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How does a couple make a marriage last?

Society would have us believe that lust and love are one and the same. People rate their marriage according to whether it continues to give them pleasure. An enduring relationship, however, is one that is founded on a pledge of commitment.

One of the reasons so many Hollywood celebrities have been married several times is the shallowness so common in the Tinseltown culture. When careers end, in many cases, so do marriages.

A relationship based solely on physical appearance, popularity, or wealth is doomed to failure. The quality of marriage can often be measured by the type adversities it triumphs over. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" (1 Cor. 13:4-8 NIV).