Lesson #1

It's wild to think that two months ago I said "I do" and with that my name, address and so much more changed. I learned so much the few years prior to marriage about what makes a good relationship and what some might consider the key to a long and successful marriage. In my job I often meet couples who have been together for 40, 50 and even some 60 years. They all say the same thing....

THERE IS NO SECRET TO A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE

I have to say, with my limited experience, that I disagree. There is one thing that they all seem to miss, they describe it when they speak of how they've made it through challenges but they lack the word in their vocabulary. I kid of course. That aside, the trait that is vital to marriage beyond a relationship with God is.... any guesses???

It's humility.

My husband and I did not argue much during our dating relationship, we often struggle to cite even one argument. The thing is that a lot changed when we got married, which can create some new dynamics and tension. You have to learn how to live together, how to have life without being codependent on the other. With all that, there are some understandable growing pains. When I consider any of the times communication goes haywire or we just seem out of sync it comes back to one or both of us having a little too much pride and not humbling ourselves. We also have learned our tells, the sign that it's time to sit down or go out for a walk and hash out the issue. When we get honest about our pride and humble ourselves before God and our spouse we find the resolution.

So that's it. If you're humble, your marriage will go perfectly as planned... just kidding. That's just the first of I'm sure many lessons my husband and I have ahead of us. Ultimately, we often go back to the biblical verses about marriage and find ourselves learning a new lesson from a familiar text. To you I say, live, laugh and love abundantly.