Welcome to
Marriage in God's Hands.
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I'm Alanso Smith,
the host of this program.
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I'm June Smith.
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Today we will talk
about progressive marriages.
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But before we do that, I invite
you to bow your heads with us
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as we pray.
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Our Father, we thank You
for Your love and Your mercies.
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We pray for
every marriage today.
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May Your Holy Spirit be
with each couple and bless them
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and allow their
marriages to progress.
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In Jesus name, Amen. Amen.
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Progressive marriages, wow.
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This is something that is
very important to talk about.
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Because there's a text
in the Book of Genesis.
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Genesis chapter 2 verses
21-24. Let's invite our audience
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to read with us this text.
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The beginning of the
nuclear family in Eden.
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After a family is formed, they
cannot afford to remain static.
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There should be growth and
that's what we're talking about
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when we say
marriages must be progressive.
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The concept of a marriage
or a couple moving forward,
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the whole though is
marriages must not be static,
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as you rightly said. But
that marriages must be going
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some place; there are plans,
there are goals and both people
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in the couple relationship
are working together.
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The thing about it is
that marriages are a challenge
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on every hand today.
And so what we would like
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to share with you today
are some myths about marriages.
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As a matter of fact, Dr.
Arnold Lazarus in his book
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Marital Myths,
mentions 24 marital myths.
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But we're going to
look at just 2 of them.
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One of them he says, a husband
and a wife should do everything
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together at all the time.
That sounds exciting to me,
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how that can be a myth.
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Well think about it, to be
practical really each individual
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will have needs that they want
to meet outside of each other.
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Meaning, there are
sometimes when the husband needs
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to be off doing
things that he needs to do.
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Or the wife needs
to be off doing things
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that she needs to do.
But it doesn't separate them.
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It doesn't mean that
they're not together.
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They're one in
mission. But they both have two
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independent lives or
two individual lives.
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It's not logical and
practical for you to do
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everything together.
I mean, you may have two
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separate careers.
It's just not logical,
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not even healthy
for the relationship.
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So it is a myth when people
think that everything they
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should do together, and if
one person is asking for time to
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get to do something else,
the other person could be very
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annoyed or could think
that you're not meeting my needs
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because you're not
assisting with this chore.
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And we're not
advocating exclusiveness.
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There is togetherness in a
marriage, but the operative
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word here is always.
You can't be always doing
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things together.
There must be some
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independence and autonomy there.
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So progressive, we're saying
that in order for a marriage
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to progress, individuals
must have personal autonomy.
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He mentions also that
marriage should be 50/50.
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It's a 50/50 relationship.
Well, that also sounds good.
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50/50, I bring 50 percent to
the relationship and you bring
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50 percent to the relationship.
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Bam, we have a 100,
perfect. What's wrong...
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The reality is though, we
should bring 100 percent of
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ourselves to the relationship.
So indeed, that's a myth.
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Think about it, if I only
invested or committed 50 percent
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of me, of my time, my
ideas, my resources, etc to our
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relationship, what am I
doing with the other 50 percent?
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That could be in conflict
with our goal and our mission.
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So I support the notion
that this is indeed a myth.
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Although some people
espouse that this is what
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should be happening.
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So, in progressive marriages
then, we should experience
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belonging not exclusion.
There should be that sense of
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belonging, because it gives
you a feeling of self-worth and
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togetherness and "I'm a
part of this relationship
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and I want to invest into
it. A long term investment too
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because there's this
concept, there's this feeling of
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belonging and I'm not excluded
from the relationship at all. "
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Another characteristic
of progressive relationships
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is the concept of
comfort and tension.
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The reality is, home needs
to be a nest where individuals
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in that family or in that
relationship can be comfortable.
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And so you want
to be comfortable.
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The sole notion of belonging
tied in, you want to go home.
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When you're leaving work...
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It's like when I'm away
from home, I look forward
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to going home.
