A rule of thumb learned from the church's marriage seminar: a good foundation with 3 poles lining up.
Foundation: Both must be born again Chrisitian.
3 poles:
Pole #1: Have the same vision (how can two be together, if one call to go to Cambodia, and the other go to Africa);
Pole #2: soul mate (good communication is important in marriage life);
Pole #3: Have physical attraction.

- vivian

I want to brag a little. My wife and I are about to celebrate our 27th aniversary. She is the love of my life, my best friend, my #1 prayer warrior and supporter in the ministry and the most beautiful woman in the world. God put her in my life to keep me straight (I don't know what she did to derserve that). We have three children and now are expecting our first two grandchildren. The whole scripture truly describes my wife to me. "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favour of the Lord." I want to wish her a happy anniversary on Feb 14.Jerry Barrett - Jerry Barrett

Eighteen years ago I would have answered yes to all those questions. Today the answer is no. It breaks my heart and I am in constant turmoil about continuing this relationship. I long for the way it use to be. - sharon

Sharon, For those of us who are not in the ideal marriage it can in some ways be a blessing from God in that it helps us to draw closer to the Lord. I looked at the list of questions in this devotion and asked them about my relationship with Jesus. Yes, yes, yes......yes. I am very happy for Jerry and his wife and others that have really ideal marriages because it gives hope to the rest of us that improvement is possible through the work of God. - Janice

Hate to be the voice of negativity here...but in this day and age finding somebody who fits these requirements literally takes an ACT OF GOD. Try getting out there in the dating game! It's a nightmare! There just aren't many candidates out there who are serious about marriage anymore. People are now extremely selfish, vain, promiscuous, and just downright immoral. As I approach my mid-thirties I'm very thankful I haven't married. - Kevin

Thank you for good advice. I have frwarded it to all my single grandchildren with prayer.
Leon - Leon Chechowich

I believe this is true, today it is very hard to find someone but I've stopped looking and now waiting for the Lord to put him in front of me. This Devotion spoke to me and looking at the past I'm glad I didn't get married because I want to have the one that I can say yes to every question on here - Casey

I believe this is true, today it is very hard to find someone but I've stopped looking and now waiting for the Lord to put him in front of me. This Devotion spoke to me and looking at the past I'm glad I didn't get married because I want to have the one that I can say yes to every question on here - Casey

Allow me to brag also. This is not meant to outdo others! I met my wife in Spain. She came from England and I from Holland. I met her, because I had been robbed of all my money, passport, travelling papers and was left only with the clothes on my back. As I could not travel around anymore, I stayed close to the hotel and I met her in an neigbouring bar. To cut a very long story short, we got married in December 1964 in England after having seen each other for only 2 fortnights. We are still married! We have learned to accept each other's faults, to forgive each other for perceived wrongs (very few indeed)and realise that no person is perfect. When you love each other, as we do, that overrides anything else. I sympathise very much with the various comments on this subject. - Frits

I did not intend to make anyone think my marriage was the ideal marriage. We still have our problems but we have learned to work thru them. Compared to some it may seem perfect but to others it seems like a mess. Either way I thank God for sending her my way. When we first started dating I was on drugs and alcohol, but she made me make a choice, her or the others. I chose her and later I asked Christ back into my heart and life. Now 27 years later we are still together. Frits I enjoyed reading about you and your wife, that was a blessing. - Jerry Barrett

Janice, thank you for helping me refocus and keep my eyes on Jesus. He really is all that I need. Sharon - sharon

Jerry, I should have qualified my statement with the words, "close to" ideal. Anytime two humans are together for extended times there will be little issues that come up. No one handles everything perfectly but in a really good marriage it seems the issues are confronted and worked through and it sounds like that is the stage you and your wife are at and also Frits and his wife. Some of us just aren't quite there yet. Anyway it makes me happy to hear men speak so positively about their wives. I think it pleases God, too. And it certainly must be encouraging for the children (grown as they may be) to know their parents think so highly of each other. God bless! - Janice

Janice,
My wife and I found out about the time the honeymoon was over that the time we spent on our knees made all the difference. Now the knees are aren't in the shape to be on so we spend that time sitting in chairs or lying in bed, either way God hears and blesses those who call on him. I pray that your marriage will be richly blessed and will remain that way until the Lord either comes for us all or he sends for us one at a time. - Jerry Barrett

Hey Sharon,
You say you love for the way things used to be. Try to long for what things can become; revive the passion with things that used to work in the past, and expect new and great results for the future. Don't give up, and keep believing! you can't do it, but God can! - Rachel