3-4 years...

Last night I was scrolling through Pinterest and came across an interesting statement. It said that in order to really know a person you have to have known them for 3-4 years. And that if you take that time to get to know someone prior to being married you have a better chance of your marriage lasting.

Well, first of all, that was interesting to think about. I believe that it does take serious time to get to know someone and that it is important to take that time, especially if you are considering marrying the person. 

Josh and I dated for 5 years before we got engaged and knew each other for a year prior to that. Now it wasn’t in our plan to wait that long but that’s kind of just how it ended up. And I am grateful for that. I do feel that we have an incredible relationship and understanding of one another and that kind of stuff takes time. So for us, the time spent dating was important to our story.

But I want to tackle the part of that original statement that I don’t agree with.

I do not believe that if you didn’t wait the 3-4 years that your marriage is going to fail. I firmly believe that if you want your marriage to last that it will. For a marriage to end is a choice, and people who knew each other for less than 3 years or more than 3 years can all make the decision to end their marriages.

What it boils down to is the importance you place on your marriage when you enter into it. If you take divorce off the table and commit to placing everything you have into your marriage and ask God to help you, I believe you will have a long and happy marriage. Obviously, there will be times of struggle but, if you don’t enter marriage thinking there is a way out, you will be able to survive anything.