Marriage: Commitment on Your Wedding Day

The big day has come. You are prepared. You know you are marrying the man God has for you. The two of you have studied and worked through your differences. You’ve discussed your plans. You are ready!

wedding2Now it is time. You are now about to make the promises you should have already made in your heart but this time you will be voicing these vows before witnesses.

Some people use vows prepared by the preacher leading the ceremony. Other’s write customized vows that are more personal. There really isn’t a problem with either of these methods as long as you really mean what you are saying and are not just saying words.

Whichever vows you choose to use, you should be promising to love, honor, and cherish your spouse for better or worse, whether they are rich or poor, while they are healthy and when they are sick. You are promising that no matter what happens you are going to stay together until death. Nothing will part you.

You will put rings on each other’s finger as a reminder of these promises.

What is it you are promising anyway? These are not to be just words.

1. You are promising to love them. Love is not just a feeling. It is something you do for someone else. You will do what is best for that person even if they do not realize that is what they need.

2. You will honor them. Honor means respect. You will not look down on your spouse. You take what they say under consideration and speak well of them around other people.

3. Cherish them. Be there for them. Help them and encourage them. Hold them close.

Think of your favorite possession. How do you treat that item? Do you throw it around and mistreat it? No. You cherish it, treat it with great care and attention. You don’t want to lose it. So you keep it in a special place. When you look upon it you do so with care and joy. You will not let any harm come to it. It is your special treasure.

That is how you should treat your spouse. They are your beloved. You want only what is best for them. You treat them with compassion and care. Don’t break them by saying ugly or mean things to them. Their feelings are valuable. Take care of them. Hold them close and treat them better than you do yourself. If anyone else tried to hurt your beloved whether it is family, friend, or foe, you will not let them. You will defend your beloved with your words and actions.

4. For better or worse. You will do what is best for your spouse whether it is a good time or not. If it is what is best for you or if it seems like the worse time to do what is right. You are still going to be committed to your spouse.

5. For richer or poorer. Hard times will hit. If you lose your job for whatever reason, the two of you will stay together. The bills come in faster than the money is coming in. You will work together to solve the problem. Perhaps you will even have to move into a smaller house. Circumstances will not matter because you are committed to doing what is best for this person no matter what. Even if you have to give up some of the things you love because you cannot afford them at the time. You will do so knowing that your love and commitment to your spouse is above any possession or financial gain you could have.

6. In sickness and in health: If a major illness hits your beloved, you will not leave them stranded and wounded. You will still be there for them. Even if they were to be physically or mentally affected for life. You are still motivated by love, only doing what is best for them. No matter what society says or thinks, you would want your spouse to stand by you if your health had failed. This is the time to do unto your spouse what you would have them do unto you in the same situation.

7. ‘Til death do you part. You will stay true to your beloved. Nothing else will separate you. Divorce is not an option. Should the health of the person cause mental issues that make them abusive, you may have to get them medical help and you may have to keep yourself safe from physical harm. However that does not mean you should leave them. They are still your spouse. Your cherished treasure. If a part of your treasured possession is broken you will do whatever it is in your power to help fix the broken shards that are trying to hurt you.

These things should be on your mind when you commit your life to love, honor, and cherish your spouse. Taking care of this treasure God has given you is worth all the time and effort you need to work on it. If you love your spouse you will be their for them.

Do you love, honor, and cherish your spouse? Please share your experience with me in the comments.

This is Day 14 of 31 Days Building Commitment. Tomorrow I will be discussing how to have a happy marriage after the honeymoon phase is over.

 

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Engagement: The Point of Decision

If this were a step-by-step process (and for some of you it may be) then as you approach engagement you would already be ready. For those that are still single if you listen to everything I share here at this point you will have waited for the right person that God has for you. You would have yourself prepared for this moment when you must decide to either ask or answer the question, “Will you marry me?”

This is a very important moment in your life’s story. Should you marry this person or not? In an ideal situation there shouldn’t be a question in your mind. At some point in your courtship or dating you should have been thinking of this question all along and praying about it.

