The Christian’S Guide to Mate Selection and Marital Preparation


Book Description

Over 60% of marriages in the United States end in divorce. The pain and emotional suffering of separation and divorce wreaks havoc not only on families of the world but in the body of Christ as well. Selecting the wrong partner or being ill prepared for marriage undoubtedly are two major factors contributing to the ever-growing divorce rate. The Christians guide to mate selection and marital preparation will give the reader, Christians and non-Christians alike the insight, wisdom and practical strategies needed to select a competent compatible mate as well as prepare them for a long lasting lovable marriage. In this book, you will discover: What marriage really is 5 reasons why couples might refuse the counsel they so desperately need to make their marriage a success How to choose Mr. or Ms. Right The greatest mistakes people make when choosing a mate The role of your family of origin in mate selection (using the genogram) How to avoid defective dating How and why you should maximize your single life before getting married. Six qualities to look for in a mate Eight essential things you must understand before walking down the aisle. Understanding blended family issues when marrying someone that already has children What to do before you say I Do- Rules of engagement Preparing for the sacrifices of companionship And practical marital preparations. This must read book is a prerequisite to a healthy happy marriage Stop! Don't say "I Do" without reading




Before You Say "I Do"®


Book Description

Build a Love that Lasts At a time when more people are delaying marriage or writing it off altogether, those ready to walk the aisle will appreciate a frank and trusted resource to help them start marriage on the right foot. This practical guide will help you explore your relationship in depth and will provide new insight into your partner and how the two of you relate to one another establish your wants and needs as individuals and a couple before your marriage begins lay the groundwork for open and honest conversation for a stronger, healthier marriage reveal how life events and family background can influence decision making in finances, family, education, faith, and career engage you in activities that lead to thought-provoking discussion addressing your past experiences and current expectations Engaging and easy-to-use, Before You Say "I Do" is full of tried and true wisdom to help you plan for your future and build a lasting relationship with the one you love.




Tying the Knot


Book Description

Tying the Knot by Rob Green offers soon-to-be-married couples a practical vision of Christ-centered marriage that is realistic, hopeful, and actionable. With homework to help any counselor or couple put crucial lessons into practice, Tying the Knot is a highly relevant premarital counseling book. This eight-session study guides couples through issues like conflict, expectations, communication, finances, and intimacy, showing how each can be successfully resolved with Christ at the center of the marriage. Knowing the stresses and needs of a couple in their season of engagement, Green has helpfully designed the study to require a manageable (and healthy) 60 minutes of at-home work per session, with questions and exercises to build communication and intimacy at the end of each chapter. Tying the Knot also includes an appendix for mentors, making it easy for a married couple, lay leader, or counselor to lead an engaged couple through the book. Field-tested and recommended by multiple counselors in a thriving counseling practice, Tying the Knot has already guided many couples into a stronger and more joyful union. Let this eight-week premarital study reorient your life and marriage around Christ, so you both will experience all the blessings of marriage as God designed it.




Marriage Ministry Guide


Book Description

This resource is much more than a mere leader's guide for the Focus on the Family Marriage Series; it is a manual for developing and sustaining a ministry to marriages in your church and community. With marriages in our culture-and even the Church- in dire straits, there is a desperate need for the Church and it's leaders to stand in the gap for families and marriages. Gleaned from ministries around the nation, this manual contains information on how and where to begin, types of ministry settings, staffing and organization of the ministry. It also includes basic information on learning styles and how to teach adults, develop lessons and encourage discussion. It will also include reproducible forms, publicity aids and clip art, as well as a listing of additional resources.




A Lasting Promise


Book Description

The revised edition of the bestselling Christian guide to a happy marriage For more than fifteen years, Scott Stanley's A Lasting Promise has offered solutions to common problems—facing conflicts, problem solving, improving communication, and dealing with core issues—within a Christian framework. Thoroughly revised and updated, this new edition is filled with sacred teachings of scripture, the latest research on marriage, and clear examples from the lives of couples. The book's strategies are designed to help couples improve communication, understand commitment, bring more fun into their relationship, and enhance their sex lives. Lead author Scott Stanley is co-director of the Center for Marital and Family Studies at the University of Denver and coauthor of Fighting for Your Marriage, which has sold more than a million copies. Offers reflections on how to enhance anyone's marriage over the long term and avoid divorce Covers recent cultural shifts, such as dealing with the endless technological distraction and issues with social networking New themes include the chemistry of love, the life-long implications of having bodies, and how to support one another emotionally Uses illustrative examples from couples’ lives and rich integration of insights from scripture This important book offers an invaluable resource for all couples who want to honor and preserve the holy sacrament of their union.




