A whole new to think about marriage.
931858
We've been married 30 years and we getting back to loving side of our marriage. In the midst of this we learning about the mystery there is in marriage and how that relates to our walk with the Lord.
3750238
I heard of Craig Groeschel two weeks ago ago while flipping through the TV channels for a church program to watch.  His sermon was on marriage and I enjoyed it so much I went right to the internet to find some of his books.  I loved this book and would recommend it to everyone about to be married or who are and have been married for some time.  Making sure that both parties are on the same side with God as Number 1 and their Mate as Number 2 before the marriage begins makes it that much easier to make From This Day Forward a success.  Unfortunatly too many marriages don't make it as both parties are not putting in the same effort to make it work.
598477
I thought I was the only one thinking these things.  I'm 99% ambivalent about a relationship, having endured a horrid marriage and now having been single-again for +20 years.  I AM the person she describes who travels alone, likes things to stay where I put them, and who wakes up happy to have had the whole bed to myself for the last 8 hours.  HOWEVER I'm also the woman she describes who on occasion comes up with high-falutin', authentic-sounding worries about these 27 reasons..esp the "You're too Picky" which is what innumerable boyfriends and married/in relationship female friends always say.  Here's what this book has done for me: opened my mind to another perspective.  Thanks, Sara Eckel, wherever you are. May your marriage be joyous, enable mature communication and mostly peaceful.  I appreciate you writing this book.
4011203
They should hand this out at every marriage ceremony. It helped me just by making me stop and think. And when I thought about things and had a task to focus on, Things just got better. Very weird but I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth. The book is great, even for a "heathen" I totally skipped over the religious part, the rest of it really helpful though. I recommend to anyone who feels even a little put out in their marriage.
3728870
God Marriage and Family is a great resource. Myself and my fiancee read this together in preparations for premarital counseling, and this book brought up so much that we would not have even thought about until it could have been a point of struggle in our lives later on.
It is very thorough, giving many different views for the topics that it covers. It is grounded in the teachings of the Bible, comparing the views in both the Old and New Testament while not taking things out of context.
I would recommend this book to any and all couples that are currently married, but would also recommend this for engaged couples, as well as dating couples and for parents of children in high school age where dating starts getting "serious".
3290417
With the warning "Don't Pet The Squirrel" (find the video on YouTube - too funny), Groeschel starts taking his listeners and this book's readers on what he hopes is a journey to wholeness and purity in marriage specifically, and in being a human generally. The sexual part of us is always on, from puberty to death. How that passion is channeled, I think, helps determine our legacy for generations to come. So I took this one in with an eye towards what might be new, what might be old hat, and what might be really meaningful for right now.

Craig's intent is to explain "going all the way" as doing the right thing, the positive thing, making the best decisions. It's not the euphemism that the culture around us wants it to be - instead, it's a possibility for something better that should drive us to make those better choices right now. "All the way" is selling out for that higher ideal.

I got the feeling from the prose that this book would be great for anyone we know who's dating - out of high school, maybe still in college or young in the workforce, looking for someone to spend time with, maybe consider marriage at some point. It's good for those getting older and feeling the pinch of societal pressure to "just settle down", hearing the tick-tock of a biological clock. This would be the off-Christmas present for someone, given over coffee and conversation, to help make good choices and not jump off the deep end too soon.

But what it misses for me is the attention towards those who've been married - how do we make our marriage right now "go all the way"? How do we "rethink husbands" and "rethink wives" while in the middle of a marriage that could be better? I see more and more older single folks who've never married or who've been divorced, who've gone through hurt and pain and don't know what to do or expect next. And as the country skews older generationally, we'll continue to see more and more of that in our pews. I'm hoping a follow-up "Still Able To Go All The Way" might be in the offing for those considering divorce, those who've lost spouses through death, through stupidity, through making some of those bad choices in this current book - those who've made mistakes and want to do the right thing going forward.
2696728
A pastor friend of mine recommended Doug Wilson as an author. The friend suggested that Wilson was one of the most engaging writers that he had read. This was my first exposure to Wilson's writing, and I loved it. I am a pastor in a small church in southeast Michigan, and I think about marriage often, since: I am a married man; and because I try to counsel married couples in our church. I found myself agreeing with much of what Wilson had to say. And I especially was shocked at how the truth from the Bible was applied to my life. I am thankful for this book on marriage. There are very few books on marriage that are more helpful than this one.
731640
AMAZING! Opened my eyes to a new way of Love Ive never thought of before. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to develop/maintain a healthy, loving relationship that will LAST. Absolutely love this book.
2531957
I've been engaged for about 8 months - getting married in 2 weeks. This is the best book I've read on marriage, and I've read several over the last months. We used this book in a couple's Bible study group of mixed ages - some married for many years and some still engaged. This book has been incredibly insightful and practical, bringing the truth of Christ to marriage like I've never heard it before. It's real. It attacks the expectations and lies of the world with the truth of the Word. It's offers the truth of holiness in exchange for the lie of happiness. It approaches a great marriage, not as an end, but as a means to pleasing and glorifying God, the chief end. I've learned that marriage is not meant to be easy or always joyful, but it is still one of the most amazing gifts of God and tools for sanctification. Thanks for writing this Gary. I know I'm better prepared for marriage than I was before reading this book. I'm know it will be hard work, and we'll have a lot of issues to work out, but this has really helped my fiance and I have the right frame of mind for this incredible journey ahead.
3370749
I just don't think I can put into words how this book made me feel. It drew me in with such a force, I was taken off guard. I could feel Kate's emotions as she tried to come to terms with her divorce. I could feel how devastated she was.

