6 a.m. Conversations

Where love meets faith…one morning at a time.

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Just a guy that believes in love. 6 A.M. Conversations was born from those quiet mornings when the world is still, and God has something to say if you slow down long enough to listen.

  • Showing Up When Motivation Is Missing

    Here is a hard truth that is a must in relationships…Motivation is unreliable. Commitment isn’t.

    If your relationship depends on how inspired you feel, it’s already on shaky ground. Feelings fluctuate. Energy dips. Life gets heavy. And there will be plenty of days when you don’t feel like showing up.

    That’s normal.

    What’s not optional is the decision to show up anyway.

    You realize that love doesn’t ask you to feel amazing every day, it asks you to be present. It asks you to choose effort even when enthusiasm is low. It asks you to honor the relationship on the days when everything else is pulling at you.

    Showing up doesn’t always look romantic. Sometimes it looks like patience when you’re irritated. Sometimes it looks like listening when you’d rather check out. Sometimes it looks like doing the right thing quietly without being thanked. Sometimes it looks like consistency without applause.

    Motivation says, “I’ll show up when I feel like it.” Commitment says, “I’ll show up because I said I would.”

    And here’s what a lot of people miss, your partner can feel the difference.

    When effort becomes optional, connection weakens. When presence becomes inconsistent, trust erodes. When showing up depends on mood, the relationship starts feeling unstable.

    You learn that the moments you skipped because you were tired or unmotivated often matter more than the ones you showed up for when it was easy. You learn that reliability builds emotional safety. And you learn that being dependable is one of the most loving things you can be.

    This reset is about removing feelings from the driver’s seat. Not ignoring them but not letting them run the relationship. It’s about understanding that love is a choice you make repeatedly, not a vibe you chase.

    Showing up is how trust grows. Showing up is how connection deepens. Showing up is how love survives long seasons.

    Because when motivation fades and it will, commitment keeps the relationship standing.

    Think about a recent moment when you didn’t feel like showing up emotionally, mentally, or physically in your relationship. You were tired. Distracted. Over it.

    Now imagine how that moment might have felt to your partner. Not in anger but in disappointment.

    What would showing up have communicated, that words never could?

    Loving by HIS Word–“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

    Faithfulness isn’t fueled by motivation—it’s sustained by commitment. The harvest comes from staying present even when it’s hard.

    6 a.m. Quote–“Feelings come and go. Commitment shows up.”

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one day at a time”

  • Don’t Bleed On People Who Didn’t Cut You

    his one is going to sting but its necessary. 

    Your partner should not have to pay for wounds they didn’t cause.

    Life cuts all of us. Work stress. Old trauma. Past relationships. Disappointments. Family issues. Unmet expectations. Fatigue. Pressure.

    That stuff adds up. But emotional maturity shows up in how you handle the bleeding.

    Too many relationships get damaged not because love is missing but because pain is unmanaged. You come home irritated, short-tempered, withdrawn, or sharp and the person who loves you the most becomes the easiest target.

    Not because they deserve it. Because they’re there.

    That’s not honesty. That’s emotional leakage.

    Here is something that I have learned through trials and a lot of tribulations; 
    Unprocessed pain doesn’t stay quiet. It finds a voice. And if you don’t give it the right outlet, it will speak through your tone, your silence, your impatience and your reactions.

    Emotional control isn’t about suppressing feelings. It’s about owning them. Knowing when you’re overwhelmed and saying so. Recognizing when you’re triggered and pausing before you respond. Understanding that just because something hurt you, doesn’t give you permission to hurt someone else.

    Control looks like taking a breath instead of snapping. It looks like saying, “I had a rough day, I need a minute,” instead of acting cold. It looks like separating today’s stress from yesterday’s arguments. It looks like being responsible with your emotions, not reckless.

    You realize later that some of the damage wasn’t caused by what happened but by how you reacted to what happened. The sharp words. The defensive posture. The emotional withdrawal. The misplaced anger.

    And the hardest truth? Your partner may forgive the moment but they’ll remember the pattern.

    This reset is about emotional discipline. About refusing to let unhealed wounds run your relationship. About choosing awareness over impulse and restraint over release.

    Because here’s the thing, emotional control protects connection. It preserves trust. It creates safety.

    And safety is what allows love to grow instead of shrink.

    You don’t have to be perfect. You do have to be responsible.

    Think about the last time you reacted emotionally toward your partner. Not what they did but what you were carrying that day. Stress, frustration, disappointment, exhaustion, something unresolved.

    Now imagine how different that moment could’ve been if you had paused and named what you were feeling instead of acting it out.

    What would emotional control have protected in that moment?

    Loving by HIS Word–“Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” James 1:19

    Self-control isn’t silence, it’s wisdom. God teaches us to pause before reacting so our relationships aren’t wounded by unmanaged emotion.

    6 a.m. Quote–“Pain explains behavior but it doesn’t excuse it.”

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one morning at a time”

  • Building Slowly So It Lasts Longer

    Let me start here, because this is where a lot of people mess up relationships before they even realize it.

    Rushed love feels exciting. Built love feels safe.

    And most folks don’t realize which one they’re choosing until it’s already falling apart.

    We live in a world that celebrates fast everything. Fast results. Fast growth. Fast connections. Fast healing. Fast forgiveness. Fast “we good now.” But relationships don’t work like microwaves. They work like crockpots. Low heat. Long time. Consistent attention.

    When you rush a relationship, you skip the foundation work. You ignore red flags because the vibes are good. You avoid hard conversations because you don’t want to “mess up the moment.” You move ahead emotionally before trust has fully caught up.

    That’s not love, that’s impatience disguised as passion.

    You realize that what feels slow at first often ends up being the strongest thing you build. And what feels fast often collapses under pressure.

    Building slowly doesn’t mean being distant. It means being intentional. It means taking the time to understand how your partner communicates, how they handle stress, how they react to conflict, how they show love and how they need to receive it. It means allowing trust to grow naturally instead of forcing closeness before safety is established.

    Slow building creates room for honesty. It gives space for mistakes without panic. It allows grace to develop alongside accountability. And most importantly, it creates stability.

    When something is built slowly, both people learn how to stand in it. They know where the weak spots are. They know how to repair instead of abandon. They don’t panic every time things feel off, because the foundation is solid.

