One of the leading causes of divorce is financial stress. Like most couples, Ashley and I have experienced the strain and stress of debt and the struggle to make ends meet at different periods in our marriage, and it's exhausting! Thankfully, we've been able to implement the principles below and it has brought an extraordinary amount of peace to our lives as a result. We want your marriage to experience that same kind of peace.

When a husband and wife are financially healthy, it brings a tremendous amount of peace to the relationship, but when there is stress related to finances, it can bleed over into every other aspect of life.

The good news here is that even if you don't have much money, you can be financially "healthy". Financial health doesn't have nearly as much to do with your net worth as you might think; it has much more to do with being unified in your financial plans with your spouse.

Every person's financial situation is different, but there are some some timeless, rock-solid financial principles that will bring health to any marriage. Here are a four ways to get started:

1. Relentlessly Eliminate Debt

Gaining debt is like gaining weight...it can add up pretty fast and it can be pretty tough to get rid of it! Take drastic actions to live with as little debt as possible. Debt can be a form of slavery which robs you of freedom, so fight to regain your freedom! The stuff you're buying isn't nearly as nice as the feeling of being free of debt!

"...the borrower is a slave to the lender." Proverbs 22:7

2. Make generosity a priority

The happiest couples I know are also the most generous. Don't strive just to improve your standard of living, but work together to improve your standard of giving! Misers end up miserable, but generous people end up blessed. Even if you don't have much (or any) money right now, start finding ways to display generosity with your time, your talents and your resources, and you'll be blessed as a result.

"The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25

3. Communicate with your spouse about purchases and payments

Don't hide money or purchases from your spouse. Build your marriage on a foundation of trust and open communication. Talk about major purchases and show respect to one another through the whole process. Remember that money is a great tool, but it's not nearly as valuable as your marriage, so keep your priorities in check.

4. Get Started (and then keep going)

If you want to improve your financial health, your first step is to take action. Don't live another day with unnecessary financial stress your life. Take advantage of the tools available to you and begin to chart a new course towards financial freedom! Your marriage (and your whole life) will be a lot better off because of it!

This article was originally published on Patheos. It has been republished here with permission.