Married Couples Escape To Ridgecrest For Pressure-Free Weekend

Written by Brooklyn Noel

Photo Gallery: Marriage Impact

RIDGECREST, N.C. , 6/10/05 -- The kids stayed at home, paperwork remained at the office and someone else cooked dinner for a few nights while married couples from as far away as Kansas ventured to LifeWay’s Ridgecrest Conference Center near Asheville, N.C., for some time away from the demands of daily life.

"This is meant to be a very low-pressure event," said Russell Johnson. He and his wife Kristi led the worship and group sessions during the Marriage Impact conference May 27-29. "The impact is that you guys get to do something together."

Conference planners intentionally incorporated plenty of flexibility and options into the weekend’s schedule so couples could choose their adventures or simply relax with one another in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

While some couples took advantage of group activities such as dangling 30 feet above the ground on Ridgecrest’s high ropes course, most spent the weekend simply enjoying the peace and quiet of one another’s company.

Bill and Toni Eskridge celebrated their 21st anniversary with their trip to the Marriage Impact conference. They try to get away from home together at least every three months, but sometimes that’s difficult with five children-the oldest of which just finished high school.

"We’re hoping to get just extra time together and to see each other in a different light," Toni Eskridge told the group during the Friday evening general session.

Escaping for a healthier marriage

During the first of a few short group sessions, Russell and Kristi Johnson used props such as a toilet seat and cellular phone to get couples thinking about the every-day nuisances that try their patience and lead to larger arguments.

"Our hope is that God can do great things as you remove yourselves from those things that bog you down," Russell Johnson said after he and Kristi performed skits depicting the simplicity and sweetness of new love versus the hassles life can throw at established marriages.

"How long has it been since you sat down and dreamed together?" he asked attendees. "We want to really focus on what you guys do together."

The Johnson’s spent the remaining group sessions discussing the three C’s of healthy marriages: commitment, communication and contact. Kristi Johnson said the success of the conference, however, should not be judged by how much information the couples absorbed.

"Them showing up was the successful part for me because it allowed them to spend time together," she said. "When you sit down, touching that person and you hear your spouse praying over you, that’s powerful."

The couples attending the conference ranged from relative newlyweds at only four-and- a-half years to veteran couples of nearly 40 years. While their overall level of experience differed, they attended the conference for generally the same reason.

""We just needed to get away," said Jewell Mabry, who attended the conference with Sam, her husband of 36 years.

Jay and Michelle Rine agreed, though they also came to "get filled" before an approaching vacation with their extended families.

"Getting out of the busy schedules develops more closeness," Michelle Rine said. "It’s wonderful to do something not only for our marriage but to find ways to strengthen our marriage and get closer to God at the same time."

The Rine’s have been married fewer than five years, but Michelle Rine said being the shortest-tenured couple at the conference helped her see they were "doing the right thing" in making a point to get away every few months.

Russell Johnson encouraged the couples to try and maintain the closeness they experienced at Ridgecrest even in the midst of life’s sometimes overwhelming demands. He even suggested taking a rock or other souvenir home as a reminder to sometimes stop and focus on one another.

For more information about future LifeWay conference center events or other marriage enrichment opportunities, visit LifeWay.com.

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About Brooklyn Noel Lowery

Brooklyn Noel Lowery serves as media relations specialist for LifeWay Christian Resources. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Auburn University and is pursuing a master's degree at Middle Tennessee State University. She came to LifeWay in 2004. Brooklyn and her husband, Jonathan, make their home in Nashville, Tenn. Brooklyn can be contacted at brooklyn.noel@lifeway.com.

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