Session 1.2.2 10 ways to keep your marriage a priority
10 ways to keep your marriage a priority
- Pray together every day. Praying together builds soul-level intimacy, helping you to grow stronger in your love for God and for each other. A good time to do this may be before you go to sleep at night. (As a way to get started, sign up for a 30-day couple’s prayer guide at FamilyLife.com/OnenessPrayerChallenge )
- Be intentional about growing together spiritually. As you seek God together as a couple, you will also draw closer to each other. Spend time reading the Bible together or reading from a devotional book
- Have meaningful conversation with each other every day. Good communication is one of the keys to building a successful marriage. Set aside a few minutes each evening, after the kids have gone to bed, to ask about each other’s day, laugh about fun memories, talk about your hopes, dream together about your future, and so on. And don’t try to compete with the TV—turn it off
- . Find practical ways to serve each other. Serving your spouse with love, joy, and creativity demonstrates that their happiness means more to you than your own. Love expressed through service is sure to strengthen your marriage.
- Give thanks for each other often. Express appreciation to God and to your spouse for the gift of each other. Giving thanks for each other is an acknowledgement that you value your relationship. That which you appreciate, you cherish.
- Develop some common interests. Find an activity or hobby that you will both enjoy doing together. Take a cooking class, learn how to ballroom dance, support your favorite sports team, go bike riding, etc. Mutual interests and shared experiences will deepen your friendship and enrich your marriage.
- Fan the flames of romance. Romance helps keep the relationship alive, fresh, and exciting. Have candlelight dinners, write passionate love letters to each other, surprise each other with a gift from time to time “just because,” flirt with each other, and build anticipation for fun, steamy nights.
- Have regular date nights. These special times together will do wonders for your relationship. Plan a fun night out at least once a month. If circumstances prevent you from going out, plan a stay-at-home date for after the kids are in bed. The point is, be intentional. Put it on the calendar and hold to your plans. (For ideas, see the books Dates on a Dime and Coffee Dates for Couples at FamilyLife.com.)
- Take overnight or weekend trips together— without the kids. These getaways allow you to take a break from the everyday responsibilities of life and parenting to focus on each other.
- Tune up your marriage regularly. You can do this by attending or leading a small-group study for couples, or by attending an annual marriage retreat or conference. (See Weekend to Remember® getaway details in the back of this workbook.) These habits will help keep your relationship vibrant and strong Excerpt taken from pages 14-15 of FamilyLife’s Art of Parenting™ Workbook. For more resources like this, visit FamilyLife.com/parenting.