Welcome to
Marriage in God's Hands.
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I am Alanzo Smith,
your host for this program
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I am June Smith, your co-host.
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Today we have a very interesting
discussion-healthy marriages.
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Before we get into our
discussion won't you bow
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your heads with me as we pray.
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Our heavenly father, we
thank you so much for love
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and for life.
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We thank you for
the gift of marriage.
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We ask that your Holy
Spirit will be with us,
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and all our
families around the universe,
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and may your power
keep us faithful to you.
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In Jesus name, Amen.
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Healthy marriages-I think
that is a very important subject
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for us to talk about.
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Especially, because of the
age in which we're living in.
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Often times, so
frequently, we hear about
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dysfunctional
marriages, and you hear about
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marriages that
are not doing well.
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At a time when people
focus so much on your health,
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and they do all kinds of
things to be in good health,
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do you think we should
also focus on our marriages
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and to see to it that
we have healthy marriages?
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That's a very good
metaphor because, yes, indeed
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people spend so much time and
money trying to build muscles
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and to stay healthy.
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Yes, we should be spending equal
time on marriages and families.
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There is a powerful text in
Ephesians 5, that I would say
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is the key to a
healthy marriage.
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Could you read that
text for our listeners?
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Starting at verse 21, it says,
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The word submit
is not a nice word
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when we are talking
about marital relationship
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for a lot of people.
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As a matter of fact, there
are some wives who will tell you
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that they are not
about to submit to any man
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in no way shape or form,
not in this 21st century.
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I remember I had a wedding to
do some time ago, and I received
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a call from the
lady to be married.
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She wanted me to fax over to
her a copy of the wedding vows.
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When I asked what was the reason
for that request she told me,
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she wanted to look it over.
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She wanted to make sure that
the word submit does not appear.
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She does not think in this 21st
century any woman should submit
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to any man.
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I think the same is
true for some husbands.
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They have a
difficult time applying
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the concept of submitting.
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Some husbands are
rigid in their lead,
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in the way they
relate to their spouse.
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Their symbiotic relationship
of submitting isn't established.
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The Bible gives four
categories of submission.
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The first one is
citizen to the state.
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That is what I
would call compulsion.
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When Jesus said,
Render unto Caesar the things
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which are Caesar's.
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We have no choice.
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It seems like we are
saying we have to pay our taxes.
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Yes, that's compulsion.
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The second one in the Bible
is a slave to their master.
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I call that subjection.
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Paul says obey your master.
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Much like an employee
to employer relationship,
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there are requirements,
your supervisor has to give you
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instructions and so you are
expected to respond positively.
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Exactly.
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The third one is
children to parent.
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There again the Bible says,
Children obey your parents,
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so I call this obedience.
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This is necessary.
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The fourth one,
however, is wives to husband.
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This one I call collaboration.
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When the Bible says,
Wives submit yourselves
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unto your own husband.
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The reason why some people
have problems with this text
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is, they fail to
look at verse 21.
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Verse 22 says wives submit.
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Verse 21 says submitting
yourselves one to another.
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So again, this is
husband submitting to his wife,
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wife submitting to the husband.
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It's a give and take of both
individuals in a relationship.
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As you said early on
it's a symbiotic relationship.
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You know something, I
think part of the problem,
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why some people have problems
with this text is they are
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overlooking verse 25.
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Verse 25 says, Husbands
love your wives even as Christ
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loved the church
and gave himself for it.
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Amen.
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Here we find Paul is
admonishing the couples.
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The husband must do the loving.
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The wife must do the submitting.
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There are times when the
husband must submit as well.
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That's what verse 21 is saying,
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submitting
yourselves one to another.
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When we talk about this
symbiosis, we're talking about
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the husband doing
the loving, and the wife
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doing the
submitting and vice versa.
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We've spent some time looking
at how families misinterpret
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and misapply the
concept of submitting
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Why don't we now
look at healthy marriages.
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Healthy marriages
are challenging at times.
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One of the reasons for this
challenge is the individuals
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do what we call linear thinking.
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Linear thinking is
the cause and effect.
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It is because you did
this is why I did what I did.
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It is because you say
something why I behave this way.
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Individuals find reasons
to justify their behavior.
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It's a cause and
effect principle, and that
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does not lend itself
to a healthy relationship.
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Healthy marriages, on
the other hand, are able to
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look at other variables,
and they are able to see
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from other viewpoints other
than just A causes B causes C.