If at any point in the courtship or dating stage, you have a doubt or a nagging feeling that this person isn’t right for you, immediately call it off. Don’t wait to see if this person will change! You can only change yourself you can’t force the other person to change. So if they aren’t a good person before marriage don’t expect them to be good after. 

The Bible says we are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers.

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Art Credit: Joshua Maness

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”

– 2 Corinthians 6:14  

Woah! Woah! Woah! What is this unequally yoked business about?

Let me explain. 

Let’s say you want to plow a field or pull a wagon the old fashioned way. The yoke was the tool used to connect two animals to the plow or wagon. You don’t want to put a cow and a donkey together. They both work in different ways. Two cows would be able to pull together they are both equal in strength. Two donkeys could even work together to pull a wagon.  But you would not want to put a strong animal with a weak animal. 

The Bible says:

“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

– Amos 3:3

If you and the person you are thinking about marrying do not agree on important issues, then you need to call it off as soon as you realize they are not the one God has for you. Don’t think you are going to change them once you are married. That’s like that cow thinking it can change the stubborn donkey to pull faster. 

Once you commit yourself in marriage then there is no turning back. If you consider divorce an option, then you were never committed in the first place. Your marriage is doomed before you even say, “I do,” simply because you have no commitment.

Here are the questions you need to ask yourself preferably before you become engaged but especially before the wedding day.

  1. Is this person committed to God? 
  2. Will they go to church with me?
  3. Are they supportive of my interests and talents?
  4. Am I willing to support their interests?
  5. Is this person someone I want to live the rest of my life with?
  6. Do they consider divorce an option? (Do they insist on a prenuptial agreement?) 
  7. Are they committed to you?
  8. Do you feel they are only attracted to you because of your looks? 
  9. Would they still love you if you gained 50 pounds, had thinning hair, and sagging skin?
  10. What about raising children? Do you agree on how you will discipline and train your children? How many children do you both want?

These are all things worth considering. How committed are you? How committed will you be? Before your wedding day, I want you to look your fiance in the eyes and say, “I promise I will never leave you no matter what!” That’s the kind of commitment you need to have before you marry. 

That’s what I told my husband before we married. I chose to be committed to him before he even asked me to marry him.

We had a conversation where we talked about love and commitment. He expressed concern about not wanting to marry someone that would leave him. I told him that if we married I would not leave him no matter what. Even if he tried he’ll never be able to run me off. Of course, I’m not letting him become old and grumpy and he knows that I will never leave him.

I am still serious about my commitment to him. I will never leave him. We don’t even joke about divorce.

Are you that committed to the one you will marry? If you are already married, did you have questions you considered before you decided to marry your spouse? Please share with me in the comments.

Today is Day 12 of 31 Days of Commitment. For those following by email I’m sorry this one is late. We had a meeting with some other churches this morning and I was not able to get this posted on time.  

So I am writing this today but you will not get it until tomorrow which is your today. How is that for confusing? 🙂 Thanks for following along! 

~~ Anastacia ~~

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Commitment to Resist Temptations (Guest Post Part 2)

This is a continuation of yesterday’s guest post by my husband, Scott Maness. In yesterday’s post Scott told us about commitment despite his childhood circumstances. We got to see a little bit into his life and how he found God to be the answer to what he was seeking.

How did he resist the temptation to get involved in the bad examples and peer pressure around him? What kept him committed to purity despite the temptations from every turn even when he moved away from home?

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Art Credit: Scott Maness

 I kept myself from temptation by following the words of the Psalmist.

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.”

– Psalms 119:9-16 KJV

 

(9) “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”

The psalmist is asking the question, “How can a young man keep himself pure?” and the answer is by listening to what God has to say. He can’t help us if we are not willing to listen to Him.

(10) “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.”

We can’t just seek God half way. We can’t just make a show of seeking Him like so many do. We have to actually genuinely look for God with everything in us . Our whole heart has to be involved.

