How to Lower the Divorce Rate

We've all heard the discouraging statistics about the divorce rate, but let's talk for a moment on how to change it.  Here's a statistic that I know you'll like.  The divorce rate among couples who pray regularly together is less than 1%.

Yes, you read that correctly.  Less than 1%.  That's in stark contrast to the 50% we usually hear.  So, if you want to know how to drastically reduce the divorce rate, there it is.

With that in mind, I thought I'd give you a prayer I wrote a couple years ago that's designed for couples to pray verbatim together...or alone. 

“Father we invite You into our marriage today like never before. Thank you for this journey we’re on as husband and wife. We pray that You would strengthen our love and commitment to each other, and to You.
We thank You for our unique story—how we met, our engagement, our wedding, our honeymoon, our favorite songs, our favorite movie, etc.
We thank You for our love for each other—what we admire most about each other, and the ways we make each other better.
We thank you for how far we’ve traveled together—the good times and the bad, the successes and the failures, the joy and the sorrow. We thank You and praise You for all of it. And we especially thank You for carrying us this far.
And now, we ask You to be the third strand in the cord of our marriage journey. Forgive us for the ways we’ve tried to live without You. We can’t make it without you, and we don’t even want to try. Forgive us for the times we didn’t seek You or inquire of you. Today marks a new beginning in our marriage. We recommit ourselves to you…to walk with you in our marriage journey. We invite you into our marriage.
Lord, we want to know and experience every good thing You have prepared for us. We want to experience every ounce of love, intimacy, fun, growth, and adventure that you predestined for us. So, today we ask, seek, and knock. Come and breathe new life into our hearts.
We declare Your Lordship over our marriage and our home; and we give you complete permission to transform us into Your image, Lord Jesus. Give us ears to hear what You want to say uniquely to us. You know our story and the challenges we’re facing. Give us genuine insight and truth that will set us free. Reveal more of Your grace, love and power to us during this season of our marriage.
And may our marriage become a lighthouse to other couples; and may they see You in our covenant. May our marriage have a powerful impact in our home, our neighborhood, our church, and around the world.
Above all, we remind ourselves that You alone are the author of our unique love story, and we praise you for it.
In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.”