    Fast love asks, “How quickly can we get there?” Slow love asks, “How do we make this last?”

    This reset isn’t telling you to drag your feet. It’s telling you to plant your feet. To stop chasing urgency and start choosing sustainability. To stop confusing intensity with intimacy. To stop rushing past the work that actually protects the relationship.

    Because here’s the truth grown folks understand…anything worth keeping deserves time. Anything built to last needs patience. And anything real can handle being built slowly.

    Think about something in your relationship that feels unstable right now. Ask yourself honestly, was it rushed? Was the foundation skipped? Were important conversations avoided in the name of keeping things “good”?

    Now imagine what would happen if you slowed down and rebuilt that area with intention instead of urgency.

    Loving by HIS Word–“Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24

    Strong relationships aren’t built on speed or emotion—they’re built on wisdom, patience, and obedience to sound principles.

    6 a.m. Quote—“Fast love excites you. Slow love sustains you.”

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one morning at a time.”

  • Consistency is Louder Than Promises

    Let’s be honest this morning because i’m too sleepy to sugarcoat any of this…

    Promises sound good. Consistency proves everything.

    Anybody can promise to do better. Anybody can talk about it. Anybody can say, “I’m going to work on it.” But relationships don’t move forward on intentions they move forward on behavior that shows up again and again.

    You don’t trust someone because of what they said once. You trust them because of what they do repeatedly.

    And this is where a lot of relationships quietly lose traction.

    We make promises in emotional moments. We swear we’ll be more patient, more present, more attentive, more intentional. Then life shows up, pressure hits, stress kicks in and suddenly those promises get pushed to the side like they were optional.

    From the outside, it doesn’t look dramatic. From the inside, it feels confusing.

    Your partner hears the words but they’re waiting on the follow through like a Steph Curry three pointer. They want to believe you but they’ve learned to watch patterns instead of listening to explanations.

    That’s not bitterness, that’s self protection.

    You learn that broken promises don’t always end relationships, inconsistent effort does. When your words and actions don’t line up, your partner starts adjusting emotionally. They stop expecting. They stop hoping. They stop leaning in the same way.

    And that distance doesn’t happen overnight. It’s built quietly, over time, through moments where promises weren’t backed by presence.

    Consistency doesn’t require perfection. It requires intention and repetition. It’s showing up the same way on ordinary days, not just special ones. It’s responding with patience more often than irritation. It’s listening without needing to defend. It’s doing what you said you would do, even when no one is watching.

    Consistency is what creates safety. And safety is what allows love to breathe.

    When your partner knows what version of you they’re getting, steady, respectful, emotionally available, they relax. They don’t brace themselves. They don’t overthink your silence. They don’t feel like they’re walking on eggshells.

    They feel secure. And security is more attractive than grand gestures.

    This reset isn’t asking you to promise more. It’s asking you to do less talking and more showing. Less explaining and more following through. Less intensity and more reliability.

    Because in good relationships, consistency is the real romance.

    Imagine hearing the same promise over and over but seeing different behavior each time. Over time, would you still trust the words or would you start preparing for disappointment?

    Now flip the lens. Are there promises you’ve made that haven’t yet been supported by consistent action?

    Loving by HIS Word–“Let your Yes be yes and your No, no.” Matthew 5:37

    When your words and actions agree, trust grows naturally. Consistency isn’t just relational maturity, it’s spiritual integrity.

    6 a.m. Quote–“Promises impress. Consistency builds trust”

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversation “Where love meets faith, one morning at a time”

  • Be Honest With Yourself First

    You can’t demand from your partner what you haven’t first confronted in yourself.

    That’s just the truth.

    A lot of relationship tension isn’t about what the other person is doing wrong. It’s about what we’re avoiding owning. We want better communication, more affection, more patience, more effort but we haven’t paused long enough to ask if we’re actually showing up aligned ourselves.

    Honesty with your partner starts with honesty in the mirror.

    And listen, I’m not talking about surface-level honesty. I’m talking about the kind that makes you uncomfortable. The kind that forces you to admit when you’re tired but still snapping. When you’re distant but blaming them for the disconnect. When you’re overwhelmed but acting like they’re the problem. When you’re not okay but pretending you are because it’s easier than doing the work.

    That lack of self honesty leaks into relationships fast.

    You ever notice how easy it is to point out what your partner needs to fix? Their tone. Their timing. Their communication. Their habits. Meanwhile, you haven’t checked your own patience, consistency, emotional availability or follow-through in weeks.

    That’s not leadership in a relationship. That’s deflection.

    If you don’t deal with your stuff, you’ll bleed it into the relationship and call it “stress,” “just who I am,” or “a rough season.”

    But your partner shouldn’t have to carry the weight of what you refuse to face.

    Self honesty means asking hard questions before starting hard conversations. It means slowing down and saying, “What am I bringing into this moment?” It means recognizing when your frustration is really exhaustion, when your silence is really avoidance and when your anger is really disappointment you haven’t processed yet.

    When you’re honest with yourself, your relationship gets lighter. Not perfect but clearer.

    Because now you’re not asking your partner to fix what you haven’t owned. You’re not demanding grace while withholding accountability. You’re not expecting emotional safety while showing up unpredictable.

    Honesty with yourself creates alignment. Alignment creates consistency.
    Consistency creates trust.

    And trust? That’s the currency of long term love.

    This reset isn’t about tearing yourself down. It’s about telling yourself the truth so you can show up better. It’s about maturity. About responsibility. About choosing growth over ego.

    A growing relationship needs self awareness.

    Because when you finally get honest with yourself, your conversations change. Your tone changes. Your expectations change. And your partner feels the difference not because you said something magical but because you showed up differently.

    That’s real work. And that’s how alignment starts.

    Imagine asking your partner for more patience, more communication, or more effort, without first acknowledging where you’ve been impatient, unclear or inconsistent yourself.

    Now imagine starting the conversation differently. Not with accusation but with ownership. Not with demand nbut with awareness.

    Which version do you think builds connection instead of defensiveness?

    Loving by HIS Word–“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” Psalm 139:23

    Before God changes situations, He often checks the heart. Self examination isn’t weakness, it’s wisdom and it’s necessary for love that lasts.

    6 a.m. Quote—“Self-honesty is the foundation of relational honesty.” 

