Ruins Rebuilt

09/28/2025

What are the blindspots in our marriages?

09/26/2025

We absolutely loved hearing Voddie teach, especially on family and marriage. If you’ve never heard him, we highly recommend it. Well done brother Voddie!

09/25/2025

It's too easy to grow lazy or complacent in how you 'chase' after your husband/wife. Being together for many years is a wonderful, God-designed thing! However, if we forget to actively pursue each others' hearts, time spent together isn't as joyful, edifying, or fun as it could be.

Here's the thing, if we're not careful, we can set out to "pursue" each other merely through a set of new actions. While actions of love are generally good, they're only sustainable if they come from somewhere deeper and richer than will-power alone. Lifelong actions of love in marriage are only sustainable if you've experienced the eternal love of God in Christ.

How exactly has Jesus pursued you? Your answer to that question will always inform how you love your spouse in response.

What does Jesus do when you don't love him well? He loves anyway.

What does Jesus do when you neglect him? He pursues you.

What does Jesus do when you turn to him? He waits and embraces you regardless of your past.

What does Jesus do when you feel hopeless and need encouragement? He gives profound hope and peace to all who seek it in him.

The list could go on and on. The important thing is that you never lose sight of how you're loved and pursued by Christ. Doing so ensures that you're full and equipped to love and pursue your husband or wife every single day.

Stay fierce,
Ryan and Selena

09/22/2025

2 nights at a unique Bed & Breakfast in northern Michigan- check
2 nights away from work and children- check
2 delicious breakfasts and exquisite desserts- check

2 nights spending intentional time with your spouse and the Lord- priceless. Come join us!

09/21/2025

Don't drink from the "avoidance" cup.

09/19/2025

09/16/2025

Love this!

Marriage is called a covenant for good reason. It is an agreement that puts boundaries around behavior to provide an environment where the relationship can flourish.

Throughout scripture the marital covenant is illustrated and regulated among God's people. We see how much God cares about marriage by observing its proximity and prevalence among other critical directives.

Adultery is originally condemned in the same passage forbidding idolatry, murder, coveting, and stealing. In the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi rails against faithless husbands while also condemning a deeply corrupt priesthood in his famous reprimand of Judah.

Our earthly covenants with each other are as important and weighty to God as His own covenant with us. It is an integral idea to God because of how it affects our relationships with our spouses, but more so because of how it correlates to our holiness as His people.

May your covenant with each other hold all the weight and joy that God intended, and may Christ's goodness compel you to love each other even when times are hard.

Stay fierce,
Ryan and Selena

09/15/2025

Need to connect with your spouse?
Join us November 12-14 for Rekindle Your Marriage Vision Retreat! We have 6 spots still open.

09/14/2025

Reflections on this past week.

09/13/2025

This…

09/10/2025

Ian and I are looking for 6 couples to join us on our next Rekindle Your Marriage Vision Retreat, November 12-14, 2025.

No, this is not like Bloom and Awaken.
No, you do not have to share anything with the group unless you want to.
No, this is not only for couples who are having difficulties in marriage.
No, this isn't something to do only once.

Yes, this is time for you and your spouse to share uninterrupted time together free from distractions.
Yes, this is a time for you to go do something fun together.
Yes, this is for anyone at any stage of their marriage.
Yes, you can go on this more than once. In fact, we would encourage doing this yearly.

We simply set the table for you to have meaningful conversations and interactions with one another.

Would you consider joining us and investing into your marriage?

09/09/2025

Gotta shout out this guy here (IYKYK). Came down to West Monroe with my family for the Live Original conference as a gift to my daughter (and wife). Wanted to get my son out to a tackle shop and had to stop by Honey Hole Tackle Shop. Met this awesome guy there. Within seconds of hearing we were from the mitten state, he started talking with me about Dan Campbell and the Lions. The podcast is always encouraging and gives big belly laughs every time I hear it.

Maybe we gotta get you and the boys up here on a salmon trip out on Lake Michigan. Thanks for being welcoming and a down to earth cool bearded brother.

Ian (and family)

Honey Hole Tackle Shop
Duck Call Room