Ephesians 5:25-26
…husbands… love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. (NLT)

Love is multifaceted. There are so many angles to see, show, and receive love. It is expressed through both action and communication. When we use both tangible expressions and words, love is expressed and reinforced. And furthermore, whether you’re married, looking forward to marriage someday, or you’ve been there and done that… investing in becoming the best version of yourself that you can be is one of the wisest moves you can make.

No one ever sits with me as we talk to plan their wedding celebration and says, “I hope I’ll be dating someone else in the near future.” No way! We hope for the absolute best. We look forward to our beautiful visions coming to fruition. In order to get there, however, we need to be faithful to take steps to grow and guard the love relationship. To actively deepen it. We are wise to do some good work—even hard work—early in the game to divorce-proof our marriages by discovering creative ways to honor each other and lift each other up.

I am smitten with my bride, Sara. I’ve been captivated by her over the past 30 years. Part of the fun in marriage is knowing and being known. Even after all these years of marriage, I’m still discovering more about my bride. It comes down to communication. When you pray for your marriage, I’d recommend asking God for fresh words to say and new discoveries to be revealed about one another.

I think we all understand that romance is not routine. But be sure to keep the pressure off. Some of the most profound expressions of love are spontaneous. Ask questions when you’re together. Goof off with no agenda for the day. Talk about your interests. Continue to learn about one another. Share your fears. Discover one another’s dreams!

And keep the dialogue going, even when you’re not together. Send love notes via text. Email silly pictures to one another. Shop actively for experiences and getaways, even if finances won’t let them happen right now. Because, then again, staycations can be just as good or better than vacations. Are you married with kids? Take time off on days the kids are busy to just be together with your spouse during the day, to rediscover how much you enjoy being around the love of your life!

The fact is, marriage gets better and better as the years go by if you keep striving to date one another... and simply be the love of each other’s lives.

Friday’s Reflection

Want to improve communication in the various relationships of your life and/or in your marriage? Ask three questions and then listen before you say anything else to someone. This intentional approach allows you to learn more about them, and actively demonstrate your interest in knowing them better. Looking for community, maybe even one to invest in your marriage through? We have Southland Groups for many stages of life!