The start of a new school year is a new season for marriages too,

and an opportunity to reconnect with your spouse.

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Dear Rick, As a new school year begins and students head off to college, many couples find themselves alone in the house for the first time in months or years.  Some couples realize that they’re out of touch with each other. Through the busyness and hard work of raising kids, they’ve simply grown apart, and may even wonder why they’re still together. But the back-to-school season and empty-nest years can be the best seasons of your marriage! My wife, Erin, and I have discovered simple things that a husband and wife can do to reconnect — and they don’t have to take a lot of time. Here are just a couple ideas: Spend 10 minutes in a conversation asking each other “What was the best part (and worst part) of your day?” Ask your spouse “What one thing can I do to help you feel safe in our marriage?” Discuss the values and legacy related to marriage that you want to pass on to grandchildren or younger couples in your community. The resources below offer more things you can do to make your marriage the strongest it’s ever been. Helping you make a great season, Dr. Greg Smalley Vice President, Marriage Reconnecting With Your Spouse Are you feeling like you and your spouse have drifted apart? Maybe your husband or wife seems more like a business partner than a love. Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley discuss how to move from roommates to soulmates in this Focus on the Family broadcast. Watch here. Plan Wisely for the Empty Nest Season Today a child born in the United States can be expected to live about 78 years. In 1900 it was just 47 years. Today’s extended lifespan gives married couples a chance at two lives: a life spent raising children and another life spent after the children are grown. How can you and your spouse make the most of your empty-nest lives? Even if you’re still actively parenting, plan now for what can be the best season of your marriage. Read more. Reconnected: Moving from Roommates to Soulmates in Your Marriage Over time, the business of life creeps in and even the most deeply committed couples can feel like they're living parallel lives rather than enjoying life together. In this book, Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley offer practical ways to rekindle the passionate, intimate, heart-to-heart spark of connection between husbands and wives. Get the book for your gift of any amount. The Focus on the Family Broadcast | This Week’s Episodes God is at work in the lives of our broadcast guests this week. Be sure to listen to these episodes to consider how He may be trying to work in your life, too. How a Strong-Willed Woman Can be Used by God Understanding Your Teen’s Digital World How God Reunited a Birth Mom and Her Son Better Ways to Communicate with Your Spouse Recover and Heal from Your Husband’s Sexual Sin Planning for empty-nest years can seem like a pipe dream if you've discovered your husband's struggle with pornography or other sexual infidelities. Your inner world is likely crumbling in the aftershock of this devastating betrayal. Get hope and a practical plan to heal with Aftershock: Overcoming His Secret Life with Pornography: A Plan for Recovery from The Focus Store. Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley present Reconnected: The Digital Experience Is the love there, but not the spark? Reawaken fun in your marriage with the help of this 7-part online video experience. News Headlines About Marriage Focus on the Family’s The Daily Citizen brings you the news from a Christian perspective, including breaking stories about things that are affecting marriage today. Get caught up.   Plugged In | Free Guy (PG-13) Free Guy stars Ryan Reynolds in this whimsical-but-violent movie about a guy who realizes he’s a non-player character in an online video game. Free Guy delivers laughs and some solid messages amid a lot of content for a PG-13 film. Read the review. You Deserve to Have a Marriage You Both Love Your marriage can be healed, and there is still hope. Get a free consult to find out if a Hope Restored marriage intensive experience is a good fit for you. You are subscribed as Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog . We apologize if someone else has submitted your address without your permission. Make sure you receive Focus emails — add email@contact.fotf.com to your address book. *Unsubscribe from Best Year Ever! email series  » *Unsubscribe All  |   *Manage Preferences  |   Contact Us © 2019 Focus on the Family, 8605 Explorer Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80920 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459) Source Code:  86003 *the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally

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