@JohnDB ,
@tourist ,
@kaylagrl ,
@Hungry , and our other married friends here:
Could you please tell us what your perspectives are about this statement, seeing as you all have been married for some time and can speak from experience?
How does one find someone and expect them to stay the same for the rest of their life?
God changes not but people are in a constant state of change, sometimes it is subtle, sometimes dramatic. Hopefully, the change is positive, especially in a spiritual sense as in repentance which is a lifelong process.
I am a married man but my prayer is to be a better husband. I am not perfect, so therefore, to remain on a positive spiritual trajectory there must be change. Otherwise, I would be in a stagnant state as a husband, and also in danger of a spiritual decline as a servant of the Lord.
My counsel for those contemplating marriage is to allow God, who changes not, to be at the center of your marriage.
Entering into a relationship that may possibly lead to marriage I would be more fearful if there was no change as there would be no hope for things ever getting better, and no growth as a man or a husband for that matter. Any change though, must come from what we allow God to happen inside of us.
One caveat about marriage though, don't go into a marriage believing that you're going to be able to change your prospective spouse. That is not going to happen. If you cannot accept that person for who they are than it would be best to not enter into the relationship.
I will close by saying, based on my own observation and experience, that the family that prays together stays together.