by Renee Scott

I decided to look up some facts about weddings and found some interesting statistics.  Did you know that June and September are the most popular months to get married according to a survey conducted by The Knot.com?  Here are some other facts you might not know:
-    Average Wedding Cost: $29,858 (excludes honeymoon)
-    Average Spent on a Wedding Dress: $1,281
-    Average Number of Guests: 138
-    Most Popular Month to Get Engaged: December
-    Average Length of Engagement: 14 months
-    Most Popular Wedding Colors: Blue

Since its September, there's a high probability that someone in our church maybe walking down the aisle pretty soon.  That's why I wanted to give my top 5 tips for newlyweds.  Here are a few things I've learned after 17 years of marriage.

*       Don't put a television in your bedroom.
We've never had one in ours.  Of all the things you can do in a bedroom, why would watching tv be one of them?  Keep your bedroom a sanctuary.  A place where you can unwind and unplug.

*       Don't sweat the small things.
Just agree to disagree and keep it moving.  You won't always see eye to eye and that's normal.

*       Don't let your feelings control your actions.
You won't always feel like loving your spouse.  They will say or do something that leaves you feeling like doing anything but loving them.  This is when you will need to remember your vows and the reasons why you moved forward with marriage in the first place.

*       Marriage is NOT a fairytale.
The notion that you will live "happily ever after", is a myth.  You will have ups and downs whenever you have two individuals learning to share their hearts.  I believe the first few years are the hardest.  When those tough moments come, make a CHOICE to persevere.  That leads me to my last tip.

*       Longevity in marriage is a choice!
You've have to make a choice to love.  In good and bad times.  In sickness and in health.  In wealthy and lean financial times.

Marriage is the most powerful partnership in this world and too many marriages are breaking up and they don't need to. God created us to be in relationship. He created marriage and thought so highly of it, that it was used as a symbol of our relationship with Christ. Read about its reference in Isaiah 54:5

Your real husband is the one who made you. His name is the Lord All-Powerful. The Holy One of Israel is your Protector, and He is the God of all the Earth!



 

Renee Scott is co-founder of the popular blog, www.doubleportioninspiration.blogspot.com ,where she shares encouragement and inspiration to men and women all over the world.  She’s been a member of Grace Family Church for four years. She loves to run and recently completed her first half marathon. She is a wife of over 14 years and mother of two children.