Power and Compassion Christian Marriage Retreats

Strengthen Your Marriage By Developing Your Own Mental and Emotional Health

A large part of having and maintaining a healthy marriage relationship is having and maintaining a good level of mental and emotional health in yourself. One of the key areas that we focus on during our private, personalized christian marriage retreats is teaching you how to develop a healthy mental attitude in yourself so that you are better equipped to interact in a positive way with your spouse and family.

For some reason, being physically healthy in today’s society is the only thing looked at for being healthy. To be perfectly healthy, for the majority of people, means eating the right foods, and doing the right exercise program. While this is true of our physiques, it is not true for the rest of us. Emotions play a really big part in your health, and so does your mind, so you should be equally concerned with them as you are your physical health. Maybe not in every instance can you change how you feel, you can at least control your feelings. There are things that you can do to improve your mental and emotional health. There are many things to do, and these are a few of them.

Help improve yourself with personal willpower. Sometimes people indulge in behaviors they never thought that they would, simply because they slack off due to feeling down or depressed. You might think that you deserve to wallow, but all it does is make it tougher to climb out of the pit you are in. When inhibitions are lowered, we do things we normally wouldn’t do, because they seem okay because of our present circumstances. When you are depressed, if you wallow too long, it is going to be hard to ever get your life back, unless you can make yourself do what has to be done. The best thing you can do for your mental and emotional health is to take care of your responsibilities even if you need to force yourself to keep going. Don’t ever give up, no matter how bad you feel, and do this by finding a reason to tell your heart and head that your life is still going on. Start off everyday with something you like. You can lower your blood pressure and increase serotonin levels in the brain, by walking through a garden or a park, according to studies. You will feel better emotionally by doing something physical that allows you to relax. So, allow yourself to spend some time admiring beauty-whether it is through actual art and architecture or in the beauty of living things around you. Your mood can be elevated by the inspiration of beauty. You need to find the beauty in all situations. Everyone is an individual, so there is no reason to expect everyone to have the same reaction to all things. It is okay to like something different from others.

Enjoy yourself in your spare time. Life will be nothing but drudgery and depression, unless you raise your levels of happiness by finding something you can enjoy during your leisure time, even though indulging in laziness is not a good thing. You can easily run your emotions into the ground, when you are only working, even doing housework, because the work needs to get done. Doing something just because you think it is fun helps you feel happy. When you have things you must do because they are your responsibility, times of happiness can make them easier to manage. Your emotional and mental health will be much better, as long as you can get your life to be less tedious. Any mental health problems that become too severe to handle will require a mental health expert to be consulted. Your mental health, as well as your emotional health can be made better, as long as you are willing to work for improvement. Sometimes our emotions might seem uncontrollable, but they can be managed. Just because something happens that make us sad, we don’t have to become depressed, and we can find ways to be happy. The tips in this article are just the tip of the iceberg. Anything that has to do with your life, unless you are being manipulated by someone else, is completely up to you and your choices, whether they are good or bad.

To learn more about how Power and Compassion christian marriage counseling retreats can help you to improve your marriage relationship through developing and strengthening your mental and emotional health, visit http://www.ChristianMarriageRetreats.net

11.02.2012 christian marriage counseling, christian marriage retreats, emotional health, tips for a happy marriage No Comments

The Importance of Attending a Christian Marriage Retreat

Marriage retreats have been a significant help to millions of people across the globe today. In fact, personalized couples retreats have saved millions of hopeless marriages that were headed for failure and destruction. Marriage retreats require couples to invest time, effort, attention and money but the profit gained through this process is far more valuable not just for the couple but for their children as well.

In marriage, there comes a point where the couple’s interest towards each other tends to wear off and the passion begins to fade. This can be triggered by factors such as pressure in the family, career and personal development, financial obligations and poor sexual activities.

Through the years, marriage retreats have become increasingly important in renewing the passion and romance in the married lives of couples. Christian Marriage Retreats offer an invaluable support to couples whose relationships are constantly struggling. They provide couples with a temporary yet valuable escape from daily routines which results in a renewal of love and devotion for one another and a more harmonious, exciting and enjoyable marriage life.

