Transform Family Conference Recap

This past weekend we had the Transform Family Conference at our church.  It was an awesome few days of being encouraged and challenged in growing and strengthening godly relationships within the family.  We were privileged to have Mike and Judy Brisky from Gateway Church in Southlake, TX come and be with us throughout the weekend.  Mike is an associate pastor of marriage and family ministries at Gateway.  It was very beneficial to hear both him and his wife teach on family relationships from God's Word as well as share from their own experiences in marriage and parenting. 

"By wisdom a house is built,

and through understanding it is established;

through knowledge is rooms are filled

with rare and beautiful treasures."

Proverbs 24: 3-4  

I wasn't able to attend the main session the first night because I was helping to get refreshments prepared during that time, but I was able to attend the second night where the main topic was "The Transformational Family".  Mike and Judy spoke about some foundational principles that godly families are built on, such as character, vision, and relationship.  They shared that, the more we follow God's principles the more He releases His blessing on us.  I believe this and have seen evidence of it in my own life.  They focused on the relationship between husband and wife and how creating a respectful, loving, honorable environment between "mom and dad" will set the tone for our children.  They also gave us some practical ways parents can be building relationships with their children and encouraging them in their faith. 

Another session focused on how our words can transform relationships.  Proverbs 18:21 says, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit".  The words we speak to others do have the power to bring life to someone, building them up, or to bring death, tearing them down.  How can we use our words to encourage the relationships in our life?  I was reminded to think about the way I use my words and how I want to be intentional to speak words of truth and edification into the life of my husband, future children, and others I'm around. 

Mike also talked about the importance of honor and what it looks like to honor yourself, to honor your spouse, and to honor others.  Most importantly, they encouraged us to be faithful in honoring God.  To honor him with our wealth, our words, our attitude, and our relationships. He stated, "When you honor God and others, God will honor you and so will others". 

So, after this weekend I am encouraged in my role as wife and soon to be mom.  I took away some valuable information and teaching to process. I must also add that as I was hearing these things I felt very thankful for my parents who exemplified and practiced all this in our home as I was growing up.  Thanks mom and dad! I learned it first from you! I love you!

I can't help feeling excited as Zach and I are just beginning our family and we have a "blank slate" to begin the journey of parenting our children in the Lord's ways!  What a joy it will be!