Preparation for marriage is likened to a checking account that is presented to your spouse on your wedding day and thereafter. Whatever is in the "account" is all you have to give...nothing more and nothing less. This is why it is so important to think through marriage long before it comes.
Preparing for marriage allows you to not only become a great spouse but, more importantly, a great man or woman of God!
The following are the five areas to grow in from the group discussion on Wednesday:
- Financially
- Spiritually
- Emotionally
- Physically
- Mentally
Everything that you do every day will either be a deposit or a withdrawal from your "checking account". Here are some practical ways of making deposits and some cautions on making withdrawals:
Financially
- Deposit: Learn to save money
- Withdrawal: Spend what you earn on unimportant things
- Deposit: Discuss with your parents how to budget and spending priorities
- Withdrawal: Ignore the realities of life and money
Spiritually
- Deposit: Pray for wisdom
- Withdrawal: Don't pray - rely on yourself
- Deposit: Deepen your love for Christ - strive for holiness
- Withdrawal: Live a seemingly "religious" life without concern for Christ
- Deposit: Develop leadership / serve in the church
- Withdrawal: Be a pew potato
- Deposit: Learn submission by submitting to parents, teachers, employers, etc.
- Withdrawal: Continue to live independent of authority
Emotionally
- Deposit: Learn to think biblically
- Withdrawal: Respond to feelings
- Deposit: Girls - ask for help. Ask for counsel through times of not responding biblically.
- Withdrawal: Convince yourself that sinful attitudes are alright because it is natural
- Deposit: Men - learn patience
- Withdrawal: Justify your anger
- Deposit: Don't run from issues
- Withdrawal: Ignore problems
- Deposit: Study girl emotions
- Withdrawal: Never consider the emotional aspect of females
Physically
- Deposit: Take care of your body
- Withdrawal: Neglect your body
- Deposit: Eat moderately
- Withdrawal: Eat whatever - whenever
- Deposit: Be organized
- Withdrawal: Be a slob
- Deposit: Value and maintain your purity
- Withdrawal: Follow the culture
- Deposit: Absorb everything possible in school
- Withdrawal: Neglect school
- Deposit: Learn from others - become well rounded
- Withdrawal: Be content with knowing a lot about a little
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