Save $ As You Save (or Strengthen) Your Marriage!

Last April, Rick and I were blessed to attend a Family Life Weekend to Remember. I never blogged much about it because there was SO MUCH to process after that amazing weekend that I could never organize my thoughts well enough to do the experience blogging justice. Then so much more life happened as all our medical news unfolded over the following months, that my plans to share more about the treasured weekend kept getting pushed to the back burner. To say it was a worthwhile weekend is such an understatement, but I can say that if you have an opportunity to attend one, please do what it takes to make it happen.

I know the economy is tight and no one is thrilled to be spending money right now. The registration rate is $129 per person ($258/couple) for the conference itself (this does not include the price of lodging) so yes, this is an investment, but one that you will look back on as a marriage landmark for many years to come. I assure you that it is worth the sacrifice to go! Because we believe so passionately in this ministry, Rick and I have signed up to lead a "group" and can offer an $80 discount (making registration $178 per couple) to anyone who registers for a conference using our group page at http://www.familylife.com/groups/saake or by simply using the group name "Saake" as your discount code when you register from the main Family Life website.

But wait, it gets better! Yes, said in my best infomercial voice. ;) From January 4-18, 2010, when you register at the regular rate of $129 for one of you, you spouse comes free! Simply register for any upcoming Spring or Fall Weekend to Remember using the promotion code "INVITE" and go for half price, only $129 for the two of you! Please spread the news. This weekend truly might improve or even save your marriage and/or the relationship of someone you encourage to attend.



Note to my friends facing infertility or loss:
When we attended, there were many references to parenthood presented throughout the weekend, especially during the 1-hour Sunday morning breakout sessions where husbands meet in one room and wives meet in another (and motherhood and fatherhood are parts of the topics addressed). It is, however, clearly a marriage weekend (and for many, marriage does include parenthood) not a parenting conference, so I would encourage you to prayerfully consider risking your heart to try to glean the things of value while being prepared to let the things that don't currently apply to your situation go by. I was pleasantly delighted to spot Hannah's Hope: Seeking God's Heart in the Midst of Infertility, Miscarriage, and Adoption Loss on the book resource tables and have heard from several readers that they first found Hannah's Hope at a Family Life weekend, so the organization does strive to be sensitive to our pain.

They also offer feedback forms that can be filled out at the end of the weekend and I used mine to thank them for providing testimonies from couples who had endured fertility challenges and loss and to voice a reminder that not all marriages lead to parenthood, so you might wish to leave similar comments if any portions of the weekend are painful from the fertility perspective. Realizing the makeup of each weekend will differ by location and speaker panel, I would still encourage you to risk putting fertility heartache on the back burner for a weekend to focus on falling in love more deeply with your husband!