“Find a church that offers marriage oriented classes and attend those regularly.”
We recently asked our class to tell us one important thing that they had learned about marriage. If you could give someone who was about to be married one piece of advice, what would it be? The opening quote is one of the answers. Of course, we loved that answer.
Our class actually had a lot of great answers. Another person talked about how he and his wife had grown up in good Christian homes, read the Bible, and had parents with good marriages. But after going to a marriage conference with a group that we put together, they realized that they still had a lot to learn about marriage. He was thankful for finding out what he didn’t know! He believes they are to continue to learn about marriage, in the same way he does continuing education on his job.
When is the last time you did a continuing ed class for your marriage?
Or maybe you know someone is preparing for marriage or in the beginning years of their marriage. We have a class coming soon for all of the above. We are teaching a marriage class at our office on Monday nights this fall, September 10 - November 5, 7-8:30 pm (eight classes). For more information, you can call or email us or go to this page on our website to find out more.
A couple of weeks ago, our landlord (a wonderful, Christian man) came to us and said that someone wanted to rent the room that he has been letting us use for the last two years at no cost. We use the room for our classes, meetings, and trainings. Our agreement with him was that we could use the room, which adjoins our office, at no charge, but he would continue to make it available to lease. Then, if anyone wanted to lease it, he would give us a chance to lease it first. We prayed and consulted our board. We believe that God wants us to continue to use the space. We know that God will raise up the additional $350/month for the rent for the room. Please pray with us for the Lord to touch hearts of those who will join us in continuing to provide classes and trainings.
We recently completed a series, THE GOOD, THE BAD, and THE UGLY Marriages in the Bible (and what we can learn from them). We are gradually posting the complete lessons (and more!) on one of our blogs. You can read the complete series on our marriage blog.
The Wisdom Community School has a website, www.wisdomcommunityschool.com and a facebook page. [like their page here] You can now see more pictures and video of the children online. And you can see our team in action! More will be added to both in the days ahead. They have a year-round school schedule there, going to classes for three months, then taking a one-month break. They are about to start back to school for their fall semester. We are thankful for the ongoing commitment and prayers for those children.
And … save the date for our annual dinner - Tuesday, October 16!
Thank you for your continued prayer and support of the ministry of Living Well.
Our love in Christ,
Donna and Ed Edwards
P.S. Please pass on info about our marriage class that is starting soon!
Showing posts with label premarital. Show all posts
Showing posts with label premarital. Show all posts
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Thursday, July 28, 2011
AUGUST 2011 LETTER - LIVING WELL
We are back into our routine, meeting with couples, planning for the fall. We have seen a notable difference in appointments this summer. We usually see a slow down in new appointments over the summer, but we have had lots of calls for new appointments since we returned from Africa. Once again, our marriage counseling appointment times are almost full. We still have openings for people who need financial counseling.
We are starting several classes during the next month or two. We are starting a new financial class, Spending Money: The Go(o)d Way. Everyone likes to spend money but we don’t always know the good way (God’s way) to spend it. The class will meet on Thursday evenings, August 25-September 29 (six weeks), from 7-8:30, at our office. [details]
For our fall Preparing for Marriage class this year, we are going to teach it a little differently. We will still cover 8 lessons but we will do two lessons each evening and meet for two hours at a time. This will enable couples to finish the class in a shorter time but still get all of the information to help them begin their lifetime journey together. The class will meet Mondays, September 12th & 19th, October 3rd & 10th, from 7-9 pm at our office. [details]
We will also be leading a marriage class at our church on Sunday nights starting August 21st.
We are looking forward to sharing more about what God is doing through our ministry at our annual dinner on Tuesday, September 27th, this year. Save that date!
Our ministry in Africa continues to multiply. We recently received this email from Malawi. The pastor who is writing had met with our translator in Tanzania, Nickson Kalinga.
My name is Shikunzi Mgaya, a Tanzanian by nationality, serving in God in Malawi….
I got married last of last year to Peggy, she is a wonderful wife and a partner that I am proud of…. I knew about your Ministry through Pastor Nickson Kalinga, who happened to be a very close friend of mine and mentor too. I had a small challenge with my wife, basically I was too busy with Ministry and had very little time with my wife.
