A love that is sacrificial , genuine , meek , and a different love then what the world is going to have and offer .
Second , our marriage comes next , after God and BEFORE the children . It is very important to stay connected with our spouses . We need to pour into our marriage daily , weekly , monthly and yearly . Here are some tips on how to prioritize your marriage
Daily : Try and spend at least 10 minutes together a day .
Affirm each other . Make it a goal to build your partner up at least once per day . Never stop saying I Love You or kissing either .
Weekly : A weekly date night , it can be at home and as budget friendly as you need it to be . Don ’ t make finances an excuse , if you are sitting at home watching a movie together for free , that is still a date night . It is about spending time together not all the bells and whistles of a fancy restaurant . I have heard the advice ‘ don ’ t talk about kids , work or the house while on a date night ’ and then you sit down and all you can think about it those things ! What we have started doing is the first 15-20 minutes of date night are allotted towards those items ; we get it all out on the table and then try and move on and have a date night without bringing up those topics . It is very helpful if you are like me and once you get a thought , it ’ s almost impossible not to get it out .
Monthly : Get out together . Do your best to get out , away from the home and kids , and be alone together for an entire evening or day . These longer periods of time keep you connected and build up your relationship . If you have found yourself not able to find things to talk about without bringing up the kids or work , print out some ‘ conversation starters ’ or ‘ date night topics ’ you can easily find on the internet and start asking each other them . It is amazing once the conversations start flowing how much you can learn about your spouse , even if you have been married for years ! Our best date nights have come out of this activity .
Yearly : Make a goal to go on a 2-night minimum stay away from the kids . You can plan it around an anniversary or birthday or just a weekend that someone can watch the kids . This is extremely important to keep connected away from kids .
Within our marriage , God has specific call ’ s to each the husband and the wife to make it the best marriage it can be , after all HE DESIGNED IT !
1 Peter 3:1-7 “ If you are a wife , you must put your husband first . Even if he opposes our message , you will win him over by what you do . No one else will have to say anything to him , because he will see how you honor God and live a pure life . Don ’ t depend on things like fancy hairdos or gold jewelry or expensive clothes to make you look beautiful . Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet . This kind of beauty will last , and God considers it very special .”
Long ago those women who worshiped God and put their hope in him made themselves beautiful by putting their husbands first . For example , Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him her master . You are her true children , if you do right and don ’ t let anything frighten you . If you are a husband , you should be thoughtful of your wife . Treat her with honor , because she isn ’ t as strong as you are , and she shares with you in the gift of life . Then nothing will stand in the way of your prayers .”
Ephesians 5 : 22-33 “ Wives , submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord . For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church , his body , of which he is the Savior . Now as the church submits to Christ , so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything . Husbands , love your wives , just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy , cleansing her by the washing with water through the word , and to present her to himself as a radiant church , without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish , but holy and blameless . In this same way , husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies . He who loves his wife loves himself . After all , no one ever hated their own body , but they feed and care for their body , just as Christ does the church — for we are members of his body . “ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife , and the two will become one flesh .” This is a profound mystery — but I am talking about