1. The First Year: Adjusting to living together, combining finances, and navigating new roles and responsibilities can be difficult for some couples. The transition from the honeymoon phase to everyday life may also bring unexpected challenges.

2. Years 5-7 (“The Seven-Year Itch”): This is a commonly mentioned period where couples may face growing tension or dissatisfaction. Life stressors such as career pressures, raising young children, and balancing responsibilities can create strain in the marriage.

3. Years 10-15: For many, this phase often coincides with midlife changes or children entering adolescence. Couples might experience a sense of routine or monotony, and changes in personal identity or goals may lead to struggles in maintaining their connection.

4. Empty Nesting Years: When children leave the home, couples may have to re-establish their relationship dynamic and identity as a couple without the focus being on parenting. Some couples struggle with rediscovering their bond after years of focusing on family life.

Ecclesiastes 9:11:

“I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.”

1. Year 1-2 (Adjusting to Married Life):

• Genesis 2:24: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

The early years are a time of establishing unity. The Bible emphasizes the importance of cleaving to one another and growing in oneness. This requires patience and grace as couples learn to live together.

• Ephesians 4:2: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

Learning to live together involves differences in habits and communication styles, and the Bible calls for humility and patience.

2. Years 5-7 (Potential Disconnection and Complacency):

• Proverbs 5:18-19: “May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.”

The Bible encourages spouses to find joy and delight in each other throughout the years. It reminds couples to continually nurture their relationship and not take each other for granted.

• Galatians 6:9: “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

This verse encourages perseverance in doing what is right in the relationship, even when things feel stagnant or hard.

3. After Children (Balancing Family and Marriage):

• Psalm 127:3: “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.”

Children are seen as a blessing, so celebrate that! But they should not distract from the priority of the marriage relationship. It’s important for spouses to still nurture their connection while raising a family.

• Ephesians 5:25-28: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”

Husbands are instructed to love their wives as Christ loved the church, giving himself up for her. This shows that even amidst the busyness of family life, the marriage should reflect sacrificial love and selflessness.

4. Midlife (Reevaluating Life, Empty Nesting):

• Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: “Two are better than one… if one falls down, his friend can help him up.”

As couples face transitions, such as children leaving home, career changes, or personal challenges, the Bible emphasizes the strength and support spouses provide one another.

• 1 Corinthians 13:7: “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

This speaks to enduring love that sees through different phases of life and challenges, holding onto hope and faith in one another.