Terome and Ronda are the co-founders of Devoted Spouses, a registered 501c3 charitable organization. This dynamic team is dedicated and determined to educate and equip couples using biblical principles and values as well as other educational resources and tools to sustain a vibrant, responsible and healthy marriage relationship.
Their teaching style affords them the ability to weave humor, drama and transparency with their audiences. Based on their own marital challenges, they’ve learned to trust God’s wisdom, forgive one another, love one another unconditionally, extend grace when they fail and demonstrate mercy for the greatest good of the other. Only through the wonderful grace of God, Terome and Ronda are able to use their life story to inspire and encourage couples to stand on His word and not fall for anything that will lead them down a path of destruction or divorce.
Terome and Ronda have been married for over 26 years and have two beautiful daughters Tynisha and Jasmin, one handsome son Isaiah and three amazing grandsons Kaiden, Jaiden & Jesiah.
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Changing the Game of Marriage Changing the game of marriage is in part of how we perceive the game of operating in oneness working towards the same goal. Are we perceiving the game of marriage through our own lens or are we perceiving it through the lens of God? Deep Oneness can be Achieved in Marriage Changing the game of marriage requires a deliberate plan for a good offense against a good defense. In order to navigate the hurdles of either offenses, couples must operate in the confines of deep oneness. Deep oneness can be achieved only where good communication exists. Purposefully Driven to Operate in God’s Plan Our goal here at Devoted Spouses is to inspire couples to play the game as it should be played as best as they possibly can. We are not equating marriage is a game but marriage itself require the disciplines of a game to accomplish the intended outcome designed by God. As couples, we must challenge ourselves to be aware of the enemy’s plan to “steal, kill, and destroy” what God has joined together. This challenge requires husband and wife to prepare to defend their position in Christ as a couple whose mission is to be purposefully driven to operate in God’s plan for their relationship. Couples Working Towards the Same Goal of Oneness In preparation for walking out God’s blueprint for marriage, the Bible tells us to put on the whole armor of God to defend against the fiery darts of the enemy. The enemy’s desire is to destroy marriage and family by attacking the head of the family (the husband) followed by the weakest link within the family which gives him the win. Changing the game of marriage must also be supplemented by walking together in harmony. Whenever we find two people who are continuously and harmoniously walking together in marriage, we will find couples who are working towards the same goals (oneness), operating under the same standards of becoming more like Christ as well as communing in agreement that God is the head and center of our marriages. Embrace your Union, Communion, and Communication with God Furthermore, Christ is the Head Coach who is teaching us how to win, even if the opponent is throwing everything at us. Christ designed the perfect blueprint for married couples to follow which begins with understanding the plays which is encompassed by roles and responsibilities. The game changer in marriage is the couple’s spiritual connection that is embraced by their union, communion, and communication with God and with one another. Pray Continuously for your Husband or Wife Finally, the development of genuine oneness can change the game or perception of marriage when God is at the center calling the plays. A marriage relationship calls for sovereignty and sacrifice which allows for changing the game for better not for worst. Pray continuously for your husband or wife and allow them room to fail forward by God’s wisdom and plan. God Bless! Terome and Ronda Fulmore
Marriage is such a beautiful depiction of Christ and the Church. We sincerely believe that prayer can make a tremendous difference between a lasting marriage and one that struggles. Allow God to be your marriage navigator as we work towards “oneness”.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come to you humbly to thank you for all you have done and continue to do in our lives and marriage. God, we come before you today, asking for guidance and wisdom on how to build a stronger bond of “oneness” in our marriage relationship.
God, we ask that you give us husband and wife the ability to be a united front in the mist of trials and these times of uncertainty in our world letting nothing come between us as a couple. Help us to identify and work through anything that prohibits marital “oneness” and those things that are not pleasing to you. We desire as a couple who represents an unbreakable covenant to reach higher levels of “oneness” in our marriage- spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally.
