Marriage

     Hey everybody! This week I am going to be talking about something that most people tend to shy away from in today's society. That topic is sexual intimacy. In Genesis Chapter 1 Verse 28 it reads, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” Our Father in Heaven wants us to multiply ,or in other words have kids, while we are here on earth. We do this through the sacred act of procreation. Sexual intimacy is a good thing in the eyes of God if used within the bonds of marriage. The world tries to tell us that having sexual relations outside of marriage is accepted and has no harmful effects on a person. However, this is not the case. Many studies have shown that people are much happier and report satisfaction within their lives when they only have one sexual partner that is within the bonds of marriage. If one has sexual relations outside of marriage with multiple people, there is the risk of sexual diseases, lower self esteem, lower satisfaction, and it is harder to make emotional attachments. Women actually have a hormone that is released during birth called oxytocin. This hormone makes the woman feel more attached to their child. This hormone is also released during sex making the woman feel attached to whoever she is with. If a women has multiple sex partners, it gets harder for her to feel attached to an individual.     

     Sexual intimacy is a very important aspect of marriage. It unifies the man and the woman and brings them closer together. Men and women, however, are very different in many ways. Each has individual needs and desires. Trouble often arises when we don’t recognize where the other gender is coming from. The best possible outcomes always come from communication and attending to the others needs before your own.  

    Another very important issue facing marriages today is fidelity. This doesn’t have tp just mean that someone is having sexual relations with someone outside of the marriage. This could be emotional infidelity. When we have opposite gender friends outside of the marriage, this can cause contention, especially if they are your source of emotional support. Sharing one's inner thoughts and feelings can create bonds that should be reserved for your spouse. It is okay to have friends of the opposite gender but make sure there are clear boundaries. Emotional talks should be saved for your spouse and make sure to never be alone with them. People these days are also turning to other sources outside of the marriage, such as social media or other family members. Like all things, these aren’t necessarily bad things. However, if these are your only sources of emotional support, then it can be damaging to the marriage. Make sure that you and your spouse can lean on each other emotionally as well as physically. These are essential characteristics of a successful marriage. The best way to avoid these attacks on marriage are to set clear and direct boundaries with your spouse. Your spouse is your life partner. While we shouldn’t push important people, like our parents, out of our lives, our primary focus should be on our spouse. They are there for all of our needs. It won’t ever be easy. There will still be disagreements and arguments that you will need to work through with your spouse and your spouse alone. We shouldn’t be speaking to third parties to help us validate our feelings. Learn how to compromise and talk with your spouse so that you can have a more satisfactory marriage.