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Preparing for Your Marriage
4
By William J. McRae Zondervan
Copyright © 1980 Zondervan
All right reserved. ISBN: 0-310-42761-4
Chapter One
The Criteria for Marriage Mike took the old economics book off his shelf. Somehow, when he poured over its pages in diligent study, he never dreamed he would put it to such good use. The razor blade whittled away at the pages until a neat, two-by-two square was carved in its center. He dropped a shiny red and gold box with its precious contents into the hole, and wrapped the mystery package in colorful birthday paper.
It was but two weeks before Christmas. More important, it was Penny's twenty-second birthday. A special evening had been planned. Mike casually but carefully set his gift on the coffee table in the Graham's living room before he left with Penny to enjoy dinner at "L'Auberge de Petit Prince."
Later that evening, in the candlelight of her living room, an unsuspecting Penny unwrapped the brightly flowered paper and was stunned to discover that Mike had given her an economics book, and an old one at that! Perhaps there was an endearing inscription inside. Lifting the cover she spied the little gold box, and then the ring. What a beautiful surprise!
This was the culmination of a romance that had quietly begun ten months earlier. Although they had known each other for the last six years, they had been little more than distant friends in the same youth group of their church. Mike was now completing his undergraduate studies in philosophy and Penny would shortly be writing her exams prior to becoming a registered nurse. Under the good hand of God, their relationship had ripened into a deep and settled commitment to each other. Yet during those months they had often wondered, "Are we ready for marriage?"
It's possible you may have asked yourselves this question a hundred times. Because you are where you are today (engaged and preparing for marriage), it is probably safe to assume you have finally answered the question in the affirmative.
For some, it may be a rather shaky, uncertain, and hesitant "Yes." After all, how can we be sure?
For others, it may be a strong and confident "Yes." But what is the basis of such certainty?
Let's ask the question one last time. There are several specific criteria you ought to consider.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Preparing for Your Marriage4 by William J. McRae Copyright © 1980 by Zondervan. Excerpted by permission.
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