Arthur and Olga Alard:
Olga and I are really glad that we have this opportunity to participate in ReEngage and that the pilot was started this Spring semester. We are being blessed more than we had expected...this marriage ministry has given us an opportunity to work through some of the tough realities that our marriage seems to be going through. It has really helped us answer the question, "How do I love my spouse amidst the realities that our marriage relationship face on a daily basis?"
ReEngage is no walk in the park; it is emotionally tough. One cannot see it as a "lets go through the motions" marriage ministry and expect to come out of it smelling like roses. Re-engage is helping our couples deal with some very hurtful issues in their marriage relationship; the Re-engage facilitators has fostered an environment where the couples feel safe and are open to share their most private thoughts with their partners and with their small group, knowing that confidentially is a high priority for us.
In just this short time together, our group has been very open to share where they are at in their marriage relationships. We are all serious about working on our marriages, and we believe that as time moves on, we will build even stronger accountability relationships with each other. The 6 month time frame requirement for couples to proceed through this ministry is perfect because there is no easy quick fix (over a 12 week program) to help couples move towards the oneness they so much desire in their marriage relationship.
Words alone cannot describe how much we appreciate the initiation of this ministry at Northwest Bible Church. We are excited for those couples who will sign up in the future to attend ReEngage, and trust that the Northwest leadership would prayerfully consider to continue investing in ReEngage, so that future couples at Northwest would also benefit from this ministry as we currently are.
Olga and I are also looking forward to introducing the ReEngage marriage ministry to our home church (in Cape Town) as well as other church leaders in South Africa when we return after graduation this year.
Kelly and Kevin Jensen:
I am already so impressed with the efforts, the communication, and the honesty that is pouring out in our group. There is a feeling of desperation for help, but also a great feeling of hope as we continue to process this material and openly discuss how we feel. The ones that are opening up the most are the ones that said “I don’t know why I’m here and this isn’t for me.” Or My favorite, “I’m not the problem”. We are discussing some difficult issues that just couldn’t be openly discussed or addressed in any other forum. It’s kind of like group therapy, but better because we know that God is the midst of it. From personal experience it is always comforting when you feel like someone understands how you feel or can relate to what you’re saying or why you act the way you do. I can tell some of most challenged couples are relating to other people and slowly and surely we are all learning from one another to better ourselves and our marriages.
This program and opportunity is truly a gift from God and I don’t want to rush through it, but I can’t wait to hear the testimonies that come from it. And there will be many. I have a feeling that we will have a number of couples that will tell our congregation that this will be what saved their marriage. I will beg the church to continue this program. This isn’t a butterfly and rainbow class, this is the real deal, for real people.
Jerry and Donna Durling (facilitators):
In our third session of ReEngage small group, two of our couple’s wives opened up for maybe the first time with a great deal of personal transparency last night. The one who claimed she was very uncomfortable with sharing in an open-group setting helped another woman (who shared how she was struggling to lover her spouse) come to a very new realization she hadn't considered before. Her healing from past wounds needed more time for her to be able to love her husband unconditionally, but we all could see it was a WOW moment for her. It was great for all of us to be apart of that. They both gained a lot from opening up and sharing. How great is that! As you can see, God is working through ReEngage.
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