God, as we are continually grateful to walk out the covenant of marriage with you, we are equally excited to for the blessing of “oneness” between my spouse and me. God, we pray these things in the name of Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer, Amen.
From time to time I would hop an airplane to travel to a particular destination. With careful planning which includes booking a flight, reserving a rental vehicle as well as reserving a hotel room for my visit, I carefully map out each component of my trip. All of these carefully thought out plans must be in place to allow my trip to go well without an immediate need.
Cast your Cares on the Lord and He Will Sustain You
Now, here presents another challenging objective. The challenge is packing my bags or luggage with what I believe I might need to carry with me. Like many of us, we tend to over pack our bags or luggage with unnecessary things we thought we might need to carry along. In the instance of marriage, like baggage, so often we pack and carry burdens in our marriages that we do not need to carry or bear. During the course of a life-long journey in marriage, we often find it difficult to release those burdens. Scripture states, “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken” (Psalm 55:22).
The Viscosity of Baggage Interrupts the Fluid Flow of Marriage
Many couples make the mistake of allowing unnecessary emotional baggage to become a destructive tool that will potentially destroy their relationship or marriage. When we think about the burdens of marriage, we must consider the viscosity of baggage which interrupts the fluid flow of a harmonious relationship with our spouse. God intends for marriage to be a catalyst for modeling and walking out His purpose and plan.
Carefully and Strategically Resolve the Burdens in Marriage
Although there are many variations of baggage that burdens the hearts and relationships of couples, we can certainly find refuge in God by seeking and asking Him for wisdom and guidance. One burden that often interjects itself into marriage is the negative influence of family members or others. Genesis 2:24 says of marriage, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” In order to become one flesh in marriage, we must carefully and strategically resolve the burdens in marriage that is prohibiting relationship growth.
God Patiently Awaits Each Day for Us to Cast our Cares Upon Him
When we totally surrender our burdens and baggage to God, He will restore, reconcile, and heal us by lifting those burdens from our hearts. Unnecessary baggage in marriage only serves to weigh us down and make our relationship with our spouse less effective. As God patiently awaits each day for us to cast our cares upon Him, He is extremely excited that we will trust Him to release the barriers of our burdens to Him.
Developing New Habits Out of Impulsive Acts of Love and Respect
As husband and wife, when we relationally agree to face challenging baggage together, we can start reversing those unintentional actions and begin to rejuvenate our relationship with simple acts of care and consideration. In order to experience the joy of marriage God desires for us as a couple, we must also learn to cultivate a closer connection with our spouse by removing the baggage and rebuilding love. Sometimes the rebuilding process is as simple as developing new habits out of impulsive acts of love and respect for one another along the journey. Remember, burdens are not meant to be carried, they are meant to be given to God. Journey well. God bless you!
In marriage, our desire as husband and wife is to honor God for allowing us to be a part of such an amazing relationship that reflects His goodness and mercies. Every marriage relationship needs a continuous reminder of the reinforcements that is required to build and sustain a meaningful and fulfilling union between husband and wife.
The Concept of Marriage Reinforcement Gives Opportunities
The first step in marital reinforcement is to have a spiritual and emotional connection with God. This special bond affords husband and wife the opportunity to gain insightful wisdom and knowledge to better understand the premise of what is needed to walk out marriage as God designed.
The concept of marriage reinforcement gives us the opportunity to operate in God’s blueprint for marriage from two reinforcement perspectives. First, a natural revelation, which is how we navigate the world around us as a couple being in the mist of distractions and busyness. Secondly, a specific revelation which encompasses God’s Word and how we use it to illuminate our hearts to follow God’s blueprint for marriage.
Invest in the Health and Care of Your Marriage
It is clear in the Bible that when our behaviors as husband and wife honor God, those good thoughts and actions are strengthened as we are reinforced by God’s reminders and love. Marriage is a relationship that requires an abundance of “giving” of ourselves for the greater good of our spouse without conditions. Furthermore, investing in the health and care of our marriage on a daily basis will go a long way toward a flourishing relationship with our beloved spouse.
