:21:50.24
Now, we are dealing with
more than just a family...
00:21:50.44\00:21:55.90
natural family... order
when we deal with this world.
00:21:56.01\00:21:59.19
There is brokenness in this
world, and some of you may have
00:21:59.29\00:22:02.58
experienced that. And there are
00:22:02.68\00:22:04.22
step families. There are what we
00:22:04.32\00:22:06.96
call blended families.
00:22:07.07\00:22:09.03
Sometimes they don't blend
00:22:09.23\00:22:10.47
so well... so they
still feel like step families.
00:22:10.57\00:22:14.34
But, that being said,
00:22:14.54\00:22:17.86
what kind of help and
assistance can we give families
00:22:18.06\00:22:22.43
who are trying to put together
two different family systems?
00:22:22.53\00:22:27.16
Because now there's a
new marriage and the children
00:22:27.36\00:22:29.98
are being brought
together. How can we protect
00:22:30.08\00:22:33.41
this new marriage in the Lord?
00:22:33.51\00:22:35.95
We hope by God's blessing
they have become remarried
00:22:36.35\00:22:40.91
because of the brokenness
of the previous relationships.
00:22:41.01\00:22:44.39
But now there is a
determination to follow God.
00:22:44.59\00:22:47.05
How can we help them to
establish that blended family
00:22:47.25\00:22:50.24
situation? Well I think first
of all, we have to start with
00:22:50.34\00:22:53.83
forgiveness. Somebody's
got to be willing to say
00:22:53.93\00:22:56.92
"It may not have started
right, but this is our new page.
00:22:57.02\00:23:01.41
This is where we start
today. And from this day,
00:23:01.61\00:23:06.20
we have determined
this is what we will do. "
00:23:06.30\00:23:09.52
Joshua said: "As for me and my
house, we will serve the Lord. "
00:23:09.72\00:23:14.51
So any day you determine
and covenant that this is what
00:23:14.71\00:23:18.11
you are going to do, the
Lord will bless that day.
00:23:18.21\00:23:21.76
And because you have determined
with a spirit of forgiveness
00:23:21.96\00:23:27.23
this is what your family
is going to do, then if you
00:23:27.33\00:23:31.51
make a mistake the next day,
you already know what to do.
00:23:31.65\00:23:35.60
This is how we forgive.
00:23:35.80\00:23:37.46
OK. So the
attitude... the culture...
00:23:37.66\00:23:40.12
is one of forgiveness.
00:23:40.22\00:23:41.31
And that's easier than thinking
that you are on pins and needles
00:23:42.02\00:23:46.41
and if you have children
in the home that are not your
00:23:46.51\00:23:52.24
biological children,
the problems of discipline
00:23:52.34\00:23:56.39
and parenting that
are very difficult now
00:23:56.49\00:23:58.75
because it's a new home...
there is a new parent here...
00:23:58.85\00:24:03.18
and ultimately that's
all going to go right back up
00:24:03.38\00:24:06.40
to that new relationship that
is a marriage relationship...
00:24:06.50\00:24:10.05
and this creates tension and
conflict. So if you establish
00:24:10.15\00:24:13.83
Christ culture. If you establish
Christ's spirit in your home,
00:24:13.93\00:24:19.52
the spirit of forgiveness and
of helping to grow and develop
00:24:19.63\00:24:23.23
the new marriage and thereby
the new family with the new
00:24:23.43\00:24:28.63
children, the tensions
will be eased and a lot easier
00:24:28.73\00:24:32.52
to get through.
Well, I think also, this
00:24:32.62\00:24:35.80
is a time when if there
was ever a time or a need for
00:24:35.90\00:24:39.26
communication... OK.
If there was ever a time
00:24:39.36\00:24:42.35
for being able to
dialogue openly and honestly,
00:24:42.45\00:24:46.56
this would be the time.
