You may think I must be crazy to create a page for Marriage and Family, right? Well - I admit that I do NOT have it all figured out. In fact, I may be an expert on how to mess up relationships (and some of you may be too!) but I am completely convinced that God has a plan to strengthen, heal, and restore relationships amongst people. So - whether that be within marriages, families, churches, community groups, or friends, God's desire is for us to live fulfilling lives as we love Him and love others (Matthew 22:37-40).
Now I've already made it clear that I don't have this marriage and family thing figured out. But -- I am married and I do have a family so that places me in a position to have experience regarding this topic. My husband and I are two people who are committed to loving one another "till death do us part" - this is no easy task! And - we have three boys who are watching this play out. We are crazy about our kids and want to leave them a legacy of faith, love and life-long commitment. However - we both strongly believe that we can only do this well with God's help. And you know what? God wants to help us and He wants to help you too.
So - if you have healthy relationships - good for you! If you are anything like me, you may have some good ones, some complicated ones, and some bad ones. This page is only here to suggest a few resources and to encourage you to give it all you've got in pursuing healthy and loving relationships -- its worth the fight! Trust me ... I know.
Here are some resources for marriages, families and relationships:
Drs Henry Cloud and John Townsend
Focus on the Family
Family Life
The Basic Idea Ministries
PLEASE BE AWARE
Sometimes intimate relationships are affected by domestic violence. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, domestic violence can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner.
The Facts:
Domestic violence affects one in four women living in the United States. Nearly three out of four Americans know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence. Additionally, an astonishing 30% of Americans claim they know a woman who has been abused by their partner within the past year. Domestic violence affects people of all faiths, gender, age, race and socioeconomic status.
Sadly, more than three women and one man are murdered by their intimate partners in the United States every day.
Teens are not immune from this horrific injustice. One in five female high school students say they have been physically or sexually abused by a dating partner. These statistics are alarming and cannot be ignored.
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic violence, seek help from a professional.
We cannot ignore this problem and hope that it goes away. Abuse is stopped by intervention.
If you feel you may be in danger, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 and TTY 1-800-787-3244
Consider the following resources for more information:
The National Domestic Violence Hotline
domesticviolence.org
If you live in the Slate Belt communities of Northeastern Pennsylvania, please contact Turning Point Lehigh Valley for free counseling and support.
