Issue date: 2/10/09 Section: Features

Media Credit: Evan Andrews [Click to enlarge]

There is one group of students on campus that won't be worrying about finding a special someone to snuggle up with on Valentine's Day. These students have their other half to have and to hold from this day forward.

Texas A&M Married Student Fellowship (AMMSF) is a Christian organization with the goal of helping students maintain successful marriages. The divorce rate is increasing at an alarming rate, and AMMSF wants to change that - especially in the lives of younger couples.

"AMMSF's main purpose is to build critical skills into young marriages individually and in group settings, giving these young students a strong foundation for growing their relationship with their spouse," said James Lund, the adviser of the organization.

He said divorce rates are an issue in American society and a downer on Valentine's Day.

"You are considered lucky if you can make it to seven years or more of marriage together," said Lund.

Fallon Swindell, a senior civil engineering major, said AMMSF is a great to have at Texas A&M because it encourages and enlightens young married couples.

"Marriage can be tricky at first, so having friends that are going through or have gone through the same issues that we are experiencing is comforting," she said.

Her husband, Stephen Swindell, was also a civil engineering major at A&M, and feels the same way.

"There are many other couples who are going through the similar things," said Stephen. "So when we have questions we have a group of friends to turn to."

Another thing the married students have in common is their Christian faith.

"I've started to look back and think, 'How did we get through all of that?' But our personal relationship with Christ was the biggest contributing factor," said Jessica Henning, a former student who majored in communication and member of AMMSF. "We could not have gotten through college and our marriage without Him in the center of it."

Fallon agrees.

"I really believe without the Lord our marriage would have failed after a month," she said. "It's not necessarily being involved with AMMSF that has helped us, but how they encourage us with our relationship with the Lord that has been beneficial."

Continued...

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