You Saved My Marriage !
You saved our marriage!
These exciting and affirming words jumped off the evaluation form as we reviewed the feedback from our Tandem Couple’s Weekend at Sandy Cove.
Let me take you back and set the stage for this powerful moment. February, (because of Valentine’s Day) was a busy month. Our “biggest and scariest event” was this weekend at Sandy Cove. Why big and scary … let me explain:
Big -- because it was “sold out;” we ministered to 180 couples (that’s 360 people) making it the largest retreat we’ve ever done!
Big -- because it was hosted by a regional conference center; Sandy Cove attracts people from all over the Mid-Atlantic region. We had folks from
Scary -- because this was a “big event” … high expectations from couples who had traveled far and invested much … not to mention the financial risk Sandy Cove had taken in booking us …if we bombed … their reputation would suffer!
Scary -- because we just hosted our 3rd Annual Sweetheart Banquet the night before ... we were tired and stressed from juggling all of the logistics of these back-to-back biggies!
Scary -- because my wife Karen rarely team teaches with me … and she had never taught this material … so what were we’re thinking? Of all the weekends to make our team teaching debut … why this one?!
Scary -- because we did not have total control of the program ... Sandy Cove hired the guest worship leaders who shared the time and stage with us.
So what did we learn? God uses the big and scary things to make us more dependent on Him … (sounds like a story about a big scary giant …) and then He does what He does best … transform lives! Let me share two of their testimonies:
From a wife …
“ I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed you and your wife Karen at the couple’s weekend at Sandy Cove. It really got my husband and I thinking and I just wanted to let you know that we are applying what we learned to our lives. We are starting to do devotions as a couple in the evening. We are also spending time together just talking to one another. Thank you for all your help and also a weekend of laughter and fun. I will never forget you and Karen, I will keep you updated on things to come. May God forever smile upon you.”
And this special story from one of our “finest” …
I am writing to thank you for an amazing weekend. We had five couples come and each one benefited from it. Each one of us has had a trying year in different ways. … [One] couple struggled deeply and this weekend was one of the first times I had seen the husband commit to helping their relationship.
As for my wife and I, we separated for the third time this past July. It was over as I saw it. The arrangements were made with the lawyer, plans were made with the kids and our life was going to change. At one point I told someone that "barring a miracle from God, we would be divorced as soon as possible." In December she came home [from a tour of duty] and our relationship was different, unrecognizable. However, the hurt and pain we had were still there and the old relationship lingered over every step. At [the Tandem Retreat at] Sandy Cove, we were able to talk for the first time and ask forgiveness for what we had done. We realized that intimacy only comes through honesty and integrity. [One of our sessions was on this very point!] It felt like a new relationship and for the first time I was sure we will now make it.
On Sunday night (after the retreat) when we got home, I proposed again and gave my wife a new ring, starting over without the mistakes-of-old haunting us every step of the way. Such as with Christianity ... we let the Holy Spirit in. He healed, forgave, and we were made new.
Thank you so much for your help. It means the world to know that people care more about marriages than their money.
God Bless,
Wow! … God used a big and scary event to do some big and scary things in our lives as a ministry and in the lives of many couples on that special marriage retreat. Thanks to your faithful prayers and financial support, we can “care about marriages more than money” because of your generous support. These testimonies are part of your legacy!
But today, as I write to you, House on the Rock Family Ministries is in another “big and scary” place. It’s a good big and scary … but big and scary nonetheless. The demand for our ministry is growing (big) … and unless we make some big changes (scary) thousands of families will not be helped (even more scary!).
I want to ask you to pray a lot more for us and to consider giving a little more to help us. We need more man power to multiply our impact. Our board has recognized the need for, and approved the hire of another professional staff member who can share the speaking and teaching load with me. This will allow us to almost double our ministry outreach and effectiveness! That means we can encourage and enrich more marriages … equip more ministry leaders. Wow! God wants to use another big and scary place in our history to help us impact thousands of families! And you are a vital part of the ministry team.
We will not hire this much needed ministry partner until we have his salary pledged or raised. I need your help to make this new position a reality. Will you help us meet our growing demand? Pray, and if the Lord leads send a gift to help us get this new position up and serving families!
Partnering with you to build Godly families,
Bruce R. McCracken, Ph.D.
Founder and president
PS Your gift today will help us expand our ministry to thousands of families “tomorrow!”