NGU Skyliner

Jennilyn Howell
Copy Editor

I guess I won’t be getting my money back. My ring came in the spring of 2008, and I married the love of my life on May 30, 2009. So I guess I’m not exactly an authority when it comes to giving marriage advice, but I figured I’d share some things I’ve learned with those of you who are thinking about tying the knot—sooner or later.

There are many misconceptions about marriage floating around. I even half believed some of them until after we had been married for several weeks.

I used to think that getting married would solve problems. Luckily, I learned this wasn’t true, and my husband and I worked these things out.

I also thought that marrying someone would make me “complete.” But I took hold of the truth that only Jesus can make me whole. It would be unfair for me to depend on my husband for something he cannot provide me with.

Marriage places all problems under a microscope. This is why it’s important to deal with issues before you say “I do” if possible.

It’s also important to get and heed godly advice. Sit down with a marriage counselor or pastor to start taking the right steps toward marriage.

Marriage used to mean warm and fuzzy to me. I thought my married days would be filled with cuddling, talking and holding hands with my spouse. But we’ve found that you have to make time to enjoy each other’s company since our days are busy with work, school and other responsibilities.

Though it is a rewarding journey filled with fun and excitement, marriage isn’t easy. It takes hard work and a lot of time to focus on communicating with each other and serving each other so that your relationship stays alive.

Jimmy Evans, an elder at Trinity Fellowship in Amarillo, Texas and founder of the Marriage Today ministry, says that if a marriage is not growing, it is dying.

“Great marriages don’t happen by chance; they require nurture and training,” the Marriage Today Web site says on its mission page.

My husband and I will never regret an ounce of knowledge and insight we gained through counseling and are currently gaining through a Sunday school class for newlyweds. These tools have helped us as we have begun nurturing and training for an unforgettable life together.

If you’re getting married soon, take the time now to prepare your relationship to last. And enjoy your wedding day. It truly will be one of the best days of your life.

Tags: Fall 2009, Vol. 109 - Issue 9

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 and is filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.