Chapter #8 Marriage--How to Work It Out

Reference:  Successful Marriages and Families, Hawkins, Dollahite and Draper, Chapter 8: "Should I  Keep Trying To Work It Out?" Hawkins, Alan J. and Fackrell, Tamara A.  

Why is "Gray Divorce" on the rise? 

 From pew research, "At a time when divorce is becoming less common for younger adults, so-called “gray divorce” is on the rise: Among U.S. adults ages 50 and older, the divorce rate has roughly doubled since the 1990s."   

Why?  Have we stopped being that person who has made themselves spiritually appealing--that appeal that was defined in Chapter 2?  Were we ever?  How can we get that back?  

References:

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/03/09/led-by-baby-boomers-divorce-rates-climb-for-americas-50-population/

http://scottwoodward.org/divorce_selfishness.html 

This question is pertinent to everyone at every age--dating and marriage and maintaining a relationship is never easy.  I have been married 35 years and as new empty nester, I am hyper-focused on this topic. 

Spiritual Counsel on Divorce

There is now and again a legitimate cause for divorce.  I am not one to say that it is never justified.  But I say without hesitation that this plague among us is not of God."  

 Gordon B. Hinckley 

"Over a lifetime of dealing with human problems I have struggled to understand what might be considerered "Just cause" for breaking covenants.  Only the parties to the marriage can determine this. They will bear the responsibility for the train of consequences which inevitably follow."  James Faust 

Secular Perspectives on the Crossroads of Divorce

• Allow time for deciding about divorce.  Research suggests that many who divorce have regrets about the divorce later.  A study that followed divorced individuals over a long period of time found that in 75 percent of divorced couples at least one partner was having regrets about the decision to divorce one year after the breakup
• Try to resolve problems before deciding to divorce.  Researchers estimate that only 30% of couples make effort to reconcile before the divorce.  Related to that point, research suggests that over half of Utah couples did not seek counseling.