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversation “Where love meets faith, one morning at a time”

  • Alignment Before Affection

    New year. Same relationship. Same two people, just a year older, wiser and hopefully more honest than we were last year.

    You cannot build a healthy relationship if you are misaligned within yourself.

    Love alone won’t save it. Chemistry won’t carry it. Good intentions won’t fix it.
    If who you say you are and how you show up don’t match, the relationship will eventually feel confusing, frustrating and exhausting. No matter how much love exists.

    Alignment in relationships means your values, your words, your actions and your effort are all telling the same story. When they don’t, your partner feels it before they can explain it. Inconsistency creates tension. Predictability creates peace.

    You ever been in a relationship where you didn’t know which version of your partner you were getting that day? One day they’re affectionate and open. The next day they’re distant and closed off. Promises get made, effort gets delayed. Apologies get spoken but behavior never really changes.

    That’s not a lack of love. That’s a lack of alignment.

    I have learned this the hard way. You can love someone deeply and still be emotionally unsafe if you’re not aligned. Alignment shows up in how you communicate when you’re tired, how you manage stress when life is heavy, how you handle conflict when emotions run high and how you honor commitments when it would be easier to make excuses. It shows up in whether your attention is consistent, your boundaries are respected and your effort can be relied on.

    When you’re aligned, your partner doesn’t have to guess where they stand. They don’t have to decode your mood or brace themselves emotionally. They don’t have to wonder if today’s version of you matches yesterday’s promises.

    They can relax.

    And relationships need that kind of safety, especially long term ones. Especially marriages. Especially partnerships that have survived disappointment, loss, rebuilding or simply the wear and tear of real life.

    This reset isn’t about being more romantic. It’s about being more reliable.

    Because reliability builds trust. Trust builds safety. Safety builds intimacy. And intimacy is what keeps love alive long after the spark settles down and life starts asking more from both of you.

    Alignment means you stop performing love and start practicing it. You stop saying “I love you” while showing impatience. You stop asking for grace while avoiding accountability. You stop craving closeness without offering consistency. You stop expecting your partner to adjust to behaviors you haven’t taken responsibility for yet.

    If you have loved and lost, this will hit differently. You learn that love doesn’t need more words, it needs steadier behavior. You learn that emotional predictability is not boring, it’s a gift. And you learn that peace in a relationship isn’t something you stumble into, it’s something you build deliberately.

    This year, alignment in your relationship looks like showing up the same way you promised you would. It looks like listening without defending, speaking without attacking, apologizing with change attached and choosing consistency over intensity. Not perfect. Just honest. Just steady. Just aligned.

    Imagine being in a relationship where you never had to wonder where you stood. Where effort matched words. Where apologies came with change. Where affection didn’t feel conditional.

    Now ask yourself, gently and honestly. Are you aligned enough to offer that kind of emotional safety or are you still asking your partner to adjust to inconsistency?

    Loving by HIS Word–“Let your Yes be yes and your No be no.” Matthew 5:37

    Consistency is spiritual. When your words and actions agree, trust grows and trust is the foundation of lasting love.

    6 a.m. Quote–Love creates connection. Alignment creates security.

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one morning at a time”

  • New Year Reset

    New year don’t mean new perfection. It means new intention.

    We’re not doing fake resolutions, loud promises, or pretending last year didn’t teach us anything. We’re doing alignment. We’re doing honesty. We’re doing presence.

    This year isn’t about proving anything to anybody. It’s about protecting what matters.

    Protect your peace. Protect your relationships. Protect your health. Protect your faith.
    Protect your time.

    Everything you don’t protect will eventually drain you. This year, we show up differently. 

    We speak when something’s off instead of storing it. We choose gratitude over entitlement. We listen to understand, not to reload. We give grace without losing standards. We stop rushing love and start tending it.

    No more surviving relationships. No more autopilot living. No more giving the best of you to the world and the leftovers to the people you love.

    This year, consistency is the flex. Peace is the goal. Faith is the anchor. And love?
    Love is intentional, not assumed.

    We’re waking up early not just to get ahead but to get aligned. Because the tone you set in the quiet moments, is the tone that carries you through the loud ones.

    So yeah, new year. Same God. Wiser heart. Clearer vision.

    Make this year the one that is God guided and faithfully followed.

  • Forgiveness

    You cannot build a healthy relationship while dragging yesterday into today.

    Forgiveness isn’t about pretending something didn’t hurt. It’s about deciding that the hurt won’t run your life or your love.

    A lot of couples think forgiveness is a moment. A conversation. An apology. A handshake.
    A prayer.

    Nah. Forgiveness is a practice.

    Daily. Intentional. Sometimes quiet. Sometimes uncomfortable. And if you don’t practice it, resentment will happily move in and redecorate.

    Here’s the real-life version:
    You say you forgave it but you still bring it up.
    You say you moved on but your tone still remembers.
    You say it’s fine but your reactions say otherwise.

    That’s not forgiveness, that’s storage. And stored hurt always leaks.

    Unforgiven pain doesn’t disappear. It waits. Then it shows up in unrelated arguments, passive comments, emotional distance, and cold silence.

    Forgiveness is not saying what happened was okay. It’s saying, “I’m not letting this poison what we’re trying to build.”

    And listen, forgiveness doesn’t mean you skip accountability. It doesn’t mean you lower standards. It doesn’t mean you forget lessons. It means you stop rehearsing the pain every time you want to win an argument.

    Because here’s the grown truth: You can be right and still ruin the relationship.

    Forgiveness protects the future more than it heals the past. It creates room to breathe again.
    It allows trust to be rebuilt. It makes space for joy to return without guilt.

    And yes, forgiveness is hard. Especially when the wound was deep. Especially when the apology came late. Especially when you had to heal quietly.

    But carrying it is harder.

    You weren’t built to hold bitterness long-term. It changes your tone. Your patience. Your openness. Your ability to love freely.

    So let it go, not for them alone but for you.

    Forgiveness says, “I still believe in us more than I believe in this pain.”

    That’s grown love.

    Picture the next disagreement you and your partner have. Does it stay about this moment or does it suddenly become a replay of every unresolved issue you never fully released?

    Ask yourself honestly: What am I still holding that’s quietly hurting us both?

    Loving by HIS Word–“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32Forgiveness is a reflection of grace. When we release what hurts, we make room for healing to do its work.

