I have learned many things as a wife over the last 18 years of marriage. I thought I'd share just a small list of some of those things. I do not believe a marriage exists that is 100% perfect, but as the years pass, if both people are willing to honor their commitment to one another and learn to really love, despite each other's flaws and failures, I believe any marriage can be a great one! My hope in posting this is that something I write here will be helpful to you as you grow and mature with your spouse. These things are from my perspective as a wife. They are in no particular order. I just wrote them down as they came to me as I reflected on my marriage over the past few weeks.
💗Make your home a “storm shelter”. Your home should be a place
your husband wants to be, not a place he wants to escape from. Work to
cultivate an atmosphere of peace, love, and rest.
💗Don’t expect your husband to meet ALL of your needs! Only
God can do that.
💗Make one-on-one time with each other a priority. Even if
it’s just sitting on the couch together for 15 minutes a day and having a
conversation without distractions.
💗Remember - you are his wife, not his mother.
💗Be quick to apologize and quick to forgive.
💗Remind each other that you are on the same team - working
together, not against each other.
💗Learn when to just be quiet.
💗Protect each other’s privacy! Other people don’t need to know
everything about your spouse, your relationship, or your family.
💗Don’t keep secrets or withhold information from each other.
Trust is earned and maintained through honesty and openness.
💗Pray together. Believe it or not, this is a huge intimacy
builder.
💗Work on giving more compliments and being less critical.
💗Besides your relationship with God, your marriage should be your #1 priority. All other relationships (including the relationship you have with your kids) flow from this one.
💗Go to bed the same time your spouse does, as much as
possible.
💗Show each other affection and let your kids see it!
💗Don’t bring up each other’s past mistakes.
💗Learn to manage your money well together. Don’t let money
become a source of strife.
💗Commit to having consistent family devotions.
💗Hold hands every chance you get.
💗Say “I love you” before ending every phone call.
💗Remember your wedding vows! “...for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part”, and work through every issue with those vows in mind. Don't let the "D-word" even be an option in your thoughts or your vocabulary. Remind each other you are in it for the long haul - come what may!
💗Have FUN together! Lighten up. Learn to laugh more! Don't take everything so seriously.
💗Be each other's best friend. Everyone else could come and go, but your marriage will still be there. Cultivate that relationship above all others.
💗Memorize 1 Corinthians 13.
💗Every marriage goes through rough and challenging times, and times where it feels like everything is going so smoothly it's almost perfect. No matter what season you are in, it's hands-down the BEST adventure to be on! Enjoy the ride and hold on tight to each other!