We decided to travel to Dar and meet Kalinga. Sincerely, I was helped by him and discovered how far I was from my family roles duties. Kalinga introduced me to your materials on marriage and family life as a Christian. Indeed I have been empowered so much, and revived. Those materials are so precious and full of life. He went with me step by step.
I intend to have a leadership meeting in Malawi the first week of September. Pastor Kalinga will be ministering with me, and the best part of this is that we will be using your material.
For more pictures and testimonies from our last mission trip, see our mission page. A new area on our website is about men’s ministry. Ed has had the opportunity to speak on several occasions to men’s groups; more details are provided on the web.
Summers are hard for most nonprofit ministries and churches - costs stay the same but donations drop. We are experiencing the summer slump as well. Please pray that the Lord will raise up the donors to continue this ministry. Donations make it possible for people to see help with their marriages or money management problems, regardless of their income and ability to give. They also sustain our work with developing marriage ministries in churches.
You are an valuable part of our ministry here and in Africa. We love and appreciate you and your support of the work God is doing through Living Well!
Our love in Christ,
Donna and Ed Edwards
Thursday, April 28, 2011
MAY 2011 LIVING WELL Letter
Have we heard enough about the royal wedding between William and Kate yet?
Their wedding launches the spring “wedding season.” Brides-to-be are either in the thick of preparation or are in the final days before the wedding day. Bridal magazines present endless possibilities for the big event. The wedding has become such an expensive day that the trend is increasing among low-income couples to skip the wedding and marriage completely, because they think that they can’t afford to get married.
Rebecca Mead, author of One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding, was quoted in an article as saying, “Vows, which is the trade magazine of the wedding dress industry, had an article about how to market to the ‘nontraditional bride’ and warned readers that this kind of woman is dangerously apt to ‘forget the wedding and prepare for marriage.’ People who work in the wedding business often appear to be very warm and sentimental, but they're salespeople, and the successful ones are completely coldblooded about it.”
If every prospective bride and groom seriously investigated the purpose of marriage and of weddings, both weddings and marriages would change. These articles give some ideas to consider before the wedding—in the planning, for increasing the odds of success, financial status, and even the parents - Wedding Season and Those Left Behind.
Mother’s Day is around the corner, our first one without my (Donna) mother. My mother was a very important influence in my life. As I have thought about what she imparted to me, so much comes to my mind. Anyone who knew my mother saw her love, her warmth, her generosity, and her desire to make every event in life a celebration. She gave me an enormous amount of security with her unconditional love, but also showing me what it meant that God loved me. She always believed in me, told me that I could do anything. It was a great shock to me to realize that were some things I would never be able to do. Through that encouragement, she gave me confidence. Even though she was raised during the depression and war in rural Oklahoma, the 9th of 11 children, she recognized the value of education. She pushed me and my sister to read and do well in school; consequently, both of us love to read and to learn. Mother said the only book she ever finished was the Bible, but I think that was enough. She had an eye for nice things after growing up with the basic physical necessities. She taught me about the beauty in life. She even taught me how to take care of her in her last days after I watched her devotion, love, and care for her own mother 30 years ago. My prayer is that I can do as well as she did in being a mother and grandmother. I recently read this from an unknown author, “The death of a mother is the first sorrow wept without her.” I thank you for your prayers during this time.
We are about 30 days from leaving for Zambia. We are still awaiting word that the notebooks and study Bibles, which we shipped a few weeks ago, have arrived. Please pray for their safe delivery there! (see info and video about this mission trip)
As we write this letter, we have received a little over 80% of the funds for our mission trip. We praise God for what we have received. Please pray with us for the remaining amount ($3,875). We have to send the balance of our funds to ALARM, our African partner ministry, by May 5.
And please continue to pray for the preparations in Zambia, that God will bring men and women committed to strengthen marriages according to God’s Word. We know that He wants to do a great work to change the hearts and minds of the people in Ndola, Zambia.
We love and appreciate you and your support of the work God is doing through Living Well!
May the Lord bless you in your relationship to Him.
Our love in Christ,
Donna and Ed Edwards
P.S. Please pray that the Lord will provide all that is needed for our mission to Zambia.
