Poem

It's the everyday choices that you make:

To do what is best for your partner in life 

To respect the commitment of being husband and wife 

To be still and just listen - not have to be heard  

To forgive and forget and not need "the last word" 

To admit you're not perfect - you'll both make mistakes

To support the decisions that each of you makes

To be willing to laugh when a day has been rough

To divide up the burdens when life becomes tough

To support one another when things are too hurried

To comfort each other when stress keeps you worried

To be willing to cherish your true love and friend with a joy and compassion that will never end

As you celebrate each year together:

May you always have understanding to make your marriage work, commitment to make your marriage grow

and love to make your marriage happy!

(Author Unknown)

9/20 - Dr Sauer

Praise the Lord that Dr Sauer could join us. I'm always thankful for his vulnerability and the way he makes the word come to life by telling of how he has practiced it. 

Some great lessons we gleaned from Philippians 4:10-20 include:

• Contentment

Gifts added to Paul's joy while he was imprisoned, but they weren't the cause of his joy.

Our satisfaction is not dependent on people, things, or circumstances; a healthy relationship with God determines our joy.

Don't look to your husband to make you happy, only God can make you happy. A good spouse can't make you happy, a bad spouse can't prevent you from being happy. God first, then husband and children. 

Paul accepted their gift not to seek benefits for himself, but to see the Philippians profit from their giving. 

• Stewardship

God faithfully provides for all the needs of generous believers. Don't let money or stress drive you and your husband apart.

Be wise about when to store up and when to share. Joseph stored up food during a time of plenty to prepare for a future famine (Gn 41). 

Assets other than money can be shared such as friendship and time. 

What a necessary reminder to make Christ our focus and take joy in him rather than try to derive joy from things, people, or circumstances. 

Below is a link of a short recording of Dr Sauer sharing an experience he had with a promise to give to God. Definitely worth five minutes of your time:

http://youtu.be/uIgRdakHaO8

9/13 - Dr Zuber

What a pleasure it was to have Dr Zuber join us. For those that couldn't make it, below are some notes from what he talked about: 

Transformation of the Mind 

We are to transform ourselves from:

1. Mindlessness
2. Worldliness
3. Selfishness 

The knowledge of God is what transforms. 
The prescription for transformation: Proverbs 2:1-6

"My son, if you receive my words
    and treasure up my commandments with you,
² making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding;
³ yes, if you call out for insight
    and raise your voice for understanding,
⁴ if you seek it like silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasures,
⁵ then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God. 
⁶ For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding..."