A meaningful and happy marriage isn't about emotions you feel from being with a person -- it's about a choice you make every day to say "I do."

At Bethel Community Church, the congregation has been learning some important principles in having a successful and happy marriage. Pastor Tony Froese explains some of the details they have been covering this month during their Sunday services.

1) Love is not defined by emotion or feeling.

Froese says, "love is not just defined by emotion or feeling, but it is a choice that you make daily. This is quite counter-cultural to what we are seeing in the world. Sociologists say from 6-18 months you will be in the emotional phase of love. This phase is somewhat blind and can be a barrier to seeing the fullness in somebody. Love has to go beyond that because one day you're going to wake up and not have that feeling. True love makes that choice daily. It's a matter of waking up everyday and saying 'I do' to that person. Truthfully the person you are married to twenty years from now may not be the same person you said 'yes' to at your wedding. That is why it's important to say 'I do' every day as they change. We are evolving people."

2) Spiritual foundation in a relationship is key.

"We have to start with a spiritual foundation and then move on from there before we get physically or emotionally involved. You have to make sure that person is spiritually founded like you are. There can be so many negative effects if that is not a green light first."

3) The perfect partner does not exist.

Froese says, "the perfect person myth is in television, advertisements, movies, etc. It's skewed our perception of reality when it comes to relationships. There's no certain person that can totally complete you. Only Christ can do that. People are looking for this perfect person and they project on their partner more than what they could ever fulfill. The truth is, there is no individual that can possibly do that."

4) You must leave before you can cleave.

Pastor Tony Froese says, "a common point in contention among a lot of marriages is that Jesus said 'for this cause a man shall leave his mother and father and cleave to his wife.' You cannot cleave to another individual until you can leave something of your past. At some point, you're going to have to let go of what you have now to receive what God has for your future. You can't cleave to your spouse if you have not left your background, your family . . . You have to forsake something to commit to somebody. In other words, love has to cost you something. A lot of people are struggling in relationships because they want to hold onto their single life style, their family, their aspirations, or their dreams. There's no sacrifice to say yes to the other person. There has to be a leaving before there can be a cleaving."