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We have the
concept of quid pro quo.
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Meaning, you scratch my
back, I'll scratch yours.
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We're saying that healthy
marriages need to function
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outside of that parameter.
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Unfortunately, sometimes you
do have people in a relationship
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that may not fill the
role that they should.
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Even in those instances
you need to be your best self.
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It's not that you are relating
because this person relates
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to you nicely, but
you're relating because you're
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invested in your
marriage and want it to work.
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Communication-healthy marriages
have effective communication.
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Communication is accurate.
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As we travel around the world
and we talk with individuals
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and conduct marriage seminars,
people come up to talk to us
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or in our clinical
session we hear people saying
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we don't communicate.
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Is there such a
thing as no communication?
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It's funny that you ask
that because, Virginia Satir,
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who is a communication
theorist, says really there's no
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such thing as no communication.
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We communicate all the time.
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So even the couple who
is silent and they withdraw,
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and they appear
not to be verbalizing
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what they're thinking,
they are still sending a message
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to each other, and often
that message is misunderstood.
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The man who sits on
the couch and is watching
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his baseball game, and the
wife calls out to him and says
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could you get me
something in the garage,
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and he doesn't
answer, is he communicating
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or not
communicating to his wife?
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He is certainly not
verbalizing that he doesn't want
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to be disturbed, or
that his game right now is
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at a crucial point that
he doesn't want to leave.
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His wife may not be
reading that message.
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What she might be reading is
he isn't responding to my need.
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He is selfish.
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He is interested more in the
game than he is in responding
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to the needs of his family.
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The list goes on.
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The essence is we do
communicate all the time.
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For a marriage to be healthy
we need to use effective methods
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of communicating.
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Giving positive feedback
is one of the key ingredients
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to a healthy relationship.
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If you are in a
relationship and you are hearing
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just the negative, what is
not done, what you are like,
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and just
hearing negative things.
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That has some kind of
impact or negative consequences
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on the relationship.
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Healthy marriages
give positive feedback.
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It enhances growth and
strength in the relationship.
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Many people that I speak
with talk about difficulties
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and challenges that they face
with what we call subsystems.
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There is
interference from other people
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who are a part of
their family unit,
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whether these are extended
family members, or they are
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co-workers, or they are a
part of a club they belong to.
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These people tend to get
more attention and affection
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and time from the spouse,
rather than the spouse giving
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this time to the family.
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Recently I spoke to a woman
who was upset that her husband
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was part of a group, a
singing group, and that every
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waking moment he had free was
spent with the singing group.
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Now, he is doing something
that he thinks is valuable,
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but his wife is upset
because this is an interference
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to her time and
to her relationship.
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Those are some challenges
that healthy families face.
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Another one would be
family homeostasis, that is
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the capacity of the
family to rebound and regroup
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from adversities.
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Families that can withstand
challenges, families that have
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the capacity to grow and
to change when they are going
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through difficult times,
are families that are healthy.
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This is an important
ingredient to a marriage;
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the ability to withstand
challenges and to change.
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The notion of boundaries and
limits, establishing structure,
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where there are clear rules
and each member of the family
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children, husband and
wife, they all understand
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what the limits are, and
to what extent these limits
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should be kept, and what
the consequences or discipline
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will be if those
limits are broken.
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Healthy families have
clear limits, set structure
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and clear boundaries.
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The children are not
left to run wild or loose
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and the boundaries are
clear and well defined.
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When you have well
defined boundaries,
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you have a orderly family.
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You have a family
that is growing healthy
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because the rules are
there, and they are governed by
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those rules and
they respect those rules.
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The thing about that
is it provides security.
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Everyone knows, especially
the children, they know exactly
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what is necessary
and what mommy or dad's
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expectations are, and
they live within the rules.
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We are talking
about healthy marriages.
00:13:16.19\00:13:20.27
Right now we are
going to take a short break.
00:13:20.30\00:13:23.10
We'll be right back.
00:13:23.13\00:13:24.59
Don't go anywhere, because when
we come back we're going to talk
00:13:24.62\00:13:27.65
about how to grow
a healthy marriage.
00:13:27.68\00:13:31.36
You're gonna love this.
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easy to read manner, for
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00:14:08.77\00:14:12.15
Welcome back to our program,
Marriage in God's Hands.
00:14:21.15\00:14:25.98
We have been talking
about healthy marriages.
00:14:26.01\00:14:30.50
June, share with our audience
what we mean by differentiations
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or levels of differentiation
and the relationship with
00:14:37.71\00:14:40.77
healthy marriages.
