Love Lessons I Learned From Premarital Guidance [Migrated Post]

Last month, my fiance and I went into a premarital counseling program at our church. It consists of a 6-week, once-a-week educational course as well as a private counseling session. The overall goal of the program was to introduce newlyweds into the institution of marriage according to Christ, as well as a vast array of skills each couple needs to adopt going into the life-long commitment.

I want to share some of the most poignant lessons that hit us on the road, as all of these apply to secular marriages as well. I thought it’d be helpful for those of you looking to get yourself ready for marriage, or just any other long-term partnerships. 

1. Family matters the most to God. It’s the whole reason he sent Jesus Christ to bring you back to Him (John 3:16).

2. No matter what happens, decide now that divorce is never, ever, ever an option (Matthew 19:6). You and your spouse will be leaving your respective families to unite and become one in flesh, bind by the Spirit. Marriage is a sanctity, and whoever separates the bond is essentially bringing your new family down from grace (Mark 10:9).

3. The kind of love that lasts for eternity has all three components from Robert Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love:

• Intimacy
• Passion
• Commitment

4. As with all kinds of relationships, communication is vital – both verbal and nonverbal. Little things like touching, smiling, mimicking each others’ gestures and maintaining eye contact add up. In the same vein, verbalize your thoughts and feelings. It’s important for the both of you to be on the same wavelength.

A Sin is A Sin [Migrated Post]

Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki, page 50

A gentle reminder on keeping your word from the legend of Urashima Taro~

"The Princess told me when she gave me the box never to open it—that it contained a very precious thing. But now that I have no home, now that I have lost everything that was dear to me here, and my heart grows thin with sadness, at such a time, if I open the box, surely I shall find something that will help me, something that will show me the way back to my beautiful Princess over the sea. There is nothing else for me to do now. Yes, yes, I will open the box and look in!"

And so his heart consented to this act of disobedience, and he tried to persuade himself that he was doing the right thing in breaking his promise.