 (11) “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

We need to take God’s word and hide it in our heart and treasure it up for those times when temptation will come. That means we need to memorize it and use it. 

Which is also the secret for a good marriage. If you love your wife and work hard at loving her, treat her well, and have a good relationship at home, temptation will be reduced around you. Your soul will not hunger or long for anything else. 

If you hide God’s word in your heart there is no room for garbage. Whenever someone or something tries to get in your way, you have God’s words right there speaking to your heart. 

 (12) “Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.”

We need God to teach us daily from the things He has written. His instructions will deliver us from manifold troubles.

(13) “With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.”

We need to be willing to share God’s word with others and also be willing to share the good things that God has done for us.

 (14) “I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.”

We need to be at the point in walking with the Lord, where we truly feel rich in His presence not with the wealth of this world but with the far greater riches of His wisdom and glory.

What more do we need? He is our all sufficient Savior.

(15) “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.”

When we spend time deeply thinking on the things of God, we have much better answers for problems here in life. We can make better sense of the chaos in our lives.

 (16) “I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.”

God’s word needs to become our delight. If God’s word is our delight then the traps of this world will not bring us the pleasure it once did.  If our delight is in Him, we will not need anything else because our hearts will be in Him.

Staying true to His word is what will keep you pure for whoever God has for you. That is really the secret.

Are you strong in God’s word? What verses do you have in your heart that you turn to when you are tempted? Please tell us about it in the comments.

scottScott Maness is the husband of Anastacia Maness (that’s me) and is the father of 6. When he is not busy teaching his children art, music, and foreign languages, he pastors New Hope Missionary Baptist Church near Houston, Tx and works in the Technology Department in the local public school system.   He has a Bachelors of Theology Diploma from Texas Baptist Institute-Seminary. You can follow him on his blog at http://lighthouse117.blogspot.com, add +Scott Maness to your circles on Google+, and subscribe to his YouTube channel.

 

This is Day 10 of 31 Days Building Commitment. This series expounds upon my latest book, Don’t Quit: Build a Legacy of Commitment which my husband helped illustrate. You can get your free copy here.

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Commitment While a College Student

This is a continuation of yesterday’s post on Commitment While Single. Today I want to tell you about my life around the time I entered college.

singlestacieThere was a time in my earlier years as a new Christian that I didn’t really listen to the preacher. But I’ll never forget the day that I started to actually hear what the preacher was saying.

The pastor’s wife taught one of my classes. The other students and I were talking with her after class. I remember saying something about the preaching taking so long.

She wasn’t angry. She simply smiled and told me said, “You know if you listen to what Bro. Davis is saying the service will go by faster. It won’t seem so long.” 

Listening to the service? You mean instead of daydreaming and counting the people in the choir. We’re supposed to actually listen to the sermon. So that day began my real growth as a Christian. 

In High School, I still went to church every Sunday, I taught in Vacation Bible School, and was very active in the youth group. I still didn’t go out with boys. Instead I stayed busy with Church and family activities.

My Dad was a deacon, youth director, and Sunday School teacher. Then my Senior year of High School my Dad announced his call to preach. That really rocked our simple uncomplicated lives.

Instead of going to just our church services every Sunday, sometimes my Dad was asked to preach for other churches. My Dad gave us children a choice whether we followed them or stayed going to our normal church. It would have been strange going to our church by ourselves so we followed Dad to his different appointments.

Then a small nearby church called my dad to pastor. My dad gave us the choice again. We could continue to go to the Church we grew up in or we could go with him and mom to the new church. We decided to go with our parents. This was another giant step in my growth as a Christian.

I was a teenager, just entering college when I became the teacher for the teens class. I wasn’t very good at it but I definitely grew from the experience.

I also became a teacher at church camp.  I was even asked to stand in front of 500 people to lead out during the testimonial time. Me the socially awkward one. And to top that off, when the director of the camp asked me to lead it, my dad pointed out that I would be the first girl to stand and speak in front of the camp. Before that day they only asked boys.

