Marriage Retreat

Saying "marriage is easy" would be the equivalent of saying "this booger tastes good" - neither hold much truth. If you're reading this and not married then I'm sorry to burst your bubble. It's not that we are terrible people (I have a wonderful wife) it's just that we're human beings. Let me be honest, there have been times when I'd rather have a flaming hot dog shoved up my nose than resolve a conflict. However, in my one year and nine month experience it has been nothing short of incredible - good, bad, and ugly.

This past weekend Allison and I had the privilege of attending a marriage retreat - put on by Young Life - at a Young Life camp property in Colorado (Trail West). We been to marriage conferences where you sit down and they tell you how to make everything right, but this was different. The speakers, music leader, and program team did an amazing job making sure this retreat wasn't just a fluffy three days in the mountains. Rather, they made it a time where a husband and wife could take an honest look at their marriage and take the steps necessary in creating/maintaining a marriage honoring God and each other. Walls were broken, feelings were expressed, and grace abounded. How grateful we are for the folks at Young Life for their effort in helping us in our journey.



We were not the only couple from the Houston area to attend. From left to right in the picture is Doug and Brooke Tigtig (my Area Director), Will and Tara Otto (staff in NW Houston), and Brian and Heather Reeder (staff in the Houston bay area). They've each been married much longer than Allison and are always a blast to hang around. One things YL does so well in is making sure staff do not feel like they're all alone in ministry. We have a terrific group of staff people in the Houston Region and I feel fortunate to be here.

I'll leave you with another picture taken at the retreat. Allison is currently 23 weeks prego and we're getting close on nailing down a name.