Naturally, with a name like “Focus on the Family,” our organization places a strong emphasis on building thriving marriages. An “ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” as they say. The best course of action is always to take steps to head off problems before they start.
But for many couples, helpful suggestions and well-meaning nudges to “be proactive” are already too late. The relationship has dried up. One or both spouses feel like the love is gone. The connection that led them to the wedding altar in the first place has been replaced by disappointment, hurt feelings, and resentment.
That was the story for Mark and Angie Pyatt. They had reached a low point in their marriage. They had fallen out of love, were miserable, and neither one felt much hope that their relationship could be rescued.
Their story is not unique. We hear from couples every day who feel they are dying emotionally. If you and your spouse are in a similar place, you can probably relate to the sense of dread that hangs over a marriage in that condition.
Mark describes it as being thrown into the deep end of the pool and suffocating under water. Spouses become so desperate, they’ll do anything to break through the surface.
To them, the decision is as simple as, “I can stay in the pool and die, or I can do whatever necessary to get air.” That often translates into having an affair or asking for a divorce. Obviously, those aren’t God-honoring choices, but they show the desperation couples feel when their marriage is drowning.
Those struggles also highlight a challenge that often accompanies seeking help. Moving forward with the marriage when all hope seems gone can be like asking a person to go back underwater to suffocate all over again.
That’s why we brought the National Institute of Marriage (NIM) under the umbrella of Focus on the Family. Our goal is to provide couples with the wisdom and healing they need to bring their marriage out from under the water. And it works.
Mark and Angie Pyatt should know. They’re our guests on today’s program, “Healing Marriages One Couple at a Time.” With God’s grace, Mark and Angie pulled their marriage from the brink. Now they work with NIM and help other couples who are facing similar difficulties as they were years ago.
And they’ll tell you, no matter how hopeless you feel, it’s rarely too late to save your marriage. Most of the couples who contact NIM are at the end of the rope. It’s estimated that 75 percent of them believe, “This is our last chance. Either we get help or our marriage is over.” In fact, many of the couples have already filed for divorce.
But the percentage of people who attend one of their intensives and remained married is 85 percent.
So if you’re feeling hopeless and are contemplating divorce – or maybe you’ve even filed the paperwork – I encourage you to reconsider for a moment. With a little guidance from our team of experts, God can intervene and transform your marriage in ways that may seem impossible to you right now. Give our National Institute of Marriage a call at 1-866-875-2915 or visit online at nationalmarriage.com.
In the meantime, join us for our program with Mark and Angie Pyatt on your local radio station. Or hear their story any time online or via our free, downloadable mobile phone app.
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