Our Testimony
Scheduling quality time with God and each other has been a key factor in maintaining unity in our marriage. We are learning how to work together effectively and respectfully as a covenant couple with God as our head.
God’s vision for our marriage became clear when we chose to abide in Him and focus on fulfilling His purpose for our lives together instead of our own agendas. As a result, we know that we are in the perfect will of God, who leads us and blesses us, as long as we stay humbly submitted to Him.
We have practiced semi-annual Covenant Marriage Vision Retreats since 2015.Our first retreat transformed our marriage and revealed our total dependence on God. It inspired us to start a new tradition. In addition to weekly date nights, we take two marriage retreats per year: one in the summer during our birthdays,wedding anniversary, and Resurrection Weekend (Easter), which we call our Season of Love, and the other in the winter between Christmas and the new year, which is the perfect time to reflect on the birth of Christ and seek God for direction and guidance for the coming year. Currently, we’re thinking of adding quarterly, mini-weekend retreats to review our vision and our goals to make sure we stay on track.
Our retreat time with the Lord has helped our marriage so much that I wanted to share the tools and strategies we use with other couples. However, while preparing the journal pages, I quickly realized the most important principle to grasp for this kind of retreat to be successful is the principle of covenant. Understanding the significance of the covenant between God and man and the covenant between man and wife is foundational to understanding the mystery spoken of in Ephesians 5 and critical to being in alignment with God. Covenant marriage is a sacred relationship that is like no other relationship on earth. If we cultivate it, we will be a true reflection of God’s love and reap great rewards here and in the hereafter.
This journal/planner was designed to encourage covenant marriage couples to submit to God and work in unity with Him as the governing authority in their marriage, and to document the process so you can fulfill His vision for your life together. It can be reprinted whenever you schedule a Covenant Marriage Vision Retreat, so save it somewhere safe. It’s both amazing and humbling to look back at previous retreat journals to see what God has done and how you have grown together.
May the Lord bless our marriages and cause them to be fruitful in Jesus’ name. Amen.
The printable eBook is available for download HERE
Franklin and Arletia Mayfield have been married 14 years. They are young senior citizens (60+). They have a beautiful, blended family with children and grandchildren. They are both ordained ministers, chaplains, missionaries and entrepreneurs. They live and work full-time in their Class A motorhome, based in Central Florida where they serve on the Leadership Team of their local church, leading the Marriage Ministry, Teaching , Preaching, Serving the Media Team, and anything else that is needed.
Between Marriage Vision Retreats, they have extraordinary adventures with Jesus!
