by Kendall and Cathy Thomas.
These days, the list could be endless. You could belong to a gym, a school, a team, a political party, a fandom . . . seriously, it’s endless! In simple terms, Webster’s New World Dictionary defines belong as a verb meaning, to have its proper place, to be a part of something; be connected, to be owned by someone or to be a member of something.
Belonging is much more than having a huge friend group or thousands of Instagram followers. Although those are not “bad” things, they do not equal the necessity of authentic belonging. They do not fill the inherent and undeniable need we all have to do life with others, to experience true and genuine community.
As we mentioned belong is a verb, it takes action. One of our favorite quotes is by Lysa Terkeurst. “Inspiration plus information without personal application will not transform your life”. Or we might add, your marriage. Belonging takes commitment. Belonging is doing life together. Belonging is like the military “band of brothers”. Belonging is becoming soul mates. Becoming, because soul mates are not born they are forged in the fires of life.
UME offers an opportunity to belong to a community of caring couples, a quest if you will; one that if followed will continue building the transformation of your marriage you began on your UME Weekend. One of our Core Values is: We believe to make this transformation we must have an ongoing stake in the Weekend couple’s marriages. We support these couples by upholding them in prayer, along with providing CORE, activities and marriage resources.
One of the best parts of attending a UME Weekend is the community that you are invited to be part of. You are not just invited to experience life with others but also, to experience life together with others who are also interested in building great marriages.
Application:
Take a moment to thank God for the community in which you belong. If you don’t have a local community, check out the eCORE online communities listed on the UME Website.
Also, if it has been over a year since your original UME Weekend, consider attending another Weekend!
Comments