TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK IN MARRIAGE

                                                     

I have always heard the phrase, “Teamwork makes the dream work.”  Every time I have heard that phrase, it usually happens after someone has achieved some goal(s) in their organization, by working together with a team of people.  When I look at a marital relationship between a husband and wife, the same thing can be said.  It takes teamwork between a couple working together to have a strong and healthy marriage.  I can truly say I have learned through years of being married to my wonderful wife, for a marriage to be successful it takes both spouses working together as a team to accomplish it.  When couples aren’t working together in their marriage all it does is create division, confusion, difficulty, and conflict which eventually separates and destroys marriages.  The good news is when we are pulling together operating in our strengths as a team, it can truly make the dream work of achieving the goal for having a strong and healthy marriage.   

When we look at the word teamwork it can be used synonymously to the word team.  Teamwork or Team is where two or more people are working together to accomplish a certain task or goal.  Dr. John C. Maxwell in his book “The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork”, has a chapter in the book called “The Law of Significance”.  The Law of Significance says, “One Is Too Small a Number to Achieve Greatness”.  This is saying if we are going to accomplish anything great or significant in our marriage, it is going to take us working together with our spouse. 

Practicing teamwork can make the dream work in our marriage.  Working together with our spouse can help us overcome obstacles that fight against our relationship.  We need to also work as a team in order to achieve our goals.  One of the main goals we should shoot for is having a strong and healthy marital relationship, so we can bring our children up in a healthy home environment. I believe there are three areas where as married couples we can work together to help us have a strong and healthy marriage.

·         Marital Intimacy – As married couples we should always be working together on our marriage building an intimate relationship with one another.  When most people hear the word intimacy they think only of sex, but the word means more than sex.  Intimacy is taking the mask off being able to share the good, bad, and ugly about ourselves, knowing that we will still be accepted by our mate.  Intimacy is connecting with our mate at the different levels of spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical (sex).  We should always be working together as husband and wives to keep the romance going in our marriage with one another.  We should still be dating or courting each other, and constantly sharing our lives together in open and honest conversation with our spouse. 

·         Roles In The Home – As married couples we should be working together with our spouse when it comes to the domestic responsibilities of the home.   Today both spouses are working in our society in order to handle the financial responsibility of a marriage, so as a result it takes teamwork by couples fulfilling their roles in the home.  As husbands and wives whatever our responsibilities are in the home, whether it is cooking or cleaning we need to do it as a team.  Effectively operating in our roles together in the home, can help us achieve the goal of having a strong and healthy marriage.

·         Financial Harmony – As married couples it is important that we work together as a team when it comes to having financial harmony in the home.  The first thing we shouldn’t be doing is making a distinction between your money and your spouse’s money, but the attitude should be that “our” money makes up the financial picture for the marriage.  The second important factor is for couples to determine who is better at handling finances, and as a team work together on your spending and saving to accomplish your financial goals.  It is important for you to determine what your financial goals are, and strive together with teamwork to sticking to a budget so you can stay out of debt.  

Even the Bible talks about the power of teamwork between two people walking in agreement, to accomplish anything in life.  In Amos 3:3 it says, “Can two people walk without agreeing on the direction?”  The answer is no because in order to go in any direction both partners must agree.  We need to honor God in our personal lives, and in our marriage with our spouse as we walk together.  Working together as a team has helped my wife and I accomplish our goals such as having a healthy marriage for 31 years, raising three children who are doing well for themselves as young adults, and owning our home just to name a few things.  We have overcome several difficulties in our marriage, but we have learned the art of teamwork that makes the dream work.  We honor God in our personal lives, and in our marriage.  I believe when it comes to marriage no matter what your roles are as a husband and wife, the goals you set together to achieve will take teamwork which makes the dream work.  I encourage all couples to work together to accomplish all your goals, but let your main goal be to have a healthy and strong marriage. 

Would love to hear your thoughts, questions, or feedback.