I’m performing the wedding of a good friend tonight and after presiding over a hundred weddings or so over the years, I decided to re-write the vows using scripture and real life marital issues cut straight from the pages of real marriage. If you are yet to be married, make sure you’re marrying someone who can actually say these words and mean them. If you are married, it’s always a healthy practice to re-commit to one another by re-stating what you’re really committed to.

“I (groom), choose you (bride) to be my wife. I will do my best to love you, the way Jesus loves his bride, the church.  I will encourage you daily. I will provide for you, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I will pray for you. I will listen to you. I will respect you as a woman. I will honor you as a child of the Most High God. I will be gentle towards you.  I will challenge you to grow in your faith. I will hold you accountable to a high standard of purity. I will forgive you. I will apologize to you. I will lead you with humility. Our family’s spiritual development will be my highest priority. I will die to my wants and desires. I will surround myself with Godly friends who make Godly decisions. I will have accountability in my life. I will hide God’s Word in my heart daily. I will not settle for anything other than God’s best for us. I will not be arrogant. I will not raise my voice at you. I will not cheat on you. I will love you for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; until we are separated by death. God is my witness. I give you my promise, and I give you my heart.”

“I (bride), choose you (groom), to be my husband. I will do my best to love you, the way Jesus sacrificially loves me. I will trust you. I will ask God to give you wisdom as you lead us. I will follow you with humility. I will encourage you daily. I will respect you as a man. I will honor you as a child of the Most High God. I will serve you. And I will serve with you. I will be your friend. I will challenge you to grow in your faith. I will hold you accountable to a high standard of purity. I will provide for you emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I will forgive you. I will apologize to you.  Our home will be my priority. I will be a Proverbs 31 woman. I will surround myself with Godly friends who make Godly decisions. I will have accountability in my life. I will hide God’s Word in my heart daily. I will not criticize you. I will not compare you to other men. I will not cheat on you. I will love you for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; until we are separated by death. God is my witness. I give you my promise, and I give you my heart.”