Have Fun & Bring Joy to others who are married

HAVE FUN & BRING JOY TO OTHERS

Marriage Week will shortly be with us, and it is a time to have fun as we honour and celebrate marriage and maybe also start to increase our ministry to marriages.

As we go about our lives and our ministry, and all in the church are in ministry whatever their life situation, life can be difficult from time to time particularly when all cares have not been passed to the Lord [1 Peter 5:7] and can push many things to the background and out of sight. We get too serious and lose sight of fun times whether with our spouse, family or friends; we effectively lose part of our ministry – bringing joy to others.

Scripture tells us to have fun:

“There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy,…” [Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 (ESV)]

Then Proverbs 17:22 tells us

“A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing to both body and soul. But the one whose heart is crushed struggles with sickness and depression. (TPT)” Fun, joy in acts like a tonic for our bodies! God knows us at all levels including the biological, endorphins are released as we relax, laugh, and enjoy our surroundings and our bodies benefit from this.

Philippians 4:4 says

“Be cheerful with joyous celebration in every season of life. Let your joy overflow! And let gentleness be seen in every relationship, for our Lord is ever near [Philippians 4:4-5 (TPT)].” We are commanded to find joy in the Lord through every season of life. We need to take our eye off the what is happening in the world around us and need to cultivate gratitude and take part in joy-filled worship. Celebration is a part of our life.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23)

As we minister to marriages during Marriage Week honouring, celebrating marriage as our Lord designed, bring some fun and laughter into the week.
Some ideas:

In meetings seek out the couple that has been married longest and also the couple who have been most recently married. Have a small gift for them and have them, assuming they are willing to, talk of their funniest or joy filled moment in their married life together.
Make a small gift to all in the church who are married e.g. a chocolate heart (there is plenty of time to order online even through eBay, Amazon and others) not forgetting one each for husband and wife.
If you are able and have the resources get a team together to organise a “Marriage Feast” which could be an outside event – BBQ/picnic in the local park – all the church could be involved here whatever their “status” or age.
If you are married and with the permission of your spouse include the funniest or joy filled moments in your own marriage in your message and/or your newsletter.
Have a supply of our “Baby sitting Gift certificates” ready for members of the church to take so that they could help others who are married and have children to get out and have time together. These can be used by grandparents and others. They can also be used to give that break to the single parent.
Also print off copies of our “Prayer Guide for your Marriage” for couples to take or email a copy of the pdf to, if possible, both husband and wife.

These are just a few ideas to include in Marriage Week.