A Weekend of Conversations and Building

In November 2025, Family Life Ministries hosted 18 couples at our very first Marriage Retreat, which was held in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Over the course of the retreat, couples shared laughter, heartfelt reflections, and even quiet tears that fostered stronger bonds. Many expressed how valuable it was to have uninterrupted time to communicate and listen to one another again.

Deacon John and Esther Lim illustrated the roles of husband and wife through a couple dance, explaining that the beauty seen in a dance comes only after much practice, patience, and the willingness to work through mistakes together. It was a reminder that marriage, too, requires gentleness, understanding, and teamwork.

Vow Renewal: A Meaningful Milestone

A key highlight of the retreat was the Vow Renewal Ceremony, which began with worship, followed by a message from Assistant Pastor Bernice Ban on God’s vision for strong marriages. Just like the tree planted by the waters in Jeremiah 17:7-8, God desires for all marriages to be deeply rooted in Him – nourished and fruitful.

Couples then stood hand in hand to renew their vows. It was a beautiful moment to witness husbands and wives, having journeyed through many seasons together, joyfully declaring their “I do” once again.

Pastor Aileen Koh closed the Vow Renewal Ceremony with a heartfelt charge, sharing her vision on revival and seeing marriages in our church restored and strengthened in Christ. The message empowered many couples to step forward and serve in the ministry, supporting the growth of other marriages just as theirs had been refreshed during the retreat.

Looking Toward a Godly Legacy

In the closing session, many hearts were deeply stirred to reflect on the kind of legacy they want to leave – not just for their own marriage, but for future generations.

The session ended with couples writing legacy letters and reciting a legacy pledge, with God as their witness. The room was filled with the Holy Spirit, leaving not a single eye dry as every couple was deeply moved.

Here are some of the amazing testimonies from couples who were blessed, refreshed, and even restored!

"Simply having 48 hours, with no distractions, to focus solely on our marriage was wonderful. We spend so much time in life developing strategies at work and investing time in professional development, why wouldn’t we spend more time investing in our most important relationship – our marriage?" - Austin & Winnie Tomlinson

"Hearing real-life stories from the facilitators reminded us that marriage isn’t a fairy tale of “happily ever after.” It’s a journey with highs and lows, and its beauty lies in working through challenges together. These testimonies gave us authentic examples of perseverance and grace in marriage. Renewing our vows was deeply meaningful because now we truly understand what “for better or worse” means. After walking through ups and downs together, those words carry weight. We continue to choose each other – not in spite of those moments, but because of them. This time, the vows felt more special and significant than ever before." - Shervin & Janice Chua

"The retreat was very useful as it gave me the vocabulary to describe the challenges that I experience in my marriage. Highly recommend all married couples to attend this. - Angela Low

“Going through the retreat sessions together with my husband was special. Learning that other marriages go through similar challenging phases has taken away some of the shame of not having a ‘perfect marriage’ and made it easier for us to open up and start talking through the challenges.” - Shaun & Vanessa Michael

Come join us at the next marriage retreat on 6-8 November 2026! Sow into your marriage and see the seeds bear lasting fruit in the years ahead! For more information, drop the Family Life Ministries team an email at family@cscc.org.sg