In America there have been trends dealing with marriage which have ultimately affected the family in a negative way. Some of these trends include: delayed marriage,  cohabitation, premarital sex,  and unwed births. It seems to me that all these trends are affecting one another-- delayed marriage leads to cohabitation which then leads to premarital sex which in the end, in many cases, leads to unwed births.  Here is the breakdown for you to further explain these trends:
Delayed Marriage:
Delaying marriage can be caused by many contributors. Often times people are more interested in the next best thing in their lives and the "better relationship" that may or may not come. Now, I'm not saying that we should settle for a "comfortable" relationship, but we do need to keep in mind that sometimes what we have in mind for the "ideal relationship" isn't the ideal that God has in mind for us. There is a fine line between settling and settling down. We shouldn't settle because we feel desperate, we need to find the right person for us and settle down together to create a life together.
Cohabitation:
The LDS church advises against this trend and gives us counsel to avoid this. Marriage is a sacred ordinance,  and we should not take it lightly. Cohabitation is a danger to the family. It is said that those who cohabit are less likely to get married. People who live together "playing house" and acting as man and wife aren't so much practicing for marriage as they are avoiding it. So what happens in cases like these when a child comes into the picture? Does marriage become an option? Does it break up the relationship? These questions lead me to my next point.
Premarital sex:
Couples who cohabit are very likely to have sex while together, but this is a danger and can ultimately lead to Unwed Births  which can be detrimental to the child who has to deal with the effects of the parents' choice to not get married. Both the father and the mother play a big role in a child's emotional and psychological development. It is most healthy for a child to live in a loving home with both parents.

So to conclude, I would like to express that marriage is very important to us as individuals, and to the sweet spirits with which we are blessed, and asked by God to bring into this world. Marriage is sacred.
Thanks for Reading! :)

 Introduction:

My name is Morgan Christy. I was born and raised within the LDS church and I love it with everything in me, it has blessed my life so much! Especially my family. Family has always been very important to me, and I'm excited to be starting this blog to share my beliefs and insights on the family with you. Some of my hobbies include sewing and reading and I am a complete romantic! In fact, my plan at this point is to become a wedding planner (how perfect right?!). I'm excited to share my thoughts with the world.

 Enjoy! :)