Coeur d'Alene Weekend to Remember Comments

Coeur d'Alene Weekend to Remember®
October 18-20, 2011
Prayed to Receive Christ: 23
Asked to be filled with the Holy Spirit: 92
Recommitted their family to Christ: 87
Attendance 476

Comments from the Weekend:

This was our first time away overnight without kids in 6 years. We have been struggling for the past year. My husband lost his job 6 months ago. My husband admitted this weekend he had give up on our marriage. I have been looking for an excuse to leave. We are going home fully committed to restoring our marriage not to just what it was…but better! (wife, married 6 years)

We’ve been married 18 years and have been separated for 1 ½ years. Our divorce was to be finalized just weeks from now. We’ve made the choice to stay married and grow old together. Praise God. (wife of husband below, married 9 years)

I believe it saved our marriage. We are very close to divorce and now we want to make our marriage work. I want to grow old with her. (husband of wife above, married 9 years)

Closer to each other. Every relationship needs needs a tune up to keep it running great. We try to go to this each year and our church or marriage conference. (husband married 16 years)

Gave us understanding to issues we have dealt with all our married life. Reminded us we need Christ in our lives and in our marriage because without him we are driving blind. Great tools, great resources. (wife, married 16 years)

Touched me deeply. With God’s help I can change to the man God wants me to be. (husband, married 28 years)

My wife and I have now attended seven Weekend to Remember conferences. We look forward to this time every year. It began with us working on our junk, but now it is an equipping tool for the people around us. Thanks. (husband and pastor, married 12 years)


Although this conference helped save our marriage 3 years ago, we still managed to lose focus. We used to think, as I’m sure most couples do, that we were untouchable, we had something not many couples possessed. Little by little, we realized we were missing something. Satan was whittling away that security we thought we had. We truly needed this refresher to combat the evil that ends so many marriages today. Thank you. (wife, married 6 years)

We had just separated 2 weeks ago and my wife moved out. This weekend really helped and I think we have a good shot at working this out. Thanks. (husband, married 13 years)

The power of God is amazing! A miracle happened here this weekend! (wife, married 7 years)

Weekend to Remember Update

Below are comments reflecting each of the Weekend to Remember Events held this past weekend. It is so awesome to see God's transforming work in the lives of these couples...

*I was at the end, ready to throw in the towel. Not divorce, just give up. I have recommitted myself to our marriage.

*If I'm willing to die for my wife, like Christ did for the church, then how much easier should it be to rub her back, or rub her feet, or fold laundry.

*We're a young married couple (19 & 21) and it was just a blessing to start off on a good foot, surrounded by couples doing marriage right. This getaway was a straight up blessing from God.

*We were ready to separate, this was our last ditch effort for hope & strength. We fought on the way to the conference through Saturday afternoon & my husband was too angry to attend. Sat. afternoon something changed . God spoke & softened our hearts. My husband has turned back to God. I see my failures. We are going to make it.

*My husband and I haven’t spoken in 7 months prior to coming this weekend. The divorce had been filed and it was ugly. I didn’t even know why I agreed to come. But I’m glad I did. A miracle took place here. My marriage and family haven been saved. My life has been saved. Amen!

*“This weekend was our final attempt. We already had the divorce paperwork and were basically living in two separate households. In fact, we went to file the paperwork but decided to do one last thing before throwing in the towel. I am so glad we did! We have both been convicted and recommitted our lives, marriage, and family to the Lord. For the first time in years, I have hope for our marriage! I had forgotten that there is nothing too big for God to fix.”

Raising Dead Things

God is in the business of brining life to the things that are dead and without hope...

Weekend to Remember

I am always amazed at how God can give hope in a situation that seems hopeless. He is in the business of restoring broken people and broken lives.

If you would like to attend a Weekend to Remember Event use the code "thecliftons" and save 50% off the cost of registration.

Spring Weekend to Remember Quotes

A Few Comments from the Spring 2011 Weekend to Remember Season:

• This weekend helped me more and more to open up as I give my whole heart to my husband. Marriage felt like a chore, a burden – now I know marriage as a precious gift from God. I see my husband in a whole different light – it’s bright and will forever shine!!

• We found forgiveness!

