Do you and your spouse have the same goals and aspirations when it comes to marriage? Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley share the importance of having a common end in mind in marriage.
“We have to have this end in mind that we want to finish this race well together. We have to have these dreams along the way as we’re journeying, what are our goals? What are our dreams that we have that God is leading us too?”
God has dreams for what He wants your marriage to look like. There are things He wants you and your spouse to accomplish together.
“What’s the purpose that He’s brought us together as one?”
It’s so easy for us to slide into auto-pilot and forget to be intentional about striving towards a common purpose in marriage. When we let our hearts disengage from what we are doing, we also disengage our faith. More often than not, we don’t even realize that we’ve checked out of our relationship with our spouse.
“When we do check out of our relationship, we’re just going through the routine trying to get, through the day because we’re exhausted, we don’t get the very best our relationship has to offer.
In fact, we don’t get the best of any relationship we have when we mentally and emotionally check out.
“We don’t get the very best with our relationship with the Lord, in our friendships, or with our kids and so there’s times.”
How can we check back into our relationships? Greg and Erin suggest a change of scenery.
“What a perfect time, when you’re on an adventure, to really just take time to reflect on your relationship.”
Dr. Greg Smalley serves as executive director of Marriage and Family Formation at Focus on the Family. In this role, he develops and oversees initiatives that prepare individuals for marriage, strengthen and nurture existing marriages and help couples in marital crises.
Erin Smalley works alongside her husband at Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, CO, where her family makes their home. She has also published numerous articles for ParentLife, HomeLife, and Marriage Partnership magazines.
Key Scripture: Isaiah 54:10
Featured Songs: The Lion and the Lamb – Leeland; God’s Not Done – River Valley; You Make Me Brave – Bethel Music
Adventure in marriage
