How Putting God First Strengthens Marriage, Faith, and Emotional Intimacy
Bringing spirituality into a marriage is so beneficial. My husband and I enjoy practicing religion together, and we also separately enjoy scripture study and listening to materials that aid our understanding of spiritual and religious things. I believe this has helped us in our marriage, in parenthood, and as we navigate life outside our own haven.
This year, I wanted to focus on “God first,” and on having Him be my only God. I realized that I have often turned to mortals as my go-to for personal troubles and have been too influenced by mortal opinions. I came to see that I need to be completely right with God and focus on how my Heavenly Parents see me and what They think of me. If I am being Christlike and doing the things my Heavenly Parents would have me do, then I can be at peace with myself despite mortal opinions and actions.
To grow closer to God as a couple, we are reading Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage for our couple’s scripture study. What better way to deepen our spirituality than by deepening our understanding of and relationship with our beloved Brother and Savior, Jesus Christ?
We also love listening to Unshaken by Jared Halverson and Follow Him, hosted by John Bytheway and Hank Smith—sometimes separately, sometimes together, and when possible, with our children. I love Jared's deep insights, as well as John and Hank’s insights and how they apply the gospel to life and relationships. Our testimonies have been strengthened and our knowledge deepened. I am not related to Jared Halverson, though I have met him before and confirmed there is no relation, but I have loved listening to him for a long time. They are definitely my “brothers” of the gospel whom I have loved learning from. I especially love when Brother Halverson highlights women in the scriptures and the matriarchal lines of priesthood that have strengthened the Church. Brothers Bytheway and Smith bring on amazing women scholars and scriptorians who add so much richness and insight to my gospel knowledge and its application. I hope to meet John and Hank in the future.
Karson and I do a fun little thing where on even days he prays during our couple’s prayer, and on odd days I pray. Odd feels fitting for me. 😉 I know as we continue to make couple’s scripture study and prayer a priority, it will deeply bless our marriage and family. I have felt that as we’ve centered our relationship on Christ and raised our children based on His doctrine, our marriage has strengthened in both spiritual and physical ways. It deepens emotional intimacy in ways the world cannot. The divine love that develops in a Christ-centered relationship creates emotional intimacy that spills over into physical connection.
Our marriage takes work, but it has been filled with joy and happiness, and I am so grateful for a husband who loves God, Christ, and me fiercely.