Research and common sense indicate that engaged couples will eventually have stronger, more successful marriages if they get good premarital counseling. Many churches now require such counseling, yet many Christian couples still enter marriage without that preparation. Countdown for Couples will fill that void. It will help couples learn about each other, and themselves individually, as well as their relational skills and compatibility as a couple.

The best marriages are not necessarily the most perfect and picturesque. Marriage is about walking together through all of life's ups and downs, its challenges and triumphs. And no relationship offers more chances for personal and spiritual growth, love and support, and just plain fun. Collecting true stories from some of today's best writers, Dawn Camp offers readers a chance to sit back and reflect on the heart of marriage. With beautiful photographs and poignant prose, this collection is a great gift for the bride-to-be, the couple celebrating a significant anniversary, or for any time readers need a lift. Contributors include Holley Gerth, Kristen Welch, Emily Wierenga, Renee Swope, and many more.

From #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles series, Marissa Meyer, comes an e-book original in which readers choose the fate of their favorite cyborg Cinder. Cinder, the star of the Lunar Chronicles, is getting married! She and Emperor Kai have made it to their big day – now all Cinder has to do is show up and say "I do." But it’s not so easy when there are twists and turns and obstacles along the way, and you, the reader, are in control of her fate, along with the many friends and strangers she meets on this adventure. Can you and Cinder make it to happily ever after? For fans of the #1 New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer, this is the ultimate interactive celebration of all things Lunar Chronicles. And, bonus: you’ll also discover characters and settings from Heartless, Renegades, Instant Karma, and Gilded, along with so many possible endings! This inventive and fun adventure is a must-have for fans, only available as an e-book exclusive.

In this fun and creative full-color jewel filled with photos and artistic sketches, Luci Swindoll gives the reader a fascinating journey through a life well lived, one in which she purposefully chose to "marry" adventure. The classic, artful design and intriguing stories highlight Luci's unique insight and perspective that transform otherwise regular days and occurrences to experiences worth living. With the challenge to stop saying "if only" and "why me" and start asking "what if" and "why not," Luci encourages everyone to lead truly adventurous lives that yield countless blessings, lessons and inspiration. Never before has anyone modeled the joy and adventures of the journey with such clarity and insight. Readers will be drawn to I Married Adventure as it is Luci's first full-length book in over 10 years and is a personal tour of her unique approach to squeezing the most out of a life led by Christ.

A CLASSIC MEMOIR OF TWO PIONEERING ADVENTURERS Before Joy Adamson went to Africa, before Margaret Mead sailed to Samoa, before Dian Fossey was even born, a Kansas teenager named Osa Leighty married Martin Johnson, a pioneering photographer just back from a ‘round-the-world cruise with Jack London. Together the Johnsons flew and sailed to Borneo, to Kenya, and to the Congo, filming Simba and other popular nature movies with Martin behind the camera and Osa holding her rifle at the ready in case the scene’s big game star should turn hostile. This bestselling memoir retraces their careers in rich detail, with precisely observed descriptions and often heart-stopping anecdotes. Illustrated with scores of the dramatic photos that made the Johnsons famous, it’s a book sure to delight every lover of true adventure.

“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.

"Radical Marriage provides clear ideas, easy strategies to follow, and a 'radical' new paradigm for creating the relationship of your dreams." - Harville Hendrix, Ph.D. and Helen LaKelly Hunt, Ph.D., Co-authors of Making Marriage Simple "Radical Marriage is an accessible and clear description of the steps for relationship success with many easy-to-follow strategies for making life and love better." - Don Ferguson, Ph.D. author of Reptiles in Love and The Couples' Manual "Radical Marriage is for couples in good marriages who envision something wonderful for their future together. The Steeles have given us a manifesto and road map for marriage as a more perfect union." -William J. Doherty, Ph.D., Professor of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, author of Take Back Your Marriage: Sticking Together in a World That Pulls Us Apart "Is your marriage where you want it to be? This book will challenge you to take it to the next level, beyond where you ever thought it could be. Your marriage can be more - wonderfully more, extraordinarily more, radically more!" -- Greg and Priscilla Hunt, BetterMarriages.org What kind of marriage do you want? Most couples don't want an ordinary, boring, routine relationship. They want excitement, fun, closeness, love. Marriage is an ancient institution rich with traditions and customs. As appealing as that may be, in today's modern culture, we want to forge our own path. We need security, but we also need excitement and adventure. Radical Marriage is a model for the next evolution of marriage and is new territory for committed relationships. Our marriage can be the greatest adventure of our life. It can be the vehicle for experiencing the excitement and fulfillment we've always wanted. We can only get so far on our own. To get the rest of the way, we need a committed partner. Radical Marriage promotes a much-needed paradigm shift from the perception of marriage as being old fashioned, obsolete, and with a high likelihood of failure, to a platform for the greatest adventure of our life. Radical Marriage is for couples with a good relationship who strongly believe that they are together for a reason, which is to experience life to the fullest through their relationship. This book provides solid guidance and strategies for creating a Radical Marriage, including- Radical Commitment (Chapter 2) Radical Communication (Chapters 3-6) Radical Intimacy (Chapter 7) Radical Romance (Chapter 8) Radical Sex (Chapter 9) Radical Living (Chapter 10) Radical Marriage will open your eyes, rock your world, and change your reality about marriage.

What separates happy marriages from miserable ones? Surprisingly, it’s not healthy communication. It’s not conflict resolution skills. It’s actually the size of the marriage’s joy gap . Joy Gap/joi gap/ (n.)-1. The length of time between moments of shared joy When the joy gap gets bigger, problems are more likely to overwhelm you, resentment creeps in, and you start to feel distant and alone in your marriage. When the joy gap is smaller, you regularly feel connected and happy, problems feel manageable, and your marriage becomes a reliable source of joy. But how do you ensure that you’re experiencing joy regularly? Marcus Warner and Chris Coursey have studied relationships (and neuroscience) and discovered four habits that keep joy regular and problems small. Some couples do them naturally, but anyone can learn. That’s why each chapter includes 15-minute exercises that boost joy and re-train your brain to make joy your default setting. You’ll learn new skills including how to: return to joy more quickly after disconnection create stronger bonds and elongate times of happiness boost your enjoyment of physical and emotional intimacy Find out what your marriage looks like after a little work and a whole lot of joy.

Marriage is an adventure unlike any other. At times, you and your spouse may feel so close, connected, and in love that you’re ready to take on the world together. But other times things grow distant, and you wonder where all the joy and excitement has gone. What is the secret to a happy, healthy, God-honoring marriage—one that will last through anything that comes your way? Join Tony and Lauren Dungy in The Uncommon Marriage Adventure, a series of daily reflections for couples. With transparency, wisdom, and humor, the Dungys share what they’ve learned over 30 years of marriage about faith, teamwork, conflict, communication, and more. Through each day’s reading, you and your spouse will go deeper in loving, understanding, and learning to serve each other. Dare to embark on your own marriage adventure—and discover how to make your relationship truly uncommon.