It’s never too late to think about setting New Year’s resolutions. Yes, I know this sounds crazy during all the holiday madness, but now is a good time to think about what you want to accomplish next year, especially as a couple. As married people, we are here to love each other, support each other, and do life together. Setting goals we want to accomplish together is a great way to start the year. These goals can come in all flavors, like wanting to grow closer to God together, volunteering to help others, or finishing that home improvement project together. Here are some ideas for resolutions to make as a Christian couple.
Spiritual Resolutions
Our relationship with Jesus is the most important thing in our lives, and it’s just as important to spend time with him as a couple as individuals. Here are some ideas for resolutions to enrich our spiritual life.
1. Studying the Bible Together
Sit down with your spouse and decide what book of the Bible you want to study together and when the best time of the day is to do so. If you are overwhelmed, it may help to choose a devotional to go through together to help you get started.
2. Praying Together
Make a resolution to pick two to three-time slots a day to pray together. This could be before both of you get out of bed in the morning, before you go to sleep each night, or even on a phone call during lunch break. You will have flexibility in your day to pray together by picking a few different times.
3. Attending Small Group Together
Commit to attend a small group Bible study together in your church. This is a great way to learn more about the word of God and make friends.
4. Getting More Involved in Church Together
Decide where you want to get more involved in your church. This could be as a greeter, setting out communion, teaching Sunday school, tending the nursery, being on the worship team/band, etc.
Volunteering and helping others is rewarding and something couples can do together.
5. Volunteering for Special Church Events
Look at upcoming events in your church and volunteer to help. You could volunteer for VBS to help with the annual church yard sale or help decorate the church at Christmas time.
6. Volunteering for a Favorite Cause
Either choose a cause that is special to both of you or two different causes to volunteer to help with. Spend as much time as you can volunteering throughout the year.
7. Volunteering to Help Someone
In our busy lives, it’s easy to get stuck inside our own worlds and not look out for others. Take some time and help those around you next year. You could help a friend move, clean an older relative’s house, or watch your friend’s kids one weekend day.
Financial Resolutions
Our finances are a huge part of our lives, and being on the same page in this area is important.
8. Getting out of debt
Getting out of debt is a great resolution for couples to make. Sit down and make a plan about how you are going to do it, and commit to working together to achieve it.
9. Saving More Money
If you want to save more money in the new year, review your budget and see where you can cut back. If you haven’t checked rates on auto or homeowner/renters insurance, call a few companies and see where you can save some money. There are many ways to save money, and what works for one person may not work for another. Look at your budget and decide what is right for you.
10. Making Sure You Are Prepared for Life
Most people have auto and homeowners/renters insurance, but what about things like health insurance, life insurance, ID theft insurance, long and short-term disability insurance, etc? Having a will is something else that many people overlook. Take some time to get these things in order in case the unthinkable happens. This will give your spouse and your family peace of mind.
11. Making More Money
If you have been struggling to make ends meet, resolve to make more money in the new year. This doesn’t mean you have to take on a second job outside the home, although you could if it works for your schedule. There are many legitimate ways to make money from home. Research different options and choose the ones that will work with your schedule to bring in extra cash.
12. Having a Budget
This is a great resolution to make and will bring harmony to your marriage. Sit down and make a budget with your spouse and have monthly budget committee meetings so you are both on the same page about what is going on financially.
Everyone has that one project they need to get done in order to make our homes more functional, cozy, and appealing.
13. Remodeling
Make plans to remodel the room or area in your house that has been driving you nuts. Do the research, work out the finances, and go for it.
13. Finishing That Room
You know that room that was your child’s bedroom, but you have wanted to turn it into an office for the past two years? The one you started painting but never finished? Buy the paint and choose a weekend to finish painting it and then another weekend to finish the room with furnishings once and for all.
14. Landscaping
If you and your spouse have a green thumb, or at least one of you do, plan to do your landscaping in the spring. If you both have a knack for it, you will bond while working on it, and if only one of you does, one of you will learn a lot from your partner.
Health Resolutions
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Our health is our wealth and is one area of our life where having a buddy will help us succeed more than on our own.
15. Exercising Together
Discuss what exercise you both enjoy and choose two different types to start with. For example, you could walk one week and go to the gym the next. Choose a time that works for both of you and go for it. Having an accountability partner means you will more likely stick to it.
16. Losing Weight Together
If you and your partner need to lose weight, decide on a specific amount and make a plan lining out how you are going to do it. Make sure you reward yourself with something small each time you hit your goal, and then plan something big for when you hit your ultimate goal.
17. Eating Healthier Together
Go online and start choosing healthier recipes now to cook together. You can make a lot of your favorites lighter or swap certain ingredients for healthier choices. Commit to keeping all junk food out of the house and focus on making healthier choices not just for food but snacks and beverages, too.
18. Going to Therapy Together
Our mental and emotional health is important, and because a couple goes to therapy, it doesn’t always mean something is wrong. Sometimes, couples need to talk things out and learn to communicate better. If you’re unsure about therapy, try a couples retreat with your church. You will come back more refreshed and connected to God and each other.
19. Quitting that Habit
Commit to quitting that bad habit you are having trouble kicking and supporting your partner or each other if you are both struggling.
Life is supposed to be fun, so choose something special you want to do and go for it.
20. Going to a Concert
Pick a concert you want to go to and get tickets. You will enjoy a night out and have a great time with your spouse.
21. Planning a Special Trip
Take time to plan a special trip you want to go on. This can be a trip to another city in your state, another state, or an attraction across the country. Add it to your calendar and count down the days.
22. Planning a Special Big Purchase
Have something big you want to purchase, like a new bed or new furniture? Work it into your budget and add a date to meet your goal. You can even discuss little things you can do to make some extra money to save up for it faster.
23. Hanging Out with Friends More
Life gets busy, and it’s easy to lose track of our friends. How often do you hear yourself say, “I’ve been meaning to get together with you, but life gets so busy.” Choose a few specific nights of the week and see if your friends are available to hang out, and then make it a set date every week or every other week. This way, you are intentional about keeping in touch, and time won’t slip away.
23. Spending More Time with the Kids (or Grandkids)
If you have kids, resolve to spend more time with them. Grandkids too. Block out one or two weekends a month where you spend all of your time with your kids or grandkids. They grow up so fast, this way you won’t miss a thing.
24. Learning Something New
Talk about your interests with your spouse and see what you have in common. Then, take up a class to learn how to do something new. For example, you both love to cook but don’t know how to cook Japanese food. See if a cooking class in your area teaches how to cook Japanese food.
25. Spending More Time Together
Resolve to spend more time together. We all get caught up in our daily lives to the point where it’s monotonous sometimes—schedule date nights. Get up before the kids and spend some time together, or stay up later on a Friday night to spend more time together. Surprise your spouse by shipping the kids off to grandma’s, having an entire weekend to yourselves. Bring take out to your spouse on their lunch break and eat with them. There are all kinds of scenarios where you can make the time to spend more time with your spouse.
You can make many resolutions as a Christian couple to help make the world better, improve your lives, and have fun. Choose some resolutions today and get ready for a great new year.
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