Marriage Conference 2023

I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord. Hosea 2:20

God desires for us to know him. Our marriages can be an opportunity where we learn to not only know our spouse, but also the God we serve. Yet this level of knowing takes intentionality and purpose. ACCFS hosted its 2023 Marriage Conference on Feb. 10-11th in Roanoke, IL. The theme was centered around the idea of Knowing God in Marriage. This conference consisted of main sessions and breakouts all geared toward encouragement, learning, fellowship, and growth.

Main Sessions

Knowing Through Exposure: Handout    
God desires for us to know him. And one of the ways he reveals himself to us is through marriage. But if we are to know him, we must first be open to the exposure that this level of knowing brings.

Knowing Through Connection:  Handout   
Our experiences in life impact how we love. Knowing and accepting the shaping of life experiences is a critical first step to the deep connection which marriage can offer. But we have to go back to go forward. In this main session, we will consider the impact which our past can have on our current connection.

Testimonies of Knowing God:  
In this final main session, we will learn from the testimony of two couples as they share how they have seen God more clearly as he has worked through their years of marriage.

Breakout Topics

Knowing Through Authenticity:  Handout   
There are levels of knowing. And often the level of depth that we go relates to the level of authentic vulnerability that we are willing to engage in. In this breakout, we will consider practical ways which couples can challenge themselves and grow in openness and authenticity.

Knowing Through Our Hurts:  Handout   
To some extent, agreeing to marriage is agreeing to experience hurt in our life. As two flawed humans from flawed backgrounds engage at a deep level of vulnerability and connection, hurt will occur. And often this hurt has deeper roots in the past then we realize. In this breakout, we will discuss how to navigate through relational injuries.

Slowing Down to Know:  Handout   
Knowing someone or something takes time. And yet we often try to cram it into our normal pacing of life. In this breakout, we will look at the discipline of awareness and consider skills and practices which can encourage us to pause, reflect, and know at a deeper level.

Knowing Through Brokenness:  Handout   
Brokenness impacts all of us to some degree. In this breakout, we will consider how properly navigating not only more profound experiences like trauma but also more common experiences of brokenness in our lives can provide us with an opportunity for insight and deeper relational connection.

Knowing Through Difficulty:  Handout   
When we take our marriage vows, we often assume that the best will happen. But the reality is, difficult at some level will enter our lives. In this breakout session, listen and learn from the testimony of Matt and Jennifer Feucht as they consider how life’s difficulties have encouraged them in their marriage and their knowledge of God.