Because if people are wondering
00:24:46.66\00:24:51.01
or assuming or
thinking... OR GUESSING,
00:24:51.11\00:24:55.17
then you've really got a
problem because you can't have
00:24:55.27\00:24:59.87
a healthy marriage or a healthy
family if people aren't telling
00:24:59.97\00:25:04.84
what they're really feeling.
00:25:04.94\00:25:06.26
OK. So, this is then making
what we have already established
00:25:06.46\00:25:11.74
as a base. And that is: healthy
communication and dialogue
00:25:11.84\00:25:16.38
in the
marriage. This is one time
00:25:16.48\00:25:19.07
that you really
can't pass that up.
00:25:19.17\00:25:21.52
Not at all. You may
not get a second chance
00:25:21.72\00:25:23.86
because it will create such
a difficult time for everybody
00:25:23.96\00:25:26.93
that it will destroy the
marriage and the relationship.
00:25:27.13\00:25:31.44
So, children can be a
blessing and they are a blessing
00:25:31.64\00:25:35.76
if you have followed God's plan.
00:25:35.87\00:25:38.53
And forgiveness is there
when you happen to misstep
00:25:38.73\00:25:42.39
and get out of the
plan. But don't you think that
00:25:42.49\00:25:45.48
one of the real major things
is making sure that everyone in
00:25:45.58\00:25:49.47
in that family,
underneath that marriage,
00:25:49.57\00:25:52.45
is learning about Jesus on
a daily basis and that they
00:25:52.55\00:25:56.42
develop their own lives?
Well, the only way children will
00:25:56.55\00:25:59.54
learn about Jesus is
seeing their parents.
00:25:59.64\00:26:02.18
And one of the most
powerful ways children learn is
00:26:02.38\00:26:06.08
for parents, when they
are wrong, is for parents to
00:26:06.18\00:26:09.06
apologize to their
children and say: "I'm sorry. "
00:26:09.16\00:26:12.42
OK. And that helps them to learn
about forgiveness, doesn't it?
00:26:12.62\00:26:16.16
And that's the bedrock of
foundation for a Christian home.
00:26:16.36\00:26:20.89
The grace of God for forgiveness
through the blood of Jesus
00:26:21.10\00:26:23.47
Christ. You know, that's
something we need to pray about
00:26:23.57\00:26:26.03
before we go today.
00:26:26.13\00:26:27.46
Dear Lord, there's not
enough time in this day
00:26:28.17\00:26:31.58
or in this program to
speak of every situation.
00:26:31.68\00:26:35.76
But, dear Lord, we are so
thankful that Your Holy Spirit
00:26:35.86\00:26:39.38
can be everywhere and can
be available for all families,
00:26:39.48\00:26:43.40
for all marriages.
So please bless each one
00:26:43.50\00:26:47.93
that they might
receive and hear Your voice.
00:26:48.03\00:26:51.51
Thank you, Lord, for
trusting us with children.
00:26:51.71\00:26:54.93
We know that we can only
raise them through Your power
00:26:55.13\00:26:58.27
and Your grace...
and Your forgiveness.
00:26:58.37\00:27:00.90
So thank You for
sending us the Holy Spirit.
00:27:01.10\00:27:04.15
In the lovely name of
Jesus we pray, Amen and Amen.
00:27:04.35\00:27:08.37
Even as we have
had our discussions,
00:27:09.16\00:27:12.30
we have to thank you
for being there and for
00:27:12.40\00:27:17.51
praying us through because
certainly we want your marriages
00:27:17.61\00:27:21.55
to be in God's hands even as
we have appreciated and grown
00:27:21.65\00:27:26.38
and developed our
marriage to this point through
00:27:26.48\00:27:28.88
God's hands. And we are
looking forward to some more
00:27:28.98\00:27:32.40
important times together.
00:27:32.50\00:27:33.75
We hope that you have
received a blessing today
00:27:33.95\00:27:36.47
and that your children who
have been sent and provided from
00:27:36.57\00:27:40.26
the Lord will be a
blessing to your marriage
00:27:40.36\00:27:43.06
and your marriage to them.
00:27:43.16\00:27:44.70