We often think of military families as strong and self-reliant. But warrior facades can hide the same kind or marital stress that any couple faces. Truthfully, the stress on a military marriage can be even greater than those faced by civilian families: deployments, financial strain, frequent job relocations.
Add the fact that military personnel often face high-stress jobs, and you have a recipe for disaster. But it doesn’t have to be. Here’s how to ensure your marriage stays warrior strong:
1) Worship and pray together as a couple.
By spending time together in these practices, we anchor our marriages in the Lord. His strength will be there to sustain us when the going gets tough.
2) Make time together a priority.
With the schedules of most military personnel, a regular date night—on a specific night each week—may not always be possible. But finding a way to spend time with one another on a consistent basis is.
3) Keep the lines of communication open.
It’s easy to slip into the practice of “not worrying” our marriage partner. But by keeping things from one another, we increase the emotional distance in our relationship. We also deny ourselves the help we need, and our spouse the blessings of being their for us.
4) Make important decisions together.
For instance, my husband and I have an agreement that if we want to spend money over a certain dollar amount, we discuss it before committing the money. It’s a respect issue, not a control issue.
5) Get away for longer periods.
Date nights are important, but so are longer trips. These are the times we when can reconnect on a deeper level, rekindling the love that brought us together.
Marriage is a gift from God. We must treat it as such and spend time keeping it strong.