Even though I was a nervous wreck I felt that this was something God wanted me to do. Before I gave my personal testimony, I read the passage about the woman at the well. She was a woman willing to give her testimony of what God did for her and a whole city was saved.  

“Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. … And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.” – John 4:29-30, 39

“So what does this have to do with commitment in college?” What I just told you has everything to do with my commitment to my future marriage and in college. 

I was committed to serving God. I didn’t need attention from boys to do what God wanted me to do.

My Dad’s pastorate was right around the time I was graduating from High School. I enjoyed hearing my dad preach and teach. I also enjoyed the great Biblical discussions I would have with my dad. Quality time is my main way of showing love and I loved the quality time I would have with my dad discussing the Sunday School lesson or his next sermon.  

As I entered college a list was beginning to form in my mind as to what I wanted in a husband.

  1. He had to be as committed to following God and attending church as I. I saw women in my other church that struggled to keep their children in church because their husbands stayed home. I didn’t want that for my children. 
  2. He had to be at least as knowledgeable in Biblical truths as my father. I needed someone I could look up to. I wanted to be able to respect my husband.
  3. He could not be divorced. I was not going to marry a man that had been divorced before. I understand that some marriages work out after divorce but that was not what I wanted for my marriage.
  4. No smoking. I didn’t smoke and I didn’t want to marry a man that did. The same went for any other drug but I specifically stated I wasn’t marrying a smoker. That decision came when my sister got burned by a cigarette outside our church. It was an accident but I knew the wife didn’t smoke but her husband did and he had lung cancer. I didn’t want that.
  5. Finally I wanted him to be handsome. 🙂 Okay, I know. I know. It’s not all about looks but I wanted him to be at least easy to look at. LOL I couldn’t marry someone that I thought was ugly. But you know what I think God helps us with that one. I guess what I mean by handsome is that he cares about his appearance and doesn’t go around looking like a slob.

I went to college and didn’t really know what degree I should graduate with. I decided to go with elementary education because I thought that might be helpful no matter where I lived. Although now I wish I had gone for a degree in journalism. But that’s another story.

To be honest the main reason I was going to college was  because I was hoping to meet a great guy there. I had lived an enclosed life though and didn’t realize how difficult it would be to find a man that met my high expectations. 

I stayed faithful to seeking though. It was just when I was about to give up that my dad found a seminary student that he highly respected and kept telling me about.

Here is the thing. If I had been any different, if my list had been set at a lower standard, would I have met my husband? Would my dad have found Scott for me? 

Probably not. I had to be faithful and committed to those high standards and to what God wanted even when I was about to give up. Right before I gave up, I let God step in. I put aside my embarrassment and let my dad set up a meeting with the man that would one day be my husband. 

Have you ever made a list of what you were looking for in a husband? What takes top place on your list? If your already married, what would be on your list now? If you could help your children find someone what would you have them look for in a husband? Please share with us in the comments

This is day 8 of 31 Days Building Commitment. Tomorrow I will share another guest post from my husband who will tell you his story of commitment while single. 

 

 

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Commitment for the Single

Many people may feel that the topic I am writing on today is not very important. However I feel this may be one of the most important posts. 

Your single years are some of the most crucial in your future marriage. This is where you make some of your choices that will effect you for the rest of your life. I realize that some have made bad choices and managed to finally find happiness and commitment after many years of heartache. It did make them stronger.

However there are plenty of other cases where those who have gone through that experience  

When I was a young teenager, my dad made one very simple but helpful rule for me and my sister.

A youth worker in our church had a rule for his daughter that she could not date until she was 16. Sstacieseniorhe was pregnant by 17.  

My Dad made it a rule that my sister and I couldn’t date until we were 18. In other words, we don’t start dating until we are old enough to move out. 

Do you realize how good that rule was for me? I had the freedom to tell boys, “No. My dad won’t let me.” 

