This weekend past, Amy and I attended FamilyLife's Weekend to Remember. The Weekend to Remember is a weekend conference for husbands and wives looking to strengthen their marriages. Amy and I went to a Weekend to Remember a number of years ago, around 2000, having only been married for about 4 years. As a young couple, the weekend was a wonderful opportunity to learns some new tools for our marriage. That first weekend was a great experience.

This weekend was another wonderful reminder of the importance of working on our marriage.

First let me say, we have a pretty good marriage. We have been blessed with some great training and care. From our pre-marital counseling to conferences and seminars to a number of great books and awesome mentors and couples who cared for us, God has blessed our marriage in some amazing ways. But good marriage or not, I believe that every couple should work at their marriage, and the Weekend to Remember was an opportunity to grow and strengthen our relationship.


I'm not going to break down the entire event by session. Nor am I going to pick apart the material. Instead, I want to share why I think you should attend a Weekend to Remember.


1. A Good Marriage Takes Work.
A good marriage doesn't simply happen. If you want a strong, healthy, passion relationship, you need to work at it. The Weekend to Remember offers couples a chance to work on their marriage. The conference is set up to take you from start to finish; from the purpose and design of marriage through all the aspects of the marriage. Along with great material, which the FamilyLife team provides, there are two more things you, [that is you the husband and you the wife] must have. The first is the openness to honestly evaluate and consider your role and part in the relationship. The second is the vulnerability to admit your mistakes, seek forgiveness, and make the commitment to do your part to work at strengthening your marriage. If both of you are willing to work at your marriage, both of you will benefit from the time and effort invested in your marriage.

2. The Weekend Getaway.
One of the great things about the Weekend to Remember is that it's a weekend to get away. So normally, if you attend a Weekend to Remember conference, you go and stay in the hosting hotel. It's a weekend to literally get away. Now for the couples with kids, getting aways difficult. It's never easy to just get away, especially for a full weekend. We have 5 kids. Finding someone willing and able to take all 5 kids is huge. This weekend we did have a very dear couple take 4 of our 5, while the 5th went away on a youth retreat.

Getting away is super important. Staying at a hotel creates a escape for you and your spouse. We love staying at a hotel, especially if it's "fancy" hotel. This weekend, we opted to stay at our house. The conference was local enough that we could commute. And with all 5 kids out of the house, we had the whole place to ourselves. But if you can stay at the hotel, it's totally worth it. (If you can commute and the house is empty, go for it. Getting away is just that; GETTING AWAY. It's amazing how getting away can help to set a special tone for the weekend.

3. Let Romance Happen.
One of my most favorite aspects of the Weekend to Remember conference, is the date night. For many couples, the date night is the highlight of the weekend. The date night gives the husband and wife a chance to go out and have some fun. Dinner. A movie. A fun activity. And maybe a little romance. Dating your spouse is one of the best things about being married. I love when Amy and I get a date night. But like "getting away," with 5 kids, the date nights are not as frequent as we'd like. So to have a night where we can go out and do something is awesome.

But don't be fooled, while it's not mandatory or required (because that would be weird) intimacy is the hoped result of the night. Romance and intimacy is crucial for the married couple. (I will be blogging about intimacy in marriage in some upcoming posts, so I am not going to say too much here.) If you are married and you are not being intimate, you might want to register for a Weekend to Remember. The date night is your opportunity to let the romance happen.


Bottom line; if you are married and you want a stronger, healthier marriage, FamilyLife's Weekend to Remember is an event that is worth your time. I hope that Amy and I will be able to attend again next year.


In the meantime, I am looking to book FamilyLife's The Art of Marriage, a video based conference for couples. The Art of Marriage is a shorter event without the expense and commitment of a full weekend. I will post more info as I line things up. Till then, check out the Weekend to Remember website and prayerfully consider joining us next fall!

Whether you are into the beards or not, there's no denying, the Robertson's are a family of faith. From the field to the warehouse to the dinner table, the family is not afraid to say the name of Jesus. But how deep does the faith run? I am Second brings their faith to video.

Check out this trailer...

Three generations share about their life, faith, struggles, and Jesus. Phil, Jep, and Reed sit down to talk about what has changed in their lives. The 30 minute video will be live on November 21st, on the I am Second website. (www.iamsecond.com) The release information suggests this to be an event-type screening with your friends and neighbors. And perhaps it will be. Take a few minutes to visit the website and learn more.

Is this something that you would host a party for?

Share your thoughts and comments below.

Click here to read more…The Robertson.

- jay

Have you seen the trailer for the new faith-based movie coming to theaters?

Watch this...

To be honest, there are not many movies that are faith-based and actually worth watching. For me, most "Christian" movies come off as theology filled fairy tales with characters who find themselves in a tough spot only to have God "rescue" them and bring everything into the right by the end of the movie. I'm not hating on the Christian themed movies, just something that erks me a bit.

But I am intrigued with this one. Could there actually be a movie that presents God, Jesus, and this faith in a way as to prove it's Truth's, rather than champion the feel good promises of the Bible? Will the movie really investigate God, Jesus, history, the claims, and covenantal promises so to present an accurate and Biblical depiction of our faith?

I don't know, but I am looking forward to this one.

From the movie's website…
- God's Not Dead is a new Christian film about faith and the limits one young man will go to in order to defend his belief in God. Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper), a freshman college student, enrolls in a philosophy class taught by an infamous and dictatorial professor. Dr. Radisson (Kevin Sorbo) demands that all of his students must sign a declaration that "God is dead" in order to get a passing grade. Josh refuses. But, he needs to take this class to meet his academic requirements. (Read More…)

The movie hits theaters in the Spring of 2014.

- jay

Okay. So let’s turn the corner here.

Here’s what I believe we need to do as a church. I would like for us to embark on a journey together. A 40 day adventure that will take us from a place of knowing this principles to the place where we are living the these principles.

How many of you have a copy of Rick Warren’s, The Purpose Drive Life?

If you do not have a copy, I’d like for you to get a copy. Make it a priority this week. If you are a Kindle user, I suggest you download the Kindle version. It’s been updated with working links that take you to a resource that has been build to help you can the most out of the book.

Starting next Sunday, as a church, I want to challenge you to begin reading The Purpose Driven Life. For families, with older students, I would challenge you to read each days reading together as a family, perhaps at dinner in at some point in the evening. And for 40 days, together, we will read and discover how to put into practice the purposes that we have just learned.

So starting November 3rd through December 12th, we will read, and let’s see what God does in our lives. Because I believe, until we come into line with how he wants to use us, well, we are going to continue to miss out on the blessings of ministry He has prepared for us.

Next week, will be another special week for Harvest Church. Next week I hope to come and share with you the vision that God has put on my heart for for Harvest. We have been doing the same thing for almost 2 full years now, and I believe it’s time for us to finally come in line with what God has called us to do.

Following, that vision service, we will gather at the Belcher’s for some refreshments and  our brainstorming session. My prayer is, that God will speak into your hearts, ideas for how we can take the vision that he has given and engage the community in a way that makes ministry real and life changing.

So, you’re assignment this week. Get a copy of The Purpose Drive Life, or dig out your old copy. Spend the week praying and asking God to prepare your heart for next Sunday’s vision and Brainstorming, and for the kick-off our our 40 Day’s of Purpose Study. And come and join us next Sunday as we present ourselves to the Lord for the purpose of living according to His plan.

- jay