Family Life’s David and Meg Robbins: Marriage As a Team

Hey before you started out by some exciting happening right now. Family is good news you hear our family life. We can remember marriage getaways or half off the registration fee that you can sign up right now family today.com you can go to we can remember is literally going to change your marriage and it's half off. So 33 years as the Detroit Lions chaplain knew what that meant. Lotta losses yes a lot of head coaches. How many think. I went through different head coaches could guess I think was 12 well, I made a couple of made it two weeks, three weeks, but also for several years.

But here's here's why bring it up because every time I met a new coach I wanted to impress you know like you're going you going to keep me as your chaplain I went higher by the team but head coach could still decide to want this guy or not.

And so every time I want to press that goes. Guess what I want to do. You don't even know him like he's got me.

My wife welcome to family life today where we want to help you pursue the relationships that matter most and wealthy and I'm Dave Wilson and you can find us@familylifetoday.com or on our family life. This is family life today. Everybody is told, so much so I sort of got annoying that you're so much better with your wife, your good wife you your so was better so he's really, I have my head coach could meet my wife you'd like me and member Rod Marinelli now remember I listen right now because I like barbecue. She was great but I remember the first lunch we had together after we were we were walking through the building he turns me goes mad. Your wife is dynamite. You two together while looking for to what happens. Tell me I'm telling you now. You telling me on the other is bringing that up, as were said with a couple right here in front of us in our studio that I think is the same way Meg Robbins you two will first follow me say welcome to family today here with you guys in studio you together with the studio. For those of you who don't know, David is our president for family life and Meg you are the president you because your companion here is one makes him great. We're in it together to share what I know when we met you. A couple years ago that was one of the thoughts I had as you guys are so diary David first of all your amazing, unbelievable Meg, your amazing but better with her. There's no doubt like one of these things was like in the some couples are that way, but you guys if I thought of that you are dynamite together even just a few days ago watching you speak on stage at our staff conference here. You were just there's charisma that exudes from you so excited to have our president and his wife in the studio. He's been married how many years it is 20 years. We just crossed it two decades and I'm even thinking about being a team like we go back to that transformation really happened in the trenches. When we were in a message when we weren't reading really anything Harley all of significance. We were overseas in Italy and me in some real transformation happened been coming in the wilderness for me and me realizing how amazing Meg is and some gifts as you have four kids at home and I just heard they're all in school. Tell us a little bit about your family. We found lacking and see you all nasty University of Mississippi as a freshman man and David was actually my orientation leader and that's how we met initially and actually the genius knave that he made was that when I walked up and he was calling Rall's two years older than me that he's leading a group and he says I nag which you don't know this about me my first legal name is actually Mildred said he says and I just stand there knowing that the role doesn't say Ago.

Is there a Meg does anybody go by now, but I'm pretty sure your paper says and he sat what he would risk his name Eldred now anyway. But he had got my initials were in a GE and he saw my full name and thought this girl probably because my old phone saying things out loud in the moment is not on purpose but a first impression impression that when we pull in the fall and created we were in public, creating campus Crusade at the time way starting Bible studies and a girl inviting Bible study and she said leading that he may know him and his name is Steve and Jason later said we were in the same Bible study for a semester I got to see this freshman's heart and she came in the college I needed two years.

Think goodness years older than her.

I rode the fence and lots of ways. But Jesus, got a hold of my heart that some rose, leaving her orientation room. I went right after that over to Romania on a cruise summer mission and I'm in God just met me of how big of a God he is to all the nations, and I came back you know own fire.