There's belonging there.
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There's comfort there.
I love my home, no matter
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where I go, I always look
forward to going back home.
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Because I feel this sense
of belonging and you love me.
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And I share that with you.
But unfortunately, in some homes
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there is a lot of tension and
prolonged periods of tension.
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And that excludes the concept
of comfort and belonging.
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So what we are saying is that
in progressive relationships,
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you want to
create a sense of comfort
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and not excessive tension.
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Another duality that we could
take about is the notion of
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pleasure and pain. In
progressive marriages,
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there needs to be
pleasure. Not pain, pleasure.
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Often times, families
are experiencing pain.
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Too often, the relationship
is not the relationship where
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we are happy, we're enjoying
it. And that's what marriages
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should all be about.
The notion of enjoying
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your marriage. Be
happy in your relationship.
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Not a painful relationship.
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Closeness and
distance, power and weakness.
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Those are issues
that will come up.
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Weakness and distance are
negatives in a relationship.
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Closeness and power are
positives in a relationship.
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Progressive marriages should
experience power and closeness.
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That's what it's all about.
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Now what do we mean by power?
The whole notion of each person
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having some autonomy,
some sense that "this is what
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my mission or my role is in
the relationship" and they can
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execute this role competently.
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Yes, and closeness: "bone of
my bone, and flesh of my flesh"
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in their lives.
But togetherness, that
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is what God
intends for the family.
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Now in relating progressively,
one concept that I think helps
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is the notion of reframing.
There are times when we see
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things the way we see
it through our lenses.
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And sometimes, we
have clouded lenses.
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And our perspective or our
perception may not be accurate.
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So it is helpful for us
to explore other options,
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other possibilities.
For example, if a wife is
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expecting her husband to
come home at a certain time
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and he didn't show: he's late,
he didn't call, it is likely...
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She might get upset She
might be fuming, steaming.
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"Where on earth could he be.
He promised that he was going
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to be here at this
hour. And look, he's late. "
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She has supper
fixed and he didn't show.
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And they have to go
off for an appointment.
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She could be ranting and raving.
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But we're
talking about reframing.
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How might she take
that same situation,
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that same lateness and
reframe it to the point where
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she's not upset, she's not
getting mad, she's not throwing
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a tantrum, but she's able
to deal with the situation.
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One thing she could do is
begin to think that there might
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have been a legitimate
explanation for his lateness.
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For example, it could be
that there is a traffic jam
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and he's tied up in traffic.
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Or he could have had some
extra chore at work and he got
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bogged down and
didn't get a chance to call.
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But we may say,
"Well why not call?"
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But there's a possibility the
cell phone could have gone dead.
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He could have forgotten to
charge it the night before.
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What we are saying is that
there are so many variables
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that could have
caused him to be late.
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So if you take the situation and
reframe it, you might not get
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as flustered as you are just
by seeking another possibility
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as to what might happen.
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Now let's look at the concept
of how my marriage progresses
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by what I say and how I, we
call it sentence completion.
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When we say
things in positive ways,
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it makes the marriage progress.
For example, one way that I show
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that you care for me is when I
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get that foot spa and I
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give you a good foot massage.
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One way that I know that
you care for me is when you
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pay attention to me
when I speak to you.
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One way I know that you
love me is when that night you
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sewed up my pajamas and I went
to put them on and I couldn't
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push my foot in
because you sewed them up.
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One way that I know you
love me is when you buy me
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my favorite fragrances.
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You know, I feel special when
you cook me that lasagna dish
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that you know I love.
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I feel special when you have a
surprise birthday party for me.
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So what we are saying to
our audience is that sometimes
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when you say powerful uplifting
sentences to your spouse,
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it helps to make the
marriage progress along.
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We're talking about
progressive marriages.
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And we want to identify
the concept of double binds.
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Would you like to
share with us how that works?
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Well, double bind is
when we send messages
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that are confusing.
