It strengthens your connection emotionally, mentally, and yes, even playful.
As life speeds up, intimacy quietly disappears into the background. But the slow rhythm and warm days of summer not only provide physical intimacy, but also space to listen carefully to you frequently (and loudly) laugh, pray together, pray together, through your time and intentionality, pause, leaning in, and reminding you of what has put you together. This season is an invitation to reset, reconnect and get closer.
There are 5 ways to be more intentional in your marriage this summer, and enjoy it!
1. Make time to laugh and talk about more than logistics.
It’s easy to slip into the rhythm of talking only about what’s for dinner, what needs to be fixed, and what’s going on with the kids. When did you have a real conversation that made you laugh or watched you?
Try this: Grab a set of combo cards for a couple. They look like a game (because they are!), but beauty is how you spark conversations that you might not have thought you would start on your own. Whether you’re newly married or decades, they remind you that your spouse is worth rediscovering.
2. Take the date a little more seriously (in a fun way).
Certainly, dinner is good. But sometimes the most meaningful moments come from the modest and thoughtful dates when you are present and creative and intentional, such as a round of neon putt putts indoors, a game night after a fun trip to grab your favorite snacks and drinks, bake sweets together, and spend a cozy movie night. It’s not about planning, it’s more about connections.
Try this: mix things using dates in a dime. They are full of ideas that make dating your spouse feel feasible even on a budget. What’s more, it’s about connections, not money spent.
3. We play together intentionally.
Play helps to disappoint our security. It reconnects us to the lighter aspects of marriage and builds emotional intimacy without pressure.
One of my favorite ways to connect with my husband Peter is to play the game. We are both competitive. So there’s always a lot of laughs, playful trash stories, and sometimes dramatic victory speeches.
Try this: Break Out Aut Aut Aut Aut Aut Out Freret Flush Couples Edition. These two games are a great way to enjoy each other again. Yes, they’re ridiculous, but they open the door to remind you that you’re not just your parents, teammates or roommates. You are still someone you like.
4. Invite God through prayer and shared devotion.
One of the most intimate things you can do as a couple is to invite God to your everyday moments. It builds trust and unity and reminds you of some part of something bigger than you two.
My husband, Peter, and I, were feeling the weight of this season. He balances his PhD, raises a purposeful, sweet, busy toddler, and caring for each other and our homes well. Lately, even the smallest things have caused tension and we feel the enemy trying to divide us. The prayer we return well is for God’s protection in our day and for supernatural grace, perseverance and strength. I also ask to stay at the forefront of our minds that we are on the same team.
Try this: Start with something simple and intentional. Use lifting the wife/husband via prayer cards to guide each other’s prayers. Or, choose a short couple that looks like our stories and drawn together to read together several times a week. You don’t have to be long to be meaningful. It just needs consistency. You will be amazed at how softens your hearts with one another and invites God into your connection.
5. Refocus on what your marriage is really.
It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture of everyday life. But God designed your marriage for more than coexistence. He uses it to grow you, shape you, and reach others.
Try this: Do study couples, including the art of marriage and vertical marriage. These studies open up honest conversations and recently open your marriage on God’s design. They challenge you in the best way and remind you that you are not the only one.
Ready to get started?
Choose at least two products to build your own “date night bundle.” Whether you pick up games, combo cards, dating ideas, or dedication, all items are designed to help you grow together in important ways.
Don’t wait for intimacy to “just happen.” Choose to pursue it. With purpose, with joy and with God, we are at the center.
Copyright©2025 by FamilyLife. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.
Bethany Kuetzing is the brand marketing manager for FamilyLife resources. Before working at FamilyLife, she worked in marketing for the Ministry of Counseling. Bethany lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband Peter and son Theodore. Bethany and Peter first met when they were 16 and have been married since 2019.
