Marriage Advice for Future Me

When I was in junior high, all I wanted to do and pretty much all I ever thought about was to get married and be a mother. I would dream of my future husband and what my last name might be some day. I doodled on class notes and in textbooks the names of what I thought my future children could be. It's a wonder I ever made it to high school!

"I don’t want my future children to have to search outside of their own house for an example of what a healthy relationship looks like. Nor do I want to warp or damage their view of what love is. I want my marriage to display what Godly love looks like. A love that always endures." –@Christteengirls on Twitter

I was very fortunate and blessed to marry the man of my dreams. I didn't know it at the time, but he has become the man of my dreams. Future me, the me that is now, has been very, very blessed far beyond anything I deserve!

These are the four pieces of advice I would offer future me:

​Some marriages thrive while others fail. Occasionally, someone will ask what makes our marriage thrive? We've been blessed! But if I could go back and offer future me some helpful advice, these are the four pieces of advice I would give her:

1. Never enter marriage thinking, "I'll change him." You probably won't!
2. Your marriage MUST be God-centered to thrive.
3. If it's important to him, it's equally important to you.
4. Sometimes, love is a feeling and other times it's a choice. Make the choice to love every time!

​Never think, "I'll change him." You probably won't! God might, but you never will, and if you try it can become a serious point of contention.
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​Your marriage MUST be God-centered to thrive. Make God the center of everything in your marriage. With that being said, not all relationships are created equal. Maybe you find yourself in an "unequally yoked" relationship and your spouse is not a Christian. Maybe you became a Christian after your marriage. That can be a difficult situation. Still, #1, #3 and #4, and keep God front and center in your own life! Continue to honor God in all of your actions and all of your words.

​If it's important to him, it's equally important to me. I didn't know what NASCAR was before I got married. Now I do. Enough said.

Sometimes love is a feeling and other times it's a choice. Make the choice to love every time! You're not going to feel in love every day of your life for the rest of your life like you did on your wedding day. It's just not going to happen, trust me! Somedays love is simply a choice, a commitment, and that's fine. Make that choice, be committed, and remember your vows. Your vows were not just some fancy words you recited on your wedding day. Your vows were words you actually committed to, most likely in the presence of a lot of people, and most importantly in the presence of God.

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Great Resources to Help You Build a Strong Healthy Marriage

One of the greatest things you can do for your marriage is simple, and it is free. It's prayer. Pray for your marriage! It's free, but it is priceless! 

Check out our Praying Over Your Marriage board on Pinterest for 30 days of marriage prayers. Pray over your marriage throughout the month starting today!

Other great resources for building a strong, healthy marriage can be found in our blog post 30 Prayers to Pray Over Your Marriage.

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So, what one piece of advice, that has been a help to you in your marriage, would you have given to future you?