With the help of a professional marriage counselor, personal and family problems are tackled thoroughly and solutions are found and applied in a practical and effective manner. Basically, personalized marriage counseling is specially designed to provide long lasting and positive solutions to issues such as anger, stress, anxiety, depression, affair prevention and repair, interpersonal difficulties and spiritual, emotional and physical intimacies. When these problems are left unresolved, it can negatively affect the quality of relationship of the couple. In the long run, this can trigger the both parties to concur for a divorce or annulment. When this happens, children are left at the losing end of the equation.

More often than not, marriage retreats stimulate couples to create a conversation which can bring about a number of benefits to their relationship. In fact, it provides a good opportunity for them to talk about their marriage and problems. Furthermore, a retreat allows the couple to evaluate themselves and formulate concrete and long lasting solutions to their imperfections. With the help of a professional marriage counselor, the couple is able to open up, share their feelings and disclose their sentiments and emotion with one another more freely. Keeping those feelings bottled up inside can result in frustration, mistrust and other destructive behavior, so it is important to open up and communicate about what is on your heart.

Marriage retreats also allow the couple to appreciate their relationships and rather than focusing on the negative, find reasons why they should make the marriage work. It serves as a good reminder about the vows that they made, towards each other during their wedding ceremony. Marriage retreats are also good opportunities for couples to express their commitment and lifelong relationship with each other.

There is a common misconception that marriage retreats are only for couples whose relationships are struggling. But this is not really the case. Marriage retreats are also beneficial to married couples whose relationships are going along smoothly. In fact, marriage retreats offer valuable opportunities for couples to transform a good marriage them into a great marriage.

Marriage retreats provide couples with a great deal of motivational forces to work with their marriage instead of letting it fall apart. And most importantly, a Christian marriage retreat with a professional counselor allows a couple to renew their bond of love for each other and establish God as the center of their marriage.

For more information on the Christian Marriage Retreats provided by Power & Compassion Christian Counseling, visit http://www.ChristianMarriageRetreats.net

02.02.2012 christian marriage counseling, christian marriage retreats, intensive marriage counseling No Comments

How Christian Marriage Retreats May Save Your Marriage

Are you having problems in your marriage or relationship? Are you flirting with the idea of a divorce or separation because you think that it is the only solution? Well you are not alone. Many couples suffer through rough patches in their relationships from time to time. Fortunately there is hope, and love can be restored to any relationship through Power and Compassion’s Christian Marriage Retreats.

One thing that sometimes prevents couples from attending these types of marriage retreats is the embarrassment of thinking that they are somehow abnormal individuals because they are having problems in their marriage and their relationship. Often times people don’t want to admit that they are just as human as everyone else. If you feel this way you are not alone. Many marriages could have been saved if only couples were able and willing to set their own pride and self-centerdness aside and seek help through some sort of intensive counseling .

If you’ve have ever met a couple in love, you may have noticed that even if their marriage seems perfect, they themselves are not perfect. However, they probably are ‘perfect’ in each other’s eyes. Why is that so? More importantly, why do most couples lose this state of marital bliss? Is it because people in love only look at the positive side of each other and only put forth their positive side? That may be so, at least in the early stages of a relationship. However, maintaining that state of bliss throughout a marriage is not realistic. So what is it that keeps couples together even when times are rough?

The key to a happy marriage is realizing that you do not always have everything under control. Sometimes you are not going to ‘feel’ in love with your spouse. Love is finding pleasure in the good times, and having patience in the bad times. It is submitting your way, and your will to a higher authority and allowing God to shine his love through you towards your spouse and your family. Maintaining a happy marriage is much more easily accomplished when you recognize that you are not in control, God is in control and you are dependent upon him for everything in your life.

The Benefits of a Christian Marriage Retreat

Marriage is also a whole lot easier to maintain when you are equipped with the right tools and knowledge to relate to and communicate with your spouse on a deep and intimate level. Christian marriage retreats are designed to remind you of why you fell in love, analyze what happened, and help you improve your current marital situation. All you have to do is agree to come to an intensive weekend marriage retreat, even if you feel that your relationship is beyond the point of repair, you might be amazed at how powerful an impact one of our Christian marriage retreats can be in your marriage and in the way that you relate to your spouse.