The Art of Permanence


Book Description

Mate selection is the second most important decision we make in life! This decision determines whether our life will be blessed and full of joy or if it will be a painful calamity. If it is a calamity, then it will bring disastrous effects on us, our mate, our children, and our extended family and friends. Who can best guide us through this decision? Parents frequently convey to their children that the only criteria for success in mate selection and marriage are money and education. Parents want their children to excel in marriage, but they give their children no specialized training or emphasis on preparing their lives and being the kind of person who can secure a godly mate and maintain a permanent, lasting relationship. I see churches striving to attract youths and young adults to the church. I see churches challenging youths to be exceptional in their faithfulness to Jesus. I want to see churches teaching teenagers and young adults to be intimate with one another while maintaining sexual purity. I want to see churches teaching youths how to build the skills that will make them an excellent mate and future parent. I want to see churches teaching youths and young adults how to find healing for the pains that are destroying their lives. I see churches teaching that God demands holiness, and I want to see them teaching that holiness is the most enjoyable, beneficial, and only lifestyle that can and will bring permanence to all of our relationships, including marriage.




Preparing Couples for Love and Marriage


Book Description

Good preparation enables couples to take a first step together in facing their future challenges. While no one can smooth away all the rough spots in the marital road ahead, couples can be coached to pay attention to warning signs, see the bumps before they hit them, and deal more skillfully with inevitable conflicts. This book provides pastors with a framework and tools for this ministry. The good news is that you don’t need any formal background in counseling, because the kind of work we’re talking about isn’t counseling—it’s coaching—a coach who can help couples to respond positively to the differences between them. It’s not about having the answers; but is it about helping couples manage difficulties before they become serious threats to the marriage.




Naked and Unashamed


Book Description

Happy marriages don't just happen. Despite the abundance of magazines and self-help books available, people continue to struggle with marriage Naked and Unashamed describes the diligent, necessary work to maintain marriage, as well holistic character-that the nakedness asked of each individual extends from how we communicate, to how we grow spiritually, to how we manage our finances, and to how we make love. Every marriage is a snapshot of and testimony to God's covenant relationship with His Church. Without mincing words, Dr. Jerry, Claudia, and Jeremy offer real help through practical and spiritual advice on these topics and more. Undressing for Intimacy Unpacking Communication Exploring Expectations Undressing for Sex Naked and Unashamed challenges couples to embrace a holistic, lifelong undressing for marriage. Throughout, the book presents a picture of marriage in which relational and spiritual intimacy may be found in every aspect of the relationship. The book should enrich both marriages and the Christian life of the individuals within marriage. “I have performed scores of weddings over the years, and my wife and I have done the premarital counseling. I wish this insightful book had been available for us.” —LYLE W. DORSETT, PhD, Billy Graham Professor of Evangelism, Beeson Divinity School “Naked and Unashamed is a must-read for any couple seeking to do Christian marriage in a way that is glorifying to God. Part master class, part playbook, this frank and easy-to-understand guide is packed with critical insights and practical wisdom that can be applied immediately. This book leaves its readers equipped to engage in their marriage relationship in a truly transformational way. I cannot recommend it highly enough.” —MICHELLE MOUJAES, Founder and Executive Director, Faithtree Resources “This is the premarital resource I have been waiting for! Incredibly rich with wisdom and insight, Naked and Unashamed is for every couple who are more interested in staying married than they are in getting married. I highly recommend this book for anyone seeking a deeper, fuller, richer, understanding of biblical marriage.” —JIMMY DODD, Founder and President of PastorServe, author of Survive or Thrive: Six Relationships Every Pastor Needs




Ready to Wed


Book Description

Are You Planning a Wedding or Preparing for a Marriage? Like most engaged couples, you’re researching venues, trying on dresses and picking out tuxedos or suits, tasting sample dishes, dreaming of honeymoon destinations, and doing everything to ensure your wedding day is the event of a lifetime. But as more seasoned couples will tell you, there’s more to a marriage than a wedding. A lot more. How do you build a marriage that you’ve dreamed of? Dr. Greg Smalley, vice president of marriage at Focus on the Family, and his wife, Erin, along with 14 marriage experts, serve as your marriage guides as you prepare for life beyond the wedding day. From how to handle those everyday conflicts to how to better connect on a spiritual level, they’ll show you how to get ready for a lifetime of commitment. When the flowers have faded and the last morsel of cake has been eaten, you’ll stand with your new spouse, ready to face life together. Equip yourself for a marriage that lasts by learning: How to leave your parents (while still honoring them) and cleave to your spouse Why spiritual intimacy is key to a lasting relationship Why the language of love is communication (and how to build it) How to manage conflict in a healthy, God-honoring way Why sexual intimacy in your marriage will be the gift that keeps on giving Invest in a marriage that will last for decades. Are you ready?




The Pre-marriage Course


Book Description

Nicky and Sila Lee present the five sessions which make up ThePre-Marriage Course. Their talks are interspersed with thoughts from couples who have taken the course, as well as street interviews and marriage insights from around the world.