affectionate couple

Growing up I was addicted to sports. I loved the competition, and I enjoyed the challenge of trying my best.

I remember one Spring in particular. My best friend and I decided to meet every morning before school to run what we called “the murder block.” It was a killer on your calves, if you weren’t used to the distance. We ran that for a couple of weeks before moving on to something else.

At lunch time we trained for track and field with our coach, and after school I played basketball, volleyball or floor hockey.

I don’t know how I ever had time for baseball and figure skating, but I managed to squeeze those in too.

By the time I hit grade 12 I lost touch with sports. I was working part time, attending youth group on the weekends, and my social life was running at a steady pace.

It wasn’t until several years (and several pounds) later that I realized the importance of moving. Even if it’s just going for a walk every day, our bodies benefit greatly from exercise.

In much the same way a couple can easily find themselves looking back to find that the important things have slipped away from their grasp.

Life gets messy at times. It’s easy to get preoccupied, and lose touch with those things that bond us together.

We all have responsibilities. As we get older the responsibilities grow, but are we growing together?

Whether we’ve been married for thirty days or thirty years we must hold tight to the building blocks that keep our marriage alive. While there are some things we may out grow, there are five that we should never stop doing:

1. Praying for each other every day. (Click here for marriage prayer of the day).

2. Communicating in love. This calls for humility patience and kindness.

3. Giving of ourselves sacrificially. It’s a lot easier to be self-centered than it is to consider the happiness of others. Giving another person your time and attention is a gift.

4. Making love. Often. Be affectionate with each other. And let me also add, be understanding with each other. Some seasons can drain our energy completely. Some health conditions can too. While we should make every effort toward sexual intimacy, I urge you to also be a compassionate lover.

5. Spending time together. Be diligent about making time for our spouse. If you want to understand your husband, and if you want to communicate with your wife, spend time ample time together.

 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. – Proverbs 5:18

You are loved by an almighty God,

Darlene Schacht
The Time-Warp Wife

Pick up a copy of my book, Messy Beautiful Love: Hope and Redemption for Real-Life Marriages. 
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