Marital relations...

... can ignite passion, produce a loving family and inspire greatness. But they will also grow cold if not tended regularly. That's why we invited o ur Beit Immanuel couples to a rural hilltop at the foot of the Judean mountains to encourage them to open up to one another allowing the warm rays of the sun, God's spirit of love and his creative word to reignite  the marital passion in an interactive day together.

Couples loving prayerMarriage is a gift ignored at high risk, and it is crucial for couples to pray for one another,  something I have found many couples omit. We took time to ask each other for forgiveness which gave couples an opportunity to love on one another  freely, passionately.

We were surprised to learn that  watching romantic movies together doesn't help build the fire! Boy were we wrong about that. Thse romantic scenes only build expectations that real life can never live up to. True love is a skill that must be practiced and learned over the years, getting better as we age. Amen to that!

A couple restored Looking at I Cor. 13, that chapter on love, we asked ourselves how to apply these love skills in our marital relationships. When my wife gets me upset I so easily "keep records" of all the things she has done wrong. Reading I Cor.13 while thinking about how we treat one another  helped us look at how we can be easily angered, b ut also how to be kind, always persevere and that true love will never fail! That's what make it such a beautiful thing.

Our son Elisha and his new bride Sarah helped organize the retreat, and Sarah who is helping us with correspondence  for the congregation sends her greetings.  " You are loved beyond what you can imagine. Unconditionally.  Be strengthen, be encouraged. That's what each and every couple got out of this retreat. And what a privileged that we can do the same through his word and love each and every day.  Be renewed in Yeshua's love for you."  Sarah Lazarus

Sarah and the Lazarus Family
Elisha our youngest son on my left, his wife Sarah, Joshua our oldest and his wife Sarah, Michaella, Killian and his wife Moriel our oldest daughter and Hadass our youngest daughter.
May each one of you find all that you need to walk in love.

David Lazarus