With Valentine's Day right around the corner, this is the perfect time to work on our closest relationship. With that in mind, here's a look at the 10 Bible studies that people like you downloaded most from ChristianBibleStudies.com on the topic of love and marriage.

10. Christian Marriages: Ideal or Real
Gifted for Leadership Bible Study
Shouldn't Christian homes be peaceful and well-ordered, characterized by constant harmony, a spiritual atmosphere, pure motives, and financial stability? Whether we acknowledge the truth openly or just worry about it secretly, we all know that our actual marriages do not measure up to this ideal. But is an ideal necessarily what God expects of our marriages? The purpose of this study is to see ourselves as God sees us, and to understand his expectations of our time together as married believers.

9. Marriage by God's Design
Christianity Today Bible Study
Among the fastest-selling books of all time, Fifty Shades of Grey has swept through the imaginations of American women "many of them married" with force. But such novelties are nothing new. Men and women both have sought titillating escape since the beginning of time. As James Parker wrote in an Atlantic article, "Above all, we fear numbness. We fear deadness" in our sex lives. In a world desperate for a turn-on, where does a faithful Christian marriage fit? Is it the epitome of "numbness" and "deadness"? A graveyard for romance and pleasure? Far from it, says Megan Hill. By God's design, marriage can be the ultimate place for passion–long after the thrill of fantasy fades.

8. Seeking God Together
Marriage Partnership Bible Study
Many factors determine whether a marriage will be a strong one—and a wise couple will not leave God at the altar after their vows, but will instead invite him into their lives each day. This study offers insights from Scripture on how to seek God as a couple and as individuals within the context of marriage. In prayer, in worship, and in the Word, couples can pursue a relationship with God and learn to rely on him—together.

7. Communication in Marriage
Marriage Partnership Course
Communication problems are as old as Adam and Eve. In this 6-session course, we explore what the Bible has to say about the obstacles and solutions to communication, how to communicate love to our spouses, how to avoid miscommunication, how to stop hurtful words, the importance of compromise, and finally how grace towards one another is the key to getting along.

6. Faith as the Marriage Glue
Marriage Partnership Bible Study
Far too many marriages fail, and, according to most statistics, Christian unions fare little better than average. Adding God to husband and wife does make the foundation for a strong marriage, but the process is not as simple as adding water to sand and cement to make concrete. What are God's goals for marriage? What role does he play in developing healthy husbands and wives? Most important, how can Christians draw on God's resources to build solid families?

5. Marriage Bible Study Bundle
Quarterly Bible Study
Marriage is full of opportunities for joy and pain. Learning to love each other well and glorify God through your relationship with your spouse is a challenge worth taking on each day. But we can't expect to face the challenge on our own and win. Taking time to study what the Bible has to say about money, communication, sex, and more will help husbands and wives form a strong foundation and grow. When you seek God together, he will provide you with the love and support you need to have a healthy marriage.

4. Sex & the Christian Couple
Marriage Partnership Bible Study
What does the Bible have to say about sex within marriage? Should we feel guilt over some of the things we do? How can we know what sexual activities are okay and what aren't? This study examines issues many Christians wonder about but seldom discuss regarding sex within marriage.

3. Finding Joy in the Difficulty of Marriage
Six Session Bible Study
"I'm convinced there are only five languages of love. Each person uses all the languages, but really thrives on one," says Gary Chapman in his article for Marriage Partnership magazine. These love languages are channels to communicate our love to our spouse. They require sacrificial effort, contemplative forethought, and purposeful demonstration. However, the results of successfully communicating our love are tender intimacy and a stronger marriage bond.

2. Learning to Appreciate Our Spouse
Marriage Partnership Bible Study
It is easy to focus on the aggravations, annoyances, and behaviors that frustrate or anger us in marriage. This can cause us to lose sight of the significant gifts of kindness and service our spouse gives us every day. If our attitude is critical or negative, we will miss much of the joy of married life. This study will explore how to train our hearts and minds to be thankful for our spouse.

1. Glorify God Together: A Marriage of Purpose
Marriage Partnership Bible Study
A marriage centered on Christ is specifically focused on glorifying God, according to Rick Warren in his article entitled "The Purpose-Driven Marriage," written for Marriage Partnership. Our main purpose in marriage should be much greater than fulfilling our own wants and needs or even the wants and needs of our spouse. Our main purpose in marriage should be to focus on being of the same mind, according to Jesus, so that with one accord and one voice we glorify God.

JoHannah Reardon is the managing editor of ChristianBibleStudies.com. She has written seven fictional books and a family devotional guide, and she blogs at johannahreardon.com.

For more marriage resources, go to MarriagePartnership.com or visit the Marriage & Family section of this site.