When Johnny and I married 27 years ago, it was the second marriage for both of us. We knew we were meant for each other because we met and married in seven weeks. And we know that God truly brought us together. It is a marriage made in heaven but there have been days not so heavenly. When we first married, I learned quickly that I still had a lot to learn about marriage and relationships. I would like to share a little of what I have learned over our 27 years of marriage. I am going to give you a tip for each year we have been married plus one to grown on. Here are the first nine tips:
1. God must be front and center of your marriage and your lives. Praying together will help you stay together.
2. Communication is important and critical in a marriage.
3. Listen more; Talk less. That’s why God gave us two ears and one mouth.
4. Don’t let things fester. That’s when people explode and say things they wish they had not.
5. Commitment to your marriage; Commitment to each other. This is what will get you through tough times. We like to say, “divorce is not an option!”
6. Respect – Always be respectful of each other.
7. Don’t keep score. If you do, you’re in trouble.
8. Trust. Jealousy and marriage make for a bad combination.
9. Other bad combinations: alcohol and drugs do not mix with a good marriage.
These are my tips from our experiences as a married couple. I hope they help you in your marriage. As always, I welcome your feedback. More to come in the two week’s ahead!