And you know something?
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I think we should talk
about that after our break.
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Because we're going to go
into a break and that is very
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powerful and awesome and I
really want our audience to get
00:13:01.20\00:13:03.78
into it and to hear what
we have to say about that.
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So we're going to take a
break. We're here talking about
00:13:05.92\00:13:10.05
progressive
marriages. And we're encouraging
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individuals to understand that
from the day you say "I do",
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that's not the end
of the relationship.
00:13:16.78\00:13:18.38
You start growing. So
we will be right back.
00:13:18.41\00:13:22.36
Don't go away
anywhere. Stay right there.
00:13:22.39\00:13:24.54
We want you to hear
what we have to say.
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Because remember,
marriage is not in your hands,
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it's not in my
hands. It is in God's hands.
00:13:30.75\00:13:34.65
There are many "How To"
books available, but there's one
00:13:45.08\00:13:47.55
that's free and
perfect for every couple.
00:13:47.58\00:13:49.86
"How You Can
Build A Better Marriage"
00:13:49.89\00:13:52.44
Bible-based
matrimonial advice is given in a
00:13:52.47\00:13:55.66
light-hearted,
easy to read manner.
00:13:55.69\00:13:57.43
For those contemplating
marriage, newly-weds,
00:13:57.46\00:14:00.05
couples in their golden
years, and everyone in between.
00:14:00.08\00:14:03.32
Simply call or
write for your free copy:
00:14:03.35\00:14:06.37
Welcome back to our
program Marriage in God's Hands.
00:14:20.51\00:14:23.64
We have been talking
about progressive marriages.
00:14:23.67\00:14:27.74
And at our break, we're just
about to deal with the issue of
00:14:27.77\00:14:32.70
double bind messages.
And we're saying, I'm saying
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you're to avoid the
use of double bind messages
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in your marital relationship.
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For example,
"Forget I ever said it. "
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Well, why did you say
it in the first place?
00:14:48.69\00:14:51.81
Because once it is said, it's
going to impact the relationship
00:14:51.84\00:14:56.12
one way or another.
Alright, here's another one.
00:14:56.15\00:14:59.01
"Ignore these instructions. "
But you gave the instructions.
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It reminds me of an
attorney in a court of law.
00:15:04.07\00:15:08.68
And he makes something, he
makes a statement that he knows
00:15:08.71\00:15:12.69
he's not suppose to make.
And so the judge, the other
00:15:12.72\00:15:16.51
attorney objects. And
the judge says to the jury,
00:15:16.54\00:15:19.89
"Will you please disregard
what the attorney has just said?
00:15:19.92\00:15:23.88
Strike it from the
record. " Okay, it's stricken.
00:15:23.91\00:15:26.87
But guess what, the
seed is already planted.
00:15:26.90\00:15:29.52
The idea is planted
in the minds of the jury.
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It has it's affect and
that's why the lawyer did it.
00:15:31.91\00:15:34.81
And so we're saying in
marriages, when you do that,
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remember is has a
negative connotation.
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So double bind
messages don't make for
00:15:45.03\00:15:47.68
progressive relationships.
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Not at all.
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Families experience
reinforcement erosion.
00:15:52.43\00:15:58.75
Reinforcement erosion is a
classical term that is used.
00:15:58.78\00:16:04.48
Simply meaning, families
or couples who are married
00:16:04.51\00:16:09.30
for a long time.
They somehow tend to
00:16:09.33\00:16:12.55
lose their ability
to care for each other.
00:16:12.58\00:16:16.06
And to do nice
things for each other.
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It is said they get comfortable.
They begin to take each
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other for granted. You
know when you're dating,
00:16:22.65\00:16:25.27
there is so much
energy and even synergy
00:16:25.30\00:16:28.04
to the relationship.
And you can tell these two
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people are in love. But
after people live together
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for a while...
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They lose the one flesh.
