Pastor offers advice for happy marriages in new book

The most important thing to do is understand that "true marriage is a covenant involving three -- man, woman and God -- and not just a contract involving two."

On Friday, days before Valentine's Day, Collins was scheduled to return to Peachtree Christian to perform his 2,290th wedding, during which John Duncan and his bride, Anna Mae Litzenberger, both in their 80s, were to take their vows in a private ceremony. Duncan, of Mableton, a retired technical director for a textile chemical company, was married the first time at the church. His first wife died a few years ago and when he fell in love again, he wanted Collins to perform the ceremony.

His first marriage lasted 53 years. "We went through all the cycles," he said. "But we never had any serious problems."

The book addresses the challenges of moving from a single life to one of marriage and the importance of taking quality time for each other. Collins, though, doesn't avoid discussion of sex.

He considers it a "gift" between husband and wife and admonishes couples not to stray. "Sex, when experienced as God intends, brings great joy."

Collins advises couples not to stand in judgment of each other and to be one another's best friend. He remembers a young bride-to-be who wanted to walk down the aisle with her dog in her arms. When asked why, she said the dog was her best friend. "Then who is this guy sitting here with me?" Collins said he asked her. "If you're going to be married, you ought to be marrying your best friend."

Collins did. The book is dedicated to his wife of 43 years.

"We always put God first and each other second," said Sandra Collins, a retired music teacher, who met her husband in 1966 on St. Simons Island. They met on a blind date, which both had put off for months.

"Never in my dreams did I think I would marry a minister," she said. "But he was handsome and strong. It was a good impression. Put God first and He will give you what you need when you ask Him."

The Rev. Barry McCarty, senior pastor of Peachtree Christian, said the church has had a very active wedding ministry for more than eight decades. Since its founding in the 1920s, more than 8,760 weddings have been performed at the Peachtree Street church. The church wanted to open the doors to any couple in love and ready to make a lifelong commitment.

McCarty has read Collins' book, which he calls "a fine book on marriage. There's fine and good teaching."

The newlywed, Duncan, however, has one suggestion for Collins -- that he write another book for couples who are marrying for the second time. "While there's snow in the mountains, there's still warmth in the heart."