5 Investments Every Married Couple Should Make

 

If you want to grow your finances, the best way is investment and deliberately making plans and taking steps to change your lot. But do we really do the same for our marriages and family?

Do you want to grow your marriage? Here are a few bite-sized things to consider doing as a way to invest in your marriage:

1.         Connect Spiritually 

One of the most beautiful aspects of marriage comes with the opportunity to emotionally and spiritually connect with another human being. Add to that, the gift of Christian marriage that gives us an opportunity to connect, not only with one another, but with a holy and almighty God.

Oftentimes, believing couples tend to take their spiritual connection for granted, forgetting that some of the most intimate moments in marriage are when we’re sharing our hearts, communicating what’s in our spirit, and interacting about our relationship with God.

If you’re looking for a really powerful way of investing in your marriage, consider setting some time aside weekly or even daily to pray together and share about what God is doing in each of your lives.

2.         Communicate Regularly 

Believe it or not, the average married couple spends just minutes a day in active and meaningful communication. It’s also a known fact that communication gets less and less with each year of marriage.

This is saddening, because there is so much joy in being able to communicate with your spouse. 

Each level of conversation is important, and has to be deliberately worked into conversation. If you want to do something small that will have a big impact on your marriage, set aside 10-20 minutes a day sitting face to face with your spouse, for the sole purpose of communicating.

Don’t let this be the time to discuss conflict or problems, but just a time to catch up and keep up with one another. 

What was the best part of your day today? or What’s something I can do to help you out this week? The goal of this time is to enjoy each other and encourage one another. 

3.         Touch Often

Before having children, many couples many couples tag along fine. But what happens afterwards?

Many couples hardly ever have any physical contact with each other. No hand-holding. No snuggling on the couch. No arms around the shoulder.

But fast forward a few years and a few kids later, and I totally understand the struggle of trying to connect physically with your spouse, all while being pulled in a million different directions.

But even during seasons of life when it’s hard to come by, physical touch is such an important part of investing in your marriage. Take inventory of your marriage, and find times (or even schedule times if you have to!) where you can be deliberate about holding hands, kissing often, making love, or even doing something as simple as touching your spouse’s back as you pass them in the kitchen.

Physical touch conveys to your spouse that: I notice you, I desire you, and I want to be near you. Talk about a great investment!

4.         Confess and Forgive Frequently

As much as we talk about confession and forgiveness, I believe we often fail to apply it in the context of our marriages, because let’s be honest, it’s a hard task!

The idea of being vulnerable and sharing your weaknesses and shortcomings with another person can be a really hard pill to swallow…which is precisely why God calls us to do it. The practice of letting down our pride in the act of confession opens the door for the opportunity to forgive, which is the sacred glue that holds marriages together.

The couples who are highly satisfied in marriage, are not the ones who have the least amount of disagreement, but the ones who have the most forgiveness. God has forgiven each one of us of so much, and those who live in that freedom are freed to forgive others.

Invest in your marriage by taking the time to search your heart frequently, being honest with your spouse about the things you are longing to change and the areas you need to ask for forgiveness.

5.         "Get Away" Weekly

They say that couples who “pray together stay together”. But I think it can also be said that couples who play together, have the most fun! Life can get busy, and the stress of it all can make us lose sight of the fact that God wants us to enjoy one another and the life he’s given us.

Invest in your marriage by taking one time a week and setting aside the time to go out (or stay in if you can’t afford a weekly sitter) and do something fun!

Play a board game on the living room floor, go out for a fun dinner, take a hike, pack a picnic lunch, or even go on a scenic drive. 

Rekindle your love for one another, by rekindling your friendship.

Investing in your marriage often means doing small things deliberately that will ultimately have a huge impact. Whether you’ve been married for 5 days, or 50 years, it’s never too early or too late to start making a difference in your marriage.

