This week my husband and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary and although we tied the knot a little over two decades ago, we’ve been “an item” for much longer than that. Throughout this time, we have built two houses, changed jobs, changed churches, and raised two sons. Was every day easy? Are you kidding?

When we see friend’s marriages end in divorce and couples we love and respect part ways, it hurts. If statistics are any indication, more than half of all marriages in the United States will fail. According to the New York Times bestseller The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, the chance of a first marriage ending in divorce over a 40-year period is 67 percent with second and subsequent marriages ending at an even greater percent.

Why is it that so many marriages end? Generally speaking, life gets in the way. Each spouse becomes so consumed with work, sports, television, hobbies, family activities, etc. that they forget to consider their mate. Too often a good marriage, and a good spouse, is taken for granted and not given the proper nurturing necessary to endure. One of the reasons a marriage dies is that neither spouse recognizes its value until it is too late.  More...