Mo & Phindi Grootboom believe that God created marriage primarily for the purposes of restoring the totality of the His image in the human race, as well as reflecting His relationship with His bride, the church.

They share the 13 things they wished they knew before they got married:

1. Marriage is a divine mystery with a spiritual purpose, it is more than an emotional connection
2. Marriage today is different from marriage back then, but God’s original design and purpose for marriage does not change.
3. Achieving oneness in marriage is 100% possible, prioritise and relentlessly pursue your spouse in total transparency.
4. Being “in love” is not enough to marry someone. You won’t feel “in love” every day.
5. The worst and unexpected does happen in marriage. It’s important to understand what you mean when you vow to love someone “for better or worse”.
6. Never sweat the small stuff, not every conflict in marriage is worth resolving.

7. Unbroken soul ties will ruin marriages, you cannot be fully joined to your spouse while you’re still emotionally entangled to unhealthy previous attachments.
8. Forgiveness is a lifestyle, when you run out of forgiveness in your marriage you run out of relationship and you run out of you.
9. Marriage isn’t primarily designed to make you happy, when you expect that your spouse makes you happy, not only are you placing an unfair expectation on them, but you’re also making them an idol.
10. Great sex is neither constant nor automatic, it is cultivated.
11. It’s possible to lose yourself in marriage, and it is quickest and most painful way to kill your marriage
12. We marry the in-laws and the rest of the family too.
13. Being on the same page financially can save your marriage, it’s about being joint-stewards over resources trusted to us irrespective of the type of our marriage contract.