    6 a.m. Quote–“Forgiveness isn’t weakness, it’s the strength to protect the relationship from old wounds.”

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one day at a time”

  • Patience, loving them through their season

    Let’s talk about patience. Not the “waiting in line at Walmart” kind but the kind that’s required when you’re loving someone who’s going through a season.

    And if we’re being honest, every relationship will face one of those seasons eventually.

    A quiet season. A heavy season. A distant season. A confusing season. A healing season. A “they’re not themselves right now” season.

    And here’s the grown truth: Patience isn’t just about waiting, it’s about how you wait. With grace or with resentment. With compassion or with complaints.
    With understanding or with attitude.

    A lot of people say they want a strong relationship but they want it without the seasons that build it.

    Everybody loves the version of their partner that’s laughing, confident, soft, available, affectionate, and present.

    But what about the version who’s tired? Stressed? Overthinking? Emotionally unavailable? Healing from something they haven’t talked about yet? Trying their best but not showing it well?

    Do you still love them then?

    Patience is grown up love. It’s choosing compassion over criticism. It’s giving grace when it feels easier to give attitude. It’s remembering that your partner is human, not a robot programmed to meet your needs 24/7.

    People don’t always need pressure. Sometimes they just need space. Sometimes they need reassurance. Sometimes they need someone to sit quietly beside them while they figure out what’s going on inside themselves.
    Sometimes they need patience more than solutions.

    And let’s be honest, we all go through moments where we need a little extra grace. But the relationship stays strong when it becomes a two-way street.
    When both people know, “I may not be perfect right now but I am still loved right now.”

    Patience doesn’t mean ignoring problems. It doesn’t mean letting everything slide.It doesn’t mean losing yourself while trying to care for them. It simply means loving them through the season, not around it.

    Because eventually seasons shift. Storms calm. People heal. Clarity returns.
    And the partner who stayed patient, becomes the partner who was trusted.

    Patience builds emotional safety. Emotional safety builds honesty. Honesty builds intimacy. Intimacy builds connection. And connection is what makes relationships last.

    A relationship that survives life’s seasons is a relationship that has learned the art of patience.

    Imagine your partner is going through a tough season and isn’t showing up the way they normally do. Would your first reaction be frustration or compassion?

    Now flip it:
    If you were going through a hard season, what kind of patience would you hope they’d offer you? And are you giving that same patience back?

    Loving by HIS Word–“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2

    Patience is a spiritual act. It’s choosing grace over frustration and love over ego, especially in seasons of uncertainty.

    6 a.m. Quote–“Love isn’t proven during the easy seasons — it’s proven during the seasons that demand patience.”

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one day at a time”

  • Consistency

    Can we be honest for one minute…

    Everybody wants the romance, the passion, the spark, the butterflie but nobody wants to talk about the real backbone of a lasting relationship:

    Consistency.

    Not the exciting kind. Not the “let me sweep you off your feet” kind.

    I’m talking about the everyday consistency. The quiet, steady kind that doesn’t make Instagram highlights but keeps the relationship from crumbling.

    See, relationships don’t fall apart because of one big disaster. They fall apart slowly, through small moments of neglect. Through the “I’ll call you later.” Through the “I forgot.” Through the “I didn’t think it mattered.” Through the “They should know how I feel.” Through the days when showing up feels optional.

    People don’t lose trust overnight. They lose it minute by minute, moment by moment, each time inconsistency whispers, “I can’t rely on you the way I hoped I could.”

    A man who has loved and lost will tell you…it’s the little things you end up wishing you held onto. Not the vacations. Not the celebrations. Not the fancy moments. But the tiny habits of care that made love feel safe. The morning check-ins. The small reassurances. The way they made space for you. The efforts that told you, “You matter to me,” without saying a word.

    Consistency isn’t glamorous. It doesn’t sparkle. It doesn’t come with applause. It’s not grand or dramatic. It’s quiet, patient work — the kind that only shows its importance when it goes missing.

    And yet, it’s the very thing that holds everything together.

    Being consistent means your partner doesn’t have to guess who they’re getting today. It means they’re not afraid to open up because your reactions are unpredictable. It means they trust your effort, not just your words. It means they feel seen, valued, and respected…daily, not occasionally.

    You want to build something real? Be someone they can count on.
    Not just when the mood is right, not just when you feel affectionate, not just when you want something but when life gets heavy, stressful, boring or overwhelming.

    Consistency isn’t about perfection. It’s about reliability.
    It’s about choosing your partner at 6 a.m., at noon, after work, and on the days when loving anybody, including yourself, feels hard.

    Love is the feeling but consistency is the proof. Anybody can fall in love.
    But staying in love, that requires a daily decision to show up fully, gently, intentionally, and repeatedly.

    Imagine going an entire week where your effort, your energy and your presence show up only when you feel like it. Imagine your partner having to guess your mood, your interest or your willingness to connect. Imagine the insecurity that would grow from that kind of inconsistency.

    Now flip the lens, would you feel safe being loved the way you love?
    Be honest with yourself, that answer matters.

    Loving by HIS Word–“Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:18God reminds us that love isn’t proven by what we say.  It’s proven by how we show up again and again, with sincerity and intention.

    6 a.m. Quote–Love begins with emotion but it survives through consistency

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one morning at a time”

  • Grow With Them, Not Away From Them

    Love doesn’t just ask you to stay, it asks you to grow.

    And that right there? That’s where a lot of relationships get stuck. Because everybody loves the version of their partner that fits the script they wrote in their head. But life doesn’t care about your script.

    People evolve.
    Seasons shift.
    Needs change.
    Dreams expand.
    Energy fluctuates.

    And time has a way of revealing new layers in all of us…some beautiful, some challenging, all human.

    The real question is: Can you love someone through their evolution? Or are you only invested in who they used to be?

    A grown relationship requires flexibility. Not the yoga kind, the emotional kind.
    The ability to say: “I don’t fully understand this version of you yet, but I’m willing to learn.” “I didn’t expect this change but I’m here for the journey.” “I don’t need you to stay the same, I just need you to stay honest.”

    That’s grown. That’s partnership. That’s love that’s built to last.

    Change isn’t the enemy, rigidity is. The refusal to adapt. The refusal to listen. The refusal to let your partner evolve without being punished for it.

    You want to know what keeps couples connected? Grace.

