THE KEY TO A LONG, HAPPY MARRIAGE

This year, 2025, my wife and I will celebrate Thirty years of marriage. To some, that may seem like a long time. To others, it may seem like just a blink of an eye, but in today’s society, staying married for thirty years is not that common anymore.

Recently, several of my Facebook friends have celebrated being married between Twenty and Thirty years. Congratulations guys. I recently heard of one couple who was about to celebrate their eighty-first wedding anniversary and another couple who had been married for eighty-three years. According to Wikipedia, the record for the longest marriage in modern times is almost ninety-one years.*

When I hear couples share their secrets to a long marriage, it’s never a cookie-cutter answer, but what they all say always boils down to the same thing; Commitment.

Sadly, these days, marriages are getting shorter and shorter, with some lasting only a year or so, while others have ended after only a day. I read about one that lasted only 15 hours. That's sad.

I was watching a Christian movie called COURAGEOUS and one of the characters said, “Divorce comes with the territory.” Another character said something like, “Only because we make it an option.” I totally agree.

My first marriage ended in divorce, so I understand there are bumps, valleys, hills, and mountains in every relationship. That’s why, when I married again, my wife and I both vowed that divorce would never be an option. We had our share of problems, and yes, our marriage was tested. Humans are selfish creatures. Times change, and so do people. Sometimes we get caught up in the cares of life and lose sight of the big picture.

That’s where Commitment comes in. We have to be committed, not only to the marriage but to each other as well. Some people with bad marriages stay married for the children, but if both people are not committed to each other, the marriage can’t be a happy one.

When two people get married, they vow before God to “have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward, until death parts us.” Then, quoting Jesus in Mark 10:9, the minister says, “Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one put asunder,” which means to separate.

In the previous verse, Mark 10:8, Jesus said, “the two will be one flesh: so, then they are no more two, but one flesh.” No wonder divorce is so painful. It’s unnatural. After being joined together by God, splitting “One Flesh” into Two again is devastating to both people, and neither of them can ever be the same again.

To prevent this unnatural split, it’s vitally important to be committed to the One who created marriage in the beginning; the same day he created Adam and Eve. (Genesis 2:21-24)

I’m sure there have been long-lasting marriages where God was not put first, but, I’m sure those relationships would have been awesome if they had put him first. God wants to see long-lasting marriages, but he also wants those marriages to be happy ones. He loves us, and he’ll work with us as much as we allow him to.

Time and time again, I’ve heard, “Marriage Takes Two,” but really, marriage takes three. The Man, the Woman, and God. I’ve also heard, “In A Marriage, It’s Give And Take; 50/50,” but actually, each person has to give 100% to make it work. God will definitely give 100% if we allow him to be part of our marriages. So think about that for a minute. That’s 300% effort being put into it. A marriage like that will stand the test of time. It'll be a happy marriage, and it will last until death separates the couple.

So the secret to a long and happy marriage is Commitment. Commitment to God first. Then Commitment to our spouse. Commitment to the union, and Commitment to the vows we made before God. Simple? Maybe; Maybe not. But, “With God, all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_with_the_longest_marriages

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LESSONS ON THEJOURNEY - PART 1

It was a day like any other day in Cedar Creek. At least, like any other day for the last several weeks. Two months ago Herbert Brown and his family moved from the big city of River-Port, Mississippi to the quiet peaceful little town of Cedar Creek, more than two hundred miles away.  

As a child, growing up in River-Port, Herbert had made the long, tiring trip to Cedar Creek, with his family every summer to visit his aunt Bonnie for a week or two. He continued the tradition well into adulthood until last year when his aunt passed away. He and his family made the trip again to see her one last time.  

To Herbert’s surprise, he was told that his aunt had left him her home and property in her will. Herbert and his wife Charlotte decided that they would like to live there, out in the beautiful country, surrounded by nature, far from the hassles of city life that they had known for so many years. So with much prayer and preparation, they sold their house in Riverport and set out to make Cedar Creek, their new home.  

Now, two months after moving, they are starting to doubt whether or not they made the right decision. Well, at least Herbert is. After a long hard day, not at work, but looking for work, he walks up the steps to the door of the house he now calls home. He takes a deep breath and enters.

“Charlotte? Honey, I’m home”, he says. His wife of fourteen years enters the room and knows without even asking that the search for a new job will continue the following day.

As she walks toward him to give him a reassuring hug she says “Oh, honey. No luck?” “No, not today,” Herbert answers. Charlotte quickly says, “Don’t get discouraged, Dear. God is taking care of us. He’ll give you the right job at the right time. He’s got this.”

Herbert kisses his wife and smiles. Then he says, “You always know the right thing to say, sweetheart, and you’re right. God’s in control. Everything will be alright.”

He takes off his jacket, and as he puts it in the closet he says, “I saw Joe Kimble from church. He said he knows a guy who has been looking for a business partner. I’m supposed to meet him Monday morning. His name is Bob, uh, something or other.”

“That’s great dear. You can tell me about it over dinner. It’s almost ready,” Charlotte said. As she walks back into the kitchen her voice grows louder as she asks, “Will you call the kids? Billy’s in the backyard and Cindy is in her room. Mark is already in the dining room.”

As the brown family gathers to eat their evening meal, they pray, as always. They thank God for the food and the many other blessings he has showered upon them, and they ask him to bless others who are less fortunate than they themselves. Then they dig in. ---

Click the to read "Lessons On The Journey" Part 2

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My Blogs
https://teddylynn.blogspot.com
https://teddylynn.wordpress.com

© 2009 Teddy Lynn – All Rights Reserved

My books are available in paperback and digital format on Amazon @ 
https://www.amazon.com/Teddy-Lynn/e/B01MZDB6L6