The fundamental truth is what Ted Turner said

In the beginning there was Adam and Eve.

After the flood there was Noah and his wife.

In the beginning of the nation of Israel, there was Abraham and Sarah.

In the beginning of the new Israel – the birth of the Lord Jesus – there was Mary and Joseph.

Do you notice the manner that God starts things, and lays the foundation of a project?

Marriage.

From the beginning marriage has been the foundation on which God builds His major projects.

One reason is that marriage is a prototype of the relationship between people and God. It is like a flight simulator for pilots, where they test their skills and learn to deal with every situation they will encounter in actual flight.

In marriage, our Christianity is tested more than in any other area. Turning the other cheek. Doing for others what we want others to do for us. Sacrificing. Forgiving in order to be forgiven. Refusing to judge so that we will not be judged. Loyalty. Fairness. Giving to receive. Denying your own will... In other words, all the principles of Christian faith should first be practiced in marriage. If we succeed in our relationship with the person closest to us, then we will succeed in our relationship with God.

Nobody knows a husband better than his wife, and vice versa. Nobody can testify of his character and faith better than her. This is why every great project conceived by God began with a couple. In spiritual terms, He also chose for men of God to be tested in their marriages:

"For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?” 1 Timothy 3.5

God made a successful marriage a prerequisite for leadership of a church. (How many religious leaders would pass this test?)

In your life it is no different. If you're searching for the solid foundation to permanent success, you should start investing in your marriage. If you are single, be careful with your choice. If you are married, prioritize your marriage.

According to research, happily married people have greater benefits. Here are a few:

- They live longer because they are more stable and their partners help them take care of their health;

- They have more peace because they are not plagued with loneliness, betrayal, or old relationship ties;

- They are more prosperous because they are partners when it comes to money;

- They avoid immoral and reckless behavior to avoid hurting their partners;

- Their children are more stable with stronger marriages, because of their parents’ example.

The American billionaire Ted Turner, founder of CNN and the second largest private landowner in the U.S., when asked asked if he had any regrets in life, said:

"I regret that I wasn’t more successful with my marriages, but it is what it is."

Turner (pictured above with his third ex-wife, Jane Fonda) has been married three times, and today, at 74, has four girlfriends. He says, "It is much simpler having a wife."

If you failed in marriage like Ted Turner, God is a God of new beginnings. He has a plan for you. You just need to be prepared to start again – but this time, God’s way, not yours.