    Grace for the hard days.
    Grace for the new seasons.
    Grace for the version of them that’s trying to heal.
    Grace for the version of them that’s trying to grow.
    Grace for the version of them that’s still figuring life out.

    Because guess what? You’re evolving too. And you want someone who won’t throw your growth back in your face.

    Nobody stays the same forever. Life will humble you, stretch you, break you, rebuild you, and reroute you. And if your relationship is going to survive all that, you have to learn how to adjust without losing your grip on each other.

    Adapting with grace looks like:

    Asking questions instead of making accusations. 
    Being curious instead of defensive.
    Listening without waiting to clap back.
    Offering support instead of judgment.
    Making room for new dreams and new fears.
    Recognizing when your partner is overwhelmed, not “different”

    Relationships don’t die because people change. They die because people stop choosing each other through the changes.

    Growth is inevitable. Distance is optional.

    Imagine your partner is going through a season where they’re reinventing themselves…new stress, new goals, new insecurities, new responsibilities.
    Do you lean in and support the transformation? Or do you hold onto who they were because it felt easier for you?

    Be honest with yourself, are you loving who they are becoming or mourning who they used to be?

    Loving by HIS Word–“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:10Honor means making room for growth. Grace means choosing patience. Devotion means loving the journey, not just the version of someone that was convenient for you.

    6 a.m. Quote—Love isn’t about staying the same, it’s about staying committed while everything else changes.

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one morning at a time”

  • Love Doesn’t Grow In Convenience

    Love isn’t sustained by convenience, it’s sustained by intention.

    Anybody can love you when it’s easy. Anybody can show up when the vibes are good, the days are light, and the kids are quiet for once in their lives.

    But real connection? That comes from choosing to be intentional when life is busy, messy, loud, complicated, and inconvenient as hell.

    Intentionality is the difference between:
    “I thought about you.”
    and
    “I made time for you.”

    Those are not the same sentence. One is passive. The other is love in action. Most people don’t fall out of love, they fall out of being prioritized.

    You ever been with someone and realized you’re getting the leftover energy?
    The scraps? The “I’ll get to you when I get to you” version of them?

    That’s what happens when intention goes missing. The relationship turns into something you maintain “when you can,” instead of something you nurture on purpose.

    Let me speak from experience: A man who has loved and lost understands the value of intention differently. You learn that some moments won’t come back.
    Some opportunities won’t repeat. Some chances won’t knock twice. And some people won’t wait forever for you to realize what you had.

    So intention becomes sacred. Intentional touch. Intentional time. Intentional listening. Intentional effort. Intentional gratitude. Intentional growth.

    Not perfect, intentional. There’s a difference.

    Often, intentionality looks small:
    -Sending the text before you forget
    -Giving them your undivided attention
    -Taking initiative instead of always reacting
    -Watching their body language, not just their words
    -Asking “How can I make your day lighter?”
    -Showing love in the way they understand it

    Love grows in the places you deliberately water. Not the places you assume will survive on their own.

    Here’s something a lot of couples don’t realize: If you don’t intentionally move toward each other, life will unintentionally pull you apart. Not in one big breakup moment but through slow distance created by ignored opportunities to connect.

    And listen, intentionality doesn’t mean being perfect or poetic. It means you care enough to show care.
    Simple. Direct. Grown.

    Imagine your partner goes an entire day without doing one intentional thing for you.
    Not one check-in.
    Not one gesture.
    Not one moment where you felt deliberately chosen.

    Now flip it, Imagine you went an entire day without doing one intentional thing for them.

    Ask yourself honestly: Would your relationship feel the difference?
    If the answer is no, that’s the warning sign right there.

    Loving by HIS Word–“Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14Love is a verb. A choice. A deliberate action. When we move with intention, we move in alignment with God’s design for connection.

    6 a.m. Quote–Love doesn’t fade, attention does. Be intentional before the distance becomes permanent.

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversation “Where love meets faith, one day at a time”

  • Honesty Is Necessary

    If you can’t be honest in your relationship, then you’re not in a relationship…you’re in a performance. And performing gets exhausting real quick.

    We love to say, “Communication is key,” but what we really mean is: “Communication is key, as long as it doesn’t make me uncomfortable.”

    But that ain’t how love works.

    Honesty isn’t always pretty.
    Sometimes it’s awkward.
    Sometimes it stings.
    Sometimes it forces you to admit you’re not as perfect as you pretend.
    Sometimes it exposes the parts of you you’d rather keep covered.

    But let me tell you something only experience teaches you: The truth might shake the relationship for a moment but lies will shatter it permanently.

    A man who has loved and lost knows this. You don’t lose people because the truth hurts. You lose them because the truth came too late. Honesty isn’t just about confessing what you did wrong, it’s about expressing what you actually feel.

    It’s saying:

    • “That hurt me.”
    • “I feel disconnected.”
    • “I’m overwhelmed.”
    • “I need more reassurance.”
    • “I’m struggling mentally.”
    • “I need help.”
    • “I’m not okay but I want to be.”

    It’s being real before resentment builds.

    Because resentment is quiet. Resentment smiles in pictures. Resentment says “I’m fine” with a straight face. Resentment cooks dinner and does laundry and shows up, while dying inside.

    Honesty is the medicine that prevents that sickness. Now listen, honesty doesn’t mean being reckless.
    There’s a difference between being truthful and being cruel. Telling the truth isn’t a free pass to lose your filter.

    Grown honesty sounds like, “I care enough about us to tell you the truth gently.”

    Not, “I’m about to say this with no regard for your feelings.” That’s not honesty, that’s emotional laziness.

    Let me tell you something I learned the hard way. Your partner should never have to guess where they stand with you. They shouldn’t have to read your silence like a mystery novel. They shouldn’t have to decode your moods, reactions, or disappearances.

    Speak. Even when it’s uncomfortable. Even when you’re scared it might change things. Even when you don’t have the perfect words.

    Silence builds walls. Honesty builds bridges. And bridges keep relationships from drifting apart.

    Imagine holding something in something small but annoying.
    You tell yourself, “It’s not worth bringing up.” So you don’t.
    Then a week goes by, then a month, then a year and suddenly something tiny has grown into something toxic.

    Ask yourself, what uncomfortable truth have you been avoiding, that honesty could’ve healed months ago?

