Marriage is probably the most life-changing, all-consuming experience the human condition offers. From the pronouncement of our vows, we instantly unite and adjoin with our spouse, sharing our bodies, home, finances, free time, and autonomy over the remote. Understandably, couples often get lost in themselves, especially during those early years, consumed with the hundreds of daily adjustments and lifestyle alignments it takes in order to live in harmony (and boy, is it a process!). Often, though, as the years go on, Christians find themselves missing the closer, more intimate connection they had with God before marriage, when they lived a more simple and focused life. We often settle into our structured routines and habits (dinner, then walk the dog, then Netflix ‘til we snooze), which is fine and healthy unless the state of being married drastically reduces the time, energy, and fervor we allocated and felt toward Jesus during our single years. It’s not something to be ashamed of, but it is something to recognize and combat by establishing shared purposes in marriage and daily routines that often need to be re-defined and re-adjusted to maintain personal time and connectedness to the Lord. Here are a few that have worked for me through the years:

Photo credit: Image created using DALL.E 2024 AI technology