Lent has begun and it's the perfect time to establish healthy new habits that will support our marriage and deepen our spiritual life. Here are three quick ways to live lent well with a marriage focus.

Prayer – Pray every day for your spouse, for your marriage and be a better spouse. Here’s a simple prayer you can use.

Fasting – Fast from criticism for the whole of Lent. And no days off on Sunday for this one!

Really, it’s so liberating! When we surrender the right (some people think it’s an obligation) to criticise, we stop looking for someone to blame. When things go wrong we’re more likely to approach it calmly and less likely to get uptight about who’s at fault. We relax and enjoy life more …and so does our spouse!

Almsgiving – Our wedding vows call us to approach our marriage in the spirit of self-giving service. In the same way that we don’t expect a kick back when we give financially to a charity, once a week give something to your spouse without expectation of pay back.

Do something nice for him or her according to what you know they would really appreciate – a back rub, some free time to read a book, a night off cooking, a car wash etc.

And by the way, don’t let the non-participation of your spouse be an excuse – these Lenten tasks can be done by any husband or wife on their own initiative.