The retreats are held at our private log cabin retreat in beautiful northwest Montana, just down the road from Glacier National Park. This private and serene location provides the opportunity to temporarily escape from the normal duties of everyday life. Both couple and individual counseling is available through our weekend intensives. Power and Compassion Christian Counseling provides a safe environment to open up and be sure that everything you share is confidential.

For those of you who are not yet at the breaking point, but find yourself in a place where you feel your marriage could use a little rekindling, it is still definitely a worthwhile decision to attend a Christian marriage retreat at least once in your lifetime. You may discover that your marriage could be far more rewarding and incredible than you ever imagined possible. Who wants to be just ok in their relationship, when you could be head over heels in love again? Attending a marriage retreat may even be just what is needed to ward off potential disasters in your relationship such as a dreaded affair, or some other sort of hurtful unfaithfulness.

Don’t let fate rule your relationship. If you made a decision at the altar to make it work “till death do us part”, then make a decision now to keep your marriage strong and vibrant. One great place to start asking questions is at a Christian Marriage Retreat. Visit www.christianmarriageretreats.net today to find out more.

07.01.2012 christian marriage retreats, intensive marriage counseling, weekend marriage retreat No Comments

My Life’s Destiny Of Grace (A Marriage Prayer)

Father, in the name of Jesus and according to your Word, I pray my life will be lived according to your will. So that you’re heavenly perspective will prevail over my earthly choices, circumstances, and decisions. I pray that You, Lord, will be my divine Guidance and my Deliverance from the enemy that comes to kill, steal, and destroy. For your glory and by your will, I cancel every lie of the enemy regarding the destiny of myself and my family.

Thank you for the authority You have given me with the name of Jesus. I exercise my spiritual authority over the current circumstances of my marriage to fortify God’s destiny and sustain undaunted commitment toward a Godly heritage for my family. I know your thoughts toward me are to give me a future and a hope for my life. Inspire me by your Holy Spirit’s grace and mercy to be in tune with your purpose and plan for my life. As your faith child, I am thanking you for the power and right to claim each one of your pure and holy promises over me as a covering, and I promise to minister this covering over my family. I call upon You as my Provider to release your answers so You may show us great and mighty things.

No success in my life will outweigh a failure in my marriage. Quicken my heart for fervent prayer and ignite passionate love aflame for God and my marriage. You are the Author and Finisher of my faith. Help me yield to your plan. You nurture my growth in Your image and likeness as I choose to love and serve others. From this day forward, I choose to trust in you with all my heart, no longer leaning on my own understanding, but following your lead. I now drop my agenda and commit our marriage as a welcome place for your perfect wisdom.
Paul’s tender letter to the Ephesians encourages me to forgive my spouse as quickly and completely as God in Christ forgives me. I do not want your forgiveness to be withheld from me, by my lack of forgiveness to others. Your wonder-working love covers a multitude of sins, and so, in your gracious and final manner, I forgive those who have trespassed against me. Wash away any resentment or anger toward myself or toward my spouse. With thankfulness and humility let me be generous in granting forgiveness as You so generously granted me forgiveness.

Your holy scripture instructs me to love my spouse as you have loved me. Your plan for my marriage is both as simple and as difficult as that. God love my spouse through me. “You in me and I in you” (John 4:20). Fill me with your faithful, unfailing love. Guide me as a peacemaker making each word a gift to bring relational restoration to my spouse and with all others. I recognize that people are created in your image and are infinitely precious to You. Let my heart overflow with the power of Your Spirit.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken, even as a Christ-centered marriage is strong. I open our marriage to Christ’s love as our strongest strand. The joy of the Lord is my strength and I will pray daily for the joy of the Lord in my spouse. You are true to your promise, 0 Lord, for you will never leave me or forsake me. With You as my Helper I shall do valiantly. Truly You are the Faithful God, the Merciful God, the Mighty God, the Great God, and the Living God. My life is transformed with you as our Lord, our Righteousness.

Jesus you are the Deliverer, Friend, and Majesty of my life. You are my Creator and Sustainer, my Consolation and my Wonderful Counselor. You are the hidden Wisdom of the ages who lives to make intercession for my spouse and for myself, both in our marriage and in our outreach to others. Because you are the Lawgiver, your grace is sufficient for me and You are my joy. Amidst all of life’s daily trials You deliver me from my fears and instill firm courage.

