Foundations for a Healthy Marriage

Because of the knowledge we have of eternal families, we know there is a much greater purpose to marriage than just having a companion that we fall in love with. Stephan F. Duncan and Sara S. McCarty Sazuhka gave six principles for couples that want to grow their eternal marriage to its potential.

1. Personal Commitment to the Marriage Covenant
2. Love and Friendship
3. Positive Interactions
4. Accepting Influence from Your Spouse
5. Solve Differences and Resolve Problems
6. Continue Your Courtship through the years.

Some thoughts that I loved from these six principles is that a covenant marriage gives 100%. In a contract marriage, each couple gives 50/50. When each couple gives 100%, they are able to compensate for what the other lacks.

An eternal marriage is based on personal dedication. This means you make sacrifices for the relationship, make personal goals based on the relationship, and honestly want the best welfare for your partner, not just yourself. Marriage is also sometimes based on constraint commitment. This means that your obligations keep you and your spouse together, even if they would rather break up. When you mix these two commitments together, you form a very strong bond.

I have had several friends get married over the last 5 years, and the piece of advice I give them is #6 on the list I have above. I truly believe that continuing your courtship through the years is the only way to continue to build a marriage that will last forever. My husband and I have two kids, so this can  honestly be a difficult thing to keep up. With a small nursing baby, it's just not possible for us to go on weekly dates out of the house. We make it a priority, though, to make it an effort to go on dates, even if it's in our own home, after our kids go to bed.


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