I just want to encourage today married couples who are in ministry. Don’t let the ministry make you a casualty and a divorce statistic! Ministry will always have levels of stress associated with it, depending on your assignment. Anyone who tells you otherwise has not been in ministry.

I know there are some who will want to get real “spiritual” about now and say – well, just get delivered then. Granted, there is a stress that can be a demonic attack. But then there also is just the stress of ministry that can affect and eventually take its toll on your marriage, and even on your health.

I think you have to effectively learn to manage stress, and continually access by faith the peace of God that passes all understanding.

As far as your physical body is concerned, you have to eat right, drink lots of water, exercise, and perhaps supplement with vitamins and minerals (especially the B vitamins that are depleted from stress).

As far as your marriage and family is concerned, you have to draw a line – a boundary between ministry and marriage. Your marriage – your home – your family is your SACRED SPACE. You must protect that sacred space.

Do not allow ministry stress to cross that line and invade your marriage and home. It needs to stay your “sanctuary” – your Eden – your Garden of Delight – off limits from ministry stuff and stress!!

We love the ministry because we love to see Christ bless and change lives, and use us to advance His Kingdom in the earth.

I’m not trying to be a marriage counselor here. Just a voice crying in the wilderness of broken homes, lives and marriages – even in the church – and even in ministry families.

Don’t let stress make you a statistic! You are more than a conqueror through Christ who loves you.

God has a plan for your life. And he has a plan to keep your marriage strong – or to heal and restore it, if it is not where it needs to be.

This just came on me to write this post. I hope it can help someone’s marriage today.