the best way to prepare for your marriage

Perhaps you’re engaged to be married, maybe you’re married and hoping to rekindle a spark, or possibly your marriage is at the point where you feel it’s broken beyond repair. In any case, you’re at a place where preparation for marriage is a must.

If you had a traditional wedding, then most likely special care was taken to ensure that every detail was just right: choosing flowers and bouquets, designing wedding invitations, fittings for tuxedo rental, deciding on a color scheme, shopping with bridesmaids for dresses, finding a church and booking a hall, accessorizing your outfit, finding a caterer, planning a rehearsal dinner, hiring a DJ, deciding on a menu, looking at wedding cakes, choosing his and her rings, deciding on the perfect wedding song, hiring a photographer, deciding on a hair style, and finally choosing the dress of your dreams—joyful preparation for one day of your life. Let me ask you, have you put the same energy into planning your marriage?

You are about to walk down the aisle of life. Your groom awaits your arrival, but before you step into his arms take a look in the mirror, and ask yourself, “Am I prepared?” Are you adorned with glory and splendor? Are you clothed in honor and majesty? Just as you took months of planning to prepare for your wedding I encourage you to apply the same diligence to preparing your life. If you don’t see a radiant bride looking back in the mirror, start making good changes, and before you know it–you will.

Imagine the look on his face when he starts to notice the little efforts you make. When you put on his favorite dress for dinner, when you leave a note in his lunch bag, when you turn on hockey instead of your show, when you’re sincerely interested in how his day went, or when you bite your lip instead of chewing him out. Just a few changes, and he’ll notice that you’re starting to shine.

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. – 1 Peter 3:3-4

You are loved by an almighty God,

Darlene Schacht