14 DAY TRIAL // They have been married for 30 years and have 19 children together so, when it comes to dishing out advice on how to maintain a happy marriage by keeping the spark alive, Bob and Michelle Duggar must know what they’re talking about. So it’s just perfect that they’re doing so on Valentine’s Day.
Both reality stars (they shot to fame on TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting series) sat down for a very special interview with NBC’s Today Moms on the topic of their marriage, in the hope that this will help other couples keep the spark alive for as long as they have.
The number one rule, Michelle says, is to always be available for your husband. She doesn’t mean just for talking and cooking, but to actually make yourself available for lovemaking whenever your man requires it of you.
As she puts it, any other woman can make him a sandwich for lunch or press his shirts, but only you can satisfy his needs in this department.
However, that’s not all that goes into keeping a marriage happy, Bob intervenes: a man must also treat his wife like a queen, especially if she reciprocates this. “That's key in a relationship, the husband needs to cherish his wife and always treat his wife like a queen,” Mr. Duggar says.
“He shares his heart with me, his struggles, his fears and his dreams,” Michelle adds, saying the ideal of the “silent and strong” type of man is not the kind that would make a marriage last for this long. “Many men would not do that, but God's word says that before honor comes humility. When he learns to humble himself before God and me, it builds him up so much in my eyes,” she continues.
The Duggars also stress the importance of sharing intimate moments that aren’t necessarily limited to the time allotted to lovemaking. They always take the time off their busy schedules to send “I love you” texts or to kiss passionately, and go out on a date on their own every Saturday.
Just as important is learning from an early stage to say “I was wrong” and “Will you forgive me?,” and to say these two sentences whenever the need be.