God Reinforces Concepts for Future Relationship Blessings
In the New Testament, we see that Jesus reinforced His promises as He taught the disciples to give abundantly to others as they chose to obey Him. In their obedience, God would reinforce them for it by giving or blessing them with even more. Scripture states, “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, press down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you see, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38). As we can see, God immediately reinforces those of us in marriage who follows Him and realize that the reinforcement is promised for later – which is a delayed relationship blessing.
Reinforce Your Marriage by Creating Godly Patterns
Periodically in marriage, we go through difficult times; but remember God already answered your request. Considering the reinforcements God already provided must be reciprocated by husband and wife through His specific revelations for marriage may be delayed according to His perfect Will? Although every marriage undergoes different challenges and seasons, we highly encourage every husband and wife to be reinforced and reminded of the roles and responsibilities that has been outlined in Ephesians, chapter 5, 1-33 as a start. In marriage, reinforce your relationship by creating a pattern or behavior that honors and reflects the image of God. This process begins with YOU, not your spouse. As You modify your behavior to receive God’s blessings, be patient and duplicate God’s love toward your spouse. God Bless!
-Terome and Ronda Fulmore
“We Provide Solutions for Building Stronger Marriages and Families”
We pray for husbands and wives today. Lord, since the Covid-19 entered our world and marital relationships, we have seen a spike in the breakdown of effective communication between husbands and wives. So often our failure to communicate fervently in marriage is a catalyst for relationship disruption or failure.
Lord we pray for better and more effective communication between husbands and wives as they hurdle the obstacles of marriage together as we keep our faith above our feelings. Lord may your Holy Spirit anoint each of us in marriage so that we respond to our spouse in the Spirit of love, grace, and kindness. May the tone of our voices represent the respect and compassionate care we have for each other.
Lord we also pray that our dialog would be appropriate for growing stronger in how we resolve issues in marriage by effectively communicating our emotion or thoughts in a loving fashion. So often Lord we reveal our frustrations in a non-verbal way which tend to create a platform for disengagement from our spouse. Lord we ask that You help us to be patient, understanding and give us wisdom as we have a desire to communicate with our spouses to glorify Your name. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, AMEN!
Before we said, “I Do,” we as dating couples have been experiencing the euphoric stage of blissful relationship. While seemingly, nothing can go wrong because of the relationship we have with one another as couples. As we enter the covenant of marriage between God and our spouse, we are encountered by relationship giants. Giants in this sense represents obstacles that hinders marital or relationship growth for working towards meaningful resolution and unity. These relationship giants are struggles that looms and prohibits the objective and works of Jesus Christ through our marriages as a representation of “Christ and the Church”.
The Journey Where Giants will be Along the Way
In marriage, each one of us as husband and wife are faced with some sort of relationship giant or obstacle that needs reviving, reinventing, rejuvenation or even readjusting. As couples who are a representation of Christ, we must remind ourselves of the love we have for Christ and the love we share with our spouse to assist us in working toward becoming one as we face giants together in marriage. Becoming one in marriage can be a daunting task, but God already prepared us for the journey where giants will be along the way.
It is our duty as husband and wife to help each other to be the best spouse we can be for one another by defeating the giants of not effectively communicating our thoughts or feelings, our emotions, or the thing that is causing us to be blinded by the root issues or concerns in our relationship with our spouse.
Experience the Fullness of God in the Battle
The giants or obstacles of marriage wants to steal, kill, and destroy the joy God desires for husband and wife to experience a covenantal relationship.
There is a familiar story in the bible of David and Goliath. “Goliath was a Philistine giant of a man that instilled terror in the hearts and minds of Saul and the Israelite Army. Often times in marriage, we are face with giants such as a Goliath which are marital breakdowns. Let us be reminded that God have the answers to all the giants we are constantly being remind of in our relationship. Just like David, he did not allow the size of the Goliath to detour him from facing the issue, David relied on the provision of God to help him resolve his issue” (1 Samuel 17). Like husband and wife, we must also rely on the promise of God to assist us in our struggles in marriage by seeking God together.