• I had made up my mind and heart to walk away from my marriage because I thought there was no hope. I was burned out with trying to make it work. Now I see I can stop trying my way and do it God's way. I found new hope in the marriage covenant.

• As a military wife, my reason for planning a trip to Florida was to leave my husband, because of an affair. After this weekend, I plan on going back home with my husband, giving my marriage to God, along with my hurt, pain and put God first in my life and my husband 2nd and pray our marriage will be better, but mostly godly! Thank you!

• I came with the hope that God would speak to the heart of my husband and work wit him to see my needs. The most wonderful thing happened. God opened my eyes and worked on my heart to show me all of the ways that I was lacking in providing for my husband’s needs. Leaving here a newly devoted wife.

• My husband and I are currently in the process of a divorce. However this weekend has changed the way that we have been looking a each other. We have started to put the principles that we have learned this weekend into practice and it feels like we are learning to fall back into love with each other.

Join us for a Weekend to Remember this fall. Use the code "thecliftons" and save 50% off the registration price. Register today at www.familylife.com

A Wonderful Challenge

Last fall a good friend of mine was interviewed for MomLife Today. She was asked, "What is one thing you have done well in parenting?" Marilyn told the story of how she and her husband Don issued a challenge to each of their children when they reached the age of 13.

The challenge placed before each of their children was to read the Bible through in one year and write a commentary. For each and every chapter of the Bible they had to write a 2-3 sentence summary on the chapter. Each day they would read a chapter in the Old Testament, a chapter in the New Testament, a Psalm and a Proverb. If they completed the challenge within the year (with some grace allowed) they would receive a big prize of their choosing. (Marilyn mentioned each one chose something of their liking...a computer, clothes shopping, a sewing machine, etc).

My oldest two are well past the age of thirteen but I thought it would be a wonderful challenge, so we sat them down and gave them the opportunity to write a commentary as well. What an incredible gift...to have the knowledge of what is in the Word from beginning to end.

I am excited to see how spending the time in the Word and summarizing what each chapter is about will impact my children!

My next child is twelve and his birthday is in October. I had really thought about waiting awhile to issue this challenge to him. However, he WANTS to do this! He is so excited about the opportunity and it has blessed my heart tremendously! Thanks Marilyn, for sharing your words of wisdom!

The Ugliest Cake and a Lesson on Forgiveness

The day before MaryElise turned three I wasn't feeling good. I knew I needed a cake and I was debating whether to make one or pick on up at the grocery store. Tom and Josiah were headed to the store so I enlisted them to find a cute pink cake for MaryElise's birthday.

Sometime later Tom called from the store describing some of the cakes. He told me about a "Diner Cake". I had no idea what he was talking about. I heard the lady in the bakery talking about a "big cupcake cake" or a Cinderella cake and then Tom said, "Okay, I think we got it covered" and then he hung up. I felt secure knowing he would come home with something cute with the help from the bakery lady.

He entered the house carrying a cake box and I took a peek inside to see what kind of a cute cake he chose. The cake he came home with looked more like a jelly doughnut explosion than a birthday cake. The sides were smeared with strawberry jelly and the top had mounds of icing and globs of jelly. It was the ugliest cake I had ever seen. I responded by going into my room and crying. (Really mature I know) Much to Josiah's credit, he came in and apologized and said it was his idea. He thought the cake looked great.

Throughout the day I couldn't get over my disappointment. I rehearsed the situation over again in my mind and the frustration began to grow. "How could he be so clueless? This cake is ugly. It isn't even pink. Maybe I'll get lucky and the cake will accidentally fall on the floor and I'll have to get a new one. There is no way I want to take pictures of my cute little girl with such an ugly cake!"

I didn't realize how far I had let the situation go until dinner. I can't remember exactly what it was that I said, but Tom's reply was, "Oh, that really sounds like forgiveness". I realized from his tone that I had not forgiven him. I was choosing to wallow in the disappointment rather than forgiving and letting go. God convicted my heart. How many times have we as parents spoken to our children about the importance of forgiveness and here I was holding on to something silly!
In Colossians 3:13 it says, "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." I had a choice to make and I chose to forgive. (Needless to say, I did take pictures of MaryElise with the cake that we still fondly refer to as the Jelly Doughnut Explosion!)