Marriage Advice & Tips for a Happy Life

Why Take Marriage Preparation? Plus an Awesome Giveaway!

Editor’s Note: This a guest post by Dr. Michelle Gannon.  Please check out the end of the post for details on a very generous giveaway being sponsored by Dr. Gannon!

When couples get engaged and plan their wedding, they are often busy with the excitement, details and stress of wedding planning. We spend a lot of time, money and energy on planning our weddings.

What About Planning Our Marriages?

Current research shows that the best way to build a lifelong marriage is to prepare for it. In our Marriage Prep 101 Workshops, we apply the latest scientific research that shows what makes marriages succeed and fail.

Marriage preparation can help couples enhance their strengths, clarify expectations, identify areas needing change, learn and practice communication and conflict resolution skills, and develop more emotional and sexual intimacy. With attention and effort, most couples can create a strong relationship that will safeguard them against the inevitable strains of modern life.

Unfortunately, fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. Half of those report being happily married, so only 25% of married couples consider themselves happily married. Taking a marriage preparation workshop can help couples increase the likelihood of happy, successful marriages.  



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A Wedding Prayer: What Special Memories Do You Hold From Your Wedding Day?

Editor’s Note:  I often think back to all of those that helped make our wedding day special, and I remember all of the good wishes and blessings that were bestowed upon us on that crazy, incredible day.  Looking back nearly nine years later, I can really appreciate the Scripture readings, the Homily and all the many prayers for goodwill that have since been realized in our lives.

When Nadene Woelfel generously shared with me a special wedding prayer that she prepared several years ago, I was moved by the words and reminded once again of all the God-given blessings that marriage provides.  I asked Nadene if I could share her prayer here for your enjoyment, and she generously agreed and provided a bit of background about the honor of being asked to provide such a cool gift to a newly married couple.  Enjoy!

A few years ago I was asked to say the prayer for my Cousin’s wedding.  I thought, “Wow, what an honor and how wonderful to be asked.”  Then, I started to write and it was not easy. I wanted to portray to my cousin and her new husband my wishes for them in the future, and of course I wanted it to be perfect.  So, for all of you who may be struggling with a similar duty honor I want to share my prayer.  



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5 Marriage Preparation Questions to Ask About Children

I have to believe that most engaged couples think of children the same way my (now) wife and I did way back when (9 years ago) before we tied the knot.  It’s a pretty standard process, right?  

We’ll get married, party like rock stars for a few years, then we’ll have a boy, then a girl and after that we’ll probably get that whole fertility thing taken care of so it doesn’t interfere with our incessant and unwavering sex drives.  Man, marriage will be awesome, sex will be constant, and when the time is right we’ll go ahead and knock out a few little ones so we have someone to play catch and dress-up with.

Unfortunately, the introduction of children to your marriage basically never goes like this.  Life will happen to you along the way, and you will quickly come to appreciate the important role of Spirituality in your marriage as you cope with some diversions to your own master plan.

 



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