00:14:40.80\00:14:42.30
One of the challenges
that people often face
00:14:42.33\00:14:45.52
is the need to feel
whole and to feel complete.
00:14:45.55\00:14:51.60
That in essence encapsulates
the concept of differentiation;
00:14:51.63\00:14:57.75
the sense of
being an individual.
00:14:57.78\00:15:00.08
The goal in a marriage is
that each person will take
00:15:00.11\00:15:03.63
responsibility for himself,
and work on the limitations
00:15:03.66\00:15:07.39
that they bring
to the relationship.
00:15:07.42\00:15:09.04
So that they don't necessarily
have to lean on the relationship
00:15:09.07\00:15:12.52
to feel complete and
to feel like a human.
00:15:12.55\00:15:15.54
When an individual
who's not yet married,
00:15:15.57\00:15:20.38
should they have this
notion, this concept that
00:15:20.41\00:15:23.92
I'm going to get
married to be happy.
00:15:23.95\00:15:26.69
I'm going to get married
to be whole, to be complete.
00:15:26.72\00:15:30.78
That is correct.
00:15:30.81\00:15:32.59
The idea is if you're
not happy within yourself.
00:15:32.62\00:15:37.51
You're not likely to
be happy in your marriage.
00:15:37.54\00:15:40.25
Technically, what I'm hearing,
you say, although you said
00:15:40.28\00:15:42.64
that is correct, what you
mean is, we're going to be whole
00:15:42.67\00:15:46.44
as one, but we have to be
differentiated as individuals
00:15:46.47\00:15:52.07
going into the marriage we have
to be highly differentiated.
00:15:52.10\00:15:55.24
When two healthy
people bring their best self
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to the relationship then they
can have that oneness they seek.
00:15:59.17\00:16:06.55
Accepting each other for who
he is or she is, is important.
00:16:06.59\00:16:13.94
Talk to us about that concept.
00:16:14.27\00:16:16.32
We're talking about
bringing your best self
00:16:16.35\00:16:18.41
to the relationship, and
that's a work in progress.
00:16:18.44\00:16:21.27
Clearly the individual
will have limitations, but each
00:16:21.30\00:16:25.87
spouse must be willing to
accept this work in progress.
00:16:25.90\00:16:30.86
As they are growing towards that
wholeness they will still be
00:16:30.89\00:16:35.26
comfortable with each other.
00:16:35.29\00:16:37.41
Sometimes we
look for the weakness.
00:16:37.44\00:16:43.39
Early on we talked about
accentuating the positive;
00:16:43.42\00:16:47.21
giving positive feedback.
00:16:47.24\00:16:48.74
What we want to
mention here is the concept
00:16:48.77\00:16:52.07
of mentioning strengths.
00:16:52.10\00:16:55.32
In a healthy relationship look
for the strength in your spouse
00:16:55.35\00:17:01.26
and mention it
more than the weakness.
00:17:01.29\00:17:04.27
Often times we see the weakness,
we feel the weakness, we pick
00:17:04.30\00:17:08.78
out the weakness and we
elaborate on the weakness.
00:17:08.81\00:17:11.86
Yet so many strengths
that are unnoticed, unmentioned
00:17:11.89\00:17:15.74
that would help to strengthen
the relationship and to grow it.
00:17:15.77\00:17:19.20
I spoke to a woman once who told
me that rarely does she hear
00:17:19.23\00:17:23.56
anything positive and that her
husband really highlights the
00:17:23.59\00:17:28.74
contributions that she made to
her relationship, but she hears
00:17:28.77\00:17:31.81
a lot of criticism
about the things that she
00:17:31.84\00:17:34.80
doesn't do right.
00:17:34.83\00:17:36.24
There's something
about the human spirit.
00:17:36.27\00:17:39.44
When, if you say something to
me and tell me, how good I am,
00:17:39.47\00:17:44.92
or what skills I have
or strengths I have in
00:17:44.95\00:17:49.71
the relationship.
00:17:49.74\00:17:50.95
It makes me feel good.
00:17:50.98\00:17:52.62
It makes me want to
be that better person.
00:17:52.65\00:17:55.92
On the other hand, the
limitations that you have,
00:17:55.95\00:17:59.43
I also need to be able to help
you see that, but you need to
00:17:59.46\00:18:02.98
be able to receive that
with kindness, so that you
00:18:03.01\00:18:06.22
can work at it and improve.
