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{"id":1403,"date":"2013-12-18T09:00:57","date_gmt":"2013-12-18T15:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mtvpastor.com\/?p=1403"},"modified":"2013-12-18T09:00:57","modified_gmt":"2013-12-18T15:00:57","slug":"8-11-ways-to-make-your-marriage-awesome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/newwineskins\/8-11-ways-to-make-your-marriage-awesome\/","title":{"rendered":"#8: 11 Ways to Make Your Marriage Awesome"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I wrote three posts in honor of my marriage anniversary. Here\u2019s the one that cracked the top ten:<\/em><\/p>\n

On\u00a0Monday<\/a>\u00a0I started a series of posts on marriage in honor of my eleven year marriage anniversary. Today is part two, on 11 Ways to Make Your Marriage Awesome. In no way do I claim that this list is exhaustive or comprehensive. These are simply eleven things you can do to improve your marriage. Hope it helps!<\/p>\n

1. Pray together every day.<\/strong>\u00a0This simple spiritual act will cover over a multitude of hurts and bring you together in ways you never thought possible. Try it for two weeks and see what happens!<\/p>\n

2. Get the kids out of the bed.<\/strong>\u00a0If you\u2019ve got young kids, you know what I\u2019m talking about. They\u2019re going to want to sleep with you. Don\u2019t let them. Wives can use it as an excuse to avoid intimacy. You need that time together, alone. Even if you\u2019re just sleeping. Kick them out.<\/p>\n

3. Talk to each other for five minutes everyday.<\/strong>\u00a0It doesn\u2019t even have to be incredibly deep talk. Talk about your day. Talk about what happened in the last 24 hours. Amazingly, even a little communication on a regular basis can go a long way.<\/p>\n

4. Turn off the TV.<\/strong>\u00a0Television can be an incredible detriment to your marriage if you let it. It will suck up all of your available time, steal your attention and energy, and dry up your conversation. If nothing else, get the tv out of the bedroom. Don\u2019t allow your free time to be consumed by tv.<\/p>\n

5. Get on a budget and stick with it.<\/strong>\u00a0This is for the \u201cspenders\u201d in the family. Money problems are the number one cause of fights between couples. You want a happier marriage? Get out of debt and stick to a budget. It\u2019s amazing how many issues this will clear up.<\/p>\n

6. Get rid of the porn<\/strong>. Husbands, your casual addiction to pornography destroys the intimacy you could be having with your wife. Your wife will never measure up to the make-believe standards that pornography creates. Pornography isn\u2019t harmless. Get rid of it.<\/p>\n

7. More sex<\/strong>. Wives, I know that the way God created males and females are different, and I know that your sex drive will typically be dwarfed by your husband\u2019s. That\u2019s no excuse to be passive in your pursuit of romance. Initiate. Pursue. A healthy and regular sexual life is integral to a happy marriage.<\/p>\n

8. Date each other.<\/strong>\u00a0Have a date night twice a month, minimum. Once a week if you\u2019re able. You two need to pursue each other romantically, outside of the bedroom. What did you do when you were dating? Don\u2019t lose that.<\/p>\n

9. Surround yourself with other strong couples.<\/strong>\u00a0You need mentors. You need strong friends with healthy marriages. If the only people you interact with are couples with dysfunctional or broken marriages, that dysfunction will rub off on you. Hang around with people with the type of marriage you want to have.<\/p>\n

10. Forgive, a lot.<\/strong>\u00a0Your spouse will hurt you more than any other human being on the planet. That\u2019s what you get for marrying a sinner. The only way to release the toxin of bitterness is to forgive, often. There are slights and hurts that your spouse may never apologize for. Forgive them anyway. That\u2019s what Jesus did for you on the cross (Jesus juke!).<\/p>\n

11. Toughen up.<\/strong>\u00a0Throw out the idea of marriage you see in romantic comedies. That\u2019s a myth. Marriage is tough, tough work. It\u2019s not for the faint of heart. Marriage will challenge you more than almost anything else you\u2019ll experience in life. Toughen up. Roll up your sleeves. Get in there and fight for your marriage.<\/p>\n

Friday we\u2019ll finish with 11 Reasons Why Marriage is Worth It.<\/p>\n

QUESTION: What suggestions would you add to this list?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"