Thirty Seven Biblical Strategies For Making Marriage Joyful


Book Description

About the Book Here are proven strategies embedded in the Scriptures with which to unlock the joy and lock out the disappointment and disillusionment that lead to a hurtful, and eventually fractured, marriage relationship. By setting time aside each week, you will better understand and apply biblical solutions to issues in your relationship and direct your energies toward defeating the problem, not each other. Since God's plan of creation and redemption features marriage—Adam and Eve at the beginning, and Christ with the Church at the end—a stable and joyful marriage not only brings God glory, it provides an example for future generations to build on and copy. Use this book as a marriage enrichment tool as a couple, a group study book to work through with other couples, or as a resource to use with a counselor. In doing so you will stimulate the growth and development of your relationship with God and each other, experience greater joy in your marriage, and ultimately bring Him glory. Throughout you will find: - Key Scriptures applied to marriage - Nuggets of wisdom from a biblical counselor who is himself long-married - Questions to consider and answer - Practical homework to help you put what you've read into action - Dedicated space to write notes, prayers, or important ideas you want to remember About the Author Howard has been married to Pamela for sixty years. They have two grown children, eight grandchildren, four additional by marriage, and four great-grandchildren. Howard has filled various roles including seminary professor and president, pastor, and church planter. He retired as the Director of Counseling Ministries at Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama, USA. He continues a very active counseling, teaching, and conference ministry. Howard's affiliations include: ACBC—Fellow and Member of the Academy IABC-—Board member emeritus and Training Center Director The Owen Center—Counselor-at-Large Director of DMin Biblical Counseling Birmingham Theological Seminary Council of the Biblical Counseling Coalition Interim Director of Counseling at Briarwood Presbyterian Church The Addiction Connection—Certified Biblical Addiction Counselor Editorial Review After a hard and sobering look at the statistics dealing with marriage and divorce, including couples who proclaim to be practicing evangelical Christians, Dr. Eyrich takes us on trip down "Biblical Memory Lane" where we read verses that many of us have heard and or read before, yet somehow, we missed the fact that these life principles are also talking to me about my marriage and family. This, my friend, is where rubber meets this biblical 'Route 37' and a way of loving and cherishing one another as God intended from the outset of His creation. The "One Another's" of Scripture will take on a whole different meaning as we travel along this route: 37 ways to apply God's principles for love and marriage into a holy and happy relationship which will declare the glory and love of God and His wisdom to a world who has gotten lost with a GPS that's no longer pointing us to the right road. Walter Stuart, D.Min Pastoral Counseling Westminster Theological Seminary; Crossworld Missions.




The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work


Book Description

Just as Masters and Johnson were pioneers in the study of human sexuality, so Dr. John Gottman has revolutionized the study of marriage. As a professor of psychology at the University of Washington and the founder and director of the Seattle Marital and Family Institute, he has studied the habits of married couples in unprecedented detail over the course of many years. His findings, and his heavily attended workshops, have already turned around thousands of faltering marriages. This book is the culmination of his life's work: the seven principles that guide couples on the path toward a harmonious and long-lasting relationship. Straightforward in their approach, yet profound in their effect, these principles teach partners new and startling strategies for making their marriage work. Gottman helps couples focus on each other, on paying attention to the small day-to-day moments that, strung together, make up the heart and soul of any relationship. Being thoughtful about ordinary matters provides spouses with a solid foundation for resolving conflict when it does occur and finding strategies for living with those issues that cannot be resolved. Packed with questionnaires and exercises whose effectiveness has been proven in Dr. Gottman's workshops, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work is the definitive guide for anyone who wants their relationship to attain its highest potential. The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work is the result of Dr. John Gottman's many years of closely observing thousands of marriages. This kind of longitudinal research has never been done before. Based on his findings, he has culled seven principles essential to the success of any marriage. Maintain a love map. Foster fondness and admiration. Turn toward instead of away. Accept influence. Solve solvable conflicts. Cope with conflicts you can't resolve. Create shared meaning. Dr. Gottman's unique questionnaires and exercises will guide couples on the road to revitalizing their marriage, or making a strong one even better.




The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work


Book Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Over a million copies sold! “An eminently practical guide to an emotionally intelligent—and long-lasting—marriage.”—Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work has revolutionized the way we understand, repair, and strengthen marriages. John Gottman’s unprecedented study of couples over a period of years has allowed him to observe the habits that can make—and break—a marriage. Here is the culmination of that work: the seven principles that guide couples on a path toward a harmonious and long-lasting relationship. Straightforward yet profound, these principles teach partners new approaches for resolving conflicts, creating new common ground, and achieving greater levels of intimacy. Gottman offers strategies and resources to help couples collaborate more effectively to resolve any problem, whether dealing with issues related to sex, money, religion, work, family, or anything else. Packed with new exercises and the latest research out of the esteemed Gottman Institute, this revised edition of The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work is the definitive guide for anyone who wants their relationship to attain its highest potential.




Sacred Marriage


Book Description

What if God designed marriage to make you holy instead of happy? What if your relationship isn't as much about you and your spouse as it is about you and God? In Sacred Marriage, bestselling author Gary Thomas uncovers the ways that your marriage can become a doorway to a closer walk with God and with each other. Join over one million others who have already uncovered Thomas's tips for fostering a sacred marriage. Within the pages of Sacred Marriage, Thomas invites you to see how God can use your relationship with your spouse as a discipline and a motivation to love God more and reflect more of the character of his Son. In addition to life-changing insights from Scripture, church history, and time-tested wisdom from Christian classics, you'll find practical advice and techniques to make your marriage happier by becoming holier husbands and wives. In Sacred Marriage, Thomas will give you all of the tools you need to: Turn marital struggles into spiritual and personal appreciation Love your spouse with a stronger sense of purpose Confront your weaknesses and sin in order to grow your relationship with God and with your spouse Partner in the spiritual growth and character formation of your spouse Transform a tired marriage into a relationship filled with awe and respect Thomas reveals that sacred marriages teach us to love God and others well by fostering a healthy sex life, a strong prayer life, and a rich spiritual life. God uses our marriages to help us grow in character, in prayer, in worship, and in service--we just have to recognize that the purpose of marriage is holiness, not happiness. Each copy also includes thought-provoking discussion questions designed to spark conversation between couples and small groups, allowing you to dive deeper into the lessons that Thomas shares in Sacred Marriage. Join the one million others who have already started on their journey to transforming their relationship with their spouses and with their Creator.