6 Ways To Get Closer To Your Spouse When Work Interfere With Your Marriage

A wonderful holiday period has just past, and another is coming around. Yes, this should be a time when couples spend time together, but unfortunately, finding time to enjoy moments and seasons as a family is usually the problem.

This is true because so many things are demanding for our time. From football matches to other games; from homework and class projects to school plays, church programmes; and on top of the everyday chores and to-do lists at work, people tend to get and feel distant from their spouses – because they are pulled in a million different directions.

For married people, this is certainly cause problems. This leads to loads of worldly pressures and anxiety.  

When your holiday and other schedules, which seem to be dominated by the demands of parenting, stretch our marriages and spiritual lives, it’s time to take a closer look. Yes, it is a problem; but it’s not one without a solution. 

Here are six things to consider to fine tune your life, for the sake of your marriage and to have a sound spiritual life and good career.

1.         Sometimes, it's okay to say no:

Most of us extend ourselves beyond capacity. That’s because it can be hard to say no. Often our hearts are in the right place. We are doing good things. But sometimes we need to make sure we are saying yes to only the things that are truly important, and declining on the things that are ultimately inconsequential. 

This could also mean saying no to your children. You obviously can’t spend your days visiting every playground in town just because your holidaying kids want to do so.

2.         Prioritize and guard dinner time:

There should be a time each day in the life of your family that is sacred. For many, late sports practices or games, hectic work travel schedules and more can keep this from becoming consistent. But, there’s not a much better way for a family to grow closer together than to have the consistency of breaking bread together around the same dinner table.

3.         Make Date Night important:

To remain connected to your spouse, date night has to be a priority. This can be easier said than done. It doesn't happen near enough in our house. But, if you are able to get out of the house together, it’s a beautiful time of reconnecting with each other. 

It enables a couple to see each other as husband and wife, not the roles we play as dad and mom the rest of the time.

4.         Keep Conversations alive:

Any growing relationship has to be watered, and there’s no better nourishment than conversation. 

Interpersonal relationships are built by communication, same as marriage. When we lack communication, it’s hard for us to truly know each other. Spend time daily conversing with your spouse and your children, and with God.

5.         In Marriage, compromise is King:

If the rule in your house is “it’s my way, or the highway,” then you might need to hitchhike your way to a better plan. 

You can’t always do what YOU want to do. This means, you have to take your daughter to her friends’ birthday parties when you would rather be watching football. 

For the wife, it means she occasionally watches football when she’d rather watch a soap opera. And for the kids, it means they have to go home early from the park so their baby brother can take a nap. 

Compromise isn’t a bad word; it’s mandatory in a happy home!

6.         Don’t be fixated; unplug:

We are so connected to the world around us, and this easily gets us disconnected from the home we live in. 

We are constantly checking our phones for new emails, updated news headlines and sports scores. This certainly doesn’t bring us closer to God and our spouse. 

What we read today on Facebook or Twitter, or see on Instagram or Pinterest, isn’t going to drastically change our lives for the better. Every minute you spend playing games online is a minute you could pour into your spouse or kids. 

We need to regularly force ourselves to disconnect from the electronic devices, and connect with our families instead.

There’s no doubt that family problems, busy schedules and everyday concerns can pull you away from God and your spouse. Don’t let the hectic nature of life – especially your work schedules - lead you to burnout, both at home and at work!

Adapted form Brent Rinehart ‘s

5 Unfailing Truths That Can Completely Save Your Marriage

There are countless homes and marriages experiencing one crisis or the other and it is as if, as a woman once asked me, “Can’t marriages ever be without problem?”

As strange as it may seem, the everyday couples we find today are seemingly in two categories – those in marital crisis; and those about to get into crisis. In fact marital struggles are everywhere and they are not unique to certain people.

But does it mean there can never be joy in marriage? Can marriages be immune from crisis or how can they be salvaged?

