Transforming into a Noble Partner
Idaho Character Foundation Hosts Marriage Conference
Dan and Kathryn Pinkerton along with the Idaho Character Foundation sponsored a Noble Partners Marriage Conference in Post Falls, Idaho after attending one in Dallas last fall. They invited many of their friends and employees but also opened it up to couples in the Northwest. I quickly became aware of the fact that there were many couples who were considering separation or divorce and this was a last ditch effort to rescue their marriage. Some of the couples gave a testimony at the end saying, “I had no hope coming into this conference but I am leaving with enough hope to make the changes necessary to develop a noble marriage.” There were other couples who needed a breakthrough to get them to the next level of oneness in their marriage.
Breaking through into Intimacy
One couple who needed a breakthrough was Phil and Sherri Janzen. This was the first marriage conference they had attended in their twenty-two years of marriage. Sherri had been praying for just such an opportunity but Phil was preparing for the spring farm season. When it rained for three days he began to think that maybe God was trying to get his attention, and he figured he might be able to collect some money from a customer who lived close by. They drove seven hours to attend and Phil became a little restless sitting inside when he is used to the many activities of farm life.
Standing on the Rock
Phil decided to take a run during one of the breaks and found a trail that led him down into a flowing stream, a place where he could contemplate his life, his marriage and hear from God. He spotted a tree standing on the rock ledge and saw how it’s roots had traveled along the rock face to find soil into which it could find nutrients. He felt God telling him, “Stand upon the rock and drive your roots deep into My Word.” He had been experiencing a lot of frustration and anger with his business, his children and his marriage was in a desperate need of revival.
Sherri and Phil had fallen into the combat cycle of criticism, despising, defending, and withdraw. I had shown a power point, which explained the combat cycle and Phil could plainly see where his marriage was and where it was headed. God began to break through years of hardness as Phil became more and more willing to walk in the light with God, to become transparent and honest, authentic and sincere.
Confession leads to Communion and Union
Phil came back to the conference and kept to himself until I exhorted an engaged couple to maintain their purity by drawing on the power of the Holy Spirit to keep them separate during their courtship so they would then know how to draw on His power to keep them united in marriage. I mentioned that many couples allow lust to bring them together during courtship and dating and drive them apart during marriage.
After exhorting this couple Phil jumped up out of his seat and confessed that it would have been his desire to start off his marriage in this same way.
Phil continued to share what God was doing in his life that afternoon and Sherri joined him as they confessed their need for a fresh start from God. The couples prayed for Sherri and Phil and Anne sang a blessing over them.
A Fresh Start
The next morning when we had breakfast and took a walk with Sherri and Phil to see the site where he had met with God in solitude, Sherri said that they had been up late talking, repenting and preparing for a fresh start. She was so overwhelmed with emotion because all she had prayed for and all that she could not even imagine or think was beginning to happen.
Transformation of a Noble Partner
She was watching her husband transform from a normal man who comes, sees, conquers and retreats into a noble man who comes, calls, clothes and connects. Sherri watched Isaiah 66:2 come to pass in her husband’s life that night, he became broken and contrite and trembled at God’s Word. Just as God regards and draws close to such a man so do their wives and children.
I received a couple of e-mails from Sherri and Phil when I got home from this trip. Here is what Sherri wrote:
Experiencing Oneness Like Never Before
My husband and I have found a complete spiritual breakthrough and are experiencing a oneness that we have never experienced in our 22 years of marriage. We have been in ATI since 1994 and my husband is the head of our Family Support Network group that meets in Salem, OR, yet was resisting the grace of God in his life to overcome the attacks of Satan. Now, he understands his identity in Christ in such a real and meaningful way. We experienced such a time of cleansing and forgiveness on Saturday. God’s goodness is now overwhelming our whole family and me. We had the opportunity to have breakfast Sunday with Chris and Anne and went on a walk with them through the woods and God spoke so clearly to us through them and the testimony of their lives. It was wonderful to have those 2 hours with them before they had to leave. My husband and I had all day Sunday to drive home and spent so much of the time reading the Word and praying and confessing and asking God for more revelation and strength. Then this morning he called of the children together for a time of confessing a praying and the children forgiving him and us for not having the marriage that God wants for us. We have a new energy and excitement that I haven’t experienced for a long time. We praise God for his goodness and how his truth and mercy can conquer sin and evil and we can be victorious!
Making Progress 2 Weeks After the Conference
Chris,
Thank you so much for the impact that you and Anne have had on our lives. Almost 2 weeks, and we’re still doing great! We’ve had many opportunities to continue growing in Christ and growing in our oneness with each other. We have been doing spiritual warfare and it’s sometimes hard, but the victory and hope we feel is definitely worth it! God has sent other couples into our path already to minister to and Phil has had the opportunity to talk to each of the children and is making a lot of progress in relationships there as well. Thank you so much for caring about us. Your willingness to share your lives and what you have learned has been a great blessing in our lives.
God bless you,
Sherri Janzen
To find out more about a Noble Partners Marriage Conference Click Here
Posted by Chris Hogan on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 at 10:20 AM