Any difficulties, discouragements, or abrasive afflictions are but a whetstone to sharpen a zealous and ardent spirit in my life for You. For You are Truth, Justice, Righteousness and the Perfection for My Life. I commit my life and our marriage to You, “our Dayspring from on high … ” as You “guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:78-79).

“The joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8: 10)”

Scripture References: Jeremiah 29:11; 33:3; Hebrew 7:25; John 10:10; 15:11; James 4:12; Ephesians 4:29, 31-32; 2 John 5

28.12.2011 christian marriage counseling, intensive marriage counseling No Comments

Some Tips For Keeping Your Marriage Vibrant & Strong (Part 2)

Last week I shared with you three tips for helping to keep the romance alive and strong in your marriage… this week, as promised, I am back with four more tips that can help rekindle the romantic flame and keep the passion alive in your relationship.

4)Keep the Communication going : Nothing harms a marriage more than a communication gap. Holding things to yourselves or not expressing them properly is one of the biggest marriage killers. A period of sustained communication gap can create so much of a void in a marriage that it can never get filled. So just talk and talk and talk and see all your problems, issues and grievances disappear into thin air. We provide very specific training during our christian marriage retreat weekend which can help you tear down the walls that you might have built up that are preventing you from having a real deep and meaningful relationship with your spouse, we will teach you new ways to connect with and and love your spouse through solid communication.

5)Express your love : Its never too late and too much when it comes to expression of love. How sweet is listening to a 75 year old telling his 70 year old wife that he loves her like crazy and she has been an amazing person to be with. Don’t we all want this, our partners expressing in loads that they love us. So instead of thinking that the other person already knows or has had enough of it or waiting for him or her to start, begin immediately. Just shower your spouse with the three most magical words on this earth.

6) Compliment : Nothing works better as a mood uplifter than a beautiful compliment coming our way and that too from the most important person in our lives. So what are you waiting for, just start complimenting your spouse every now and then, on her looks, on his intelligence, on the way she manages the kids, on the way he resolves the biggest of the problems…..just think about it, list can be endless.

7)Bond with the families: Last but not the least, marriage is not just about two individuals coming together but about two families as well. The better you bond with your spouse’s family the stronger is going to be the bond. Respect and love the family of your spouse as you do yours and then see the magic working.

Hope these help some of the couples around resolve some of their problems. Be happy my married friends. For more tips and ideas on building a stronger marriage visit our website to learn more about our intensive marriage counseling and how it can make a big impact in your marriage and your life.

27.12.2011 christian marriage retreat, intensive marriage counseling, tips for a happy marriage No Comments

Some Tips For Keeping Your Marriage Vibrant and Strong

Marriage seems to be one of the oldest bonds of the human race. After all its the union of Adam and Eve that has given birth to this world. But somehow the institution of marriage seems to be losing its sheen in today’s fast paced environment. With each of the partners, getting too busy in their professional lives a healthy and stable marriage seems to be becoming a dream. Based on my years of experience of interacting with couples and looking around the world it saddens me that so many people seem to be having problems with our marriage these days. The stress of marriage a lot of times takes a huge toll on all other aspects of life as well.
Though lots has been said and written on this topic for ages, here is just a small attempt from my side to list certain factors that can give us all a much more happy and stable marriage:

1) Respect your partner: Love fades away but respect lasts. Over a period of time in every marriage the love or the lust factor reduces and all that binds two people together is a sense of mutual respect and admiration. It is very important to be completely aware of the strengths of your partner and respect and regard him or her for those. Form a mutual admiration society among yourselves and you will find the relation rock solid always.

2) Have trust: It is said trusting a person is much more difficult than loving him or her and trust is the most important pillar of a successful marriage. Whatever your spouse does instead of doubting or getting angry the first thought that should come to your mind is that there must definitely be a good reason for the other person to do or say this. And with this thought when you start looking for a reason most of the times you find a valid one. Lack of trust absolutely shatters a marriage and then there can be no coming back, so behold it like your most valued treasure in life.

3) Let the fire on: Don’t let the lust die in the marriage ever. Whatever be the age, time, circumstance… always keep the passion for each other going. Nothing resolves a fight or a bitterness better than those beautiful moments of closeness. A wonderful sex session makes you forget all the grudges you have been holding and wants you to always start afresh with a new energy.

