As Valentine's Day is celebrated across our nation this month, love is on everyone's mind. Sadly, most often the "love" people think about…and our culture celebrates…is shallow and temporary.

Yet, nearly every human being yearns for a strong and vital love that will stand the test of time. And as people get older they often want to know how to keep that love alive.

Virginia and I have been married over 55 years. And when people find out we've been married that long they will often ask, "What has been the secret to keeping your love strong and vibrant?"

What I tell them is really pretty simple: The foundation of our marriage and our love is the fact that Virginia and I love the Lord…and we desire to please Him and each other.

Now, of course, we have had our struggles, personality differences, and disagreements like all married couples do. But there is no doubt that keeping the Lord at the center of our marriage is what has sustained us all these years.

Perhaps you are saying to yourself, "Well, that sounds all well and good, Warren, but what does it look like to keep the Lord at the center of my marriage?"

Well, I'm glad you asked!

The secret is found in God's Word…Philippians 2:2-4 to be exact:

…make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

You know, you could search aisle after aisle at your local bookstore and never find a book that would offer such good marriage advice as Paul offers you and me in these three verses! The key to a successful, happy, and God-centered marriage can be summarized like this:

It's not about you.

I hope you will read that again. It's not about you!

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