Here are five proven truths that save marriage:

1.         Your spouse does not have the capacity to meet all your emotional needs:

The surest way to court disaster in marriage is for a wife to expect her husband to be the all-in-all is a formula for disaster. 

A lot of women marry with the intent of shifting the burden of life and living onto their husbands. Your spouse is not an expect route to challenges of life.

Do your spouse a favor and look to God to be your "spiritual husband" and take some of that load of his shoulders. This will take a tremendous load of expectation off of him and it will help you be a confident, capable wife who can get through whatever life and marriage brings your way. 

2.         Marriage is not only about happiness:

I am sure you married because you believed your partner would make you happier than if you remained single. This is basic assumption many people enter into marriage with. 

But God's original intention for marriage is more about sacrifice than making you happy. Marriage is a place where daily practice dying to self. It is a theatre of sacrifice and compromise. It is a field in which we can practice love, even when we don't feel like it. 

Happiness is not a result of how someone else treats you. Your level of contentment is a choice that must be made by you or a heart condition that must be altered. 

Marriage is the training ground for sublime and total love and self-effacing character. And the best person to teach you how to love another unconditionally is the partner you are living with in very close quarters.

3.         Disappointment is inevitable because we're all incomplete and not perfect

This is one of the most realistic perspectives to marriage. Nobody can essentially make you complete or perfect. Only God can fix us. It is beyond a new life, a new wife or a new perspective; and not even a new you. 

Imperfections will always remain in us. We would keep hurting and disappointing one another in marriage because with all the new, there's still the same old broken you. 

Just as your spouse has disappointed you, you, too, have disappointed your spouse. It goes both ways. That's why grace is the glue that holds the two of you together. 

Once you realize you are just as much an imperfect fellow or sinner as your spouse, you will extend grace toward him or her more easily. 

4.         Divorce is not always a solution. The grass is NOT greener on the other side:

We tend to look at other situations that are less familiar to us and imagine the best. I am sure you too would have looked at your fiancé years ago and imagined the best possible scenario with him. Then reality happened. 

Your spouse has flaws. So does the nice-looking man or woman across the street or the recently divorced woman in your office or the very capable single mom or dad you met in the school parking lot. 

Doesn't it make sense to continue to invest in the person you've invested years in than to start all over with someone else's issues, baggage, past, and problems?

5.         Integrity always pays off:

Are you a person of your word? Did you say "forever"? Did you promise commitment even in sickness and in health? Alzheimer’s and dementia are a sickness. So is addiction. 

So, even if your spouse doesn't remember you or isn't behaving the "same" as when you married, or is truly trying to stop a destructive behavior but can't, you still made a promise. 

Even if the two of you have grown apart, you still made a commitment. Even if your heart doesn't feel the same you still made a vow before God and witnesses to be in this "'till death do us part." (And that doesn't mean "death" of your feelings.) 

I'm so glad God doesn't drop us when we begin acting differently than when we first committed to him. Grace is undeserved favor. And God expects us to show it to others in the same degree it has been measured out to us.

Of course, there are certain behaviors that are absolutely unacceptable in marriage, such as abuse and sexual unfaithfulness. Some of the most powerful marital testimonies I've seen and heard have been those who started to walk away because of "irreconcilable differences" but then saw the God of reconciliation bring them back together....once they extended grace and love of another kind (and in many cases when counseling and a repentant heart helped reverse some destructive behavior).

Inasmuch as it depends on you, are you willing to forgive, extend grace, and do what is necessary for the marriage to work? God always honors the man or woman "who keeps his word whatever the cost". And I know, my friend; sometimes it hurts.

Marriage disappoints at times, just like any relationship. But God never disappoints. Put your hope in him - and his promises - and see what he can pull you through.

And if your marriage is one that couldn't be saved - or you are dealing with behaviors that are destructive to the marriage, or your spouse was not committed to making it work as you had hoped - God can still redeem the pieces of your life and turn your story into something beautiful.

