As a pastor I have studied human nature for more than four decades and have come to the conclusion that some people are actually under the control of other people. It is almost like a spell (or witchcraft to be precise)! . . . Victims need to learn to stand their ground and call the bluff of the controller, even if it means the relationship will be forever altered!

Since this is the season for Valentine’s Day, I have been thinking about the state of the institution of marriage in our nation and pondering why there are so many divorces. Several decades ago the divorce rate hovered around 10%. Now it is almost at 60%! Even the Body of Christ is not exempt from the staggering amount of marital failures! I truly believe there are several unique challenges married couples now face that previous generation did not. The following are some of the many reasons for these increasing challenges to marriage today.

With nearly half of all new marriages in the West ending in divorce, more couples are careful before entering into it. They want to make sure it is the right decision, and they want to do everything they can within their capacity hoping to increase their chances of marital success. Before the Wedding Bells is a resource intended for singles who are pursuing a relationship or for engaged couples counting down to the big day in their life. This is designed to assist individuals and couples to develop a deeper understanding of marriage and in developing skills to navigate their way through marriage successfully.