Their wedding launches the spring “wedding season.” Brides-to-be are either in the thick of preparation or are in the final days before the wedding day. Bridal magazines present endless possibilities for the big event. The wedding has become such an expensive day that the trend is increasing among low-income couples to skip the wedding and marriage completely, because they think that they can’t afford to get married.
Rebecca Mead, author of One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding, was quoted in an article as saying, “Vows, which is the trade magazine of the wedding dress industry, had an article about how to market to the ‘nontraditional bride’ and warned readers that this kind of woman is dangerously apt to ‘forget the wedding and prepare for marriage.’ People who work in the wedding business often appear to be very warm and sentimental, but they're salespeople, and the successful ones are completely coldblooded about it.”
If every prospective bride and groom seriously investigated the purpose of marriage and of weddings, both weddings and marriages would change. These articles give some ideas to consider before the wedding—in the planning, for increasing the odds of success, financial status, and even the parents - Wedding Season and Those Left Behind.
Mother’s Day is around the corner, our first one without my (Donna) mother. My mother was a very important influence in my life. As I have thought about what she imparted to me, so much comes to my mind. Anyone who knew my mother saw her love, her warmth, her generosity, and her desire to make every event in life a celebration. She gave me an enormous amount of security with her unconditional love, but also showing me what it meant that God loved me. She always believed in me, told me that I could do anything. It was a great shock to me to realize that were some things I would never be able to do. Through that encouragement, she gave me confidence. Even though she was raised during the depression and war in rural Oklahoma, the 9th of 11 children, she recognized the value of education. She pushed me and my sister to read and do well in school; consequently, both of us love to read and to learn. Mother said the only book she ever finished was the Bible, but I think that was enough. She had an eye for nice things after growing up with the basic physical necessities. She taught me about the beauty in life. She even taught me how to take care of her in her last days after I watched her devotion, love, and care for her own mother 30 years ago. My prayer is that I can do as well as she did in being a mother and grandmother. I recently read this from an unknown author, “The death of a mother is the first sorrow wept without her.” I thank you for your prayers during this time.
We are about 30 days from leaving for Zambia. We are still awaiting word that the notebooks and study Bibles, which we shipped a few weeks ago, have arrived. Please pray for their safe delivery there! (see info and video about this mission trip)
As we write this letter, we have received a little over 80% of the funds for our mission trip. We praise God for what we have received. Please pray with us for the remaining amount ($3,875). We have to send the balance of our funds to ALARM, our African partner ministry, by May 5.
And please continue to pray for the preparations in Zambia, that God will bring men and women committed to strengthen marriages according to God’s Word. We know that He wants to do a great work to change the hearts and minds of the people in Ndola, Zambia.
We love and appreciate you and your support of the work God is doing through Living Well!
May the Lord bless you in your relationship to Him.
Our love in Christ,
Donna and Ed Edwards
P.S. Please pray that the Lord will provide all that is needed for our mission to Zambia.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
February 2011 Living Well Letter
“I have loved you with an everlasting love” Jeremiah 31:3
And what are you planning for the one you love?
If you are married, consider giving your marriage a gift of love. We encourage all married couples to do something to maintain and strengthen their marriage at least once a year. What have you done for your marriage this year?
February is the busiest month of the year for marriage educators and advocates. We have many events coming up. Please pray for us as we seek to speak into the lives of many couples. Events:
Our schedule reflects the different avenues of ministry, which we believe are essential, to reach different couples. We do individual/couple guidance every week. We teach small groups such as the one which starts February 8th at our office. We teach church groups, such as the retreats. We sponsor regional events (Dream Marriage simulcast). We train leaders who can go back to their churches and teach or lead marriage ministries.
Families today are under more stress than ever before. According to an American Psychological Association study, in 2007, stress impacts lives in a dramatic way:
We love and appreciate you and your support of the work God is doing through Living Well!
May the Lord bless you in your relationship to him and in your marriage.
Our love in Christ,
Donna and Ed Edwards
P.S. Please pray that the Lord will give us wisdom and rest.
And what are you planning for the one you love?
If you are married, consider giving your marriage a gift of love. We encourage all married couples to do something to maintain and strengthen their marriage at least once a year. What have you done for your marriage this year?
