It was Sunday morning and my wife, Michelle, and I were to lead the Sunday-morning church service for the elderly shut-ins at the Integrated Health Nursing Home in Colorado Springs, CO.

Things were not going well between us that morning. In fact we were at odds with each other, which was obvious as we were getting ready to go. There was great tension in the air. We did not say more than we had to say to each other and just acted as if the other person wasn't there.

I picked up some M&M's chocolate candies from the kitchen table just before we left our home and put them in my suit jacket pocket. All the way to the nursing home neither one of us said a word. I wondered what kind of service we were going to have with attitudes like this. I thought to myself, How am I going to preach with a bad attitude, with anger toward my wife and with the knowledge that she is hurting? Furthermore, how would she lead the singing in this condition?

When we arrived at the nursing home, we went in and grabbed the elevator, as usual, to transport the people who wanted to be in church. We went to the bottom floor and had to wait for the kitchen workers to finish with the elevator so we could use it to transport all the churchgoers.

Michelle and I were on opposite sides of the room, still waiting for the elevator, and still not talking to each other. It was then that I reached into my pocket and pulled out some of those M&M's I had put there before we left the house.

I just held the candies in my hand and looked for a few moments at those two letters written on each of them, not really knowing why. Suddenly, I could clearly hear the Spirit of God say to me, "The devil wants to destroy your Marriage & Ministry."

Wow! I was struck to the heart. M&M, Marriage & Ministry. I then realized that if my marriage were destroyed then the devil could destroy my testimony, my witness and my service for the Lord. I was humbled before Almighty God and I could now see that I was the problem that morning.

I slowly walked over to where my wife was waiting for the elevator. I took hold of her hand and said, "Honey, would you please forgive me for my bad attitude? I am sorry, and I love you very much. I know that you are not my enemy, and I also know that our true Enemy -- the devil -- wants to destroy our Marriage & Ministry."

I showed Michelle the letters written on the candy, and she also felt the impact and power of the Spirit of God in revealing the devil's plan to try to destroy us. We then embraced each other intensely. We both felt the power of God's forgiving grace being poured out upon us. It was a tremendous moment of victory for us and a time of rejoicing in our great and conquering Lord Jesus Christ. We also had one of the best church services we have ever had, and our home has been blessed ever since.