Relationship Advice: Lessons I’ve Learned in My Marriage

By Lauren Rose Correa, October 2, 2025

Relationship Advice: Couple Kissing at Wedding

My marriage might be short compared to some who have more years under their belt, but hopefully I’m qualified to share some relationship advice. This past June, my husband and I celebrated our five-year anniversary. It’s amazing how fast time has flown by! We got married in a small outdoor wedding during the COVID pandemic of 2020. It seems like just yesterday my mom was scrounging for flowers from the gardens of friends to put together my bouquet, and I picked out a simple white dress that I had just so happened to try on before all the stores closed.

Our marriage hasn’t been perfect, but it has truly been the biggest source of blessing in my life. Today we have a daughter and a son on the way. I could never have imagined how amazing my life would be, and I’m thankful to God every day.

Relationship Advice I Would Give My Younger Self

After five years of marriage, I can definitely say that I have grown and learned so much. From my experience I have relationship advice to offer. Here are some of the things I have learned from half a decade with my incredible husband!

Remember that God knows who you need better than you do.

When my husband and I first met, we were casual friends. At the time, I did not consider him a potential husband. We were always friendly and had some good conversations, but marriage didn’t seem a possibility. We ended up reconnecting with each other a year or so later and that was when I started to view him differently. I can still remember the hangout that caused me to think of him in a new way. I remember telling my good friend, “I think I might like Juan.”

All the time I was waiting for my husband, I had already met him and didn’t realize. God was the one who put our relationship together. He knew what I needed, even when I was oblivious to it. This has taught me to trust God to know what I need better than I do.

Trust that you will meet the right person in God’s timing, not yours.

This point is connected to the first point: God’s timing is better than yours. I would have loved to meet my husband earlier than I did. But I’m thankful that I did not. Around age 30, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after experiencing a few episodes of psychosis.

While I was not violent or anything during these episodes, I didn’t exactly have a great sense of safety and I put myself in a lot of dangerous situations. I am so thankful that I got this under control before getting married and having kids. When I wanted to meet my husband, God saw my future and chose better for me than I would have.

You should have high standards for a relationship, but don’t expect perfection.

It’s important to have standards when dating and selecting a spouse. But sometimes our “standards” can prevent us from meeting someone and being very happy with them. Be careful that your standards are realistic, and don’t expect perfection from a potential spouse.

Rather, seek someone who is growing in the Lord and who is actively allowing God to work on their heart. My husband has changed and grown so much since we got married. Neither of us was perfect while we were dating, but something I saw in him was his love for the Lord. I realized that God was working in him, and because of that I was able to trust that God was at the center of our relationship.

Realize that time will make you and your spouse more like minded.

In the beginning of our marriage, my spouse and I had some disagreements. We argued occasionally and didn’t always see eye to eye. Over time, this has changed. I’ve seen my husband completely change his tune on certain subjects, and I also have changed my opinion on certain topics. Gone are many of the arguments that occurred early in our marriage. We both see things differently now and have grown to think more alike.

I think the key here is that each person is being molded to be more like Christ. When both of you are pursuing Jesus, you will change to become more unified with him and with each other.

Kids will make it harder to connect one on one, but make the time for each other anyway.

Having kids can change your relationship for better or worse. One of the biggest changes for us was a lack of alone time together. We only have a small window each evening after our daughter falls asleep, and we are often exhausted.

Get a sitter and find time to spend with each other without your kids. Kids will one day grow up and leave, but your spouse is with you for the rest of your life. Don’t neglect the relationship between the two of you. Your kids will benefit from your marriage being strong!

Relationship Advice: What Have You Learned from Your Partner?

I hope this post has proven to have some helpful relationship advice for those who have less experience in this arena. Take a moment to reflect on your own relationship. What advice would you offer your younger self? How have you grown in this area?