Nurturing Marriage

One day I looked at my husband and realized that I did not know him as much as I used to. I contemplated what had happened throughout the years and then it hit me, we had spent so much time working, raising our children, moving, and a variety of other things that we had forgotten the most important thing in the process, US! So how do we nurture our marriage when we are surrounded by so many things in our daily life? We are going to learn about some of the things that we can do to strengthen our relationships with our spouse among the chaos!

The first thing we can do is figure out each other's love language. Gary Chapman does an excellent job of determining just what our love languages are so that we can help our spouses know the best way to reach each other on a personal level. Interested in taking the quiz? Go to his website and see what you are!

Talk as friends. Don't talk as parents, as coaches, as moms and dads, but as friends. It is easy to get carried away with the tasks of the day and make it a business type relationship working with one another to figure out what needs to be done. Have validating conversations in the day, show an interest in each other and the activities they are involved in, take turns talking and give them your full attention. ask yourself as you talk with your spouse, would I be doing what I am doing right now if I were talking with my best friend? If the answer is no, then it is probably time to reevaluate what you should do or what you can do better while your husband or wife talk to you. 

Have positive emotions towards one another. Give them the benefit of the doubt in conversation. Know that they have the best interest in mind for you and the family, even if it is a different opinion than your own. 

We need to remember to date our spouse. We need to continue to grow our relationship and we do this by dating and courting. We need to spend at least 5 hours with our spouse each week with limited interruptions, which means no kids. :) Yes, I know it is hard but I promise your relationship will be strengthened. Be creative as to how you can do it if you can't always go out! As you spend time with one another you will grow your relationship and nurture your marriage which will help your marriage withstand the chaos of the world!