How do you keep that "just married-feeling" alive throughout the years? My husband and I decided to read a book by Craig & Amy Groeschel this spring to get some good advice on how to keep our marriage happy and healthy. Craig and Amy have been married for 24 years and have six kids, so you could say that they know a thing or two about how to keep your marriage healthy.
The book is packed with great advice for how to build a strong marriage that can stand the test of time. One of my favorite tips in the book is to do a "marriage checkup" with your spouse on a regular basis. On a day when you are both in a good mood take some time to ask each other two questions. First, ask your spouse this: "What are three things I do in our marriage that you appreciate?" This is your chance to lift each other up and share why you love each other so much. You might also learn something new, maybe what your spouse appreciates the most is something you would have never guessed.
The second question you ask each other is this: "What are three things I could do in our marriage that would make you appreciate me even more?" Make sure you are being gentle and kind when you share what your spouse could improve on. It will be a lot easier for both of you to really listen to the feedback during a marriage checkup than if you yell some feedback during a fight.
The key is to work on your marriage during non-conflict times and on a regular basis. If you wait with dealing with your problems until they have piled up and you can no longer ignore them it will be a lot harder to get back to a good place. Commit to regular "marriage checkups".
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