**The following is an excerpt from Chapter 1 of our newest book on Love, Dating, and Marriage. You can read more here and at Amazon.com**
ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?
If you are paying attention to your life and your future at all, you need to be asking questions like these.
· Why do so few people stay married anymore?
· Why are anti-depressants one of the most commonly prescribed medications in America now?
· Why are sexually active teenagers more likely to perform poorly in school?
· Why are students who come from divorced families more susceptible to emotional problems, gangs, depression and alcohol abuse?
· Is there a correlation between the breakdown of the American family and lower test scores for American students worldwide than anytime in the past 50 years?
· Why do 40% of US citizens say that the idea of a traditional marriage with one man and one woman for life is out of date and irrelevant?
· Why do a growing percentage of American teenagers engage in ritualistic self-mutilation, a practice called “cutting” that they say helps them release their inner pain?
· Why are more Americans delaying marriage into their late 20’s and early 30’s until after they have prioritized their career?
· Why are more married couples having kids later in their marriages, or opting not to have children at all?
· Why do psychologists say that divorce is harder on children emotionally than the death of a parent?
TOO GOOD TO MISS!
We believe that marriage is the ultimate joy in all of life next to knowing Christ. It was God’s idea from the very beginning of time. It’s the oldest social institution on earth and the basic foundation of all societies and cultures. Through marriage we are able to create new life with our children, re-create hope for the human race with every new birth, learn how to serve another human being for half a century (or more), become one mind and flesh with our spouse, and care for another person with kindness and humility until death.
In other words, we believe marriage is a big deal. Maybe the biggest deal in the whole world. It was God’s idea. And marriage is so sacred that God uses it as a metaphor for His relationship with His own people, the church. He calls the church “the bride of Christ.” That alone should grab our attention.
So we want to reverse the trend of destructive, unhealthy relationships being the norm. That is why we wrote this book for you.
We want you to beat the odds. We want you to pay attention and choose the right direction. We want you to have a good marriage that honors God and shows the world a picture of His love for humanity. We don’t want you to miss something this awesome…
- -A strong marriage built on a firm foundation.
- -A marriage that can stand the tests and trials that life will most certainly throw at you.
- -A marriage that is impervious to the drama that dominates our sick culture.
- -A marriage predicated on serving your spouse instead of being served by your spouse.
- -A marriage that gets better as it gets older.
- -A marriage that your children and grandkids want to model and copy.
- -A marriage you can be proud, not ashamed of.
- -A marriage where each of you can be who God made you to be.
- -A marriage where you lay down your rights and pick up your responsibilities with joy.
- -A marriage that pursues holiness instead of happiness…and gains both.
- -A marriage that is affair-proof and divorce-proof.
- -A marriage that produces Godly, humble, healthy, children prepared for life.
- -A marriage that handles adversity well and stands firm in the storms of life.
- -A marriage that fulfills both individuals emotionally, spiritually, and sexually.
- -A marriage that honors God by reflecting the gospel and the sacrifice of Jesus
- -A marriage that is a living example of God’s unconditional love for the world
If you want a relationship like that, you will need to begin paying attention right now. You need to forget any silly notion that attraction alone will do the trick. The Beatles were wrong. Love is NOT all you need. You need to take stock of your own habits. Your own character. The way you handle conflict. Your realistic and unrealistic expectations for a mate. You need to start paying attention to the right things.
Taken from 12 Questions To Ask Before You Marry by Clayton and Charie King. Copyright 2011 Harvest House Pusblishers.
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