I wish I could speak to that fresh-faced, 22-year-old newlywed. She needed some of the wisdom that God has deposited in me over the last decade of marriage.

I had no idea what being a wife meant other than we’d live together forever, hopefully have some kids, and file a joint tax return.

Marriage is a relationship that will transform you, if you let it. Saying “I do” is only the beginning of a lifetime of laughter, frustration, forgiveness, happiness, and deep joy. It’s worth it.

There’s a secret that nobody likes to tell dating or engaged couples: Marriage is really hard.

It doesn’t take long for fear to replace trust, for intimacy to be broken. Just look at what happened in the first marriage.

An unexpected trial in the early years of one marriage.

Couples quickly learn that adjustments are inevitable and necessary in the first years of marriage.

Whether you’re six months or 60 years into your marriage, God can and will continue to teach you about how to become the man He wants you to be.

Here are some practical things I discovered during my first six months of marriage.

Most couples face common challenges in marriage. If you don’t discuss and resolve the differences between you and your spouse, you’re headed for rough marital waters.

We all need the support of friends, family, and mentors. But there’s nothing like the love and encouragement of your spouse.

Each of you brings a different background and a different set of expectations into your marriage. Here’s how to establish the ‘new normal.’

During the first years of marriage (and sometimes for years afterward), it’s not easy to leave your parents while also honoring them.

Ten ideas for dealing with a wife who won’t “leave and cleave.”

My prayers are with the royal couple as they face the challenge of living out the words of commitment, encouragement, and exhortation they heard during their wedding.

Without a common foundation, the years of old age become the death years instead of the glow years.

Early in marriage it’s important to look for something beautiful rather than focusing negatively on differences.

An automobile commercial provides an interesting reflection of the way many people view marriage today.

A couple married 55 years shares some of the best marriage advice my husband and I ever received.

Your love can mature and sweeten during the coming seasons of your marriage.

We now have the tools to make our marriage work, and we’re sharing them with others.

Readers share their honeymoon woes with us.

It’s important to learn God’s view on children.

Three powerful influences work together to drive many married couples over the financial cliff.

When you marry, it’s important to step away from depending on your parents for your livelihood and emotional support and depend on each other instead.

Love, joy, and crickets.