While finding the right spouse is important, being spiritually, mentally, and financially ready for marriage must come first.

How do you know if you are ready? A good starting place is prayer. Ask God to reveal to you:
· IF your heart is right,
· IF you are doing your best to walk in HIS will, and
· IF you are a total person (someone who is trying to be better in every area of life).

If you will ever be a successful mate, you must first have an intimate relationship with Christ. He will direct your steps so start with that relationship first. Marriage is, after all, a covenant before God.
Once you have established and committed to work on your relationship with God, take a moment for a simple reality check. You may want to be married, but that doesn't mean you are prepared for it. Entering unprepared into a lifelong union leads to unhealthy stress that can be detrimental to a relationship. Analyze these four areas of your life:

1. Physically - Are you taking care of yourself physically?
2. Mentally/Emotionally - Are you mature enough to put another's needs before your own?
3. Spiritually/Morally - Is your prayer life active? How is your relationship with God?
4. Economically - Are your finances in order so you don't burden a relationship with large sums of debt?

Finally, before you begin the "search" for Mr. or Mrs. Right, establish firmly in your mind what your emotional needs are. Before you can pursue a spouse, you must know what you really need from a partner. Write it down! Knowing yourself allows you to approach relationships with honesty and is a vital step of preparing yourself for a lifelong partner.

Once you know your life is in order and you are prepared for marriage and your have prayerfully considered what you need from a partner, begin establishing positive relationships and pray for revelation from God. God wants you to have a healthy marriage! Allow him to be a part of every decision in your life, especially this one!