Cue the fireworks and confetti — today is July 24, the day George & April Davis celebrate their 33rd wedding anniversary. Thirty-three years of marriage, thirty-seven years together since they met in college, and one conclusion they keep coming back to: they haven't done everything perfectly, but they have been intentional. To mark the milestone, George and April open up the blueprint of their own marriage and share the 10 keys they believe have built a relationship that has lasted — and continues to grow. It starts where everything starts for them, with God at the center (“a cord of three strands is not quickly broken”), and moves through choosing commitment over feelings, communicating honestly and often, protecting your unity, fighting fairly, and never — ever — letting date night die. Along the way there's plenty of anniversary honesty: the gum-smacking confession April made to a cruise ship full of strangers (but never to George), why they argue more in their 50s than they did in their 20s — and why that's actually a good thing — the Thursday date night that rescued them in 2017, and a walk through every season of their marriage, from two kids fresh out of college to an empty nest that turned out to be the best season of all. The 10 Keys 1. Put God first. Relationships were God's idea. God has to be the foundation, not the add-on — and spiritual alignment is what fuels relational health, not the other way around. (Matthew 6:33) 2. Choose commitment over feelings. Feelings fluctuate; commitment stabilizes. Love is a decision you wake up and choose every day — even on the days you don't feel it. 3. Communicate honestly and often. Silence creates distance; healthy communication builds connection. The golden rule: speak the truth, but speak it in love. (Ephesians 4:15) 4. Protect your unity. Draw a bubble around your marriage and don't let anyone inside it — not parents, siblings, best friends, or even your kids. Stay aligned publicly and privately. (Amos 3:3; Genesis 2:24) 5. Learn how to resolve conflict. Conflict is inevitable, but damage is optional. Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to get angry — and fight fairly: no name-calling, and never weaponize what was shared in vulnerability. (James 1:19) 6. Keep dating each other. What started the relationship must be sustained in the relationship. Don't let familiarity replace intentionality — put date night on the calendar and keep it there. 7. Embrace growth and change. You're not marrying a finished product. Grow together, not apart — don't wake up as roommates instead of covenant partners. (2 Corinthians 3:18) 8. Extend grace generously. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Give the benefit of the doubt, learn your spouse's rhythms, and know that the right thing said at the wrong time is still the wrong move. (Colossians 3:13) 9. Stay physically and emotionally connected. Intimacy matters — emotional and physical. Never let anyone else gain an emotional foothold your spouse doesn't have, and keep the physical connection a priority for both of you. (1 Corinthians 7:3) 10. Keep a long-term perspective. Great marriages aren't built in six months — they're built over time, over decisions, over difficulties, and through every season. Don't grow weary in doing what is right. (Galatians 6:9) In This Episode • An anniversary on the air: This episode drops on George & April's actual 33rd wedding anniversary — 33 years married, 37 years together, and April's verdict: “I think I'm gonna keep you.” • The gum-smacking scandal: George just found out — from a love-and-marriage show on a cruise ship — that his gum smacking irritates April. Thirty-three years, and she told a room full of strangers before she told him. Communicate honestly and often, indeed. • Why they argue more now than in their 20s: April used to hold things in; now she says what needs to be said. More disagreements, deeper honesty — and a marriage that's better for it. • The date night that saved a season: In 2016, caring for their daughter through a health crisis, George and April looked up and realized they'd stopped dating — and started arguing about things they never argued about. Since January 2017, nearly every Thursday night has been date night. • Fighting fairly, defined: Hear each other out respectfully, say what's on your heart, never call each other names, and never turn a moment of vulnerability into a weapon. • Every season of a marriage: Eight years of just the two of them, the painful season of waiting to conceive, bawling on the bathroom floor over a positive pregnancy test, raising kids, releasing kids — and discovering the empty nest is the best season yet, because they never stopped investing in each other. Key Takeaways • Marriage is a covenant of three — you, your spouse, and God. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. • When marriages fall apart, whatever reason goes on paper, the underlying reason is almost always the same: somewhere along the line, God stopped being first place. • Love is a decision, not an emotion. On the days you don't feel it, you still choose it. • Speak the truth in love — truth without love wounds, and love without truth breeds unspoken frustration. • Protecting unity starts with the man: dress the garden and keep the garden. Do what's right without applause, and keep out every intruder. • Conflict is inevitable; damage is optional. If you're born again, self-control is fruit of the Spirit — you can stop doing anything you actually want to stop doing. • Roughly 90% of couples in trouble share one trait: they stopped dating. The couples who keep date night have love in the love bank — they get along better and they fight better. • Don't spend so much time investing in your kids that you forget to invest in each other. Build enough equity in every season and the empty nest becomes the best season of all. • Final word: stay committed, stay connected, and keep God at the center of everything. Healthy marriages don't happen by accident — they're built by design. Scripture Referenced • Ecclesiastes 4:12: “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” — marriage is strongest when God is at the center. • Matthew 6:33: “Seek first the kingdom of God” — God as the foundation of the marriage, not the add-on. • Ephesians 4:15: “Speak the truth in love” — George's golden rule of communication. • Amos 3:3: “Can two walk together unless they are agreed?” — the case for protecting your unity. • Genesis 2:24: Leave and cleave — the bubble a husband and wife draw around their marriage. • James 1:19: Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to get angry — the blueprint for resolving conflict. • 2 Corinthians 3:18: We are being changed to be like Him — you're not marrying a finished product. • Colossians 3:13: “Forgive as the Lord forgave you” — grace sustains what perfection never could. • 1 Corinthians 7:3: Husband and wife fulfilling their marital duty — intimacy is a priority for both. • Galatians 6:9: “Let us not grow weary in doing what is right” — great marriages are built over time. 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And if you have a question for George & April Davis, reach out — your question could be featured in a future episode. 🎙️ Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube 📱 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram 📧 Submit your questions: theblueprintpodcast@weareimpact.com Support the show The Blueprint with George & April Davis is a conversation about the principles that build strong lives, strong families, strong leaders, and strong ministries. Drawing from decades of ministry, leadership, and life experience, they share the wisdom and practical insights that help people build their lives on a solid foundation.
