This year at extraordinarychurch.ca our theme for our entire year is strategy. It is my prayer that everything that we do emanates from a place of deliberate purpose and diligent thoughtfulness.

If our families are going to thrive, we must be remarkably intentional, as extraordinary things rarely happen accidentally. None of us intentionally set out to fail in the most important relationships.

Think about it for a moment. No one is intentionally undermining their marriage so it will fail. It is absurd to think that someone has purposed to sabotage their relationship with their children. However, few families have a strategic plan for strengthening their relationship with their spouse or raising their children. You’re familiar with the adage, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” It’s a true principle that applies to every facet of our lives.

Truthfully, I was never taught the importance of developing a strategic plan for my marriage and family. I thought I would figure it out, but I have had to learn many things the hard way. This is what has given birth to our recent Midweek Bible Connection series, “An Extraordinary Family.” I want to share thoughts with you that I learned throughout the years. Some things I have learned the hard way, some from Sarah, and some from other families.  Prayerfully, some of these things will help you.

First, pray. The first thing Paul admonished Timothy to do is to pray. Pray that the Lord will download wisdom and understanding into your spirit so that you may have a heart and establish practices to position them for Godly success.

Secondly, establish margin for the family. As you know, every Monday is a family night at extraordinarychurch.ca. If Monday doesn’t work for you, pick another evening where you can focus on one another without distractions.

Third, clarify your family values. What is important to you? For us, it is distilled into a handful of things.

1. Jesus Christ.
2. Family
3. Church
4. Relationships
5. Career / Academics

Take some time to clarify your values and what they mean to you. This could be a great family discussion depending upon the age of your children. It is undoubtedly a critical conversation amongst married couples.

Lastly, pick one achievable activity or habit at a time. You will not build an extraordinary family overnight. It will happen by consistently performing healthy family habits one day at a time. By the way, don’t be discouraged if these things feel unnatural in the beginning. Some growth happens slowly, but it is growth nonetheless.

Here’s to building an extraordinary family!