1. Keep folks OUT your Marriage!
Keeping the details of your marriage between you and your spouse is key to a successful marriage. This includes parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, EVERYONE. Your marriage is between you and your spouse and no one else!
In a marriage, you become one with your spouse. Yes, you did indeed take on another family, however, that's another blog! When you took your vows, the two joined and became one. The good book tells us; in Mark 10:8-9 NLT, "and the two are united into one since they are no longer two but one. Let no one split apart what God has joined together." It is important to ensure your marriage matters stay between you and your spouse. Your family can be super awesome, supportive and can bring you necessary support when needed, however, a family can also break up a marriage whether it is intentional or not.
A couple can have a disagreement, and shares this with a family member, and now that member is upset with your spouse about the situation. The two of you talk about the situation, have kissed and made up, but now that relative is still salty about what happened. And don't you dear let another disagreement happen, it will bring back every other one! If a conflict arises within your marriage, and you truly need a listening ear, please seek a professional. Help that is in no way related to you or your spouse. This will help you in the long run, trust me!