Leaving this small group and then I got to see this freshman every week in her heart. Just open up of her love for Jesus ago who is this freshman is important to note that he came back so want to know him really before actually read in my journal. Thanks to the pre-pre-Jesus. I read in my journal that I wanted to marry somebody just like David Rob Junior big man on campus and was so passionate on fire for the Lord and sell side journal like letting him but never dreamed that it would be in on what is what in your and I want to marry the David Robinson can never be enough freshman while I am like this is exactly the type of person I wanted to see if I want to marry him and she is everything, and I'm telling my small group coleader to Beth. I really gotta start being careful like a written redeeming the my flirtation that you know in my broke my propensity to flirt. I'm really trying to follow the Lord and how I pursue somebody. And so I think we need to start leaving Meg out of our Bible study I it just was overreaching and Meg. Meanwhile, start sharing come October or so. I am loving being in a sorority and meeting and have an impact people that don't know Jesus but I really need Christian friends and I'm going we can invite her to our social stuff later when we were dating and cannot likely see my friend Lawrence forgiven, but what is the day that Bible study ended in December that next day I called you asked her to our normal Christmas, formal, and we went. We had a great time.

She danced that was a high to for me.

I like dance area because you get you get a question when leading up to you going to happen. I would say dear Rob, Hope you like to dance team. People sit with them after that formal we we went out to lunch and just collated out. I'd seen what I wanted to see and so we went really slow because we started dating. She was a freshman. So did you come on saffron on college.

We did remember December 31, 1998 being in a hotel ballroom at a conference.

The crew was putting on. I was praying that month.

Lord, I want to I love advertising and I want to go to New York in an live that was gifting there but I feel this pole to serve you full-time for a season, and I remember is going through first Corinthians and was owned December 30 else taken that month to pray about and I really was asking the Lord, would you show me by the end of this month which you know I would Fall not entrusting them but doesn't really trust him board and on prescriptions eight on orderly worship on December 30 on Michael like for you to show up and then it was first Corinthians 9 on December 31 and woe to me.

If I do not preach the gospel and journaling.

Woe to me of what and you know writing some things and then in verse 19. Although I'm free and belong to no man, I make myself a bondservant, and as many as possible to the Lord and in that moment it was Jesus in the spirit, met me in a sweet way of your free David to go do whatever you know on profession and occupation you want to do choose to be my bondservant work no matter what you do.

Everyone is a sent one matter what location they choose, but I heard, the spirit, you know, just whispering to me. How about you serve me full-time for a season and so I jumped in. Two years later Meg Johnson and together we started lifting her eyes to what would it look like to go to the world for me when we were dating and really serious when he would be getting engaged pretty soon and he was joining staff and I was kind of praying like Lord Ned that I love ministry loving a party that I love what Creel is doing an easy yes, but I also wanted to know. I would love to know Lord you had this for me is this what you're calling me to pay for that. After that, actually, while he was at staff training.

I went on overseas mission trip to Italy with Craig and during that time.

At the very end, we were kind debriefing about to come back.

And the Lord Jesse's son happening around him, and the first and second inside it says Christ love compels us to live no longer live for themselves but for Christ to tap it down and urgency just taken it to the Lord if he got realizing passionate about this. You've given me a lot for this and a passion for this and has been so crucial for us through the years that God individually called asbestos but together just as kind of written on our lives. Just living, waiting for him and wanting to say yes to whatever he's calling us to different stages in our life and that when we first got married, we went overseas, actually. After that we were at CRC Mississippi. They placed him back there, which was super nice flat finish school and then we went overseas to Italy. That was our partnership at all. Mass was ever see a pizza. I do remember, though, right before we went our first touch point with family life was actually right before we went overseas on our one year anniversary we went to a weekend to remember and it was an important one because it layered some things in our lives where we were harshly committed. The Lord God was moving in our lives we had a great first year, but I was amazed spending that afternoon at the we can remember writing this love letter out through promptings of some things that had been covered that morning going there. Some layers of, the secrets of my life, but they were insecurities in my life things I wasn't disclosing to her. It was about trying to hide them. It was just the dog was really in that we can show me if you want deeper intimacy keeps disclosing keep going there you have this bride that that we are meant to be more wine and and and draw closer together even in your insecurities and it was such a critical moment for us. A member sharing that love letter with you and you just affirming me in some deep important ways to go. Why am I holding on why my not disclosing this to her. She loves me will show grace to me in a really deepening us in some important ways. Before we went overseas.