I was a socially awkward child and it wasn’t until High School that I finally began to figure out how to hold my own in a conversation. I even became somewhat witty when people teased me. I was very nice and a pretty good listener so I had quite a few friends. I considered a person a friend if they were nice to me. No one really invited me to parties or such. I think they knew I wouldn’t be into that sort of thing. Socially awkward remember.

Don’t get me wrong. I was flattered any time a boy showed interest in me. In fact I’m afraid my constant telling them, “No,” might have made me seem like more of a challenge. I’m not sure. But I will say that I stood my ground. I didn’t need a boyfriend. I was pretty proud of my ability to snub them. Some reason there was some feeling of power in the ability to say, “No.” 

In High School I was finally beginning to realize what it meant to live for God.

I realized the depth of my childhood sins when I was 10. To some people my sins would be considered small. I lied. I stole something from the refrigerator before. I wasn’t always nice to my siblings. (Do not ask my brother for examples.) I hid the truth.

I wanted attention in school and had lied thinking that kids would like me better. I had even gone forward to be baptized without really accepting Christ as my Savior. I was guilty. I wasn’t even willing to admit my sins to my parents. I remember my stomach would hurt from a guilty conscience. 

Then at Church Camp when I was 10 years old, I got my life right with God. After a long line of kids gave their testimonies. That feeling of guilt weighing on my mind when my friends tried to get me to give my testimony was the worst feeling I had ever experienced. As we walked to the cafeteria, I told my Dad that I wanted to talk with him. 

He told me we could talk after lunch. So after the longest lunch in my life, we went and sat on a bench under a pavilion. I told him that I wanted to be saved. He read me the Bible passages that showed me that I was a sinner and how Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment of my sins. All I needed was to repent of my sins (tell Jesus that I was sorry and really mean it.) I accepted Jesus as my Savior right then and there. I am so glad I did.

After I was saved I chose to be dedicated in following Christ. It took me a couple of years to finally understand what it was God wanted me to do.

I was learning what it meant to be committed. I was learning the skills I would one day need to be committed to my husband. Those years while single are very, very important. 

You can have a happy marriage even after having made a lot of mistakes but it can be so much harder. Sometimes it is almost impossible.

If you are single, are you prepared for marriage? Are you practicing commitment to God and family? If you are away from family, will you stay committed to Christ?
If you’re married, were you prepared for marriage? What is the best advice you would give someone that is single?  Please share in the comments

This is Day 7 of 31 Days Building Commitment based upon my book Don’t Quit: Build a Legacy of Commitment.

In the next couple of days I will be sharing about the struggles and challenges I faced with commitment once I entered college. I also will have a guest post by my husband about what life was like for him as a teenager and his commitment before marriage.

 

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Commitment Even When Mistakes Are Made.

We had a very busy week this week. Mom’s Night Out was Monday night.

The kids had a dentist appointment on Thursday. If you follow my blog you’ve read about my Adventures with 6 kids at the Dentist before. Well, imagine the same thing but this time without my parents. 

Then we had Keepers of the Faith on Friday. (Keepers is an alternative to Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts.)

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All dressed up and no where to go. What better time to initiate a photo op?

But I have been reminding myself all week about Saturday morning being our Church’s Local Association Meeting. Basically that just means that we were voted to represent our church at a big business meeting of churches like ours in our area.

This year we had to drive about an hour for the meeting.  We had to leave the house this morning by 9 a.m. to get to the meeting on time.

I have one bedwetter and sometimes one that doesn’t necessarily wet the bed but he “forgets” to go bathroom occasionally. So needless to say I didn’t want my children dressed  in their clean clothes (that I stayed up late into the night to wash) smelling terrible.

So this was our morning…

My husband wakes up takes his shower. I wake up and check my messages before getting my shower. My calendar goes off plain as day announcing  what I’ve known all week. Today is the day to go to the meeting. 

The children are instructed to get their clothes out of the dryer, to get their shoes on, and… what is that smell?!  Ugh! Baths! Quick! We have 14 minutes we have to leave by to be on time. I rush the 3 youngest through baths. Once they all smelled better and were dressed, we were ready to leave.

