Marriage is a complicated venture. Weddings are a complicated event, but marriage brings a complicated lifetime. Marriage isn’t the Instagram picture, it’s the moments again and again when we quietly, humbly forge a friendship that will last through the hard times. 

My husband and I have been together for 7 years. We’ve had seasons when we were walking on clouds, stomach fluttering with butterflies. We’ve also had seasons when the burdens feel like more than you can carry and we’ve wondered why we ever made that walk down the aisle. But we keep walking together. 

As Christians, we know that God values marriages. One of the greatest ways we can live out our commitment to marriage is by working to strengthen our own marriage.

Through the highs and lows, Hubby and I have found a few ways to strengthen our marriage:

Read the Bible Together

This habit took a while for us to develop this habit and, what it came down to, we needed a plan. Now, we start our mornings with coffee, prayer, and time in the Word together. We read through a book of the Bible, a chapter or two a morning, at a time. Sometimes, we discuss the passage, at other times, we just quickly read through it and pray. No matter what, time in Scripture helps make sure we’re on the same page and helps provide other talking points. 

Practice Hospitality 

Welcoming others into our home has encouraged us to work as a team to create a place of belonging for others. It helps us share our lives with others and work towards a common goal of sharing the love of God through everyday relationships. It also incorporates our love of good food.

Engage in Hard Conversations

Early on in our relationship, Hubby set a precedent for never sweeping problems under the rug but always engaging with them. Instead of putting things on the back burner, we ask hard questions and give hard answers. We press into difficult situations and show through our willingness to engage that we will see the issue through. We talk about doubts, concerns, and worst fears. When marriage seems difficult, we say so and talk through how we can make it better, even if we’re not sure what that means. 

Have Intentional Date Nights

When we first got married, it was easy to get into a date night rut. Dinner at our favorite Korean BBQ place and then, if we were feeling wild, we’d catch the latest Marvel movie. While this was nice, it didn’t grow us or give us new memories to cherish. It is crucial that we made dates that allowed for new memories and important conversations. 

We started getting more creative with date nights by trying new places and introducing new experiences. Dates that allow for opportunities to talk while doing an activity are our favorites. We began hiking, going on scenic drives, and trying to spark bucket list conversations. 

Note: I received a Date Night In Box in exchange for this review. Links below may be affiliate links. 

Night In Boxes

Recently, we were able to enjoy a Date Night In Box. Our box was a Hawaiian date loved it. I was a little hesitant because, at first glance, I was worried it would be cheesy. 

I was totally wrong.

The games were fun and brought out our competitive natures (not to brag but I definitely won the majority of our three-round Hawaiian checkers tournament). The playlist was well-crafted and set a wonderful atmosphere. The Hawaiian themed box caused us to reminisce about our time in Hawaii together and discuss the things we miss about island life (namely, the sweet onion kettle chips that we can’t find anywhere in Michigan that came with our box). 

But it wasn’t just fun, it was intentional.

The games were carefully designed to not only spark some silly memories but to encourage us to open up to one another. We were reminded, and share with each other, some of the earliest memories we had of knowing we’d found “the one.” We dreamed about the year to come and set goals for our future. The evening we spent nurtured our relationship and we totally set some of the games aside to play in the future.

Date Night In sends a box each month, full of activities, ideas, and supplies for an amazing date night at home at a price cheaper than most dinners out. 

But it doesn’t just strengthen your marriage. 

The company was founded by Christians who want to encourage couples to build up their marriage deeply in the Lord. 

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. – Psalm 127:1, ESV

They have added a faith option for couples who want to use their date night as a starting point to provide deeper discussion about how their faith is reflected in their lives and in their marriage. It’s a way to draw you closer together and closer to God. 

Having Date Night In boxes arrive at your doorstep each month is a simple way to ensure that you’re getting at least one intentional, conversation-sparking and memory-making date a month with your spouse. 

Grab your Date Night in Box here. 

Love your spouse. Intentionally today. Marriage doesn’t happen by accident, but through years of hard work and dedication. Be the one today to seek out conversations and opportunities to build up a strong marriage that shows the world the love and commitment that Christ has for His Bride, the Church. 

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