Married couples need to spend one-on-one time together to be healthy. But they also need a community of couples who positively influence their relationship.
Your marriage is not an island. You need to interact with other couples – to invest in their lives and for them to invest in yours. This is especially important because so many people live far away from members of their extended family and can’t benefit from their influence. If you don’t have family support, the influence of good friends is invaluable.
That’s why it’s so helpful to double date with other couples. There’s no hard-and-fast rule for how often but making one out of every four dates a double date is a pretty reasonable goal. If you date your spouse once a week, that’s one double date a month. If you and your spouse only go out once a month, you’ll still squeeze in three double dates a year. That may not sound like much, but don’t underestimate the impact these moments can make.
Relationships with other couples can help keep your marriage healthy, but they’ll be especially invaluable if your marriage hits a rough spot. During troubled times, couples tend to isolate. Friendships will give your marriage a strong shoulder to lean on and help you get through the painful times you’re facing.
We were designed for community. As individuals and as couples, we need the support and influence of others.
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