“We’re going to be late!” my husband declared.

I decided it would be alright, I’ll drive. Yes, I tend to be one of those drivers every once in a while. But I rarely go beyond 5 miles over the speed limit. 

We had to stop to grab toaster pastries for breakfast but the rest of the time was a mad dash to not be too late to the meeting. 

What does this have to do with commitment? I’m getting there.

During the hour drive it took us to get there, Jonathan (5) was in the back singing at the top of his voice, “WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SINS? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!” over and over. 

I passed the church the meeting was to be held in. My husband saw the church as we passed.

We were turning around in a nearby parking lot when my husband looks at the paper with the info and says, “What is today?” 

Me: “The 5th, I think. Why?” 

My husband: “It’s not today.” 

Me: “It’s not? Today is what I put on the calendar!” (As if my having put it on the calendar  means it has to be right.) 

My husband: showing me the paper. “The parking lot is empty.”

Me: “Oh.”  long pause “Well, at least we’re not late!” 

Another long pause and both he and I start laughing. The kids have gotten used to our plans changing so they aren’t too disturbed. 

Child from the back: “So we’re not going?”

My husband: “We had the wrong date. We’ll do something else.”

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All our ducks in a row at the store. We looked like one of those cursor trails that follow the mouse movements around the screen. Everywhere my husband went a trail of children followed behind him. 🙂

Are you still wondering what this has to do with commitment?

My very detail oriented husband could have gotten angry with me. Things are a bit tight this month and we really don’t have the money to spare on such mistakes. But he chose to show grace and make the best of the situation.

Instead of becoming angry for my slip up, he laughed and said, “Well, this would make a good blog post.” 

If you are single and plan to one day marry, you will most likely find someone different from you. Are you a detail oriented person? You may marry someone very laid back. Are you an introvert? You may marry someone outgoing. You have to be willing to work through your differences.

Learn about different personalities now. Figure out how to get along with people who don’t think like you do. You will find that by giving them the benefit of a doubt you might learn something new along the way. 

Have you ever been forgiven by a spouse or relative? How did you feel? Have you ever had to put anger aside and be the one to forgive? I love hearing your stories. Please share them with me in the comments.  

If you would like to talk with me privately, you can simply reply to any email you receive from Rock Solid Family or go to my Contact page for my contact information.

This was Day 6 of 31 Days Building Commitment. I really appreciate all the feedback I have gotten thus far. Be sure to get a copy of my free book, “Don’t Quit: Build a Legacy of Commitment“. 

Tomorrow, I plan to post what I originally had planned for today, Preparing for Marriage While Single. I’ll be sharing from my own experiences while single.

I have installed a new commenting system on my blog. If you had troubles in the past with posting comments, it should be easier now. Let me know if you have any further problems. 

~~ Anastacia ~~

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Commitment in Marriage (Guest Post by My Dad)

This is a guest post by my dad, Paul Clark. He and my mom have been happily  married 40 years and raised 3 children. All 3 of whom are very committed to our spouses and our families.

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Art Credit: Joshua K. Maness

It has been well said that when it comes to providing the farmer his breakfast, the cow and the hen are involved but the pig is committed. The cow can stop giving milk and the hen can stop laying eggs but for the pig there is no turning back. Commitment should be viewed just this way.

Once you jump off a cliff you are committed. There is no turning back and no changing your mind. At the point one jumps, at the point one says “I do” there is no turning back. That is true commitment. When the wedding vows say “for better or for worse, through good times and bad, until death do us part,” they mean just that.

Once the vows have been made and the commitment is underway thoughts of going back, giving up, turning around should never enter one’s mind. One has jumped and it is too late to turn back they are now committed. If divorce comes, then commitment or at the least bilateral commitment never existed.

One can react to this impossibility of going back or stopping that to which they have committed, in different ways. One can be motivated by nobility and integrity to get them through the bad times and thus praise their own strength of character and enlist the same praise from others to comfort them in their misery. One may be motivated by stubbornness to maintain their commitment.