    Loving by HIS Word–“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” Ephesians 4:25

    Truth spoken with love is a spiritual act. It brings clarity, unity, and healing where silence builds division.

    6 a.m. Quote—Honesty doesn’t destroy relationships, silence and pretending do.

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one day at a time”

  • Respect…The Quiet Language

    Here is a little truth…Love is loud but respect is quiet and your relationship won’t survive without both.

    People think respect is something you pull out during arguments or big decisions. Nah.

    Respect shows up in the small stuff. In your tone. Your patience. Your timing. Your willingness to listen instead of defend. Your ability to care even when you’re irritated.

    Respect is love’s bodyguard. It protects the connection when emotions start swinging wild.

    And listen, I’m not talking about the “yes ma’am / yes sir” respect we grew up with.
    I’m talking about relational respect:

    • Not talking to them like they’re the problem
    • Not dismissing what matters to them
    • Not shutting down when it’s uncomfortable
    • Not keeping score
    • Not weaponizing silence
    • Not assuming they’ll always understand
    • Not speaking to them in a way you’d never speak to a stranger

    Because the truth is, you can be in love with someone and still talk to them in ways that make them feel alone.

    Respect says, 
    “I value how you feel, even when I don’t agree.”
    “I honor your heart, even when I don’t understand it.”
    “I’m frustrated, but I’m not going to make you my punching bag.”
    “I’m choosing to be gentle with what’s important to you.”

    That’s grown. That’s maturity. That’s partnership.

    You don’t really know someone until you see how they treat you when they’re tired, annoyed, or disappointed. 

    Respect is the difference between conflict and damage.

    Let’s make it simple:
    You can rebuild from an argument. It’s hard to rebuild from disrespect.

    Because disrespect plants something in a relationship that doesn’t go away easily…doubt.
    Doubt in your tone.
    Doubt in your intentions.
    Doubt in your safety with each other.

    And once that seed grows? Everything else gets harder.

    So today, check your tone. Check your patience. Check your assumptions.
    Check your ego. Yes, even that.

    Respect isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness. It’s about slowing down long enough to say, “I love you too much to talk to you like you don’t matter.”

    A man who has loved and lost learns this differently. You learn that peace is precious. You learn that kindness is a choice, not a feeling. You learn that raising your voice doesn’t raise your level of understanding.

    And you learn that the softest approach sometimes leads to the deepest healing.

    Respect doesn’t make you weak. It makes your relationship strong enough to survive the rough days.

    Because trust me, love without respect won’t last.

    But love with respect? That can weather anything.

    Imagine…You’re frustrated. You’re tired. Your patience is worn thin, and your partner asks you something simple.

    You snap, not because they deserved it but because life hit you all at once.

    Now imagine if that was the last conversation you had that day.Would you regret the tone? Would you wish you softened your voice? Would you want the last thing they heard from you to sound like that?

    Marinate on that for a minute.

    Loving by HIS Word–“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2

    Gentleness isn’t weakness, it’s spiritual strength. Respect is how we honor God through the way we treat each other.

    6 a.m. Quote–Respect isn’t how you treat them when you’re happy. It’s how you protect their heart when you’re not.

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one morning at a time”

  • Gratitude…The Key Component

    Let’s start this week with a hard fact: If you want your relationship to last, gratitude can’t be optional.

    We love to talk about love; the butterflies, the chemistry, the spark, the “they’re my person” feeling. And all that is good. Beautiful, even.

    But let me tell you from a man who’s lived a little: Love is the engine. Gratitude is the oil.

    You can ride for a while without it but eventually that engine will shut down.

    See, people don’t walk away because the love disappeared. They walk away because they stopped feeling valued.

    A lack of gratitude makes little cracks that turn into big distances:

    • You stop recognizing their effort, they stop offering it
    • You stop noticing the small things, they stop sharing them
    • You stop saying “thank you” they start feeling invisible

    And once someone feels invisible, the relationship is already in trouble.

    Gratitude is not weakness. Gratitude is awareness. Gratitude is responsibility.

    It’s saying, “I still see you. I still appreciate you. I don’t take you for granted.”  And sometimes, that simple acknowledgment is the difference between love growing or slowly fading.

    Let me be real on this. You can’t treat your partner like part of the furniture and expect the relationship to feel like a home. Appreciation is how you keep the air warm.

    Because at the end of the day, it’s not the special occasions that hold couples together. It’s the everyday moments. The ones that go unnoticed until they’re gone.

    When you’ve loved and lost, you learn to appreciate differently. You learn that consistency is gold. You learn that effort is beautiful. You learn that a “thank you” can carry more weight than a paragraph. And you learn that love grows where gratitude lives.

    So today, start with the little things: Say “thank you.” Say “I see what you did.”
    Say “I appreciate you.” Say it often. Say it sincerely. Say it even when it feels small, especially then.

    Every great relationship has one thing in common. Both people feel valued. Not sometimes. Not when convenient. Daily.

    Imagine your partner suddenly stopped doing one small thing they’ve always done. The morning text, the quick check in, the way they fix your plate, the soft touch on your back, the random encouragement, the quiet way they handle something for you.

    Would you notice? Would you miss it? Ask yourself, what is one small act of love your partner does regularly that deserves a genuine ‘thank you’ today?

    Sometimes the wake up call isn’t the loss, it’s the realization that the gratitude wasn’t there when it mattered.

    Loving by HIS Word–“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

    Gratitude isn’t a suggestion, it’s protection. It keeps hearts soft, spirits open and love grounded in grace.

    6 a.m. Quote–Love might be the reason you start together but gratitude is the reason you stay together.

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one morning at a time”

  • Work-Life, Love, Balance…Really?

    Let’s be real: The idea of “work-life balance” sounds good on paper…until life happens.

    Then it turns into: Work → Life → Kids → Errands → Obligations → Random Stuff → Oh yeah… love.

    Some days you give your job the best of you, the kids the rest of you, and your spouse whatever’s left over after that. Which is usually a half-smile and a grunt.

    Trying to be a functioning adult AND a loving partner at the same time?
    That’s advanced-level living. They don’t tell you that in relationship counseling.

    You ever had one of those days where work drained your soul, the drive home tested your salvation and by the time you walk through the door, your emotional tank is reading EMPTY?

    And then your spouse says, “How was your day?”

