If you are like us, you hear often about how many people are getting divorce. People say that marriage rates are above 50% and worse than they have ever been. We have even heard some people declare that there are more single people in America than there are married people.

Most of the relationship advice and marriage statistics that you hear from your friends or so-called “Relationship Expert” bloggers are just not accurate and are dangerous to your marriage.

What The Research Says

Since the 1980’s, divorce rates have been dropping among all age groups, except older people.

According to a review of national statistics, people who are still in their first marriage at 46 years of age are:

• 69% of college graduates
• 54% of whites, Asians, Pacific Islanders and Native Americans
• 51% of Hispanic of any race
• 47% of African Americans
• 38% of those who did not finish high school.

According to the same study, of Americans over the age of 18

• 50% are married
• 30% never married
• 14% are divorced or separated
• 6% are widowed

Who is staying married?

• Women tend to stay in their first marriage if they married after 26 years of age and if the union is financially stable.
• Marriages among the young often flounder. They are called starter marriages.
• For those who marriage after 26, the arrival and departure of kids are often pressure points on the marriage.
• For couples who stay married beyond the pressure points, the relationship becomes very much like it was during their courtship.

What You Can Do

• Keep God in your marriage. Research shows that your faith helps you get through the ups and downs of marriage.
• Be around couples who value marriage. Having people in your life who are pro-marriage and want to strengthen marriage will give you a positive approach to your marriage challenges. We have found that being in a church group of married people on a weekly basis has helped us.
• Stick it out through the rough spots. Marriage has its ups and downs. The secret is in falling in love with each other over and over again.
• Get help when you need it. When you can no longer talk about the issues, or if you go through a traumatizing event to your marriage, you need to connect with professionals to help you get through it. Give us a call and see how we can help.

What do you have to say?

We love to hear from readers. What other suggestions you would add to this article? Do you know someone you need to forward this article to?

This article was written by Roy and Devra Wooten, authors of “The Secret to a Lifetime Love”. Learn more at www.LifeTogetherForever.com © Roy and Devra Wooten 2017. All Rights Reserved. You may replicate this article as long as it is provided free to recipients and includes appropriate attribution. Written permission for other use may be obtained at [email protected].