I can remember when we went to the weekend. Remember conference two weeks before we got married in the love letter is a significant part of that conference is because I remember thinking I shared some things with Dave two of insecurities that I have never shared and it just exposes the fear insecurities at exactly where God wants us to go like to be totally exposed, totally known and seen your scared Mike will I still be left in the something about getting away from being guided through it that makes it really six is not scary because there's that safety of being guided in that process, you know, it sounds like you're setting up a we can remember promo is true you guys are now speakers on the speaker team for family life. We can remember Friday and I don't know if our listeners know but this month is a promo this week.

In fact, if you want to sign up for. We can remember.

It's half off. If you're anything like me half off is like I'm jumping on a deal right now in the conference. It's itching. It's similar to what you went to, and we went to 1980. What was your year ours was 2001 yeah and so but it's a whole new conference. You've done it recently updated yet amazingly the same content presented in a fresh new way and I decided it to Alyssa right now like your listener this you're thinking we should go. You should go. I just cannot repeat you guys use have to go. And even if you're like apprehensive just go Friday night and I bet you say the weekend go to family up-to-date accounting center breaker and you go to a city you want to try one right near you but pick want to go our new spring conferences are starting don't be over 60. So I would say it just as you said David.

There's something about getting away my Cabela's love letters to write the love letter you could at home but you know you're busy, the demands of life are pulling you kids.

This is a time where you can really see each other focus here. God's biblical viewpoint for married. Why did he want us to what was God's idea behind married so we really hope you go. One thing that was so listless, says significant progress years ago and we still see so true today about the weekend to remember is that questions and intentionality frames that for you right, you could sit at home and try to write a love letter, but it went brought those things out were just the content for sure. But even more said just questions it was asking us to think through that we realize that's realizing how everything deep in my heart that you don't know about you and I need to take a step into more intimacy into more now as participants and obviously more as speakers, but in those four in different seasons of life. Even though the content may be similar what the seasons of life are and you are not and so God just on earth and his spirit moves uniquely in each one of our lives in such unique ways is pretty buying couples come up to us every time we do, we can remember ago I you change the conference when you're in a different place.

Totally different. That's why you go back, but even out the different conference so it's cool you come back but talk about this so your family life now for what almost 3 years as the president's right talk about what that's been like as a couple, leading a major ministry not just yourself.

I mean you give the title president, but you really are a team. Talk about that we really do get interviewed together. You don't which is true for the family life president role and your family isn't part of the process and Megan play significant roles and we do get to contribute together which were grateful for, but it's worth saying. Most founder transitions don't go like this and so often it really does depend upon the founder themselves.

You know, and so Dennis and Barbara.

They set us up so well. They continue to mentor and coach us monthly or so and they paved the way and they really have passed the baton and they pass the baton so well and we we experience them cheering for us so often were so grateful for them and you know we don't fill their shoes. We fill the role on there's no way we could do it just like them. They are so gifted, so unique and so we know were sitting in this all done, but we would get to be a team of voice yeah how we get to be at way for this next chapter of family life which we are so grateful for and again we are so grateful for you Dave Anand for joining the team ever being a part of continuing to to carry this baton onward to the next generation of families but for us it really does start right where we left off back in Italy when we went there. You know, Meg, Meg, was I was so attracted to who she was in her relationship with the Lord in the way she served and she really was a powerhouse for influencing others around her but I had my own things I was trying to prove.

And so we went to Italy and everything that I had built up around me to prove myself as a leader as a man, those were knocked away like I love dieting deep with me and I had this whole chain of discipleship and I love that the depth of discipling men and inch in their interior world in northern Italy.

There there really weren't that many believers to disciple and travel complexity that is I do know the language in elderly that at the language I learned very quickly. I was the worst on my Meg. We discovered really had this gift of being a will share faith in such a natural way.

