Happy at home
If it's been a while since you perused Deuteronomy, I highly recommend a refresher. There are several surprises scattered like Easter eggs throughout. One of the most stunning expectations is this:
"When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be liable for any other public duty. He shall be free at home one year to be happy with his wife whom he has taken" (Deuteronomy 24:5).
Can we just pause for a moment to appreciate this command? Imagine if our productivity-obsessed culture followed such a pattern, enabling newlyweds to simply enjoy one another without the stress of external obligations for a year. Considering the weight of context here—God's holy standards for His people—this rule carries a fair amount of shock value to a society driven by endless output. My basic point? The Lord prizes great marriages far more than we do.
“It's time to step up our dating game for the glory of God.”
In the spirit of Deuteronomy 24:5, I'd like to offer some date night ideas. 52, to be exact. Planning for fresh joy is holy work, even if it feels like you've been married since Deuteronomy was first written. It's time to step up our dating game for the glory of God. So without further ado, here's a year's worth of romance:
Splurge on a dressy date night out, asking personal questions over dinner
Cozy up by the fire and decorate mugs to drink cocoa from
Focus on winter wellness with a sauna visit, hot tub soak, or greenhouse stroll
Put on some music and work a puzzle
Try your hand at pottery
Enjoy a Valentine's Day chocolate tasting
Lace up those ice skates and perfect your glide
Engage in a random acts of kindness spree together
Connect over a stack of board games
Stroll through the mall and window shop for one another
Date like lumberjacks with axe throwing, pancakes, and lots of flannel
Create a scavenger hunt around your town
Have a DIY paint night
Find a new spring recipe and make it together
Chat while you lie on a blanket looking at the stars
Fix a gourmet breakfast for dinner, then eat it in bed
Choose an odd holiday to celebrate
Perform an epic duet at a karaoke spot
"Kidnap" your spouse and go somewhere special
Challenge one another to a nature walk photo shoot
Watch fireworks and share a banana split
Join in on a few rounds of trivia at a local dive
Go crazy with a spa night in
Throw a fiesta with mariachi music and Mexican food
Hit the road for a scenic drive and eat wherever you wind up
Start a new book together
Have dinner on the beach
Play the newlywed game to see how well you really know one another
Try a dessert tour around town
Visit an orchard and pick your own berries
Face off in a game of laser tag
Serve together at a soup kitchen—then go out for coffee afterwards
Find the most romantic local event you can and attend it
Theme the night's menu on a favorite movie, then watch it as you eat
Create some sidewalk chalk art together in a nearby park
Plan an intimate lakeside BBQ
Hold hands and stroll through the fair
Set up a tent and have s'mores
Enjoy an Instagram-worthy picnic somewhere beautiful
Head to the drive-in
Pick your favorite decade and plan a theme night
Create some fall coffee shop vibes at home
Find a craft on Pinterest to make together
Indulge in a candlelit fondue feast
Take an autumn foliage tour while listening to sappy love songs
Assemble a caramel apple bar
List what you're thankful for about one another, then read them aloud
Snuggle up for a Christmas movie marathon
Hold the ultimate cookie bake-off
Stuff a shoebox for a child overseas or shop for an angel tree recipient
Gaze at lights on a late-night drive
Review the year's pictures, videos, and highlights together
Kassie Prather is a church planting pastor’s wife in Putnam, CT. She desires to make much of Jesus through her blog www.dwell.place.