Next week I will be back with 3 more tips for you to use for keeping the romance healthy and strong in your marriage. If you want to really jump start a marriage that is suffering from strife, or has become stale and lacking in passion and romance, perhaps one of our intensive weekend christian marriage retreats is exactly what you need to reignite the fire and save your struggling relationship. Our weekend marriage intensives are the equivalent of weeks of marriage counseling packed into one life-changing, romance recharging weekend. Learn more by visiting our information page at http://www.ChristianMarriageRetreats.net

11.12.2011 christian marriage counseling, christian marriage retreat, tips for a happy marriage No Comments

Three Tips For Strengthening Your Marriage

Marriages start out with a “till death do us part” but sadly those words hold very little meaning in peoples hearts and minds these days. Today it seems to be that most people live by the philosophy of “till major argument or disagreement do us part”.

This is a sad reality in our world today, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Marriage is not just a bond that is to be honored when everything is bright and sunny, it is a commitment to love and care for your spouse through the good times and the bad, when the skies are sunny and when they are gray.

Below are a few tips to help you keep your marriage running strong and the romance alive.

Share the responsibility of marriage and don’t allow yourself to become complacent.Remember that even though some things may have changed, and you may be going through a rough time right now, your spouse is still the same person that you fell in love with, and the same person you made a commitment to love and care for for life…the same person for whom your heart skipped a beat every-time you saw one another. With time, marriage can become monotonous and boring as you get entangled in all the responsibilities of everyday married life. Children can complicate things even more. But the truth is that the responsibilities have always been there, it is only your perspectives on the responsibilities of marriage that have changed. Remember that a marriage is a two-way street. The responsibilities of a marriage are something that you must share equally with your spouse in order to keep your relationship healthy and strong. Don’t allow yourself to become complacent and don’t start dropping the ball on your responsibilities in a marriage. Just because you have put a ring on their finger doesn’t mean you should stop trying to ‘win’ the approval of your spouse every single day just like you used to do when you were dating. One way to do that is to remember to stay faithful to your responsibilities as a companion and marriage partner to your spouse and your family and go above and beyond to make them feel loved and comforted.
It’s never too late to impress.When was the last time that you wanted to look good (i.e. good and sexy) for your partner? If you cannot remember the answer to that question, then its time to suit up… Remember that spark…that special chemistry that you used to feel when your spouse would dress up in a special outfit, or in their best cloths, just because they wanted to look good for you. It is not too late to invoke those same feelings of love and excitement in your spouse today. Step outside the box and outside of your comfort zone and make yourself look good and sexy for your spouse. Whether that means putting on your ‘sunday best’ for a night out on the town, or putting on some sexy apparel for a ‘special night in’ you might be very surprised at what an impact this simple act can have on your relationship with your spouse.
Go on a mini-honeymoonWe all start to take things for granted when we get too used to a situation. Don’t allow this to happen with your spouse. It is so important that you never take your spouse for granted. A good way to ensure that that does not happen is to plan some special time away on a regular basis to do something special with your spouse. A mini-honeymoon if you will, at least once each month. This can be something as simple as a nice evening out at your favorite restaurant, or a weekend getaway to a romantic resort somewhere. It doesn’t have to be something where you spend a lot of money either, some of the best memories that we all have in life are from the times that we allowed our imagination to run wild and did something unique and out of the ordinary. The idea is to make your spouse feel some love and excitement. You want them to recognize that you have taken the time to design a little ‘getaway’ that is just for them, to show them that you still care.

Learn more about ways that you can build a stronger relationship with your spouse and help to fortify your marriage by visiting http://www.christianmarriageretreats.net

19.11.2011 tips for a happy marriage 1 Comment

Christian Marriage Retreat: Rekindling the Romantic Flame

Marriage is a sacred bond between a man and a woman. Whether it took a whirlwind romance or years of togetherness before tying the knot, marriage should definitely be treasured. It is common for a couple to go through unpleasant moments in their relationship. This, however, should not be a reason for them to go their own separate ways.

