Man to Man: Advice from NFP Grooms
She said yes! You’re engaged! Great! Now what? There’s finding a church, ordering food, booking the DJ and photographer. It’s enough to make a guy go nuts! From learning how to argue to taking the church’s marriage-preparation program seriously, your engagement can get you started on the right foot or the wrong one. It all depends how much effort you’re willing to invest.
Advice From Men
The recently engaged and married fellows interviewed offered a few pointers for men preparing to take the big step.
- Don’t be shy about giving your input, but don’t make a federal case over which entree you prefer. It is the most important day of your life, but it’s just one day. It’s all the years that come later that matter.
- Take marriage prep seriously. Learning NFP prior to marriage can bring to light issues that should be discussed before marriage.
- Get used to doing things together. We guys tend to be independent. It’s OK to depend on someone else.
- Getting married won’t magically solve whatever problems you face, so don’t put off dealing with them. Getting on the same page on life’s biggest issues (children, money, etc.) while you’re engaged is critical to a happy marriage.
- Your love will grow and it will change but never forget why you love her. Find new reasons to love her as often as you can. And remember that God is an important part of your relationship.
Being engaged might not be a non-stop fairy tale, but it should be an opportunity to learn the most intimate details about how each person thinks and grow in love for each other and for God.
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CCL’s award-winning Family Foundations is the premier NFP magazine in the United States and is a great source of support. Visit here to learn more.