Marriage Can Last a Lifetime

Here are ten tips provided by Family Life in their book "The Art of Marriage Getting to the Heart of God's Design" to help your marriage last a lifetime that was shared by couples married for fifty years or more:

1. You need a Savior

2. Stay committed to one another-Love is not a feeling, it's a commitment

3. Pray with your spouse

4. Forgive one another

5. Realize that there's no such thing as a perfect husband or perfect wife

6. Have faith that God knows what He is doing

7. Trust that God gives grace and direction as you trust Him

8. You'll need to make compromises

9. Be objective and take the emotion out of problem solving

10. Love your spouse

I'd like to share my personal experience with marriage to help you gain some perspective and understanding that a marriage CAN and WILL last a lifetime if you and your spouse are willing to do the work. My husband and I have been married for over 26 years and our marital journey has not always been easy or pleasant. However, we have been able to admit our mistakes, forgive one another, and learn how to communicate more effectively providing us with a healthier relationship. We have a resonate mindset about marriage and plan to remain marriage no matter what tribulations or conflicts come our way. Staying committed in our marital relationship has been the key to our successful sacrament of marriage. We have learned how to accept our differences turning them into positive assets and helping each other grow through our individual and relational context.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that marriage is easy, but it's worth the hard work. It takes two to make a marriage work, so you both need to be on board and include Jesus Christ in your conversations. Reading the Bible and praying together proves to be beneficial and a great way to discuss various scriptures. Listen to how God would like you to lead your daily life. Creating a Christ centered marriage and family allows peace to enter your home making it more loving and joyful.