It rarely happens all at once.

It happens in little ways.

A busy week turns into a busy month. One evening you are too tired to talk. Another night you both reach for your phones. Work demands more attention. The kids need you. Family needs you. Life keeps moving.

And somewhere in the middle of it all, the person you promised to walk through life with can start getting whatever is left of you after everyone else has had their turn.

That’s why I’m learning to take intentional steps toward Hannah.

Small steps.

When I come home, I can hold our kiss a little longer.

When the kids are in bed, I can turn off the television and give her 15 minutes of my undivided attention.

I can bring home flowers when there’s no special occasion.

I can leave a note where she’ll find it.

I can surprise her with a little “happy” gift simply because I was thinking about her.

None of these things takes much time. They simply require me to notice her and choose her.

Then there are the bigger steps.

Schedule the date night.

Put the weekend away on the calendar.

Stay up late together watching movies after the kids are asleep.

Work on a project together.

Or sometimes, do absolutely nothing together. Put on pajamas, make some popcorn, and enjoy a slow day at home.

The point isn’t the activity.

The point is choosing each other.

Marriage needs that choice again and again.

Because the world will constantly ask for your attention. Your job will ask for it. Your children will ask for it. Your phone will ask for it. Your responsibilities will ask for it.

If you’re not intentional, everything else can slowly move to the front of the line.

Your spouse deserves more than what happens to be left over.

So take a step toward each other today.

Put your phone down.

Look into their eyes.

Ask a question and listen to the answer.

Reach for their hand.

Make plans for some time together.

Tell them you love them.

It doesn’t have to be complicated.

Just take the step.

Because the distance created by a busy life doesn’t usually disappear on its own. Someone has to move.

Let it be you.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11

Prayer

Lord, help me be intentional about the people You’ve entrusted to me. When life gets busy, remind me to slow down and take a step toward the person I love. Help me notice when we’ve begun to drift and give me the courage to close the distance. Teach me to love through my actions, my attention, and the small choices I make every day. Amen