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So that's what we're trying
to encourage people to do.
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To keep the passion and to
keep the marriage progressing.
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And not have it erode.
00:16:41.90\00:16:43.62
So there are solutions to
reinforcement erosion then.
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We hope so.
00:16:48.62\00:16:49.59
They're are. For
example, you mention dating.
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I think it's a good idea if
we could go back to the notion
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of dating. When we were dating,
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I remember how special it
was. The different things you
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did for me and the many love
letters you wrote me and wow.
00:17:06.00\00:17:10.63
And those things helped
to build oneness and to build
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communications and to
get to know each other.
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And so it is, after marriage
we want to encourage couples
00:17:16.68\00:17:19.68
to keep dating each other.
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So do we do that
in our relationship?
00:17:22.06\00:17:23.42
We try.
00:17:23.45\00:17:24.42
Well, we more than try.
You know you date me a lot.
00:17:24.43\00:17:27.72
You know I date you a lot
too. I think that's beautiful.
00:17:27.75\00:17:31.07
So we want to encourage
couples do things together.
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Play together. Have fun time.
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It's not all
about work, work, work.
00:17:36.74\00:17:39.59
But we want to encourage people,
couples, in order to progress
00:17:39.62\00:17:43.54
to take quality time together.
00:17:43.57\00:17:45.85
Take a break. There are some
00:17:46.64\00:17:47.76
people living in large
cities and sometimes they are
00:17:47.79\00:17:50.41
stressed out with the demands
of work and demands of church
00:17:50.44\00:17:54.79
and the demands of family life
and all these different things.
00:17:54.82\00:17:58.06
But sometimes the
two individuals must take
00:17:58.09\00:18:01.80
and make time for each
other. Because that's important.
00:18:01.83\00:18:05.21
That's how the
marriage will progress.
00:18:05.24\00:18:08.11
We're talking about things that
you might do avoid or to prevent
00:18:08.81\00:18:12.58
reinforcement erosion.
One of the ways to do that
00:18:12.61\00:18:17.12
is simply to spend time on
the things that are interesting
00:18:17.15\00:18:22.97
to each other. So
learn each other's interests.
00:18:23.00\00:18:26.04
For example, in my
relationship with you,
00:18:26.07\00:18:28.13
I've had to learn lots
of the things that you like.
00:18:28.16\00:18:31.69
Because I didn't particularly
enjoy, for example watching
00:18:31.72\00:18:36.42
sports and some of
the games that you like.
00:18:36.45\00:18:38.66
I know I taught
you to love baseball.
00:18:39.29\00:18:40.58
Well, I'm trying.
It's a work in progress
00:18:40.61\00:18:42.37
I would say.
But that's the idea.
00:18:42.40\00:18:44.66
So the things that
bring pleasure to each other,
00:18:44.69\00:18:48.28
you may have to put
extra effort to make it happen.
00:18:48.31\00:18:52.35
But that's what a progressive
relationship is about.
00:18:52.38\00:18:55.41
One of the things that I see us
progressing in our relationship
00:18:56.55\00:18:59.83
with is walking together.
Going for, not walk as in
00:18:59.86\00:19:05.90
exercise but walk as recreation.
We just walk leisurely and talk.
00:19:05.93\00:19:11.99
And it builds the relationship.
It strengthens the relationship.
00:19:12.02\00:19:15.87
And I'm
encouraging you to do that.
00:19:15.90\00:19:17.58
Just go for a leisurely
walk. By the beach, in the park,
00:19:17.61\00:19:21.29
around your neighborhood.
Wherever it is safe and
00:19:21.32\00:19:24.27
convenient for
you to go for a walk.
00:19:24.30\00:19:26.01
Just walk and leisurely
talk. We're not in a hurry.
00:19:26.04\00:19:29.60
We're not discussing a problem.
