Navigating Challenges Through the Family Proclamation


Marriage is often painted as a picture-perfect love story—filled with romance, laughter, and effortless companionship. But anyone who has been married longer than a honeymoon phase knows that real marriage includes hard work, self-sacrifice, and seasons of struggle. While society tends to promote an "easy-come, easy-go" approach to relationships, the Family Proclamation teaches us that marriage is ordained of God and requires our full investment, even when the warmth seems to fade.


For step-parents and blended families, these truths are even more essential. Navigating marriage while balancing children from previous relationships, emotional wounds, and different parenting styles can feel overwhelming. But God did not design marriage to be free of difficulty—He designed it to refine us.


So what are the cold, hard facts about marriage that no one talks about? And how does The Family: A Proclamation to the World guide us through these challenges?


Cold, Hard Fact #1: Love is a Choice, Not Just a Feeling


Modern culture thrives on the idea that love is purely emotional—if the spark fades, the relationship is over. But scripture teaches a different story:


"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)


Love—true love—is not just passion and butterflies. It is patience, kindness, selflessness, and enduring devotion. Some days, love is easy and overflowing. Other days, it is a conscious decision to stay, to serve, and to sacrifice.


The Family Proclamation states:


“Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other.”

This means love is not conditional on whether our spouse always meets our expectations. Instead, it is a covenant commitment to continually nurture the relationship, even through trials.


Cold, Hard Fact #2: Marriage Will Test You Like Nothing Else


The world often portrays conflict as a sign that a relationship is failing. But the reality is, conflict is part of growth. Even the best marriages experience misunderstandings, frustration, and disappointment.


Elder D. Todd Christofferson reminds us:


“To love another person is to see the face of God. But to love another person means that we will hurt one another at times, we will misunderstand, we will disappoint. It is in these moments that we must choose to see our spouse through the eyes of the Savior.” (“The Power of Covenants,” General Conference, April 2009)


Marriage isn’t about avoiding hardship—it’s about learning how to face it together. The Family Proclamation calls on spouses to build their relationship on faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, and work. These principles are not just suggestions—they are the foundation for success.


Cold, Hard Fact #3: Blended Families Require an Extra Level of Patience and Grace


For step-parents, marriage doesn’t just come with a spouse—it comes with an entirely new family dynamic. It can be messy, emotional, and complicated. Stepping into a parenting role where bonds and loyalties already exist requires patience, humility, and a willingness to put aside personal expectations for the greater good of the family.


The Lord commands:

“Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)


Forgiveness is essential in all marriages, but in blended families, it becomes a daily necessity. Learning to navigate co-parenting tensions, past wounds, and children’s emotions can be challenging, but through Christ, it is possible to create a home filled with love and unity.


The Family Proclamation reinforces that parents should “rear their children in love and righteousness.” Even if we did not create the family structure in a traditional way, we are called to be stewards of love, grace, and unity in our homes.


The Warmth Comes Through the Work


Marriage, like any great work, is forged in the fires of effort, endurance, and divine guidance. The warmth and joy we seek in marriage do not happen by accident—they are cultivated through daily acts of love, commitment, and faith in God’s plan.


The world may offer easy exits, quick fixes, and fleeting happiness, but the cold, hard truth is this: marriage is meant to refine us. If we are willing to hold to our covenants, seek Christ’s example, and embrace the guidance of the Family Proclamation, we will not only endure the challenges—we will build a marriage filled with warmth, strength, and eternal joy.

Marriage isn’t perfect, but it is worth it.