Marriage retreat.

re·treat: 

a place of refuge, seclusion, or privacy.

It hasn't been long since Tyler and I got away for an evening.  Just a couple months ago we stayed downtown for a "Staycation", and while we thoroughly enjoyed that night away, this one felt much different.


Friday night we arrived at the hotel to check-in and pretty quickly joined up with our group from church.  The leaders gave some quick instructions, handed out our packets, and sent us on our way... to be alone for the night.  Best.idea.ever.  The leader commented saying she always hated going on retreats or conferences and never getting any alone or "down" time with her spouse, so we were running things differently this time around.  Right on, lady.

Tyler and I decided to find a coffee shop.  It's one of my favorite places on earth... find a quiet corner, a cup of joe, and I'm good for hours on end.  Our only "task" Friday night was to do some homework, which I gladly obliged.  My husband isn't much of a DEEP talker, so it's pretty rare that we get to sit and have some GOOD heart to heart conversation that isn't fueled by a need to make decisions, or by something that happened.  The type of conversations we had all weekend long were solely fueled in love, and genuine concern for each other and our marriage. 

Saturday was spent in sessions with the group, but there was so much time reserved for talking one-on-one as well.  We reminisced about the past... one of my favorite sections of the workbook was taking a trip down memory lane.  We talked about the present, we prayed for forgiveness.  Another favorite session of mine was when we affirmed and encouraged each other... hello my love language!  And most importantly, the couple hours we spent studying and discussing where God is in our relationship was eye-opening and challenged us to be better.  Honestly?  There wasn't a single part of the retreat that I didn't like or didn't gain something from.  

We were away from distractions.

Away from stress.

Away from worry.

Away from responsibility.

Away from interrupted conversations.

I love the way that God showed up and met us where we are.  He not only spoke to us individually, but together in our relationship as well.  I love the illustration used that without God in our triangle, we are simply a straight line.  He is the core of our relationship... and as our wise Pastor reminded us, the safest place to be in your spouse's heart is number two, with God being first.

I can't say it enough what a great time we had. 

Do you even know how many times we raced each other to the car?!

It was child-like fun, all weekend long.

Also, a huge...huge...HUGE thank you to my brother and his wife (and kids!) for hanging out with our boys.  There are not sufficient words to thank you enough... for loving us and helping us any time we need it. 

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7