I was always busy myself or distracting other parts of the conversation with other people in the room while she was jumping into these conversations in this very secular place like Italy, she would just naturally get into spiritual conversations and within three months she had spiritual conversations in Italian like she's the Strat. The best entertainment language are one of the best and I just I just rumor going Lord. I don't know what all these gifts that I've leaned on, and ultimately, I was waiting on the Lord with them, but I was getting a lot of my own dopamine hits out of it. Of of satisfaction of who I am in my leadership God was taking them all away and he was teaching me in those years we were overseas of the gift I have in Meg and the gift I have of being able to be a team and really getting out some of my pride and my own self-reliance in order to become a team because I was in the way a little bit of us becoming a team for Jesus probably went into that fee then coming out of college and out of David. Being on staff and me sobbing students like the cute little sidekick for him and he piloted and you set up for that that's probably I got a sunny one that originated just like I II agree that I viewed you as a as a bonus sidekick to this you know mission I'm on, you know, for me today. I probably had some insecurities about like he was the one with the role of leader and and in ministry and things like that when we weren't really really dead and we needed each other.

We had different gifting that complement each other and I might build to speak the Italian you might be able to rally the sign and keep energy in the room. I also admit our date nights only in Italian were missing from the language school talking to Diane under Dana is here commentary monologue because I did. I mean I just was so bad being good things that you are trying their new language since the ninth grade like Ashley and Billy anyway you have for us just to really for me to believe more and he got may need to be and how he brought us together and what you talked about a mottled as a team is inspiring because I think a lot of us men. And I can't talk for the women women here will have to you know say if this is true or not for women. For wives of mobs for us is guys. I think there's a lot of insecurity in us that we don't realize is in there even hinted at it in yourself, David. I know it's been a median price still is where I want to be the man that my wife can be viewed even by her own husband. I know it is felt just like she's my psychic like I'm the man you support me. You make me look good.

Stand beside me, do whatever you need to do so that I win rather than your my equal partner. I value you. You €. Have you ever felt that now I don't think I have because you haven't shown that you've always given me a place of voice and you I feel like your encouraging me to be heard what I was thinking Dave to do is I think some men can be intimidated because I can be pretty strong and so I I've talked to women that feel like their husbands pulled back so far because he feels like he doesn't have what it takes to offer anything even spiritually, especially then I would just say a minute stiffly true I would say to the men listening bring out the best in your wife. She is an incredible gifted woman that God has blessed you with as your partner in a question I often ask is is and fully herself because I'm her husband that I'm bringing that out of my sora hold that back or even like pushing her away so that I get the light rather than man oh man God has given us an amazing ability as a team to thrive together.

Whether it's in a Bible study on stage, you name it right here it's like is her voice being heard. I would challenge the men say is your wife's voice being heard by you and by those you are ministering to. And here's how you can find out ask her because she will tell you, probably.

If it's true, and when I rescue you.

She's I mean what what I heard your story and I thought men you are not where you are today without Meg and Megan is aware with it. It's just the beauty of God bring us together to or better than one. The same for us. So it's been an incredible journey and I'm hoping that especially men hear this and say I need to do better bringing out the best in my wife think of any team sport. There's a game plan, but the players are all on the same page.

The got the same goal, same objective and their pulling in the same direction they're trying to accomplish the same thing God has put us together in marriage as husband and wife to be teammates and we do help one another in the process of pursuing a common goal or common vision. I think the question is in your own life. Are you on the same page on the same team and if not how you get there, what family life. We've helped hundreds of thousands of couples over the years pursue oneness in marriage. As these couples have attended our weekend to remember marriage get away this we host these cutaways and cities all around the country.

It's a 2 1/2 day weekend we are together you learn God's design for marriage and you take positive steps toward a stronger, healthier marriage relationship wherever you are today. Your marriage will be better at the end of the weekend and in fact we guarantee that if you attend our getaway and for any reason you want your registration fee back when it's over will give it to you like now when you sign up for an upcoming getaway you will save 50% off the regular registration fee you and your spouse can attend at a special rate but we got to hear from you this week. The special offer expires this weekend.

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Get more information online@familylifetoday.com or call one 800 FL today that tomorrow to hear about the significant role that Ziploc bags play in David and Meg Robbins marriage relationship. It has nothing to do with keeping your vegetables fresh hope will will hear them sure about zip locks tomorrow. Hope you can tune in on behalf of our hosts David and Wilson on Bob Lapine will see you back next time for another edition of family life, family life today is a production of family life crew ministry helping you pursue the relationships that matter most