Trust God with Undeniable Courageand Faith
In order to face giants together in marriage, husband and wife must establish a battle plan to defeat the root cause of relationship hindrance. Facing the giants in marriage requires God’s leadership and wisdom, consistency as husband and wife, perseverance during reconciliation, hope in the silver lining, faith in God’s promise and most importantly, a love that supersedes and covers past experiences or hurts through forgiveness. Like David, we must continue to trust God with undeniable courage and not lose heart when faced with relationship opposition.
Face Giants Together in Marriage
In order for husband and wife to face giants together in marriage, begin by asking God to help you fight this battle so your heart and marriage will reflect Him. Because God joined you together with your spouse, your marriage is definitely worth fighting for. Do not fight these battles alone or under your own power or might; fight the good fight with God and by using the tools He provided through His blueprint for marriage in scripture.
Remember, identify your relationship giants and “Face your Giants Together with God.” If David can do it, we can certainly do it as husband and wife together.
“Grace is what we need to create the marriage we’ve always longed for” #GFMBook
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you so much for extending to us husbands and wives the wonderful gift of grace and mercy. Lord, You humbled Yourself by demonstrating how we ought to sacrificially love our spouse through grace. As You extended grace to us even when we did not deserve it, we are sincerely thankful that you gave us another opportunity to grow and learn from that same grace.
Lord, we pray our relationship will extend that same powerful and unconditional grace to our spouse that You shared with Your bride the “Church”. May Your Holy Spirit empower us husbands and wives to love deeply, serve compassionately and live harmoniously together as we become one.
Lord, we ask that You please transform our hearts and our character to be more like You. We desire to have our marriages reflect the love You have for us. Lord, help us to experience Your grace and mercy as we journey together through the hurdles and valleys of marriage. Your Word reminds us “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Lord, we thank you for allowing us to obtain kindness and compassion from Your gift of favor through grace. Because of Your nature Lord, You consistently exemplify the meaning of extended grace and mercy. Lord, shape us husbands and wives and allow us to follow Your example of unconditional grace. In the Mighty and Wonderful name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Thank you for this beautiful day. Today Lord, we pray over marriages, asking that You infuse husbands and wives with Your love and passion. Give us the desire to grow stronger and wiser as a couple as we seek You first. Lord, give us wisdom to align our desires up with Your desire for us individually and together as a couple.
Lord, grant us wisdom to exercise the areas of our lives where we fall short as a husband or wife. Give us the focus we need to be self-disciplined in our efforts to build an amazing marriage relationship. Lord, give us the steps we need to be on one accord and self-motivated in order to serve one another through the obstacles of life. We pray for peace and love to rule in our hearts and homes. Lord, Your Word kindly reminds us “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
Lord, show us how to fulfill the call of marriage to glorify Your name. Teach us how to love our spouse unconditionally as You so loved us. Lord, as we fall short in our roles and responsibilities as husband and wife, we thank You for showing us how to extend grace and mercy. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
In the book of Ephesians, chapter 5, we will find Paul articulating through scripture the value and importance of “redeeming the time”. One may suggest that redeeming the time is buying back time we waisted in the past. Ironically, redeeming the time here represents what are we doing with the time God gave us – something we did not earn?
Redeem the Time by Being Aware
In marriage, a husband and wife are constantly in a tug-of-war, being pulled in many different directions. Despite the daily challenges and responsibilities, our time throughout the day escapes us – and the cycle repeats itself the days forthcoming. God’s desire for us as husband and wife is to redeem the time by being aware of how our time is being allocated in certain areas of our lives.
