Couples Working Together – Robin and Simon Haussmann
ABOUT FAITH AND LOVE
The Haussmanns, who met as teenagers and grew to know and love one another through an international long distance relationship, have been married for four years. They set a strong foundation for their marriage based on Biblical principles, and both agree that foundation and learning to give each other grace are key to keeping their marriage healthy.
PCL: Why do you volunteer together at the church?
Simon: When we commit to something, we like to become an active part of it. We’re at Northstar every Sunday because it fills our hearts with joy to serve people and to see life change on a weekly basis.
Robin: We identify so much with the core truth that Northstar has of God’s love for everyone. We want to express that to others. That makes us want to serve together.
PCL: Why did you decide to volunteer together?
Robin: We complement each other well. Simon is very detailed and likes to take time to do things methodically. I am more of a doer. I like to get in there and get the job done. In that way, we work well together. I can follow through with projects that need more action and Simon can tackle the things that require more detail and organization.
PCL: What is most meaningful to you about the work you are doing?
Simon: Being a part of an eternal influence in someone’s life. The behind-the-scenes stuff needs to be done, but ultimately it’s all about the person who commits their life to Christ. To be a part of that is a very humbling experience.
PCL: How did you meet?
Simon: Everyone knew I was an exchange student. Small school, small town. Robin was finishing up volleyball practice, and I had basketball tryouts afterward. Her mom is really outgoing and so, while I was waiting in front of the gym, and she was waiting for Robin to finish up, she started a conversation. I was this shy guy who didn’t know much English, and she introduced me to Robin.
Robin: Simon came to the U.S. as an exchange student at Blountstown High School when he was 16. We had physics class together and besides school, he attended my youth group at Rivertown Community Church. Yes, officially, my mom introduced us!
PCL: What was it about the other that made you say he/she was “the one” you wanted to marry?
Simon: For me it was easy: Robin was the big fish in the small pond. She had a strong foundation in Christ, and her values were clearly defined. I knew them before I even got to know her because of the influence she had on others. And she was beautiful of course, too. I fell in love with her in 2003, but I didn’t tell her until the following summer when I came back to visit. She was quite surprised.
Robin: I didn’t know Simon very well when he expressed how he felt about me, so I didn’t know if I could reciprocate the feelings. We met several times during the summer of 2004 and talked about the biblical principles that were important to us. I wanted to make sure we shared the same values before beginning any kind of relationship. He also allowed me and encouraged me to be completely honest about everything regardless of how it would make him feel. That was really attractive to me. After about one year of really seeing Simon’s faith in God and his character, I had the “Aha!” moment.
PCL: How does working together enhance your relationship as a couple?
Simon: I think the experience of accomplishing something together is satisfying. When we’re both working for the same purpose we are unified.
Robin: We discover more about each other as we serve together. Simon has strengths that I don’t have and vice versa. Realizing this and allowing each other to use these unique abilities makes us stronger as a unit.
PCL: What advice do you have for married couples about keeping a relationship strong?
Simon: Really challenge one another before you get married and talk about the foundational beliefs and goals you have in life. Then, keep your full trust and focus on God. As you both pursue Jesus fi rst in your life, you automatically grow closer together. Remember to be a servant to your spouse; having a constant awareness of Jesus and how he got down on knees and washed the feet of his disciples is always a good reminder for me. At the end of the day, I’m tired. I want to come home, prop my feet up and relax: but I do not give in to that impulse. She’s coming home tired, too. Be aware there’s a spiritual life you’re dealing with forces of the unseen. Satan trying to work against the beauty of your relationship, the vows you made to each other. You have to fight for your marriage.
Robin: One reason our marriage has been great is because we don’t feel like we’ve arrived. We understand that we have so much to learn and improve in our relationship and our main instruction manual is the Bible. We try to keep ourselves open to learning more and improving to be more forgiving, more patient, more merciful, and we try to make sure we do that in our relationship, in our workplace and in our interaction with random people. Another important aspect of our marriage is prayer together and for each other. Praying together is something that is very strengthening in our relationship. The fact that we can come together in agreement and express our requests and feelings to God is unifying.
Find out more about Northstar Church at www.northstar.cc
Interview by Patti Smith