We're not trying to resolve
00:19:29.63\00:19:32.00
an issue. At the stage,
00:19:32.03\00:19:33.95
it's just talking
about little flowery things.
00:19:33.98\00:19:37.63
Building the relationship.
00:19:37.66\00:19:39.09
One of the things I like
is rehearsing and reflecting
00:19:39.12\00:19:43.36
on childhood memories.
Learning about the way you
00:19:43.39\00:19:47.01
were when you were a
boy. And I guess sharing
00:19:47.04\00:19:51.07
my stories as well. But
I've listened to so many
00:19:51.10\00:19:55.03
of your stories that I
can almost finish the sentence
00:19:55.06\00:19:57.89
now when you start
them. But that's the idea.
00:19:57.92\00:20:00.49
That you want to
learn about each other by
00:20:00.52\00:20:03.02
sharing some of these memories.
00:20:03.05\00:20:04.61
Dating memories and
childhood memories are powerful.
00:20:05.68\00:20:10.26
I think I can tell you
everything that happened to you
00:20:10.29\00:20:15.36
when you were a child.
Simply because I've heard
00:20:15.39\00:20:19.40
the story over and over again.
And the funny thing about it,
00:20:19.43\00:20:23.94
it's not boring.
Every time you sit down
00:20:23.97\00:20:25.76
to talk to me or I'm
talking to you, it's like
00:20:25.79\00:20:27.90
we're always there listening.
And that is so important.
00:20:27.93\00:20:32.60
to the health and
progress of a relationship.
00:20:32.63\00:20:35.88
Talk, talk,
talk. Because remember,
00:20:35.91\00:20:38.43
the number one problem that
was identified is communication.
00:20:38.46\00:20:42.14
People are not communicating.
People are not talking.
00:20:42.17\00:20:45.05
And we're saying, don't
wait until there's a problem
00:20:45.08\00:20:47.42
to start
talking. Don't wait until
00:20:47.45\00:20:49.19
you're stressed
out to start talking.
00:20:49.22\00:20:51.14
When things are going good,
talk, and when you're able to
00:20:51.17\00:20:55.85
talk in the good times, when
the rough times come and the
00:20:55.88\00:20:58.93
tough times,
you're able to talk.
00:20:58.96\00:21:01.02
Because you've developed
a pattern of communication.
00:21:01.70\00:21:03.28
Another thing I think is
helpful to avoid erosion is
00:21:03.31\00:21:07.18
what we call
avoid holding grudges.
00:21:07.21\00:21:10.10
If there's a
conflict, if there's a challenge
00:21:10.13\00:21:12.62
in the
relationship, deal with it now.
00:21:12.65\00:21:14.70
Try to settle
it. Talk it through.
00:21:14.73\00:21:17.29
Work out the resolution
and get to the other side.
00:21:17.32\00:21:20.30
Don't be a garbage bag.
A garbage bag is something
00:21:21.50\00:21:24.11
that we keep dumping
trash and garbage and things in,
00:21:24.14\00:21:27.20
just keep dumping.
And it holds it until it's
00:21:27.23\00:21:30.91
filled up. And there are
00:21:30.94\00:21:32.37
some people that are filled
up. They can't take in any more
00:21:32.40\00:21:35.93
and they're just there.
We're saying no, no, no no.
00:21:35.96\00:21:38.73
For the health of the
relationship, don't contain.
00:21:38.76\00:21:43.70
If there's an issue, and
there will be, talk about it.
00:21:43.73\00:21:46.60
Work on it, get
rid of it, move on.
00:21:46.63\00:21:50.12
That's the key.
00:21:50.15\00:21:51.29
You will not always be
in each other's company.
00:21:51.88\00:21:54.87
Sometimes you
have to go out of town.
00:21:54.90\00:21:56.61
Sometimes you have to
go away on assignments.
00:21:56.64\00:21:58.64
But wherever you are, remember
your spouse or your children
00:21:58.67\00:22:03.06
want to hear from you.
