I had the honor of assisting with a marriage retreat this past weekend. Twenty-one couples committed the time to each other to nourish the roots of their relationship.
The best part of the weekend was not the material Jo, Fred and I presented, but the stories and sharing the couple themselves told. Stories that brought both laughter and tears, but always drenched in love.
We shared inspirational quotes throughout the weekend and reflecting on these wonderful sayings this morning, reminded me of our other most important relationship – with God.
Strengthening a marriage relationship involves more listening than talking, intentionally spending time together, and connecting. These can also serve as ways to open our heart to God.
Lent is a great time to nourish our roots with God. May these quotes prime your prayers and light your love as you linger with our Lord.
- To love another person is to see the face of God. – Victor Hugo
- Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
- Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why – Eddie Cantor
- Anything less than a conscious commitment to the important is an unconscious commitment to the unimportant. Stephen Covey
- Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads; hundreds of tiny threads, which sew people together through the years. Simone Signoret
- You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. Indira Gandhi
- The first duty of love is to listen. Paul Tillich
- God is spreading grace around in the world like a five-year-old spreads peanut better: thickly, sloppily, and eagerly. Donna Schaper
I really like that last quote and my practice this week will be looking for some of God’s peanut butter grace!
Great quotes! The last 2 are my favorite!
Jeanie, cool! Peanut butter grace! I’ll try to remember that one. 🙂
Jean,
My husband and I went to a marriage retreat 12 years ago. I still think of what we learned there and how it still impacts us.
Loved the quotes.
THe weekend was amazing and what an honor to be present watching God at work.
Phil I would love to get a copy of your quotes. thanks for sharing! here is my emaii:
jeanwise22@gmail.com
Congratulations on what sounds to have been a wonderful retreat Jean! 🙂
As one of the things I do to remind Shannon of my love for her, each day for the last two and a half years I’ve sent her an SMS message to her phone containing a different devotional quote, including some of the ones you’ve listed here. I have a document containing all the quotes to date (up to 51 pages I believe), and I’d be happy to send you a copy for future use if you have interest. 🙂
Thank you so much for helping to strengthen those God has united, and for the post today!
Have a Blessed Day!
To love another person is to see the face of God.
This is so true, in so many ways. When I see Jesus in people it makes their faults (and mine) so much less important.
feel free to use any of the quotes. I found them so inspirational and a great reminder.
love, love, love that last quote. may i snitch it?
I do love Victor Hugo!
What a blessing to be in on that this weekend, Jeanie.
Now that was great to hear the couples give a testimony of what it did for their marriage. Marriage is truly a blessing from God and though no marriage is perfect it takes allot of work. But most of all it takes applying God’s word to the marriage and being obedient to His words. When me and my husband got married our vows to one another was to let God show us how to love one another and even till this day we still pray for one another asking God to show us how to make this marriage bee the marriage it was to be. It does at times become a struggle because both of us are human flesh and we have to deny the flesh when we think what we want is best when in fact it’s not.
God bless