6 a.m. Conversations

You ever wake up, roll over, look at your spouse and think, “Now who is this person beside me?”

Don’t lie, you’ve had that moment.

They used to wake up smiling, now they wake up sighing. Used to talk your ear off, now you’re lucky to get a “good morning.” Their playlist changed, their patience shortened, their hairline retreated, and their favorite phrase is, “I’m tired.”

And guess what? So did yours.

See, when you first fall in love, you meet the version of a person that’s full of hope, hormones, and highlight moments. The wedding vows sound easy when you haven’t seen each other sick, broke, grieving, or just plain fed up. But marriage has a way of introducing you to all the different versions of each other and some of them don’t come with warning labels.

The truth is, you’re not supposed to stay the same. Life changes you. Kids, bills, health scares, aging parents and all that adds new layers. You can either grow through it together or grow apart pretending nothing changed.

I’ve learned that loving someone long term means constantly re-learning them.
What they needed at 25 might not feed their soul at 45. The person who once wanted flowers might now just want quiet. The partner who once wanted adventure might now crave stability.

But here’s where most couples mess up…we keep loving people based on who they were, not who they’re becoming. We get so attached to our favorite version of them that we treat their evolution like betrayal.

Nah…it’s just growth.

You prayed for God to mature them…you just didn’t expect maturity to come with new opinions, new routines, and a new way of folding towels.

Let’s be real, sometimes that change stings. Because it forces you to change too. It means you can’t love them on autopilot anymore; you have to pay attention again. You have to ask new questions, learn new patterns, rediscover what makes them light up.

And if you’re smart, you’ll do it with curiosity, not comparison. Because the same God who’s been reshaping them has also been working on you.

So, when your spouse starts evolving, don’t panic, pivot. Ask, “Who are you now, and how can I love you better today?” Because real love doesn’t cling to who they were; it adjusts to who they’re becoming.

That’s grown love. The kind that bends without breaking.

Think about this, are you loving who your partner was or learning to love who they’re becoming?

Loving by HIS Word–“Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Mark 10:9

God joins evolving people, not finished products. Every season is a new invitation to choose each other again…not out of habit, but out of holy intention. When you honor who they’re becoming, you honor the God who’s still shaping both of you.

6 a.m. Quote–“Don’t fall in love with a moment, fall in love with a mission. People change, purpose keeps you connected.”

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