Building a Marriage That Really Works


Book Description

A Blueprint for Building a Love that Lasts Marriage begins with visions of eternal love, hope, and happiness. Yet, even among Christians, hope too quickly fades. The happiness dims. And love seems too hard to sustain. It doesn’t have to be that way. God designed marriage to be a satisfying, fulfilling relationship, and He created men and women so that they–together, and as one flesh–could reflect His love for the world. Marriage, when lived out as God intended, makes us complete, it brings us joy, and gives our lives fresh meaning. In this study, you’ll examine God’s design for marriage, and you’ll learn, from the Designer’s perspective, what it means to be a godly husband or wife. You’ll discover biblical wisdom for pursuing harmony in difficult areas such as finances, communication, and respect for each other’s roles. Most important, you’ll learn the principles you need to build a love that lasts.




The Second Happy


Book Description

What is the secret to a healthy, happy, fulfilling marriage? Nearly every marriage starts out happy, and if we're honest, nearly every marriage at some point becomes unhappy. Is there a solution? Can an unhappy marriage really get back to being happy? Can it be truly and authentically happy--even better than it was at first? Kevin and Marcia Myers, married for thirty-seven years through nearly every challenge a couple can face, emphatically say yes. Revealing seven practices that offer help and hope for a happy and enduring marriage, The Second Happy is a captivating, practical resource that provides the tools necessary to tune-up, overhaul, or even rebuild your marriage. Practices to sustain and strengthen marriage include the following: breaking the quit cycle; picking a fair fight so both people win; keeping disagreements from escalating; and removing pretense from your relationship. Rooted in Scripture and contemporary insights from the Myers' marriage, as well as real stories from other couples, this revelatory book shows how any marriage can regain depth, meaning and, yes, happiness.




The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages


Book Description

“Where does ‘highly happy’ come from—and can we have some too?!” Have you ever looked at a blissfully married couple and thought, I wish I could know their secret? Now you can. After years of investigative research, Shaunti reveals twelve powerful habits that the happiest marriages have in common. Best news of all? Anyone can learn the secrets of a highly happy marriage! In The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages, Shaunti Feldhahn shares her findings about little, very unexpected, often overlooked actions that make a huge difference. You’re about to discover that highly happy couples: • Go to bed mad • Keep score (just not in the way you think) • Boss their feelings around • Have factual fantasies • Get in over their heads • Don’t tell it like it is • Don’t look to marriage to make them happy… Packed with eye-opening research and practical helps, this book delivers relationship insights that will take your marriage from “just fine” to “just the marriage we’ve always wanted.”




Counsel for Couples


Book Description

Many pastors feel ill-equipped to handle the challenges that arise when a couple is going through marital difficulties. If you are or have been in this situation before, this book shows church leaders how to counsel married couples from both a logical and biblical perspective. Author and pastor Jonathan Holmes offers you a practical guide to get started with the first sessions and then offers specific guidance on nine of the most common topics that come up in marriage counseling. In Counsel for Couples, Holmes provides you with: a biblical methodology that navigates you through the world of marriage counseling based on God’s word a theological counseling approach addressing the deepest of marital issues advice from several respected voices in the biblical counseling community In each chapter, you'll meet a new couple dealing with a different issue, much like the people in your church, office, and neighborhood. Whether you're a novice or already knowledgeable, Counsel for Couples provides theologically sound and biblically practical tools to help you as you help couples in need.




31 Days to a Happy Husband


Book Description

What does a man need most from his wife? Arlene Pellicane, author of 31 Days to a Younger You, asked numerous husbands that question. Based on their answers, Pellicane identified five keys that will give wives a new appreciation and understanding of how to love and care for their mates. Domestic tranquility—A husband needs a peaceful haven. Respect—A husband needs to be honored in his home. Eros—A husband needs a fulfilling sex life. Attraction—A husband needs to be attracted to his wife. Mutual activities—A husband needs to have fun with his wife. Along with identifying a husband’s needs, Pellicane provides practical instruction to motivate and equip wives to show their husbands the care and affection they long for. Every day a wife is either building her husband up or tearing him down. This book offers wives a 31-day, no holding back, life-changing building program for their marriages.




7 Days to a Stronger Marriage


Book Description

"7 Days to a Stronger Marriage" (Husbands Edition & Wives Edition) outlines a proven plan that could revolutionize the communication, sexual intimacy, trust, connection, commitment and overall happiness in your marriage. Dave and Ashley Willis (Founders of StrongerMarriages.com) have drawn from timeless Biblical principles, cutting-edge relationship research and their own experiences working with couples from all over the world to create a weeklong interactive experience for married couples unlike any other resource you've seen. Both editions of this book offer a daily reading full of inspiring real-life stories, humor, practical applications, insightful research and Biblical principles. The Husbands Edition and Wives Edition of the book share many of the same stories and illustrations, but each edition also holds a significant amount of unique content crafted specifically to husbands and specifically to wives. Each book also contains a section for daily journaling, a daily activity meant to be completed together.