3.5/5The Little Book of Great Dates by Erin and Greg Smalley is a neat concept- a chronological resource to carry you through a year of dating. The first devotional starts on January 1st and each date throughout the year corresponds with various seasons and holidays. For example, the first date involves laying out a plan for hopes and dreams in the New Year. There are 52 devotionals so you can use one each week to carry you through the year.
Marriage takes work, most anyone who is married knows that! The Smalley's book is a wonderful tool for creating intimate and inventive dates for the typical husband and wife who have run out of ideas. They encourage couples to make time each week to set aside time just for each other. Some of the suggestions are pretty basic and if you've ever read a couple's devotional you've probably already visited many of these topics. However, I appreciated how many dates did not involve going out and spending money, as sometimes this can be hard to do on a consistent basis with tight finances and young kids at home. Each date also ends with conversation suggestions, which have actually sparked some pretty interesting discussions between my husband and I.
Overall, Little Book of Great Dates was a nice reminder that you can not give up on loving your spouse. It is so important to continue to "date" your husband or wife throughout your marriage. Sometimes it is easy to stop being as polite, well manned, romantic, or thoughtful as the years tick by, but all these things are attitudes that Christ calls us to have toward one another. When we put our spouse's needs before our own we are truly investing in our marriage. I have thoroughly enjoyed using this little book to put a spark back into our weekly date night and encourage other couples to give it a try as well!
Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy from Tyndale Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
