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Bonnie Sala: Love happens in small moments that are easy to miss. I'm Bonnie Sala with Reset. Children often learn to throw and catch a ball as they're growing up, but there's an important game of catch you may not have learned. Experts say the practice of making and catching bids for connection is essential to a thriving marriage. A bid for connection is any attempt to get your spouse's attention.

Marriage masters are said to catch 87% of a spouse's bids, while marriages that are disasters are one in which spouses only catch 33% of each other's attempts to connect. We turn toward our spouses when we catch, but turn away with a lack of response. Let's imagine what this might look like. You come home from work and sit in the kitchen scrolling on your phone while your spouse starts cooking something for dinner.

Your spouse begins to chat about something stressful in their day, and you don't respond at all. "Did you hear me?" they exasperatedly ask. No connection there. Or perhaps you generally use more words than your spouse does to explain things, especially when it's something you feel strongly or emotional about. Your spouse cuts you off the minute they think they understand what you're trying to say, before you can even finish. Ouch. No connection there.

God, the author of relationship, has given us principles in Scripture that are key to connecting. The Bible teaches us: don't only look out for your own interest, but take an interest in others, too. And do everything in love. Because bids for connection don't always involve words. They might be touches or a look.

Healthy couples constantly make and accept bids. Watch for that incoming bid today and toss one out yourself. I'm Bonnie Sala. Ready to grow your faith? Discover practical tools and more at guidelines.org.