Nobody said marriage is easy. You have to be willing to fight for each other. Sometimes it takes some major events to make you realize just how much in love you are.

Throughout the entire book, I couldn't figure out how it was going to end. Was Kate going to finally let go of Nick and at least accept the divorce. Would she move on with some one else? Would she realize how much she really loved Nick and work it out with him. I'm sure everything she thought would be something going through a divorce would experience.

This book honestly made think about  my own marriage and made me realize no matter how crazy my husband can drive me, I couldn't live without him.

This emotional book is a stand alone that I couldn't put down for long. Just be sure to have some Kleenex nearby, you are going to need them.
276006
I've been married for 16 years and have read all sorts of Christian books on marriage, but never have I felt so invigorated and hopeful about this labor of love.  This book is so refreshing!  It does not squash the joy of marriage with legalist rules, but neither does it back away from the truths of Scripture. I hope to buy a copy of this book for every woman in our church. It has blessed my spirit so much!  It is the only book I have ever read that I wanted to start back over at the beginning as soon as I finished it.
164448
I absolutely loved this book! It gave me a much more real and clear sense of what God desires and expects in marriage and why it is so important for us to understand before we enter into it. Praise God! He is awesome!
2605301
I will say on the first page I wondered where this book was going.  I am not for reckless dating and sudden marriage.  However, this is not the purpose of this book at all - far from it.  In fact Ted Cunningham is questioning the current status quo of marriageable age.  Should one wait until all is perfect in life - the job, career, a house, school?  Or should one pursue love and life together?

I married directly out of High School at the young age of 18.  After 14 years of marriage 5 pregnancies and 4 healthy children and one on the way I can say it has been a blessing to be married to the one God intended for me for this many years.  Many of my friends are just now beginning their families as they reach their early to mid 30's - some are just now considering marriage after they've finally completed college and gotten a career solidified.  Though I see their reasoning - I can attest that the blessing of early marriage has meant a longer period of time with the one God chose for me.  We have grown spiritually in the Lord side by side.  We have pursued God's will in our marriage, parenting and personal lives.  We have together faced joy and tragedy (in the loss of our baby Caleb) and we have seen God knit us together in an intimate and personal relationship with Him and each other.

This book attests to the fact that God had a plan in marriage.  It was not that we take sex casual and "try on" different people until we find the right one.  Nor was it for us to experience life and get it all together before settling down.  God's intention for love and marriage is that two become one and in that relationship they experience life and grow together.

I am glad that this author has taken on such a touchy subject and is willing to challenge young men to Grow up and take responsibility - to leave behind the gaming systems, their parents home, their life of no responsibility, their ipods, mp3 players, and the Facebook world and to pursue God's will.  Women too are challenged to leave behind romantic illusions and pursue God.

Regardless of age, God has one person for each person to marry.  Find yours and follow God.

Thank you B&B Communications for this review copy.
1234969
This is the first book I have read that really explains relationships.  I wish I had known all of these things earlier.  It has made me really think about the things I think and the things I say.  It has the potential of solving all of my marriage problems, if my husband will read and digest the things that are said.  I think everyone can benefit from this book, if they will read it with an open mind and heart.
1949253
I was surprised in reading this book. I figured it was just a guy and girl disliking each other until "BINGO" they are in love. So glad this wasn't the case! I'm never sure about marriage after a month but then my husband said a year before I met him that he was going to marry me. Stranger things have happened. It's nice to know not all families are lovey dovey. Do they make up or will you have to read this book to find out? Again this is a quick kind of book-not a short story. Rob is after Morgan and she likes him but marriage-really? Give this book a chance It really is worth the time.
4317666
This book completely changed my poi t of view. It will change my marriage.  I think everyone should read it!
688950
For those of you who don't know me, I'm twenty years old, single, and never been in a relationship. I'm married to my work--which goes far beyond just book reviewing, or even my real job, and is ultimately just following God's calling in my life. I'm married to God. Metaphorically, I'm His bride.

That doesn't mean I plan on being single all my life, it just means that whoever God does bring into my life will need to be someone that is willing to run hand-in-hand with me as we sprint into the arms of God.

But enough sentimentality. If I use it up now, I won't have any leftover for Valentine's Day. The book is entitled Love and War and is subtitled Finding the Marriage You've Dreamed Of. Standard reading material for a twenty year old single guy, I'm sure. Written by a couple of 22 year veterans of the Love and War known as marriage, John and Stasi Eldredge speak bluntly and transparently on the things that make or break marriages.

And while the precepts they put forth are Biblical and timeless, it is their transparency in throwing themselves into the situations, admitting where they've grown or faltered or messed up, that ultimately makes this book a winner. Because honestly, I don't want to read a book from someone who tells me their marriage is perfect. Anybody who says that there's no way their marriage could get better has a marriage in dire trouble, and they're too stupid to realize it.

Coming together with advice both practical and spiritual, the
Eldredge's show that marriage cannot and will not be easy, but two flawed individuals can come together and complement one another in the most intimate of relationships. In the end, their advice really isn't completely novel. It's not a push-button philosophy that says "do this and have the perfect marriage." Instead, they take the general principles of relating and communicating with anybody, and then apply them within the context of marriage. Be honest, yet tactful in communication. Put the needs of the other ahead of your own needs. Let the little things be little things. Realize that both you and your spouse are broken people, complemented by each other, but completed in Christ.

Whether you're like me and just beginning to think about what lies ahead relationally or if you're a fifty year veteran of marriage, there's something that you can learn from in this book. Take a look at it here.

This book was provided for review by Waterbrook Multnomah.