Nine Essential Conversations before You Say I Do


Book Description

In his popular book, 9 Essential Conversations before You Say I Do, author and pastor Gary Thomas, marriage and family therapist Dr. Steve Wilke and Rebecca Wilke, EdD help couples explore: What marriage means to each individual and whether this is a wise match How to engage in essential relational pursuits such as healthy conflict, sexual intimacy, and spiritual intimacy How to discuss in advance crucial aspects of marriage such as childrearing, finances, and marital roles Why asking hard questions now is better than asking them five years from now With thoughtful questions that encourage couples to examine themselves and their relationships, 9 Essential Conversations before You Say I Do will help couples thrive not only in the early months of their marriage but also in the years to come. Includes Guides and Questions.




The Sacred Search


Book Description

Bestselling author Gary Thomas transforms the way you look at romantic relationships. His unique perspective on dating will prepare you for a satisfying, spiritually enriching marriage. In the revised edition of his hit book The Sacred Search, Gary Thomas helps single people of all ages make wise marital choices by rethinking what basis those choices should be made on. You will be encouraged to think beyond finding your “soul mate” and instead adopt a more biblical search for a “sole mate”—someone who will walk with you on your spiritual journey. Thomas asks, What if we focused on why we should get married more than on who to marry? What if being “in love” isn’t a good enough reason to get married? And most of all, what if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy? The Sacred Search casts a vision for building a relationship around shared spiritual mission—and making marriage with eternity at its heart.




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.




Eight Dates


Book Description

Whether you’re newly together and eager to make it work or a longtime couple looking to strengthen and deepen your bond, Eight Dates offers a program of how, why, and when to have eight basic conversations with your partner that can result in a lifetime of love. “Happily ever after” is not by chance, it’s by choice– the choice each person in a relationship makes to remain open, remain curious, and, most of all, to keep talking to one another. From award-winning marriage researcher and bestselling author Dr. John Gottman and fellow researcher Julie Gottman, Eight Dates offers an ingenious and simple-to-implement approach to effective relationship communication. Here are the subjects that every serious couple should discuss: Trust. Family. Sex and intimacy. Dealing with conflict. Work and money. Dreams, and more. And here is how to talk about them—how to broach subjects that are difficult or embarrassing, how to be brave enough to say what you really feel. There are also suggestions for where and when to go on each date—book your favorite romantic restaurant for the Sex & Intimacy conversation (and maybe go to a yoga or dance class beforehand). There are questionnaires, innovative exercises, real-life case studies, and skills to master, including the Four Skills of Intimate Conversation and the Art of Listening. Because making love last is not about having a certain feeling—it’s about both of you being active and involved.




A Lifelong Love


Book Description

A good marriage isn’t something found; it’s something made. In this revised and updated edition of the bestselling book A Lifelong Love, author Gary Thomas shares that when couples pursue spiritual purpose and worship it builds lasting intimacy and friendship between them. In A Lifelong Love, Thomas takes couples on three essential journeys leading to a strong marriage: The journey toward each other The journey toward God The journey toward love Whether readers are feeling discouraged about their marriage or simply want to infuse their relationship with greater spiritual and relational passion, A Lifelong Love offers the guidance they need to embrace the eternal intentions that God has for them.




Preparing for Marriage


Book Description

Get Ready for the Marriage You've Always Dreamed Of Start planning now for life together after the cake is cut and the guests head home. That is when the real adventure begins--the adventure of creating an intimate, lasting, and biblical marriage! This third edition of the FamilyLife classic has been restructured and refreshed for today's couples. Centered around essential conversations about finances, sex, family, faith, and more, Preparing for Marriage is a fun, romantic study that will help you target areas for growth in your relationship. You can work through the book as a couple, with a pastor or premarital counselor, or with a small group. Don't just prepare for your wedding . . . prepare for your marriage!




101 Questions to Ask Before You Get Engaged


Book Description

The Perfect Remedy for Cold Feet! More than half of all couples who become engaged this year will never make it to the altar. Why? Leading experts believe it's because couples fail to really get to know their potential mate before getting engaged. Relationship expert and noted couples counselor Norm Wright steers potential brides and grooms through a series of soul-searching questions to discern if they've really met "the One." Couples will be much more confident about whether or not to pursue marriage after completing these in-depth and personal questions. Norm also addresses the delicate subject of calling off the wedding if readers discover that a potential mate isn't actually meant to be a life partner.




12 Questions to Ask Before You Marry


Book Description

Today, marriages have a 50 percent chance of lasting. Longing to improve those odds, pastor Clayton King, author of the popular Dying to Live, and his wife, Sharie, reveal a revolutionary biblical perspective—at the heart of a godly union is a heart of service. Love is more about understanding one’s spouse than being understood. Offering wisdom from God’s Word and beneficial advice from their decade of marriage, the Kings present 12 relationship-building questions for couples to ask before they wed. They guide and encourage couples to discuss their: religious backgrounds past relationships desires for family and future financial habits and goals vocational aspirations These questions reveal expectations and concerns and help each person understand the needs and hopes of their loved one. A great resource for churches, counselors, dating couples, and young men and women who dream of a forever marriage.




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?




Dating and the Single Parent


Book Description

Trustworthy Stepfamily Expert Offers Single Parents a Guide to Dating Single parents who are dating or want to begin a dating relationship wonder, How will dating affect my children and my parenting? They probably have figured out that "dating in a crowd" is complicated. Now they're looking for help. Ron Deal, who has counseled single parents and remarried couples for many years, helps single parents--as well as those who date them--navigate the potential pitfalls involved. He gives perspective on when a relationship may be harmful to the children as well as how it can be a blessing to all. Always at the forefront is the goal of strengthening families. Includes questions for individual or group study.