Exchanging of marriage vows is sealed with a wedding ring – a beautiful reminder of holy union between a man and a woman, to love, to cherish and to hold, till death do they part. Thus, as Christian couples, we ought to honor and stay true to our marriage vows.  “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” — Hebrews 13:4

However, overtime married couples discover that keeping a healthy marriage isn’t easy.  It takes time, effort, commitment, honesty and most especially God’s Word to keep our marriage strong and alive.  

Here are some tips to make your marriage healthy and last for a lifetime.

1. Devote time each day to pray with your spouse.

The best time to pray with your spouse is early in the morning. Start your day with a prayer.  Ask God to fill you with His love, and give you wisdom and strength for the day ahead. Praying together draws you closer to each other cultivates true intimacy with each other and with God.

2. Make your partner aware that you’re praying for them.

We all want a healthy marriage– to feel loved, valued and supported by our spouse. However, life gets so busy and sometimes we neglect to nurture this kind of relationships. With Prayers to Share: 100 Notes of Love to Affirm Your Marriage, you can let your spouse know that you’re praying for them, that you’re on their side, and that you are truly concerned about how their day went.

3. Pick a convenient time to read the Bible together.

Reading the Bible with your spouse is a great way to help strengthen your marriage, but this can be the most difficult part. So to make sure that you are both available in your joint readings, get your calendars and planners and pick a time each day or at least two times a week that’s most convenient for both of you. Read the Bible together and choose a Scripture that you will reflect and meditate for the day.

4. Commit to making significant decisions together.

As Christian married couples, you must commit to making significant decisions together. Coming to mutual decisions on financial matters, implementation of discipline in your family and other significant matters is very crucial in strengthening trust and respect for each other.  

5. Take part in church activities together.

Find a church where both of you will not only attend and worship God together, but enjoy common areas of interest like serving in a ministry ( music ministry, children’s ministry, evangelism, etc) and building friendships with other couples.

6. Keep the love alive.

Spend quality time together to keep your romantic love burning. Set aside time for intimacy to maintain a happy and lasting marriage. Keep doing the romantic things you enjoyed while dating — be thoughtful and kind to each other. Laugh together.  Send greeting cards for special occasions and love notes to wonderfully express how much you love and appreciate your spouse. Surprise your spouse with gifts to acknowledge his or her achievements. Remember, passion and romance are essential ingredients to a healthy marriage, so don’t take it for granted even distractions and pressures of life are getting in your way.

^“ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.“ Corinthians 13: 4-7

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. “– Corinthians 13:3