Till death do us part

....The divorce rate among blacks is higher than any other ethnic group,coming in at 70%,why is this?Statistics show we also have the lowest rate when it simply comes to getting married.Researchers have attributed this to our economic situations the same way they have explained our incarceration status(poverty).I will be honest in saying that I fall into this category having spent several years in prison,then to get married and quickly divorced.I have witnessed first hand the affect this has had on my children and I must say it's devastating.Truth of the matter is our children become displaced and divided often times because of custodial  rights.They are forced to choose between mother and father and to decide who was the cause of the separation of family;I honestly believe that we as African Americans forget that we have made a vow to God to love one another for rich or poor,through sickness or in health,till death do us part;The fact of the matter is we have now labeled ourselves and refer to one another as "baby daddy" and "baby mama",giving way to the black family as a whole.I'll be first to agree that all relationships are not healthy and that separation and ultimately divorce is the best answer.When I think of the reasons why my own marriage did not sustain the test of time,I can only think of that old cliche that says "a family that prays together stays together";so many of us did not pray for a soul mate(someone evenly yoked with ourselves)but yet we stand at the alter vowing before God to love,honor and protect.It is my belief that we initially enter into these unions in hopes that a ring and title will solidify our status in society or at the very least  it will offer security.I could be wrong but I believe that communication and prayer before marriage is the essential keys to its survival.I'd like to close by saying that I commend and tip my hat to the men and women who have stuck by that vow and continue to fight together instead of with one another.(if The Lord never sends a soul mate,it it because He wants you to marry Him) Revelations 19:9   -James Doe 1776