So, we encourage couples
00:22:03.09\00:22:06.18
to check in, to communicate,
to link when they're
00:22:06.21\00:22:11.05
in the absence of each other.
00:22:11.08\00:22:12.77
But what if I should say that,
you know, I can't afford it.
00:22:13.98\00:22:18.17
It's hard to make a call,
etc. That's not a viable excuse.
00:22:18.20\00:22:24.66
That's not a reason
for not keeping in touch.
00:22:24.69\00:22:27.13
The reality is making a
call call these days is really
00:22:28.21\00:22:30.03
not that expensive.
00:22:30.06\00:22:31.10
Especially with the internet.
00:22:31.13\00:22:32.33
So that we're saying couples
need to take responsibility
00:22:32.36\00:22:36.17
to stay in touch.
If you go to work for
00:22:36.20\00:22:39.08
the whole day, it would be nice
sometimes maybe to send an email
00:22:39.11\00:22:41.64
or a text message and to
check in a lunch break or
00:22:41.67\00:22:44.74
some other break that you have.
Just so that you know what's
00:22:44.81\00:22:47.96
going on and your spouse
gets the opportunity to share
00:22:47.99\00:22:51.17
with you what's
happening in their work.
00:22:51.20\00:22:52.86
And of course, at the end of the
day to sit together and debrief.
00:22:52.89\00:22:56.52
Talk about what
happened in your work, please.
00:22:56.55\00:22:58.81
Talk about what happened
on the travel back home.
00:22:58.84\00:23:01.77
And share what's going
on in each other's world.
00:23:01.80\00:23:04.54
And I should never forget your
birthday or your anniversary.
00:23:05.29\00:23:10.44
Never, never, never.
That's a cardinal thing.
00:23:10.47\00:23:14.47
I will not forget your birthday.
00:23:14.50\00:23:16.60
I will not
forget your anniversary.
00:23:16.63\00:23:18.80
And that's important to
me, that's important to me.
00:23:18.83\00:23:22.43
Because those are
special and significant days.
00:23:22.46\00:23:25.77
We were doing a seminar.
It was a couples retreat.
00:23:25.80\00:23:32.70
And we asked the
ladies to step outside.
00:23:32.74\00:23:35.76
And we were asking
the men some questions.
00:23:35.79\00:23:39.49
And if you recall, we
asked one man what was
00:23:39.52\00:23:42.93
the anniversary of his wife.
Well, he thought for a moment
00:23:42.97\00:23:47.05
and he said
something like February 12th.
00:23:47.08\00:23:50.06
So we wrote that down.
When it was time to bring
00:23:50.09\00:23:53.73
the wife in, and she came in
and we asked her what was her
00:23:53.76\00:23:59.11
anniversary date.
She responded by saying
00:23:59.14\00:24:01.62
something like November 14th.
00:24:01.65\00:24:03.48
I remember that.
00:24:04.34\00:24:05.31
The date was wrong and the
month, everything was wrong.
00:24:06.52\00:24:08.66
We cannot afford to
allow that to happen.
00:24:08.69\00:24:11.81
We have to remember
anniversaries, birthdays
00:24:11.84\00:24:14.61
and to make sure that
we remember the right day.
00:24:14.64\00:24:17.38
And other special occasions.
00:24:18.11\00:24:19.73
Progressive
marriages have some beliefs.
00:24:21.11\00:24:22.61
And when we understand
that we are all finite limited
00:24:22.64\00:24:28.84
individuals, and that we
make mistakes, the ability of
00:24:28.87\00:24:33.24
individuals to accept that
and to understand it, that as we
00:24:33.27\00:24:36.66
progress along, there are
times we will make mistakes.
00:24:36.69\00:24:38.93
And there are
times when we will fail.
00:24:38.96\00:24:41.34
Because we're
limited. We're finite.
