When it comes to marriage these days, anything goes. No wonder you can find a book on marriage from every perspective--or no perspective. How can you experience a great marriage that lasts? What works? This book answers that question by shining a light on the biblical design for marriage. In a world of sexual and relational confusion, isn't it time to consult the One who created marriage? Author and pastor Chip Ingram, with his characteristic compassion, transparency, and engaging storytelling, discusses - what marriage really is - the biblical model - a man's unique role in marriage - a woman's unique role in marriage - the bigger picture of why God created marriage A marriage that works, says Ingram, is more wonderful than you thought possible and harder than you imagined--but worth the work. Couples will learn the power of making a covenant with their spouse and fulfilling their design in an atmosphere of respect, resulting in the spiritual, psychological, emotional, and physical oneness they long to have with each other.

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.

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.

MARRIAGE WORKS - BOOK SO WHY IS IT FALLING APARTBY ALLAN AND KATHY KIUNAINTRODUCTIONThe institution of marriage is facing many challenges. Almost everyone knows that. The problems that previously afflicted marriages outside the Church have spread into the Christian congregations. The divorce epidemic that was synonymous with the West is slowly making itself felt here in Africa. As ministers of the gospel who spend many hours trying to mend marriages, we are, more than most people, aware of the grim reality.We have written this book out of the conviction that marriage can still work in spite of the forces arrayed against it. The challenges cannot be avoided. Failures and shortcomings may be part of the process. But at the end of it all, marriage can work and many are finding this out.About the MARRIAGE WORKS BOOKMarriage Works is an overflow of two hearts whose marriage actually works. While Bishop Allan and Pastor Kathy have experienced astounding success in their Christian Ministry and in their individual lives, their greatest success and joy remains their marriage to each otherDrawing from their own experience and those of others they bring a message of hope to a besieged institution: there is such a thing as marriage that works. And it can be yours, if you apply the right principles and put in the necessary work.The topics in this bookFor Such A Time As This The Real Purpose of MarriageDecisions and Their ConsequencesI Should Have Listened To Myself Knowing When to Heed That Inner Voice Lost Opportunities Taking the Earliest Chance to Fortify Your LovePerfect Husband, Perfect BlunderAll Good Marriages Have Their Day of CrisisToday I Will Kill You!When Violence Rears Its HeadOne Of A KindGet to Know the Unique Points of Your Marriage Sometimes You Just Have To Let Go The True Test of Submission and ForgivenessMy Spouse, My Friend Finding More Ground for Bonding Beyond the LoveHandling Conflicts In Marriage You Need to Learn to Fight the FiresThe Spiritual Connection Anchoring Your Marriage on GodNaked But Not Ashamed The Beauty of Honesty and Openness in MarriageSex And Intimacy Enjoying Covenant Fruits

Previously published as Help Me, I'm Married, Making Marriage Work offers Joyce's insights on how to make a marriage succeed, thrive, and bless the lives of entire families. Joyce shares with married couples how God can transform a marriage. Whether newly wed, happily married, in a marriage crisis, or just in a relationship rut, Joyce's principles will help energize and revitalize a relationship. Discover how to: Take the focus off yourself and your spouse and look to the Lord Unleash powerful truths from God's Word for you and your marriage Understand the opposite sex Overcome roadblocks to a triumphant marriage Live successfully with an insecure person Create peace and order in your heart and in your home. Joyce's practical, how-to advice will guide couples along the path to releasing God's power on their lives, and in their marriage.

By the end of World War I, the skyrocketing divorce rate in the United States had generated a deep-seated anxiety about marriage. This fear drove middle-class couples to seek advice, both professional and popular, in order to strengthen their relationships. In Making Marriage Work, historian Kristin Celello offers an insightful and wide-ranging account of marriage and divorce in America in the twentieth century, focusing on the development of the idea of marriage as "work." Throughout, Celello illuminates the interaction of marriage and divorce over the century and reveals how the idea that marriage requires work became part of Americans' collective consciousness.

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.

Your Essential Guidebook for a Thriving Marriage Communication, support, affection, and encouragement are among the most important life skills that you need for marital success. Yet, they are rarely taught in a classroom. In our culture, these skills too often default to our upbringing coupled with hope the marriage will be loving, adventurous, and fulfilling. The reality is modern marriages encounter complex obstacles requiring more teamwork than ever before. Dr. Anne Brennan Malec helps you look past the planning and excitement of the nuptials to prepare you and your spouse for a happy, life-long relationship. You will learn proven ways to:  Break unuseful day-to-day habits and keep your relationship fresh and exciting  Prioritize your relationship to provide time for yourselves as a couple, and as parents  Openly discuss your financial goals and arrangements  Create a conversational safety zone to discuss difficult issues and maintain a satisfying intimate relationship  Face issues head on, rather than allow resentment to come between you  Forgive and to listen to what your partner needs from you to achieve forgiveness Marriage in Modern Life offers real hope by giving you the practical and actionable tools to help before problems arise. If your marriage is already in conflict, applying these principles can help you regain a balanced, fulfilling relationship.

“After years of debate and inquiry, the key to a great marriage remained shrouded in mystery. Until now...”—Carol Dweck, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success Eli J. Finkel's insightful and ground-breaking investigation of marriage clearly shows that the best marriages today are better than the best marriages of earlier eras. Indeed, they are the best marriages the world has ever known. He presents his findings here for the first time in this lucid, inspiring guide to modern marital bliss. The All-or-Nothing Marriage reverse engineers fulfilling marriages—from the “traditional” to the utterly nontraditional—and shows how any marriage can be better. The primary function of marriage from 1620 to 1850 was food, shelter, and protection from violence; from 1850 to 1965, the purpose revolved around love and companionship. But today, a new kind of marriage has emerged, one oriented toward self-discover, self-esteem, and personal growth. Finkel combines cutting-edge scientific research with practical advice; he considers paths to better communication and responsiveness; he offers guidance on when to recalibrate our expectations; and he even introduces a set of must-try “lovehacks.” This is a book for the newlywed to the empty nester, for those thinking about getting married or remarried, and for anyone looking for illuminating advice that will make a real difference to getting the most out of marriage today.

Marriage has come a long way since biblical times. Women are no longer property, and practices like polygamy have long been rejected. The world is wealthier, healthier, and more able to find and form relationships than ever. So why are Christian congregations doing more burying than marrying today? Explanations for the recession in marriage range from the mathematical--more women in church than men--to the economic, and from the availability of sex to progressive politics. But perhaps marriage hasn't really changed at all. Instead, there is simply less interest in marriage in an era marked by technology, gender equality, and secularization. Mark Regnerus explores how today's Christians find a mate within a faith that esteems marriage but in a world that increasingly yawns at it. This book draws on in-depth interviews with nearly two hundred young-adult Christians from the United States, Mexico, Spain, Poland, Russia, Lebanon, and Nigeria, in order to understand the state of matrimony in global Christian circles today. Regnerus finds that marriage has become less of a foundation for a couple to build upon and more of a capstone. Meeting increasingly high expectations of marriage is difficult, though, in a free market whose logic reaches deep into the home today. The result is endemic uncertainty, slowing relationship maturation, and stalling marriage. But plenty of Christians innovate, resist, and wed, and this book argues that the future of marriage will be a religious one.