i have had it in my heart for some time now to write a series of posts on marriage. i even considered joining in on the 31 day challenge that so many bloggers did this past october and focusing on 31 days of marriage. with 5 kids and a crazy schedule in my "real" life, i realized this just wasn't possible. it is possible, however, for me to write a shorter series on marriage.
so, to kick off this new series let me start with stating clearly that i believe that God always intends marriage to be for our benefit and for our good. while the circumstances may or may not live up to our ideals of marriage, we can discover depths of joy beyond our expectations. i am going to dive into different ways i believe you build the marriage that we all desire when we first say "i do."
i don't believe anyone enters marriage planning on either a miserable cohabitation or eventual divorce. i do believe few couples are fully prepared for the hard work and heart refining nature of marriage. i believe there are unrealistic expectations for the sacred union, and ideals placed on marriage that mirror more the world around us than the God of the bible.
in this series i hope to:
- encourage those who are in a marriage covenant to invest in and strengthen their marriage.
- give hope and clarity of vision to those who have a marriage that is struggling and give a few sound biblical tools to work towards a healthy happy marriage.
- give a realistic, biblical expectation of marriage to those who are dating and not yet married, or who have yet to think about if they want to get married someday.
- shed some clarity to everyone (married, single, or no longer married) on what marriage was supposed to show us about God's love towards us and His nature.
while you are waiting for us to get started, how about you give one of my most popular posts from a couple years ago a read?
you do not have to get divorced - divorce is sometimes a taboo subject, even among fellow believers who have common struggles in marriage. this post is for anyone in the middle of real struggle in marriage or wondering what God feels about marriage and commitment in the hard times. it may be a different perspective than you have considered before.
posts in the series:
i do everyday our vows aren't made just at the altar in the heat of the moment. they are made again and again every single day.
the voice you know the one you hear in the middle of an argument? oh, you know the one...
love keeps no record of wrongs my number one piece of advice to any soon to be married couple - get ready to forgive.
6 tips for developing a life in God as a couple the awkwardness of our own journey of learning how to seek the Lord together as a couple.
20 ways to love your spouse on valentines day or any other day
the secret to longevity want to know my parents' marriage advice after being married 40, almost 41 years? come and find out.
if you ever had a doubt about what God feels about marriage... or what He feels about you this one is definitely a must read for everyone - not only those who are married. it is about what marriage is supposed to show us about God.
my marriage advice does it matter what we are focused on about our spouse?
charis
