Coming up with creative, meaningful date night ideas can be difficult in marriage. Not everyone is all that creative to begin with, and eventually you start to use up all the good ideas you do have.
But that’s OK; we have some ideas you can copy. We asked a number of couples who lead in re|engage to share their own “creative connections”—things you can do to connect with your spouse and build into your relationship. Below are some of the ideas they came up with.
Take a moment this week to do inventory. How well do you know your spouse? How well does your spouse know you? Be intentional in your quest to know each other better and build oneness. Come up with some questions that probe on a deeper, more meaningful level. Then, plan a date night, take a walk or spend some time together at home after the kids are in bed. Open up and share and spend time listening! Some example questions:
Each of you write down all of the non-verbal things that your spouse does to communicate their love for you. Then write down what you think are the non-verbal things that you do to communicate the same thing to your spouse. Compare the two lists and see how well you align. Finally, each of you write out the perfect date night… compare, combine, agree, and do it!
Think of the last time you and your spouse had a conflict regarding missed expectations. Review the details of the interaction and communicate the expectations you had that went unmet. Talk through the root of those expectations and ways that you might be able to communicate those better or look to God to fulfill those in the future.
Spend time together looking at family photographs from childhood. Use this activity to stimulate discussion about where your respective views of marriage came from and how you developed your expectations for marriage as a result. Do this with an attitude of gaining a deeper understanding of your spouse so that you might serve him or her better.
1 Peter 3:7 challenges men to “live with your wives in an understanding way…so that your prayers may not be hindered.” Commit to praying with your spouse, on your knees, out loud, every day for one week.
Schedule a date night, and spend some time together making a list of all your differences. Thank God that you married someone different than you. View each difference as a way to extend grace to your spouse.
In marriage, we get to choose to love generously (with our gifts and abilities), intentionally (with our time), and continuously (from the heart). One way we can do all three is by serving our spouse. Take some time during your next date night, whether out on the town or on the couch, and ask each other this question: “If I could serve you for an entire day, what would you have me do and what would you do?” Then, actually schedule a day to do those things as a way to show your love!
That is 15 different ways you can connect with your spouse. You can choose your favorites, or do all of them over the coming months. But we would encourage you to at least pick one that you can put into action this week.