Making “time for time” is one of the most valued and precious assets we have. Before we go any further, we must first acknowledge our need to seek God for wisdom and knowledge on how to manage our time. Redeeming the time in marriage can be a lost treasure if it is not lived out according to God’s plan. Husband and wife must seize every opportunity to make “time for time” that will align with God’s purpose for marriage.
Create Shared Experiences Together as Couples
Making “time for time” seems like a simple concept, yet a lot harder than it appears. Do not allow distractions to hinder your desire and ability for making time for your spouse. One of the most fundamental ways of connecting with your husband or wife is to redeem the time to just talk. Talking in marriage will give each spouse the focused attention that is needed to sustain meaningful conversation about random things.
Couples who use their time wisely become more in-tune with one another by sharing intimate moments together. Intimate moments in marriage creates shared experiences as couples engage in activities where both husband and wife can enjoy together. These opportunities for building a strong and enjoyable marriage requires a deliberate intentionality to use the redeemed time wisely.
Prioritize Your Marriage and Friendship
As we make intentional steps to make “time for time”, one of the most thoughtful things we can do as couples is to be proactive in managing our time throughout the day. Making “time for time” in marriage requires five elements to afford your marriage the opportunity to thrive. The five elements are (1) spending time individually and together with God, (2) pray for one another daily, (3) make time to talk to your spouse, (4) redeem the time to date one another and (5) create special moments to connect physically. Creating time for your spouse demonstrates your willingness and faithfulness to prioritize your marriage and friendship. Make “time for time”.
Question: What are ways couples can redeem the time to make time for God and one another?
“We get married because someone takes the time to make us feel like the most important person in their life. We stay Happily married for the same reason” – ngina otiende.
In the book of Ephesians, chapter 5, we will find Paul articulating through scripture the value and importance of “redeeming the time”. One may suggest that redeeming the time is buying back time we waisted in the past. Ironically, redeeming the time here represents what are we doing with the time God gave us – something we did not earn?
Redeem the Time by Being Aware
In marriage, a husband and wife are constantly in a tug-of-war, being pulled in many different directions. Despite the daily challenges and responsibilities, our time throughout the day escapes us – and the cycle repeats itself the days forthcoming. God’s desire for us as husband and wife is to redeem the time by being aware of how our time is being allocated in certain areas of our lives.
Making “time for time” is one of the most valued and precious assets we have. Before we go any further, we must first acknowledge our need to seek God for wisdom and knowledge on how to manage our time. Redeeming the time in marriage can be a lost treasure if it is not lived out according to God’s plan. Husband and wife must seize every opportunity to make “time for time” that will align with God’s purpose for marriage.
Create Shared Experiences Together as Couples
Making “time for time” seems like a simple concept, yet a lot harder than it appears. Do not allow distractions to hinder your desire and ability for making time for your spouse. One of the most fundamental ways of connecting with your husband or wife is to redeem the time to just talk. Talking in marriage will give each spouse the focused attention that is needed to sustain meaningful conversation about random things.
Couples who use their time wisely become more in-tune with one another by sharing intimate moments together. Intimate moments in marriage creates shared experiences as couples engage in activities where both husband and wife can enjoy together. These opportunities for building a strong and enjoyable marriage requires a deliberate intentionality to use the redeemed time wisely.
Prioritize Your Marriage and Friendship
As we make intentional steps to make “time for time”, one of the most thoughtful things we can do as couples is to be proactive in managing our time throughout the day. Making “time for time” in marriage requires five elements to afford your marriage the opportunity to thrive. The five elements are (1) spending time individually and together with God, (2) pray for one another daily, (3) make time to talk to your spouse, (4) redeem the time to date one another and (5) create special moments to connect physically. Creating time for your spouse demonstrates your willingness and faithfulness to prioritize your marriage and friendship. Make “time for time”.
Question: What are ways couples can redeem the time to make time for God and one another?
“We get married because someone takes the time to make us feel like the most important person in their life. We stay Happily married for the same reason” – ngina otiende.
Devoted Spouses -Living the Experience 