Adapted from Cindi McMenamin 

7 Words That Will Change Your Marriage

A lot of folks would go to any length to tend to their look and outward appearance. We spend billions each year on our appearance. Gym memberships, dieting programs that may or may not work, new clothes and more, occupy our minds. Yes, it is nice that care how we look. But, what do our marriages look like?

More importantly, where does our marital health rank on the list of To-Do’s? Instead of our bodies and physical appearance being top priorities, what if we put that focus on our marriages instead?

The hardest part of parenting, that no one seems to want to warn you about, is the strain children have on your marriage. Children can come between you and your spouse.

As the years go by, the children naturally become our focus, making it easy to lose sight of each other. We don’t take the time or energy necessary to stay connected.

But, this trend can be stopped if you give your marriage a “check up.” I believe there are seven words that, if applied to our marriages, have the power to make this year the best year we have ever experienced as a couple.

1.         Initiate: Remember the courtship? Make an effort to woo your spouse all over again. So many marriages fall apart because people just stop trying.

2.         Prioritize: What is your top priority? It’s where you devote the majority of your time or energy. Turn off the television and put down your iPhone. Your email and updating your Facebook status can wait.

3.         Communicate: In a successful marriage, you have to fight the urge to sweep things under the rug. Don’t allow things to fester. Instead, keep an open line of communication.

When we have “sounding boards” who aren’t our spouses, sure, we might feel a little better, but we are doing nothing to actually resolve situations or improve our relationship.

4.         Listen: The most important part of communicating doesn’t involve speaking; it’s listening. Your spouse wants to be heard.

How can you know what he or she is feeling if you don’t take the time to listen. All too often, many of us are too quick to interject before the person is even finished speaking.

5.         Forgive: Don’t hold onto things. You only harm yourself. When your spouse does something, refer to #3 and #4. Then, let it go. Forgive them and move on.

6.         Love: Without love, there is no marriage. And, that’s why we must keep the spark alive.

This year, set aside more time to date your spouse. And, when you are out, try your best to make sure the kids or grandkids aren’t the primary topic of conversation. Spoil your spouse occasionally.

7.         Pray: It has been said that a successful marriage consists of three people: husband, wife and God. Involve Him more, even in the so-called “little things.”

Let’s resolve together to focus on our relationships more than ourselves this year, and watch how God will bless the efforts.

I am sure there are other words you would add to this list!

Adapted from Brent Rinehart’s

5 Things Not To Do To Keep Your Marriage Happy

Marriage essentially brings two different people together and fuses them as one. And because many people in marriages are people with different backgrounds and upbringings, experiences and expectations, frictions and frustrations sometimes occur.

Hardly would we find a marriage not filled with repentance and apologies along with deep intimacy and companionship, because misunderstandings and feelings of being hurt, bitter, and sometimes anger are necessary baggage of marriage.

Indeed, many couples go through tough times in marriage; but rather than destroy them, such times helped them to discover themselves and made the get more committed to each other.

In the midst of everything, they were able to pull through, essentially because they avoided five things that kill happiness in marriage.

Here are five things not to do to keep your marriage happy: 

1.         Don’t stop praying for your spouse

We only pray for those we wish well. Even when we’re hurt, we don’t stop praying for the one we want to succeed.

Praying for your partner affirms your commitment to them and your belief that together you can forge ahead as a team. It’s in the praying that power is released.

Find creative ways to pray for your spouse and his/her career.

2.         Don’t bear grudges

A grudge is just persistent resentment towards a person due to pain or hurt. And, that grudge can grow and fester until it bleeds even more hurt into a marriage.

Yes you may be the one who is right and offended. But it is better to be one and together with your partner than being right.

3.         Don’t deny your partner sex

Don’t say no to the pursuit of making love in your marriage. Making love together is about a whole lot more than physical intimacy, but physical intimacy is the coming together, the coupling, the connecting. 