However, there is a better way. That way is love. Love makes true commitment possible. When turning back is not an option, when the vows have been made and reneging on them is not a possibility then solving problems and coping with troubles that arise in marriage and family life are left with but one tool and that is love.

The Bible teaches us that

“Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. Love never fails!”

– 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 CEV

 

When a man and a woman truly love each other, true commitment will exist. Its proof is found in duration. Love and true commitment will weather every storm, EVERY storm!

Is it possible for a couple to be married for forty years and never once consider divorce or separation? This author will testify that it is indeed! True love and commitment causes a couple to stay together and causes them to be unable to envision , imagine, contemplate, or in any way desire life apart.

There is another commitment that helps with the marriage commitment. If the man and the woman will each commit themselves to God first and put God first in their lives then as they both strive to be pleasing to God they will discover that they will be pleasing to each other. True commitment to God makes commitment to marriage and family very achievable.

 

So how about you? Are you committed? Will you be the Chicken, the Cow, or the Pig in your marriage?  Feel free to share in the comments.

paulclarkPaul Clark, the pastor of Walnut Street Baptist Church in Hillsboro, Tx., has a Doctorates Degree in Theology from Texas Baptist Institute-Seminary. He and his beloved wife, Janie have been married 40 years come December. You can find out more about Bro. Paul and connect with him on his website at http://baptistville.org. You can also subscribe to his YouTube Channel here.

This is Day 5 of 31 Days Building Commitment. Check back tomorrow to see how a single person can prepare for their future marriage.

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Where to Find Real Love Guaranteed to Last

Have you ever felt all alone?

Maybe you’re in a room full of people but you may still feel alone. I know I’ve been there many times.

Did you know that even a prophet felt that way before? Yes, Elijah the Prophet!

You can read about it in 1 Kings 19. Elijah had to run for his life. Queen Jezebel wanted to kill him.

When he got to the wilderness he prayed to the Lord to take his life. He didn’t want to live anymore.

God saw that Elijah was week and provided him some food.

God asked him what was wrong. Elijah replied, “I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”(1 Kings 19:10)

Can you believe that a prophet that delivered messages from God could feel depressed and alone?

The story doesn’t end there though. God then revealed Himself to Elijah. Not in an earthquake. Not in a whirlwind. But in a still, small voice. Then He told Elijah about the 7,000 people that God still had left serving Him.

Elijah wasn’t alone.

Real Love guaranteed to last by Anne PetersonIn her book, Real Love Guaranteed to Last, Anne Peterson shares with us in a still, small voice that we’re not alone.

Someone does love us.

Through her own beautiful poetry, photographs, and true stories from her life, Anne shares with us lessons that she has learned from her own experiences.

Anne’s book is a must read for anyone that feels alone in the world.

Even if you don’t feel alone and have already found real love. You’re heart would still be blessed by Anne’s book.

If you would like to learn more about my friend, Anne Peterson check out her website at AnnePeterson.com. You can also get to know her better on her Facebook Page.

If you want to read more about Anne’s book, she wrote about it on her blog Why You Should Read This Little Book.  You can find her book for sale by just clicking on the image in this post or click here to find her book on Amazon. And if you prefer a paper copy of the book that will also be offered on Amazon soon.

Was there a time that you felt alone and then found real love? Tell us about it in the comments. And let me know what you think of Anne’s book! 

This review is my honest thoughts on a friend’s book that I received for free. I was in no way bribed, coerced, or begged to write this review. This post is my honest heart felt thoughts and I was in no way compensated for what I said.  Basically if I hadn’t of liked the book, I wouldn’t have written this review.   (And no I’m not saying that I will write a review for every book I like. If you don’t see me write a review for your book don’t feel like I didn’t like it. *sigh* I’m not very good at this disclosure stuff.) 😉

But that being said, I have been reading a whole lot of good books lately so don’t be surprised if I do talk about some of them.

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