00:24:41.37\00:24:43.02
But that does not
destroy the validity and the
00:24:43.05\00:24:45.72
strength of the relationship.
00:24:45.75\00:24:47.45
I'm thinking of a concept
that strengthens progressive
00:24:47.93\00:24:49.86
relationships is the thought
that we see things differently.
00:24:49.89\00:24:54.47
We have different perspectives
on our realities and it is ok.
00:24:54.50\00:25:00.48
That we come together
and we are one in purpose
00:25:00.51\00:25:04.34
and one in mission.
But we can accommodate our
00:25:04.37\00:25:07.07
differences and celebrate that.
00:25:07.10\00:25:09.37
Progressive marriages believe
that even miserable situations
00:25:10.48\00:25:14.85
will get better. In other
words, they're optimistic.
00:25:14.88\00:25:18.19
When individuals are in
relationships, and they have an
00:25:18.22\00:25:21.52
optimistic view, that
is helpful and healthy.
00:25:21.55\00:25:25.07
If I take a pessimistic
view, "Well, it's not
00:25:25.10\00:25:28.69
going to get any
better. Well, I don't think
00:25:28.72\00:25:31.85
we're going to make
it. Well, I think we'll
00:25:31.88\00:25:34.78
have to break up. " We
can see where that is going.
00:25:34.82\00:25:37.16
If we're optimistic, if we feel
that "Well, yes it's rough now.
00:25:37.19\00:25:42.06
We're going through a
storm. But after a storm,
00:25:42.09\00:25:44.28
there is a calm. "
Yes, things can get better.
00:25:44.31\00:25:46.97
So we're saying our
beliefs, the assumptions we make
00:25:47.41\00:25:49.55
in our relationships.
For example, when we
00:25:49.58\00:25:52.44
think of the notion that we can
respect our individual choices.
00:25:52.47\00:25:58.15
And we don't have to put
each other in a box in order to
00:25:58.18\00:26:01.14
function, that we can create
space for growth individually.
00:26:01.17\00:26:06.35
Then we are helping
each other to become the best
00:26:06.39\00:26:10.28
they are capable of, and
your marriage is likely to grow.
00:26:10.31\00:26:13.87
And no marriage can really
progress unless Jesus Christ
00:26:13.90\00:26:21.06
is in the center of it.
The Psalmist says, I invite you
00:26:21.09\00:26:25.60
to look at Psalm
127:1. Read with me, it says:
00:26:25.63\00:26:31.29
That is so true. God
has to be the foundation.
00:26:40.06\00:26:44.01
God has to be the cornerstone.
00:26:44.04\00:26:46.70
There are many individuals
who are progressing materially.
00:26:46.73\00:26:51.42
They are
progressing financially.
00:26:51.46\00:26:53.50
They're
progressing educationally.
00:26:53.54\00:26:55.54
All are forms of progression,
but Jesus Christ is not
00:26:55.57\00:27:00.15
at the center of their
home. And in truth, and in fact,
00:27:00.18\00:27:03.15
that's not progress.
Because if Jesus is in
00:27:03.18\00:27:06.29
the family, what a happy home.
But if He's not in that family,
00:27:06.32\00:27:10.07
no matter what we
have, it means nothing.
00:27:10.10\00:27:12.89
I can think of 1
Thessalonians 5:7.
00:27:14.31\00:27:17.47
I invite you to read with me.
00:27:17.50\00:27:19.30
We want to take
our challenges to God.
00:27:23.58\00:27:25.59
He is available and able to
see us through our challenges.
00:27:25.62\00:27:30.07
So when we have barriers,
or anything that would prevent
00:27:30.10\00:27:35.19
our marriages from progressing,
let us remember to always pray.
00:27:35.22\00:27:39.36
And that's exactly
what God is asking us to do.
00:27:40.10\00:27:42.75
No matter what,
put it in His Hands.
00:27:42.78\00:27:45.47