    And you respond with the international sign for “Don’t ask me nothing”:
    sighs deeply and sits down slowly.

    Meanwhile, the kids are jumping on furniture like WWE tryouts, dishes are staring at you with attitude, bills are tap dancing on the counter, and the dog looking guilty for reasons unknown.

    This is the part of love nobody puts on TikTok.

    Work-life-love balance? More like work-life-love juggling…blindfolded…while riding a unicycle.

    I remember a time me and a homie were going through that season where work was taking 97% of our energy. He told me:

    “Bro, I came home yesterday, sat on the couch and fell asleep before I could even take my shoes off. My wife covered me with a blanket and just shook her head.”

    I told him, “Man, she didn’t shake her head because you slept…she shook it because you was snoring like grizzly adams.”

    We laughed but then he said something real:

    “I realized I was giving work my best and giving her my leftovers.”

    Whew. That one hit in the chest.

    Because the truth is: Home is your first ministry. Your spouse shouldn’t have to survive on emotional crumbs because work ate the whole loaf.

    But here’s the challenge: How do you stay present at home when work drains everything? You learn to be intentional, even when you’re tired.

    Not perfect. Not overly romantic. Just intentional.

    Sometimes that looks like:

    • putting your phone down when they’re talking
    • sitting beside them even if you’re not talking
    • asking how their day was and actually listening
    • doing one small thing to lighten their load
    • hugging them without rushing
    • choosing closeness even when your energy is low

    It’s not the size of the effort, it’s the heart behind it.

    Because here’s what love learns: It’s not about balancing everything perfectly, it’s about showing up where it matters.

    Some days, you’ll come home drained. Some days, they will.
    Some days both of you are running on fumes. But if you keep choosing each other, even in the exhaustion…you’re doing better than you think.

    Love isn’t about perfect balance. It’s about intentional presence.

    Think about this, are you saving any of your best energy for home or letting the world get the part of you your partner longs for most?

    Loving by HIS Word:“Better is a little with righteousness than great gain with turmoil.” Proverbs 16:8Peace at home is worth more than success anywhere else. God honors the couples who choose connection over chaos.

    6 a.m. Quote— “Don’t give your job the best of you and your spouse the rest of you.”

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one morning at a time”

  • When One Of You Is MORE Tired

    Let’s get something straight. No one in a relationship is ever “just tired.”
    Oh no…somebody is always “MORE” tired.

    And couples treat exhaustion like it’s a competitive sport.

    You know exactly what I mean…
    You say, “Man, I’m tired,” and they fire back like, “You’re tired? please tell me about your oh so tiring day Sire.”

    Now suddenly y’all running down your schedules like two lawyers presenting evidence in court.

    • “I woke up earlier!”
    • “Well, I didn’t sleep last night!”
    • “I did bedtime!”
    • “I did homework!”
    • “I chased the little one!”
    • “I chased both of them!”

    At this point, it’s not even marriage, it’s the Who Suffered More Today Marathon.

    And tag-team parenting?
    Listen…that deserves a medal.

    One minute you’re changing a diaper,
    the next you’re cooking,
    then you’re breaking up a fight,
    then you’re Googling “why is my child making that noise,”
    then you’re pretending to understand third-grade math,
    and then you’re praying for bedtime like it’s revival night at church.

    Meanwhile, your spouse swoops in like a WWE wrestler tagging into the ring:

    “Alright, go sit down. I got this round.”

    That’s love.
    Not the movie type.
    Not the flowers and chocolate type.
    No, the real type.
    The “I’m tired too, but I got your back” type.

    I remember a time me and my boy were both in that “we’re exhausted every day of our lives” phase. He told me:

    “Bro, me and my wife take turns pretending to sleep so the other person has to get up with the kids.”

    I laughed so hard I had to put the phone down. Because we ALL been there.
    That fake sleep is powerful. Oscar-worthy.

    But then he said something that clicked:

    “We’re tired but we’re tired together. And that’s what keeps us close.”

    See, partnership isn’t built in the easy seasons.
    It’s built in the late nights, the school mornings, the messy rooms, the long workdays, and the “oh Lord, they’re up again” moments.

    Tag-team parenting is ministry.

    It’s:

    • picking up where your partner left off
    • passing the baton without complaining
    • cheering each other on
    • knowing when they’re about to snap and stepping in
    • letting them rest without making them feel guilty
    • laughing together about the madness

    It’s realizing you’re not just raising kids, you’re raising a family.
    And that takes teamwork. Every day.
    Even on the days you don’t have the energy.

    The beauty is this. The kids won’t remember who did what. But you two will remember how you showed up for each other.

    That’s where love deepens.
    Not in the big romantic gestures, in the everyday exhaustion where you still choose each other.

    Here’s a quick question, when exhaustion hits your home, are you fighting each other or carrying the load together?

    Loving by HIS Word–“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2Partnership means sharing the weight. God honors couples who lift each other up, especially on the days when neither has much strength left.

    6 a.m. Quote–“Love works best when we’re tired together, not competing about who’s more exhausted.”

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one morning at a time”

  • We Don’t Get Enough Time Together

    Let me tell you something: every couple on earth has competed in what I like to call The “We Don’t Get Enough Time Together” Olympics.

    It’s that unspoken competition where both of y’all are exhausted, stretched thin, and still somehow arguing over who’s more busy, more tired, or more overwhelmed. Like y’all trying to qualify for Team USA: Marriage Edition.

    You know the scene…It’s 9:47 p.m., the house is finally quiet and one of you sighs and says, “We need to spend more time together.”

    The other person nods, then both of y’all fall asleep before finishing the conversation.

    Life be lifin’. And it does not apologize for it.

    Kids got needs. Jobs got demands. Bills got hands.

    And the only “me time” you get is the two minutes in the bathroom before someone knocks like the house is on fire.

    But here’s the wild part, couples still act like there’s a gold medal for who’s “more tired.”

    You ever had that moment?
    You: “Man, I’m exhausted.”
    Them: “You’re exhausted? Oh, okay… tell me more.”

    At that point you’re not even arguing, just comparing trauma.

    And don’t get me started on date night.
    You plan it.
    You hype it.
    You put on clothes that don’t have elastic waistbands.
    Then you end up at Target buying paper towels and snacks like it’s Paris in the spring.

