Marriage: What makes it work.

What makes ours work? God. Plain and simple. I am sure most of you know by now that Ryan and I are Christians and we are both Bible believing Christians. The Bible shapes our thoughts, our actions, our views on life and relationships. We have but one answer to everything and we find it in the Bible. When we are in an argument or dispute, we are usually both wrong in our hearts and when we are both desiring other things, our own personal gain, that is when things get messy. But, then we stop and think, how are we treating each other? Is that how God commands us to live? What am I desiring in my heart that is causing me to sin against my husband?

Some of our desires are probably not wrong in and of themselves, but how much I am desiring them, and how that desire is causing me to act is not honoring my husband and does not honor the Lord. For example: I really really want a new ottoman for our livingroom. It is the only thing that is missing that will complete my decorating in that room. It is not wrong at all for me to want this very attractive piece of furniture, but, when I start complaining, begging.. I am becoming ungrateful for all of the other things that we do have and ungrateful for all of the things that Ryan does buy me. I start to harbor anger and bitterness towards him because he can buy this and that and I can’t have this one little thing that I really really want that I think is way more important than…(you fill in the blank). I am sure most of you can relate to this in some way or another…

This week on facebook I posted the question: “what makes a good/strong marriage?”  I was so excited that so many women chimmed in with such great answers. Actually, most of them were biblical principles and very good practical applications. If we aren’t practicing all of them regularly in our marriage relationships, then I think you should look them over and talk about them with your spouse (that would be communication lol).

 It is always helpful to hear from other married people, especially those of you who have been married longer than Ryan and I (going on three years). I propose that we as married woman do it more often. Seek advice from other married woman who have been married longer, experience offers a lot of wisdom that will only help us in our marriages.

Marriages are being destroyed on a daily basis because… well, because of lots of reasons… Marriage should be held at a higher regard and really cherished. I pray that all of us would not lose sight of the vows we made before God on our Wedding Day and we would not look for the easy way out, but to daily lay our lives down for each other. Through sickness and health, til death do us part…

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Side note. My favorite suggestion is Molly’s : “landing a husband by stalking him throughout your senior year of high school…just joking lol“. I technically didn’t stalk Ryan in High School but I did keep a close eye on him. Good thing right?!

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PS. Our marriage is NOT perfect. We fail many times everyday at loving each other. I need God’s help daily and other people to help us when we fall. I hope that through this post you did not see me telling all of you how perfect we are and that “because we are christians we have it all together and that if you aren’t a christian you don’t”. The purpose for this post is to some how, support you in your marriage and offer what little advice I have to help build stronger marriages in our community.