You can “make love” by making a cup of tea for your spouse, but making a cup of tea and creating space to physically connect results in different emotions, a different level of uniting.

Making love is like a gift you give to your spouse. And we know that when we give a physical gift, we give it to our partners for them to use as they please.

The reason why many spouses, especially wives withhold sex is perhaps because they are still afraid their husbands will misuse their willingness, and make them feel used. This thinking is wrong in a marriage union.

4.         Don’t take the leadership or feelings of your spouse for granted

Even when we feel like our spouses are lacking, we shouldn’t underestimate the innate abilities God has deposited in them.

If your spouse chooses to follow a direction you are not primed for, hear him/her out. Sometimes, submit to the leadership of your partner.

If you find yourself feeling like you can’t trust your spouse’s decisions, because you feel he or she has misled you in the past or you don’t believe he or she is not just up to it, then I’d suggest you back to point number one: don’t stop praying.

5.         Don’t kill your home with negative talk

We can speak life over our spouses, not calling out their flaws, frustrations, and weaknesses, but calling out the gifts and the goodness that God has deposited within them.

We can speak hope and life, goodness and faith over them instead of death, darkness, and destruction.

Rather than complain, you could say something like, “You always remember to return our movies or feed the fish; you have such a gift of responsibility.”  

When you compliment spouse’s strengths, rather than sing about their shortcomings, it empowers and encourages them, and makes them feel supported.

Adapted from Holly Mthethwa’s  

Divorce and 2nd Marriages …Digging Ones Grave?

 

When a man falls the first time, it is said that he gets wiser and avoid the pitfalls.  But is running away from a problem the best solution? For marriage relationships, statistics show that this is far from the truth.

It is indeed true that in recent times, a huge number of marriages end in divorce. In some societies, close to 50% of first marriages end in divorce. But what do you expect of second marriages?

It should be less than 50%, right? After all, who would make those same painful mistakes again? People marrying a second time have the "benefit" of knowing what kind of person to pick this time, right?

But the divorce rate for second marriages is 70%! And for third marriages, it’s closer to 80%! That means your chances get worse not better! If you want to quit your marriage and move to another presumably better one, you are courting more trouble for yourself. It is like jumping from frying to fire.

That's right. Because the key to succeeding in marriage is NOT finding the right person; it's YOU becoming the right person.

Did you know that women who finally get out of abusive relationships usually fall in love with another abusive man? Could this be bad luck? No, it's not luck.

Did you know that men whose first wives cheated on them usually get cheated on by their second wife too? How could that be? You'd think that after suffering the torment of infidelity a man would only marry a woman with impeccable morals and unwavering commitment. Yes, that would be the expectation, but it doesn't always work that way.

A man once came to a town and asked the local sage, "I'm thinking about moving here. What kinds of people live here?"

The sage asked the man, "What kinds of people live in the town you came from?"

"Where I'm from the people are liars, cheaters, and mean hearted," the man responded.

"The people are the same here," said the sage.

Then another man came to town and asked the sage the same question, "I'm thinking about moving here. What kinds of people live here?"

The sage asked the man, "What kinds of people live in the town you came from?"

"Where I'm from the people are wonderful, kind, and courteous," the man responded.

"The people are the same here," said the sage.

Truly, people are not as you see or perceive them; people are as YOU are.

What do you get when you smile at someone? You get a smile back. And if you stare at someone; you get a stare back. What you get is what you are.

In marriage, your relationship is not simply a function of who you pick; it's also a function of who you are. Who you are and who your spouse is mixes to form the dynamics of your relationship.

I know you want your spouse to change. And YES your marriage would be better if they did. But if you change, it can change things just as well.

In essence, both you and your spouse contribute to the dynamics in your relationship, whatever they are, and both you and your spouse can single-handedly change them.

No matter what your spouse did to cause your marriage to deteriorate, they're responsible. And yes, they should change. But did you not play a role too? I know that's hard to hear. It's a bitter pill to swallow. But once you swallow it, you're no longer a helpless victim; you become empowered to change circumstances that seemed out of your control.

