Bad marriages are destroyed by crisis, Good marriages survive them. Great marriages are improved by them.

(paraphrased from Andrew Grove former CEO of Intel)

Many families at SBC have been harshly affected by the economy and in such times the pressures rise on the marriage.  All too often relationships strain and without caring help – they can break.   This blog is here to share, to pray, to show our care and to encourage husbands and wives to return to their first love of Christ, and allow Him to guide you to taking your marriage, bad or good, toward GREAT.

No matter the state of YOUR economy, career, or family, we hope you will keep or start praying together (silently if need be), having a regular date night and marriage staff meeting.  These three are so helpful for building the marriage relationship that God ordained since the beginning.

Here are some ways this month that you can deepen the connection with your spouse.

HUSBANDS.  Take note of this!  February is “Heart Month”! How many times have you waited until it was too late to plan something special for Valentine’s Day? WIVES, you are usually more curious than your husbands, and since you’re reading this, take some time to ponder your role in this holiday.

We encourage you to consider together, how to celebrate Heart Month in addition to the Valentine’s celebration at SBC.

Ask one another what would make the occasion special for your spouse.   A flower, a gift (remember Husbands, even in a tough economy generally speaking a warranty is OUT – an appraisal is IN – and wives try Home Depot, Bass Pro Shops, Best Buy, or Checker Auto). Even a short one day or weekend adventure can be good re-connectors.

Do you know your spouse’s favorite means of relaxing? (If not – ASK)  Can you join them in it?  Recently I had a coaching client tell me he was going to join his golfing wife on the driving range once a month in 2009, just for the connection, and to show his love.   How about you?   What new thing(s) can you do to show love to your spouse?

Keeping Heart Month in focus, we’d like to recommend The Love Dare book this month.   Authors Stephen and Alex Kendrick challenge us all to take the forty day love dare and learn how to re-ignite, re-kindle and re-invigorate our love for our spouse.  The book is an extension of the movie Fireproof, (now available on DVD), and each of the forty chapters gives the reader a different avenue to extend love to their spouse.  Whether your marriage is bad, good or great, this book will teach you how to lead, instead of follow your heart.  Also see http://www.40daylovedare.com/ for more information on the book and the marriage-changing movie.  Don Farr is a Certified Life Coach in Paradise Valley, AZ.