Whether they see it as a distant event or an approaching reality, students have many questions about marriage.
The campus mentoring group ENDURE helped students get some of those questions answered by an actual couple involved in a successful marriage in an April 18 seminar.
The seminar was led by Henry and his wife Theresa Noye, Kea Hall RD and chapel worship team advisor.
Henry started the seminar by posing the question, “What is love?”
He said the only perfect love is that of Christ for his people, but that everyone should strive to show that kind of love, particularly in marriage.
The Noyes’ message also focused on contentment. One of the most important things to achieve is fulfillment while still single, Theresa said. She said that unless this is achieved, marriage will not prove fulfilling.
Theresa pointed students to God as the only one who can make students whole and give them this fulfillment.
Theresa and Henry also emphasized getting to know the other person well before marriage because, the better couples know each other, the better the chances are of their marriage surviving.
“When courting or dating, everyone is on their best behavior, but when married, everything comes out,” Henry said.
Compromise was another emphasis.
“Marriage is not a 50/50 deal. Everyone does some of everything,” Henry said.
Their final point was communication. The first step to good communication is complete honesty, Henry said.
Henry and Theresa have what they call “a commitment to communication”: a pact with one another to always communicate even when it is hard. This, they explained, helps to avoid lots of problems.
“Know your weaknesses in communicating” in order to overcome them, Theresa said.
The Noyes suggested that couples form their own practices such as a “commitment to communicate” in their marriages in order to avoid problems.
Throughout, the Noyes focused on the joy of marriage.
“Marriage is the hardest job you will ever love,” Henry said.