John Markum

Five things that improve marriages

Improve marriage
LifeCity is in a marriage series right now called, In the Ring: fighting for your marriage. So I thought I would add a quick list of five simple, practical things you can do in your marriage to make it better, stronger, and happier.

  1. Date nights. We pursue people while we’re dating, and then slow down after the “I do”, and sometimes stop altogether after the babies start showing up. Go on a date again! Invest TIME with your spouse.
  2. Do the thoughtful stuff. Flowers, notes written on the mirror, bringing their favorite food for lunch, watching the kids so they can have dinner with their friends…this list is limited only by your imagination. Need ideas?  That’s what Pinterest is for!
  3. Chores… Nothing screams “I love you” like doing the dishes, putting the kids to bed, folding the laundry, or making the bed. Especially if it’s a a chore THEY normally do. “That sounds lame…” No, it just sounds like work. You know what’s lame? A loveless marriage… and a dirty house… a loveless marriage IN a dirty house. THAT is lame.
  4. Time with the kids. My wife consistently reminds me that the hottest thing I do is spend time with our children. It speaks to her heart and need for our kids to feel loved by their daddy. And, coincidentally, it fulfills a desire in my heart to be a good dad. Win-win.
  5. Pray together. This is one of the hardest things to commit to doing. Your spirituality matters, and your spiritual lives together is even more critical. In a future post, I’ll share a few basics of praying together as a couple. If you did pray together regularly at one point but have gotten out of the habit, start by acknowledging that and admitting that you want it to change.

Blessings,
Pastor John

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