Unity in Marriage (lesson 5)

“By divine design, [husbands] are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.” and “[Wives] are primarily responsible for the nurture of the children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.”

The Family: A Proclamation to the World 

When both wife and husband see each other as equals it brings unity and happiness to the marriage. By considering the others needs, supporting one another, working together to achieve goals are some ways that show equal commitment. Valuing each others roles as provider and nurturer and willingness to support each other in those roles create a equal partnership.
 
How can you build an equal partnership?

• Share house hold chores
• Work together in doing those day to day chores
•  Share childcare responsibilities
• Make important decision together
• Listen and consider each others opinion.  
• Express appreciation  

Benefits of equal partnership

•  Satisfaction in their marriage
• Less likely to be verbal or physically abusive to each other. 
• Better physical intimacy is attained.  
• Better parents as a unit.  

Articles to read:
Oneness , Crossing Thresholds and Becoming Equal Partners

How can you build oneness in your marriage?

• Play together. Find engaging activities you both can enjoy.These activities don't have to be extravagant. The key is that you are doing something that engaging you both as a couple. When a couple "plays" together their communication improves, develops a stronger relationship and solidifies the marriage.

• Invite the spirit through couple prayer and scripture study.
• Serve one another
• Date nights.

What can you do as a couple to build unity in your relationship? What is something you may need to repent of? What flaws do you see in yourself that prevent unity. How can you work to not allow that to happen?





Resources
Coltrane, S. (2000). Research on household labor: Modeling and measuring the social embedded of routine family work. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 62 , 1208-1233.

Valerie M. Hudson and Richard B Miller. (2012) Equal Partnership between Men and Women in Families.
Successful Marriages and families:Proclamation  Principles and Research Perspectives

Gottman, J. M., & Silver, N. (1999). The seven principles for making marriage work. New York: Three Rivers Press.

Holman, T. B., & Jacquart, M. (1988). Leisure activity patterns and marital satisfaction: A further test. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 50, 69-77.