00:18:06.25\00:18:08.29
The key is how you
say that limitation.
00:18:08.32\00:18:11.61
Often times we can say
things but the way we say it
00:18:11.64\00:18:17.88
will determine the outcome.
00:18:17.91\00:18:19.62
We are encouraging you
to focus on the strength
00:18:19.65\00:18:23.00
not the weakness.
00:18:23.03\00:18:24.34
Yes, there are times when you
have to talk about the weakness
00:18:24.37\00:18:27.42
but remember, the way
you talk about the weakness
00:18:27.45\00:18:30.35
will make a big
difference in your marriage.
00:18:30.38\00:18:33.29
Family fun time-people rarely
have time for fun these days.
00:18:33.32\00:18:38.84
In order to grow a healthy
marriage we must take time
00:18:38.87\00:18:43.22
for some pleasure
in the relationship.
00:18:43.25\00:18:45.47
That is true.
00:18:45.50\00:18:46.94
In one of my clinical sessions,
I had a discussion with a father
00:18:46.97\00:18:53.34
who said he had very little,
as a matter of fact, no time
00:18:53.37\00:18:57.43
for his son.
00:18:57.46\00:18:58.76
I gave him an assignment.
00:18:58.79\00:19:00.29
I asked him to take some
time out during that week and go
00:19:00.32\00:19:04.86
and play with his boy.
00:19:04.89\00:19:06.80
It was amazing!
00:19:06.83\00:19:08.62
The following week, when
they came back in session, how
00:19:08.65\00:19:12.06
the mother related to
me the joy of the boy.
00:19:12.09\00:19:16.61
She related how he came in
and was excited and telling
00:19:16.64\00:19:20.59
his mother all that daddy did.
00:19:20.62\00:19:23.26
He can catch the
ball, he can hit the ball.
00:19:23.29\00:19:25.51
She said I've never
seen him so excited.
00:19:25.54\00:19:28.24
That's what we
are talking about.
00:19:28.27\00:19:29.49
Take time, make time.
00:19:29.52\00:19:30.65
As you cited that example, it
reminds me of an advertisement
00:19:30.68\00:19:33.97
that I saw, where this
woman, this mother, who is a
00:19:34.00\00:19:37.32
real estate agent is
very successful in her trade.
00:19:37.35\00:19:40.79
That of course
demanded much of her time.
00:19:40.82\00:19:44.09
Her little five year old
daughter, on every demand,
00:19:44.12\00:19:47.81
was turned down.
00:19:47.84\00:19:49.12
She had no time to
spend with her daughter.
00:19:49.15\00:19:51.34
On one occasion, her daughter
asked, Mom can you accompany me
00:19:51.37\00:19:55.44
to some activity that she wanted
her, and her mom had to cancel,
00:19:55.47\00:19:59.00
because she had an
appointment with a client.
00:19:59.03\00:20:01.09
Her daughter turned to
her mom and she said, Mom
00:20:01.12\00:20:04.16
how can I become a client?
00:20:04.19\00:20:06.09
That just broke my heart.
00:20:06.12\00:20:08.08
In essence, what her daughter
was saying, was that her client
00:20:08.11\00:20:11.88
was getting a lot more
of her time than she was.
00:20:11.91\00:20:16.74
Decision making-we're talking
about growing healthy marriages.
00:20:16.77\00:20:22.39
One of the ways you can
grow your marriage is to have
00:20:22.42\00:20:26.94
decisions being made
on a democratic basis.
00:20:26.97\00:20:31.42
Talk to us on decisions being
made in a democratic fashion.
00:20:31.45\00:20:36.32
The reality is in a
family there are many people,
00:20:36.35\00:20:40.43
at least two people.
00:20:40.46\00:20:41.85
Sometimes three or four
based on the amount of children
00:20:41.88\00:20:46.28
in that relationship.
00:20:46.31\00:20:47.79
Each person impacts the decision
and should be considered
00:20:47.82\00:20:53.18
in the decisions.
00:20:53.21\00:20:54.26
Family members, in order
to grow healthy relationships
00:20:54.29\00:20:58.15
really need to listen to each
other, hear each other's ideas,
00:20:58.18\00:21:02.37
and ask for their opinion; their
contribution to the decision.
00:21:02.40\00:21:05.12
That sometimes could impact
more positively on the outcome.
00:21:05.15\00:21:10.01
You should not just bark out
commands and impose commands.
