Do you feel as though your hectic and busy life is preventing you from connecting with and loving your spouse on a regular basis?  Has your relationship lost its spark, yet you’re longing to love your spouse better than you ever have before?  Don’t miss these simple acts of kindness for marriage that can help your relationship thrive!

Coming to terms with unmet expectations in marriage

As a newly engaged woman, I used to dream about our life together.  Having lived in separate towns for our entire relationship, the thought of seeing my love on a daily basis was thrilling.  I imagined long chats each night before we finally snuggled into bed.

Looking back I admit that I laugh a bit at my naive self.  While our marriage has been the highlight of my life, we are hardly giddy newlyweds anymore. Those long, fireside chats I imagined don’t happen nearly as often as I would like. And honestly, as we fall into bed each night exhausted by life, we don’t snuggle as much as I had fantasized.

Yet the most important thing a wife can do is come to terms with unmet expectations in her marriage. The truth is, marriage is hard, sacrificial work.  A marriage relationship needs to be nurtured, watered, and tended before it can truly bloom. In reality, that means loving through crankiness, loss, differing opinions, and messy home habits.

Marriage is about choosing to stick with your spouse, even on days when you don’t like him, and forgiving his faults the way the Lord has forgiven us (even when it’s painful!) As someone who’s been there, the quicker you can adjust your expectations for what marriage is really like, the happier you’ll be in the long run.

Why it’s crucial to seek ways to love your spouse better

Have you ever been truly stuck in a job or situation that you loathed, but there is no way out?  Maybe you felt hopeless, defeated, and overwhelmed at the thought that you just had to muddle through.  That’s what it’s like to be stuck in a complacent marriage where two people have stopped trying and caring about the other.

While every situation is different, it’s crucial to the health of your relationship to seek small ways to build up your spouse and make them a priority (especially when the kids come around!)

When you find small ways to bless your spouse and look to be a servant instead of being served, most of the time, your spouse will do the same for you! Then, you’re building a foundation for a healthy relationship that seeks to give rather than take.

The result can be life changing and change the course of your relationship for the better!

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50 Ways to Love Your Spouse Better

1. Write a love note
2. Have simple, yet fun in-home dates
3. Protect your spouse’s rest and give him/her time to relax
4. Guard your tongue
5. Surprise him/her at work with lunch
6. Get intimate!!!
7. Watch his/her favorite movie (without complaining)
8. Do his/her least favorite chore
9. Send a text to say, “I love you”
10. Leave a surprise or note in his/her car
11. Set the coffee to brew (or surprise them with his/her favorite drink)
12. Ask him/her about their day
13. Smile often and “just because”
14. Kiss and hug upon greeting
15. Call if you’re running late
16. Pray for him/her regularly
17. Watch your tone of voice
18. Choose your words carefully
19. Give grace (even when it’s not deserved or expected)
20. Don’t nag
21. Pray Scripture over him/her
22. Dress to impress once and awhile
23. Surprise him/her with a date night
24. Give him the night off and to spend with friends
25. Do a chore without being asked
26. Give a massage
27. Listen carefully
28. Hold his/her hand
29. Do his/her favorite hobby (even if it’s not yours!)
30. Leave a Bible verse on the mirror
31. Be silly and make him/her laugh
32. Snuggle
33. Put on some music and have an impromptu dance at home
34. Pay him/her a compliment
35. Listen to his/her dreams
36. Regularly evaluate your relationship
37. Learn his/her love language and find ways to meet it
38. Try something new together
39. Let go of hurt and grudges
40. Support his/her dreams
41. Look for ways to serve
42. Be his/her biggest fan
43. Show respect
44. Brag on him/her to others
45. Be the best spouse you can be
46. Never stop trying to make the other person happy
47. Practice humility
48. Put his/her needs above your own
49. Connect your hearts by doing a Bible study as a couple
50. Be his/her safe place and the first person they run to

The simplicity of these ideas can help any marriage realign their hearts and refocus their priorities.  Even when life is hectic and schedules are chaotic, you can easily learn to love your spouse better by putting a few of these ideas into practice.  Choose one or two to focus on, and watch your relationship bloom as you make each other a priority once again.

What areas can you love your spouse better?

Do you have a strategy for making your spouse a priority?

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