It's easy to confess your spouse's sins. And you're probably correct about what your spouse needs to change. But it does no good to be right. And it's a complete waste of time and energy to focus on your spouse's problems. There's nothing you can do about it. Your spouse will change only when they're ready to change. The only relevant question for you is: What are you changing?

You had a role in the deterioration of your marriage. Hardly is a marital situation caused by one spouse. There's always dual responsibility. What can you do to improve the situation?

Reflect on your past relationships. Do you see a pattern? Look at your parent's marriage. Are you recreating the model you saw when you were a child? Have you explored with a professional the childhood roots of your relationship habits and how they contributed to your marital circumstances?

Even if your spouse had an affair, you're partly responsible. That doesn't mean that it's your fault and it doesn't excuse your spouse's inappropriate behavior, but the question still remains: What was your spouse seeking outside your marriage that was not available within it?

Don't just sit there or attempt to run away. If you want your situation to change, then change it! Do your part. If you change, then everything around you changes too.

4 Ways To Enjoy The Christmas And New Year Holiday As A Couple

 

The holidays can bring out such intense sides to people’s personalities. We gather to malls and store aisles to wrestle one-another like gladiators for deals. The shopping hustle and bustle continues for another six weeks, stretching over Christmas and finally to the New Year. 

For couples and for marriages, the rush, the expectations, the schedule and the buzz can really be stressful and capable of becoming explosive.  

Many people wish their spouse turned magically into Mr. or Mrs. Clause and have a solution to all of life’s issues and settle them once and for all during the yuletide. At least it is a time for celebrations!

Indeed, a lot of marriages and families struggle with the extremes these celebrations bring out of. But can have a great season in spite of the stress it brings. 

Here’s a few tips to help you have an enjoyable season as a couple:

1.         Listen to each other:

Whenever frustrations are bubbling near the surface, mentally slow-down and choose to engage in actively listening to each other. 

More often than not, the most frustrating part of a conflict is not that we see things differently, but that we feel un-heard and misunderstood.

If she’s buying too many presents, listen to her heart and find out why. If he’s want designer blazer, there is a reason. Listen to each other and search out each other’s motivations and heart behind the issues. 

Listening might actually help your spouse understand why they are doing certain things. 

2.         Remember you are partners - a team:

Commit to being more committed to your spouse than to your plans, expectations or yuletide dreams. 

Stop comparing your spouse or have desires you find in other people for Christmas or New Year holiday. You married a unique person who can only be who God made them to be! 

No matter how fascinating our yuletide wishes may be, they don’t measure to the value of our spouse and our relationship with them. 

This season holiday shouldn’t be a time to misplace your treasure by valuing plans over people and relationships, especially with your spouse.

3.         Plan together:

While we want to avoid putting plans above people, we can steer clear of unnecessary headaches by coming to an understanding and agreement about holiday plans. 

A husband may have his own expectations for the New Year season while the wife may have a completely different one. And it is so easy for the hustle and bustle to begin and before you know it, the calendar is full and no one knows how it got that way! 

The best way to go is to sit down and make a prioritized list of time and budget plans. 

Making plans well ahead helps you cut unnecessary costs, prevents accidental debit overcharges and keeps out disagreements over the Christmas spending. 

A simple counsel in the bible asks, “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” (Amos 3:3, NIV)

4.         Stay focused:

If we choose to celebrate Christmas as the birthday of Jesus, then HE should be the highest priority in how we budget our time, finances and Christmas activities. 

This simply means too your celebration and priority should reflect His love, joy and peace than: my spouse didn’t fix the house or clean the furniture; that the cookies turn out just perfect or that all my presents are wrapped to perfection.

Disappointments may come; but look for the good, look for the positives, look for the good of your family, and practice letting go of the little things.

