How’s your serve? Kick your relationship up a notch by serving together.
People devote untold amounts of energy to drawing closer together with their spouse. At MDI, we’ve developed entire courses to help you achieve this critical task. We do our best to keep you stocked with helpful tools and resources to stay on track in your marriage. It’s what we’re all about and want to do well.
Understanding each other’s deepest needs is excellent. Finding ways to communicate more efficiently will tear down walls. Reflecting on changes or adjustments you need to make in your relationship will help you make great strides. But, while considering all the things you can do together to improve your relationship and allow it to reach its potential, don’t miss one more important thing: helping other people.
If you’ve ever experienced service of any kind, you know the benefits you gain. It feels great to help other people. It’s not something you have to do on your own. Serving in your church or community is also one of the ways you can draw closer as a couple. Though God has given you each a personal ministry, undoubtedly when the two of you come together to accomplish something for the benefit of others, you’ll create an entirely different dynamic and result. Your unique talents and passions, when combined, can be a great gift to the world.
If it’s true that a fantastic way to grow together is to share new experiences, wouldn’t it be a bonus to do that while simultaneously helping someone else? But, where to start?
The options are endless, but consider this simple strategy to discover ways you might come together to reach outside yourselves.
Make a List
Apart from your spouse, make a three-column list of issues you care about, talents you have, and ministry you’ve helped do in the past. For example, you may care about orphans, have a knack for writing, and in the past helped put together a magazine for a nonprofit. If you don’t have much ministry experience, list things you think would be interesting to try.
Ask your spouse to create a list as well. Then, compare your lists to find overlap in similar interests or in complimentary skills. You might also help your beloved remember things they didn’t include on their roster. Narrow your list down to one issue you both care about, a skill each of you can contribute, and ideas of how you might serve together.
Do Your Research
Research organizations in your community or that your church supports that utilize the talents of volunteers. See which one(s) might provide opportunities for you to serve together with your spouse.
Get to know the people in that organization and tell them what you’d like to try. If they don’t have the exact opportunity you want, be open to serving in other ways.
Whether you serve in a soup kitchen, teach international friends how to improve their English, or bake and deliver cookies to church visitors, helping with your spouse will bless your relationship. And, there’s no telling what a positive impact you can have on someone else’s life.
More reading:
What My GPS Watch Has Taught Me about Marriage
Marital Disagreements—Don’t Air Your Dirty Laundry in Public
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