    By the time you get home, romance has left the building.
    You sit on the couch, look into each other’s eyes and both fall asleep before the Netflix sound ends.

    But here’s the truth: time together doesn’t just show up, you have to defend it.
    Life will steal it if you don’t protect it on purpose.

    And let me say this, intentionality is romantic.
    Not the big gestures, but the small moments you fight to keep:

    • Sitting close even when you’re tired
    • Laughing at something that wasn’t even funny
    • Morning hugs
    • Taking a walk
    • Turning your phones off for 10 minutes
    • Just being present

    Those minutes matter. Those minutes build connection.

    I remember a time me and a homie were going through the same “never enough time” struggle, and he told me,
    “Bro, I tried to plan a romantic night and my kids tagged along like they had a Groupon.”
    We laughed for 10 minutes straight, because it was TOO relatable.

    But then he said something real: “We can’t wait for the perfect moment. We gotta make the moments we get count.”

    That stuck with me.

    So yeah, life’s chaotic. Schedules are tight. You’re tired. They’re tired.

    But love still grows when you protect the minutes that matter.

    Not the big ones, the little ones. The quiet ones. The “we’re here together, even in the madness” ones.

    That’s what keeps the connection alive.

    Quick question, are you waiting for the perfect time together or protecting the imperfect moments that already exist?

    Loving by HIS Word–“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

    God reminds us that time is sacred. When we honor it with each other, we honor Him.

    6 a.m. Quote–“Love doesn’t need more hours, it needs more intention.”

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one morning at a time”

  • The Harvest, Reaping What You’ve Watered

    There’s a certain kind of peace that hits different when you’ve made it through a few seasons together.

    You start remembering all the little things you used to stress about. The arguments, the bills, the “you left the cap off the toothpaste again” wars and you realize, somehow, you survived all that and still like each other. That’s growth. That’s harvest season.

    See, everybody wants the fruit but nobody talks about how long it takes to grow it. Love ain’t an instant crop. You don’t plant on Monday and eat by Friday.
    You water it. You weed it. You wait on it.
    And half the time, you’re wondering if anything’s even happening under the surface.

    But here’s the secret: growth doesn’t make noise, it just shows up one day.
    You wake up realizing y’all communicate better. You laugh easier. You forgive faster. You argue softer. That’s harvest, not because life got easier but because you got wiser.

    I remember one evening sitting on the porch. Nothing fancy, just watching the sun dip low, no words, no phones, just being.
    And I thought, this is it. This is what you’ve planted for. The peace after the storms, the joy after the pruning, the laughter that came back after the silence.

    That’s what harvest looks like, stillness that feels safe.

    Now, don’t get me wrong, harvest doesn’t mean the work is done. Farmers don’t retire after one good season. They celebrate, they give thanks and then they start preparing again. That’s how love works. You enjoy the blessings, then you ask, “Lord, what do we plant next?”

    Because love that lasts isn’t about one big moment, it’s about the rhythm of faithfulness.
    You sow, you tend, you trust. Over and over.

    And let me just say this. If you’ve been loving somebody through the ups, downs, dry spells, and reruns of the same argument…give yourself some credit. You’re living proof that love still works when you work it right.

    So celebrate your harvest. Thank God for what’s blooming. And remember, the same hands that tilled the soil deserve to enjoy the fruit.

    Quick question, are you celebrating your harvest or too busy worrying about the next season to see what already grew?

    Loving by HIS Word–“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

    Love is long term work with eternal rewards. Keep tending, keep trusting, and let God handle the timing of your harvest. The fruit will always show up right on time.

    6 a.m. Quote–“The sweetest harvest comes from seeds planted with patience and watered with prayer.”

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, one morning at time”

  • Fertilized by Faith, Keeping God in the Garden

    You ever see a couple that looks happy but something about it just don’t last? They post long walks on the beach, cute captions, #powercouple but then outta nowhere, they fade faster than a DJ mixing a song at the club.

    That’s what happens when you build something beautiful but forget to feed it.

    See, love by itself is powerful but love without faith is like soil with no fertilizer. It’ll look good for a minute, but eventually, it stops producing fruit. You can’t plant forever in weak soil.

    When you’ve been married or committed for a while, you start learning this the hard way. You can’t fix everything with another dinner date or apology. Some things only shift when you let God get involved.

    I remember one stretch when we were just…off. Not arguing, just disconnected. Talking but not talking. You know that “roommate energy” season.
    I was trying everything…jokes, favorite food, extra effort. None of it hit.
    Then one night she said, “Have you prayed with me lately?”

    Now, I’m not saying she was wrong, but I did pause mid-bite like, “Wow… not during dinner though?”

    But she was right. We were trying to fix spiritual disconnect with surface solutions. That’s like watering the leaves while the roots are starving.

    Faith is the fertilizer that keeps love growing when effort alone ain’t enough.
    Because let’s be honest, there will be days when you don’t feel loving, or lovely, or patient.

    That’s when God steps in. Faith reminds you why you said “yes” in the first place.

    See, when you pray with your partner, not just for them, something shifts.
    You stop trying to win arguments and start trying to win together.
    You realize y’all are on the same team, fighting the same fight.
    You start hearing their heart instead of their tone.

    And here’s the part that’ll humble you…sometimes God don’t fix them first. He works on you. He’ll whisper, “You’re asking me to change them but let’s talk about that attitude you had Tuesday night over them tacos.” 

    Faith fertilizes the whole garden…patience, forgiveness, joy, desire, gratitude.
    It’s not just church talk. It’s the secret ingredient that keeps love rich and ready for new growth.

    So, if your relationship feels like it’s coasting, water it, yes but feed it too. Pray together, laugh together, serve together, forgive faster. That’s how you keep the soil healthy.

    Because real love, the kind that lasts decades, not months. Always has God’s fingerprints on it.

    Quick question, have you been feeding your relationship with faith or trying to grow it on your own strength?

    Loving by HIS Word–“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1Faith isn’t just a foundation; it’s the fertilizer that makes love bloom again and again. Invite God into your garden daily and watch how He keeps your roots steady and your hearts soft.

    6 a.m. Quote— “Prayer doesn’t just change your relationship, it fertilizes your love with faith strong enough to survive any season.”

    Marlon Dean–6 a.m. Conversations “Where love meets faith, on morning at a time”