For many of us, our marriage relationship is the primary context in which we live as disciples of Jesus. Therefore, an important part of growing as a disciple is investing in a healthy marriage – and one of the best ways we can do that is by being intentional about dating.
To help you kick-start – or maybe re-start – that habit, we’re inviting you to participate in our six-week Summer of Love beginning on July 10. Each week, we’ll give you three date ideas and three questions to help you connect during your time together.
Now that the Summer of Love is over, we'd love to hear from you! Click on the link before August 30th to tell us about your experience, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win a gift card for your next date!
Week 6
Date Ideas
- Visit the new Charlotte Douglass International Airport overlook.
- Go out for ice cream.
- Pick any date from any week and do it with a couple who have been married a lot longer or shorter than you.
Connecting Questions
- If you were responsible for planning our next date, what would it be?
- What's one thing you wish was different about our marriage that we could work on together?
- What's one unanswered prayer of yours that I can commit to join you in?
Week 5
Date Ideas
- Watch someone else's kids so they can go on a date themselves.
- Make or paint a piece of pottery.
- Plan an out-of-town day to hike, visit a waterfall or kayak.
Connecting Questions
- What one trip we've taken together would you most like to recreate and why?
- How do you feel about the community you currently have in your life?
- What's one thing you admire about my spiritual life and one thing I could grow in?
Week 4
Date Ideas
- Go for a walk in a neighborhood you've never been in before.
- Play a round of mini golf. For double the fun, play a second round one-handed.
- Visit Camp North End or Optimist Hall.
Connecting Questions
- What book, other than the Bible, has had the greatest impact on your life?
- What is one way in which I could serve you better?
- Which gifts and fruit of the Spirit are most evident in my life?
Week 3
Date Ideas
- Go to a farmer's market.
- Take the light rail to South End and explore the area on rented scooters.
- Eat dinner at a food truck.
Connecting Questions
- What are three things on your bucket list and what would it take for us to make one of them happen?
- When have you felt most loved in the past month?
- What is one way you would like God to work in your life in the next year?
Week 2
Date Ideas
- Browse the Sleepy Poet Antique Mall or Gibson Mill Market.
- Go bowling.
- Take a cooking class.
Connecting Questions
- What was our most memorable date?
- What is one way in which I've changed for the better since we met?
- What is one way you've experienced God working in your life over the past year?
Week 1
Date Ideas
- Put a rug in the backyard (or your bedroom if it's too hot out!) and have an at-home picnic.
- Visit the botanical gardens at Daniel Stowe or UNC Charlotte.
- Go to a restaurant that serves a cuisine neither of you have tried before.
Connecting Questions
- What do I like about me?
- What do I like about you?
- What do I like about us?