00:21:10.04\00:21:16.27
We should listen
and we should talk.
00:21:16.30\00:21:18.59
Staying totally committed to
a relationship I think is a real
00:21:18.62\00:21:23.15
security in the relationship.
00:21:23.18\00:21:25.81
Knowing that I have
knowledge of where we're going.
00:21:25.84\00:21:28.52
I am totally
committed to this relationship.
00:21:28.55\00:21:31.10
Even if there is a challenge
I am willing to find a solution,
00:21:31.13\00:21:35.74
but it's not my
intent to walk away.
00:21:35.77\00:21:39.21
Knowing that I think
really helps to provide security
00:21:39.24\00:21:42.96
in the relationship.
00:21:42.99\00:21:44.30
Many marriages are not growing
simply because individuals
00:21:44.33\00:21:50.53
don't feel committed and
secure in the relationship.
00:21:50.56\00:21:55.32
When we talk about
being totally committed,
00:21:55.35\00:21:58.95
that means our entire being.
00:21:58.98\00:22:00.97
That's what God is
talking about when he says
00:22:01.00\00:22:04.10
...they two become one,
that's total commitment.
00:22:04.13\00:22:07.24
One flesh...
that's total commitment.
00:22:07.27\00:22:09.57
That's what God is
expecting from each marriage.
00:22:09.60\00:22:12.56
It doesn't mean your
marriage won't have challenges,
00:22:12.59\00:22:15.88
but when there are challenges,
the goal is that we are working
00:22:15.91\00:22:21.33
to solve and
resolve the problems
00:22:21.36\00:22:24.18
that confront the relationship.
00:22:24.21\00:22:25.75
Again, we are
committed to make this work.
00:22:25.78\00:22:30.25
When each person, and the
other members of the family,
00:22:30.28\00:22:33.41
get the idea that
we're here to stay.
00:22:33.44\00:22:36.38
We're here to follow God's will.
00:22:36.41\00:22:38.26
We're here to commit to the
longevity of this relationship.
00:22:38.29\00:22:41.43
Then we are likely
to see positive results.
00:22:41.46\00:22:44.32
One of the complaints
that I get from individuals
00:22:44.35\00:22:51.15
is their spouse
does not show respect.
00:22:51.18\00:22:56.86
There is a lack of respect.
00:22:56.89\00:23:00.09
Talk to us about the level
of disrespect in a relationship
00:23:00.12\00:23:03.95
and how that retards
growth in a relationship.
00:23:03.98\00:23:06.87
I think it's human in general.
00:23:06.90\00:23:09.12
Anyone who is disrespected
certainly will be offended.
00:23:09.15\00:23:14.20
In a relationship
where love is supposed to be
00:23:14.23\00:23:18.20
a basic characteristic than
disrespect should have no place.
00:23:18.23\00:23:24.56
Respect for ideas, respect for
ideas and opinion, respect for
00:23:24.59\00:23:29.76
what you value...
00:23:29.79\00:23:31.09
Basically showing
respect for each other.
00:23:31.12\00:23:34.07
This concept of living
together means I have to value
00:23:34.10\00:23:40.89
and respect you as a
person, and that's the least
00:23:40.92\00:23:43.93
you can do for me.
00:23:43.96\00:23:45.01
We keep talking about symbiosis.
00:23:45.04\00:23:47.18
That is the symbiotic
relationship that God wants
00:23:47.21\00:23:50.00
us to have...
respect for each other.
00:23:50.03\00:23:52.68
One other concept that I think
is important is the notion of
00:23:52.71\00:23:56.69
providing for the family.
00:23:56.72\00:23:58.33
Ensuring that the family in
order to grow have basic needs
00:23:58.36\00:24:02.61
and that these needs
need to be catered to.
00:24:02.64\00:24:04.71
I find that many families
are deprived of just the
00:24:04.74\00:24:08.79
basic essential and
that to me is on some level
00:24:08.82\00:24:13.45
disrespecting the
needs of your family.
00:24:13.48\00:24:15.75
Also, the problem solving skills
of healthy marriages are good.
00:24:15.78\00:24:24.42
Problems ought to be
dealt with as they come up.
00:24:24.45\00:24:28.54
Remember when we were
doing that seminar somewhere,
00:24:28.57\00:24:33.33
in the question and
answer period, a gentleman asked
00:24:33.36\00:24:37.24
how long after there's
an argument should I make up
00:24:37.27\00:24:41.74
with my spouse?
