At our recent Sunriver, OR Weekend to Remember, one of our more seasoned speaker couples (30 years on the speaker team) came up with a unique way to connect with our guests. He used the following prompt in an Ai tool - “I’m going to present a FamilyLife Christian marriage conference this weekend in Sunriver, Oregon, and I want to tie together the importance of commitment of marriage and faith to the original settling of this area by the pioneers who came here, with a humorous tone to it.” Here is the result that he read to the audience. 

“As we gather here in Sunriver, Oregon, to reflect on God’s design for marriage, let’s take a moment to appreciate that the Pacific Northwest has always been a land of bold decisions. I mean, think about it—this region was settled by pioneers who looked at a 2,000-mile journey on a rickety wagon with no GPS, no Wi-Fi, and no Starbucks, and said,‘Yeah, that sounds like a great idea!’ If that’s not commitment, I don’t know what is.

Oregon’s early settlers built communities on strong values, including a deep respect for marriage and family. In fact, this state was among the first to establish marriage laws to ensure that families had stability—because even back then, they knew that a strong home was the foundation of a strong society. And let’s be honest, if you’re going to survive a winter on the frontier with no heat, no grocery stores, and the same five outfits, you’d better have a marriage built on something solid.

Of course, over time, this region has seen cultural and political shifts—some strengthening those foundations, others challenging them. But through it all, God’s design for marriage hasn’t changed. It’s still the beautiful, sometimes hilarious, always sanctifying covenant that reflects

Christ’s love for His Church.  

So this weekend, as we explore God’s purpose for marriage, let’s remember: we’re not just carrying on an old tradition—we’re pioneers in our own right, called to build something strong, something enduring, something that lasts longer than an Oregon rainstorm. And if our early settlers could survive months on the trail together, surely we can survive a few tough seasons in

marriage—with faith, commitment, and maybe a little less complaining.” 

I thought this was a great way of making a good connection with our guests and this wasn’t the only way this speaker couple connected. Angie and I saw them praying and having individual conversations with many guests throughout the weekend.

• • • • • • Pray that we will have an opportunity to speak into one of the ladies in our Re|Engage class that has indicated she does not have a relationship with Christ. 

          • Praise that God gave us strength, good health, and travel mercies during our busy March travels. 

          • Pray as God opens opportunities to have meaningful conversations with our Weekend to Remember guests and hotel staff. 

This Spring we have 22 events, check the website for the locations and current information. Register now for the spring and fall events - call us today for discounted registration.

• • • Baton Rouge - Marriott - April 11 - 13

    • Houston - Marriott Sugar Land - April 16 - 18

    • Austin - Renaissance Austin - May 23 - 25

More event locations and information at familylife.com/weekend-to-remember/#where.