There are several ways to rekindle the burning flame of romance in a marriage. One is to attend a Christian marriage retreat. This would serve as a breather from your daily routines as husband and wife. The great thing about a retreat is that you get to do new things together giving both of you a new feeling of excitement. Doing activities together will get your minds off of your struggles and indifferences, thus, giving both of you the chance to express harmony and love that has been hidden somewhere in the corners of your hearts.

A marriage retreat not only focuses on giving a couple a chance to do something different together, it also provides room for Christian marriage counseling. This is the best time for a couple to settle any issues they have against each other and to come to a resolution that both parties could sincerely accept. The counseling helps a couple realize wounds that they may have and the marriage retreat provides a wide room for healing.

http://www.christianmarriageretreats.net offers this great opportunity for married couples to find romance once again. The marriage retreat is held at an amazing location in Montana surrounded by breath-taking scenery. This encourages couples to achieve peace of mind which is important to allow romance to come naturally. This guided Christian marriage retreat and counseling help couples in building their faith, thus making them closer to each other and, more importantly, to our Creator.

12.10.2011 christian marriage counseling, christian marriage retreat, weekend marriage retreat 1 Comment

Why Intensive Marriage Counseling Works

Marriage is a life long journey that comes along with plenty of bumps in the road along the way. Sometimes it does not matter how much you and your spouse love each other, when there are conflicts within the marriage things may look like they are starting to fall apart and this is why intensive marriage counseling can be so important. Getting the help you need can keep your marriage together for good. Some of the things you can expect from intensive marriage counseling include but are not limited to:

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Being able to open up the conversation in marriage counseling sessions gives you and your spouse the opportunity to express things in a safe and non-judgmental environment. The right Christian marriage counselors can help you to work through break downs in your communication and build the relationship back to a healthy and strong one again.

Anger and Stress Management

When we are able to manage our stress and our anger on a regular basis, we are better able to deal with situations and problems as they arise. This is also true in a marriage and with marriage intensive therapy you and your spouse can learn how to handle the stress and anger in a positive way and as a team to help build the relationship up.

Affair Prevention and Repair

Whether an affair has happened in the past or one of you are seriously considering having an affair, intensive marriage counseling can nip it in the bud. With treatments that were designed to heal the situation instead of simply cover it up, you and your spouse can find a way to overcome differences and come together as a loving, emotional, and romantic couple again.

Blended Family Concerns

When two people marry with children from previous marriages, things can get pretty tricky when it comes to creating peace and harmony at home. Being able to come to terms with the new family life is something that is easier done with the guidance of professional Christian marriage counselors. Getting the right help can make all of the difference in the world.

22.09.2011 intensive marriage counseling 1 Comment

In Need of Intensive Marriage Counseling?

Being married is a job in itself, and it is one of the most rewarding jobs on the planet when things are going well. Just because you and your spouse may be having break downs in the relationship does not mean that the relationship has to end. In fact, the right intensive marriage counseling can help you to rebuild your relationship and make it a fun and rewarding experience again. Many times you will end up with a stronger relationship that you ever remember having! You will know when you have found the best Christian marriage counselors if they possess the following features:

Couple Counselors

When it comes to marriage counseling you want to make sure that both you and your spouse are heard and understood equally. The best way to make sure that this happens is to choose a team of counselors that are married themselves. Not only will these counselors have personal experience to draw from but they can lend the appropriate ears at the appropriate times so that counseling never feels one sided to either spouse.

A Marriage Retreat Getaway

The benefit of a intensive counseling weekend is not only a 3-day marriage retreat getaway, but also maximized results to obtain the marriage you always wanted. Consider you will receive up to 17 hours of counseling delivered by a professional husband-wife counseling team. Together we provide you an individualized couple-to-couple weekend marriage retreat, with counseling guided by Christian principles. An individualized marriage retreat means not having to complete with other couples since you are the exclusive focus during the weekend of your choice. Your six session of counseling are two to three hours per session allowing issues to be dealt with in depth. The open ended sessions insure that closure is obtained on issues and you are in a good place as a couple after the end of each session. The format means coming together on equal ground, away from work and stress, to enjoy each other and to open up without the disruptions of regular life together. Enjoy quality time between sessions to drive or hike in nearby Glacier National Park. Pristine scenery in the mountains or a multitude of lakes is a good way to allow nature to refresh your perspective and invest in your happiness together.