Don’t let small disappointments - like the potluck dish that spills all over the back seat, like the cake got messed up or the family squabbles over who hosts Christmas. 

The Christmas season offers ample practice to overlook our disappointments and stay focused on providing joy for our partners and loved ones.

May your marriage shine bright with the love, joy and peace that come from knowing the One we truly celebrate!

Adapted from April Moti:

My Wife Is The Secret Behind My Premier League Success – Jude Odion Ighalo

 

It is true that just having a wonderful job does not bring ultimate fulfillment. If your relationship is in turmoil, you would not have the heart or peace to enjoy the success or proceeds of your labour.

Having a stable marriage, especially to a loving spouse whom one cherishes, is one of the best tonics that propel people to become successful in their career. This is why having a great career and a wonderful marriage is perhaps one of the greatest dreams of many young people.

And you would not be to say Odion Ighalo is living his dream.

The Watford FC star has attributed his success in the ongoing English Premier League (EPL) to his wife, Sonia. He praised and acknowledged his wife’s role after scoring his eighth goal of the season in Watford's 3-2 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday November 28.

 

As the ball hit the inside of the net, Ighalo turned, with hands up and fingers pointed towards the heavens, in acknowledgement of the divine in his now familiar celebration style.

However, what the 26-year-old has never spoken about, until now, is the impact of a settled homestead as the reason for his success.

Related Story: Was it Marriage That Spoiled Osaze Odemwingie?

 

The striker told Goal that his marriage to beautiful Sonia, which clocked six years a few days ago, has made him a complete person and put him in a good state of mind.

The Nigeria forward and his wife have three children.

“I want to say that my marriage which marked six years recently has made me to be a complete man,” Ighalo said.

“My wife has been very crucial to my impressive career. She has been able to build a good home and she makes me and the children happy. She is everything to me.”

Culled:

The Secret Britain's Longest Married Couple

 

Over the years, a lot of people have wondered what the secret of the longevity Karam and Kartari Chand marriage is.

The couple, who are 110 and 103 respectively, are believed to be Britain's longest married couple.
The Bradford pair is celebrating their 90th wedding anniversary on Friday.

They tied the knot in India in 1925 during the British Raj and moved to England 40 years later.

And one of the secrets to the success of their marriage is that they never ever argue. If only couples could borrow this and learn from Karam and Kartari Chand.

Perhaps marriages would be better if we talk or argue less. But how is that possible in a world where we talk 10 times more than the world knew.

And it is said, that the way the average old school Indian women treat their husbands is worth copying. They don’t argue with their husbands.

Source

What is The Number One Threat To Marriage?

I know to many people, the first thing that comes to mind when the worst enemy to marriage is mentioned is infidelity and the strange partner. But it might amaze you to know that the No. 1 threat to marriage is not infidelity. 

Yes, cheating can certainly cause divorce and make it extremely difficult to recover a healthy marriage. And, of course, it is true that women can be highly tempting, but they are merely accomplices - because the hunger for power, money, fame and success can also consume a man and wreck a marriage.

I think the No. 1 threat to marriage is ourselves.

You are a target and your mind is under constant attack. Your character and integrity are vulnerable, especially if you’re not aware of the battle going on in your life - the mental and spiritual battle aimed at puling you down.

So if my mind or ego is my No. 1 threat to my marriage, how do I fight back and protect my home?

This is what you can do: 

1.         Power Up: Protect yourself and your marriage by deciding to stick with God’s plan for your life and marriage. Seek to know His ways and follow it.

2.         Pray Up: Pray against temptations because it would come, especially if you a celebrity or in the public glare. Even in the midst of temptation, we should pray. Ask for God’s help.

3.       Partner Up: Find other people to help appraise you and keep you accountable to your vows and marital commitment. 

Marriage is not easy. It takes work, communication, courageous love and perseverance. But, if we work on ourselves as much as we work on the marriage, there will be great earthly and heavenly reward.

Adapted