00:24:41.77\00:24:42.74
I said the Bible says you should
not allow the sun to go down
00:24:42.75\00:24:47.01
on your wrath.
00:24:47.04\00:24:48.01
He said, I know
that but how long?
00:24:48.02\00:24:49.78
Before I could answer
the wife responded, Tell him.
00:24:49.81\00:24:53.59
My husband takes a long time.
00:24:53.62\00:24:56.59
He responded, When I
have a problem I need at least
00:24:56.62\00:25:01.12
two weeks before I settle
down to talk to my wife again.
00:25:01.15\00:25:04.81
That's too long.
00:25:04.84\00:25:06.02
That is not a
healthy thing to do at all.
00:25:06.05\00:25:08.93
As the Bible says, we ought
to solve or fix our problems
00:25:08.96\00:25:12.08
and try to resolve
it as quickly as we can.
00:25:12.11\00:25:15.09
The goal is to keep
our marriages together.
00:25:15.12\00:25:17.83
How about willing
to say, I'm sorry.
00:25:17.86\00:25:19.69
That is such a difficult
thing for some people to do.
00:25:19.72\00:25:22.43
Yes, it is a very easy
thing to do when you understand
00:25:22.46\00:25:26.53
the consequences of the
injury that occurs when you hurt
00:25:26.56\00:25:31.14
each other.
00:25:31.17\00:25:32.14
So having the willingness to
say Honey I'm sorry and mean it.
00:25:32.15\00:25:35.51
We should tell our listeners
to grow a healthy family
00:25:35.54\00:25:40.83
avoid arguing in
front of the children.
00:25:40.86\00:25:44.01
Sometimes we have this
lack of impulse control
00:25:44.05\00:25:47.24
and we keep doing it.
00:25:47.27\00:25:48.46
We cannot afford to
argue in front of the children.
00:25:48.50\00:25:51.58
It also allows the
children to feel insecure,
00:25:51.61\00:25:55.69
and to feel unsafe.
00:25:55.72\00:25:57.24
In their world, Mom and
Dad provide that nurturing
00:25:57.28\00:26:01.77
that nest.
00:26:01.80\00:26:02.77
If they get the notion
that these two adults are going
00:26:02.78\00:26:05.41
at each other and are likely
to run away from each other
00:26:05.45\00:26:08.12
then they are not sure
where their lives are going.
00:26:08.15\00:26:11.34
Above anything else
that we could say, in growing
00:26:11.37\00:26:14.49
a healthy relationship would be
have meaningful family worship.
00:26:14.52\00:26:19.87
We cannot afford to be too busy
or too tired, whatever it is.
00:26:19.91\00:26:25.23
We need to have family
worship to grow the spirituality
00:26:25.26\00:26:32.21
of that relationship.
00:26:32.25\00:26:33.52
I think that is paramount.
00:26:33.55\00:26:34.98
Christ needs to be in
the center of our homes.
00:26:35.01\00:26:38.70
The family
altar must be erected.
00:26:38.74\00:26:42.00
Children must value the
spiritual values we espouse.
00:26:42.04\00:26:47.33
We ought to ensure
our little nest, our home,
00:26:47.37\00:26:51.78
is a little heaven on earth.
00:26:51.82\00:26:53.93
The challenge for
parents is to be like Joshua.
00:26:53.96\00:26:57.85
It is our God given
responsibility to command our
00:26:57.89\00:27:01.74
whole soul after righteousness.
00:27:01.78\00:27:03.95
Like Joshua said, As for me and
my house we will serve the Lord.
00:27:03.99\00:27:08.79
In this day and age which we are
living what better admonition
00:27:08.83\00:27:13.60
can we make, can we declare
to our families the notion
00:27:13.63\00:27:17.01
that we will serve the
Lord despite what's going on.
00:27:17.05\00:27:20.14
We will serve the Lord,
despite what is happening.
00:27:20.17\00:27:23.14
This family, we're
committed to serve the Lord.
00:27:23.18\00:27:26.62
That's the greatest
asset in growing a family.
00:27:26.65\00:27:30.05
In God's Grace.
00:27:30.09\00:27:32.06
Let us pray, Father God
we thank you for your love,
00:27:32.10\00:27:36.89
and we thank you for the
families you have given us.
00:27:36.93\00:27:41.66
We ask for your strength,
for your mercy, and your grace.
00:27:41.69\00:27:45.23
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:27:45.26\00:27:47.96