If you've ever been away from your boyfriend or girlfriend for more than a week or two, you know that time apart is hard. Hopefully you also know that you can learn a lot from in and grow closer to your best friend through it. Honestly, it can make you or break you over time. Whether your relationship is long distance for most of the year or just for the summer (like mine), you understand the challenges and benefits of a long distance relationship (LDR).

Wait, there are benefits to an LDR? Yep, you read that right. Because physical contact is not an option, you learn to communicate more by talking and improving communication. Without communication, you have nothing. Being separated for any amount of time always makes you appreciate the time that you are able to spend together. You begin to count down the days and look forward to seeing him/her again with greater anticipation. Personally, I've learned not to take a moment together for granted. You begin to appreciate the little things like doing homework together or just watching a movie and having a chill afternoon.

Everyone's relationship is different, but there are a few things that are key to making a long distance relationship work.

1. COMMUNICATION.

It's pretty simple. If you don't make the effort to communicate often and effectively with your bf/gf, you won't be able to maintain a healthy relationship. This involves more than texting here and there. Make time for a video call or phone call every so often and schedule it if possible so that it doesn't get pushed aside and deemed as "unimportant". Make sure you communicate about more than "How was your day?" Take time to ask about their spiritual walk, how they're really doing, and if you know they have a problem that they're facing, ask them how they're doing with it and if there's anything you can do to help.

2. Random Gestures.

It doesn't take much to make someone's day. Just a little something to say that you were thinking about them and miss them can make a bad day 10 times better. Take a few minutes to write a sweet note and stick it in the mail, I promise it will mean more than a text message. Send them a song or quote that reminded you of them when you heard/saw it. Pause for a moment and make sure they know how much you appreciate them or how much you're looking forward to seeing them in ___ days. It's the little things.

3. Forgive & Be Understanding

Sometimes one of you is busy and doesn't have a lot of time to talk that day, and that's okay! You have to be understanding. Maybe you misunderstood something he/she said and were later let down when they didn't do what you thought they were going to do. Be patient in realizing that it's so much easier to miscommunicate over text. If they've had a stressful day and don't have as much patience for you as usual, forgive them and give them space. You're a team and have to learn to work well together. Remember, it's not you vs. them, it's you & them vs. the problem.

4. Trust

Distance can leave room for the imagination to run wild, especially for us girls. Don't assume the worse or make up scenarios in your head that are not actually logical. Trust that your significant other is staying true to their word and respecting you and the relationship between you two. Don't suffocate him/her and try to track every move they make. A good relationship is built on mutual trust.

5. Pray

Prayer is powerful and important in keeping your relationship centered on THE firm foundation. Pray for each other and with each other. Be intentional about sharing prayer requests and praying together over the phone. Pray for your future spouse specifically as well.

6. Love Languages

Learn each others' love language and figure out how to best show them you care based on that. Take the quiz online, share your results with each other, and look up ways to meet those needs in an LDR if you can't think of any yourself. Sometimes we don't know how to show our appreciate and care for another person in a way that will mean the most to them, and this is a great way to start!

No matter how far apart you are or how long it will be before you see each other again, distance adds a new challenge to any relationship. That being said, if it is a godly relationship that is within His will, distance will not stop it from happening.

In the words of a wise character, "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." -Winnie the Pooh <3