Almost everybody enters marriage

with high hopes and expectations for a wonderful relationship.

My wife Jenni and I certainly did. We began life together with big dreams for our future. Unfortunately, in spite of hoping that "I do" would assure living "happily ever after," we hit some bumps in the road. Familiar patterns began to emerge in our conflicts. Our interactions generally felt the same, regardless of what we were arguing about. Eventually, after 13 years of pain, disappointment, and frustration, we were in serious trouble! Like the Israelites, we had become slaves of habit-stuck

in Egypt. But God's desire is for our marriages to reside in the Promised Land-"the land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8). So with His help, our perseverance, and some divine revelation, Jenni and I have now been married for more than 25 years and are both thrilled with our marriage. It's not perfect, but it is a real-life love story, filled with all the components of an amazing adventure.