February is the busiest month of the year for marriage educators and advocates. We have many events coming up. Please pray for us as we seek to speak into the lives of many couples. Events:
- Jan 28-29, Friday night/Saturday “Energize” retreat, Caddo Baptist Assoc.
- Feb 4-5, Fri night/Sat “Marriage Tune-up” retreat, 1st Baptist Church, McAlester, at Falls Creek
- Feb 7, 7-8:30pm, Mondays, “Preparing for Marriage” class, our office
- Feb 8, 7-8:30pm Tuesdays, “Living Well in Marriage” class, our office
- Feb 11-12, Fri nigh/Sat morning, “Dream Marriage” live simulcast by Jimmy Evans, regional event, sponsored by Marriage Network OK at Putnam City Bapt (we coordinate and host this event)
- Feb 24, Thursday, 10-3, “Building a Comprehensive Marriage Ministry” workshop, Southwood Baptist Church, Tulsa (regional training for church leaders)
- Feb 27, Sundays, 5-6:30, “Managing Money” class, Putnam City Baptist Church
Our schedule reflects the different avenues of ministry, which we believe are essential, to reach different couples. We do individual/couple guidance every week. We teach small groups such as the one which starts February 8th at our office. We teach church groups, such as the retreats. We sponsor regional events (Dream Marriage simulcast). We train leaders who can go back to their churches and teach or lead marriage ministries.
Families today are under more stress than ever before. According to an American Psychological Association study, in 2007, stress impacts lives in a dramatic way:
- About 1/2 say that stress has a negative impact on both their personal and professional lives.
- About 1/3 of employed adults have difficulty managing work and family responsibilities.
- Over 1/3 cite jobs interfering with their family or personal time as a source of stress.
- Stress causes more than half of Americans (54%) to fight with people close to them.
We love and appreciate you and your support of the work God is doing through Living Well!
May the Lord bless you in your relationship to him and in your marriage.
Our love in Christ,
Donna and Ed Edwards
P.S. Please pray that the Lord will give us wisdom and rest.
Friday, January 29, 2010
LIVING WELL - Monthly Quote and Prayer Requests, February 2010
The little unremembered acts of kindness and love are the best parts of a person's life.
William Wordsworth
Love never gives up.
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
But keeps going to the end.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (Message)
Praises:
Marriage retreat in Chickasha
Prayer Requests for February, 2010:
William Wordsworth
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (Message)
Praises:
Marriage retreat in Chickasha
Prayer Requests for February, 2010:
- Donations to fill the gap of our budget shortfall, so Ed and Donna will be able to continue Living Well ministry activities
- Donna’s stamina
- Preparing for Marriage class, Mondays, 7-8:30.
- Living Well in Marriage class, Sundays, 6-7:30, starting February 14
- Marriage conference in Ponca City, February 20-22
- Marriage Week, February 7-14, that marriage will be honored
- Wisdom in marriage and financial guidance appointments
- Good health and protection for our family.
Friday, January 01, 2010
LIVING WELL in 2010 - Preparing for Marriage
We often wish God would show us what is ahead for us. If He had shown me what was ahead for 2009, I might have told Him "never mind, can I skip 2009?" But His answer to me would have been the same as to Paul "my grace is sufficient." And it was.
So, we pray and ask God what He wants and listening closely to follow Him.
God showed us years ago that Christ-like marriages were very close to His heart. His passion became our passion. How does a person have a Christ-like marriage? First, having Christ in his/her life is a non-negotiable.
Second, preparing for the marriage early can make a huge difference. We started teaching a Preparing for Marriage class 15 years ago. We now see young, strong Christian families, some have several children, who came through that class.
What we see new for us in 2010 is holding the class in a "neutral site," instead of in our church. We see a growing interest on the part of young people to prepare, but they can't always find it in their own church or they are often unconnected to a local church.
The beautiful setting of the Old Paseo Chapel is the setting for our class beginning January 18. We believe that God wants us to reach some new couples in a new way. How many of us wish we had some/any teaching to get us ready for a lifetime together? The most exciting and rewarding part of marriage ministry is seeing these couples set the course of the journey together in the right direction.
More about what is ahead in our next post.
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