In a word...
Abundant. A word that most of us desire to have but yet define it by something we do not have. Whether the definition that fits is "plentiful, ample, rich, abounding, overflowing, generous," or in just common tongue “more than enough." First of all, we must remember where our abundance comes from and from whom it comes.
“God, where is the sun? It should be up by now!”
Have you ever woken up one morning just a little late and noticed it was completely dark in the house? Then you walked outside to investigate. How could this be it is 8:00 am and it is completely dark? You would say, “God, where is the sun? It should be up by now!” Truth is, God would not do this to mankind. Logically, the above would never happen. Most of us never fully comprehend God’s goodness, His abundance for us each and every day!
Trouble in Paradise
God still shines His creative sun. He still provides abundant sunshine each and every day to every creature on this beautiful earth! Adam and Eve had it made! Total bliss and God’s abundance teemed everywhere and guess what? They did not have to labor for it, they just trusted and obeyed God because He provided an abundance for them each and every day. But then something happened, doubt, fear, temptation came through a personhood that should have not been trusted. The deceiver of all deceivers, the liar of all liars deceived them. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (Jn. 10:10a). They forfeited that perfect abundance by one choice!
Like Adam and Eve, each and every time we doubt God’s best for us, we reject His abundance. If Jesus said, “I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn. 10:10b) then one must wonder about the mystery of joining two persons into one. The “they” Jesus speaks of are believers. A husband and wife who know Him can have an abundant marriage. They can “have it to the full” with Christ-like attitudes, the fruit of the Spirit. It takes work and effort for sure. A good tree does not produce abundant fruit without effort in the hands of the farmer. So is true with marriage.
Our Calling
We are here as a ministry to help point couples to Jesus, the one who is “Abundant." Most couples do not know “how” to be married. Our marriage workshops and coaching first of all points couples to Jesus. We then help them discover how to meet one another’s needs, communicate, resolve conflicts, express anger, avoid dirty fighting, and understand how their personality styles impact relationships for better or worse. The sun shines each and every day! It provides abundant warmth to the earth. It is not scarce, sparse, or “just plain lacking"... it is abundant! Clouds come and so do storms. Likewise, we in marriage life can learn how to whether the storms together and have an abundant marriage life!
What is holding you back from having an abundant marriage life?