Is it even possible to achieve 50 years of marriage for people married after the year 2000?  According to the American Psychology Association, they say “about 40 to 50 percent of married couples in the United States divorce. The divorce rate for subsequent marriages is even higher.”  So how do you become a part of the 50 to 60 percent that stays together?  I am interested in looking into this more because my parents, as of today, have reached 50 years of marriage.  Three beautiful children and one waiting for us in Heaven.  And six gorgeous grandchildren.

They have experienced love, loss, laughter and are still living to tell the tale.  But how did they make it this far?  Why didn’t they just throw in the towel?  Did they live perfect lives, absolutely not!  But did they learn to forgive the sinfulness in each other, yes.  Did they eventually learn to laugh at everything, yes most things, eventually.  Did they pretend that everything was perfect in front of people, oh no!  Not at all!  So, how do you make it to 50 years of marriage… prayer!  Prayer!  More prayer!

Prayers for your spouse.  I pray for Clif more than I pray for myself!  Trust me, I see all of his weaknesses better than anyone else, so who else is better to pray for him than me!?  I cry out and beg for the Lord to give His wisdom to my husband.  If Clif is so full of the Lord’s wisdom, then I know that He won’t have any room left to try to have any of his own…. because the Lord’s wisdom is what we need.  No matter how good we think we are.  We can’t change them.  We can’t make them into anything.  Only the Creator can change what He has created.  So why do I try?  Why do I think that I am strong enough or powerful enough to change him?  Only the Lord can do that, so shouldn’t I cry out to Him!

Prayer should never be our last resource.  If prayer was our first resource, we wouldn’t need anything else in the tool box.  So, you want to see your marriage be different, then pray.  Pray some more.  Pray and fast and pray some more.  Trust the one who can actually do something about it.  Prayer always changes the person praying.  If you don’t know how to pray, then go to the Word of God and research and study all of the prayers in scripture.  You may be very surprised as to what some of those people prayed for!