Week 10: Chapter 9 — Cherishing Your Spouse by Prioritizing Them

1.Thomas argues that what we prioritize reveals what we cherish — and that many couples who claim to cherish each other have structured their lives in ways that tell a very different story. Without excusing yourself, look honestly at last week: where did your discretionary time actually go? Where does your spouse fit in the real, lived hierarchy of your attention?

2.He draws on Genesis 2:24 — 'a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife' — and points out that 'leaving' requires actually letting go of other attachments and loyalties. What attachments (family of origin, friendships, career ambitions, hobbies) have been hardest for you to 'leave' in service of your marriage?

3.Thomas discusses the particular danger of good things becoming prioritized over the marriage — ministry involvement, parenting, career advancement, even church activity. How do you discern when something genuinely good has crossed the line into a threat to your marriage's health?