Marriage Growth

The love that the world tells us to pursue is all about self, about following your heart’s desires. But what is the Christian worldview on love? When we follow Jesus, we realize that he invites us to reorient the focus of our lives, so instead of chasing love primarily for our own happiness, we are first and foremost to give love - to God and to others.

In a world where men and women are constantly told they are not different, His Brain, Her Brain shows couples what they instinctively know - men and women are different, and these divinely designed differences, when understood, make a marriage stronger and happier.

A husband's God-given responsibility to his wife is to be her shepherd: to love her, serve her, comfort her, protect her, provide for her, sacrifice for her, and lead her. Like the Shepherd guides men on how to embrace the role of shepherd, drawing on the wisdom of the Bible to give men practical, powerful advice on how to take responsibility for their relationships and realize the Christian ideal of a healthy, happy marriage.

The wedding is planned, but are you spiritually prepared for your wedding day? Trusted relationship author Gary Thomas coaches engaged couples on how to grow closer to the Lord in the days leading up to the wedding as a means of preparing them for all the days after the wedding. Providing encouraging entries that will help you deal with common issues such as what real intimacy means, how to celebrate your differences, and remembering to laugh together, Preparing Your Heart for Marriage will help you grow in your relationship as a couple as you become closer to God.

Wesley Hill writes for gay Christians and those who love them. Part-memoir, part theological reflection, Hill shares the struggles that gay Christians face as they seek to live faithful to God's "no" to homosexuality.

Feeling overscheduled and under-connected as a couple? Relationship experts Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott help you connect your time styles - and your hearts - so you can better manage your time. This is not an audiobook about being more productive, but an audiobook about being more connected with your spouse and maximizing the moments you have together.

Dating in modern times can be confusing and seem more complicated than ever. How do you date and get close to someone while keeping God first? When meeting someone new, there are many questions and scenarios to be thought about. Should he pursue first? How often should you spend time together? When should you start attending church as a couple? Should you serve in the same area? When in the relationship should you hold hands or kiss? What do social media boundaries look like? Waiting While Dating interviews six Christian couples who had different backgrounds and situations.

Known from the television show Little People, Big World, their Behind the Scenes podcast, and their first book, A Love Letter Life, Jeremy and Audrey Roloff have shared over the years how their dating relationship grew into a strong marriage. Now they offer a sweet but practical book for anyone who wants to help a relationship thrive. Whether you are beginning a new dating relationship, are recently engaged, or have been married for decades, Creative Love provides fresh ideas on how to make a loving relationship sustainable.

Romance is much more than a date night out or a week away. A passionate, long-lasting love requires two people who are sensually in love with life and each other. In this fascinating book, the authors explore research on seven activities that prompt passion, then describe how Mediterranean cultures practice these secrets in everyday life. Steve and Misty also share how these fun-to-apply secrets have taken their own marriage from confused to confident, from discouraged to delighted - and how you can do it, too.

Ben Mattlin's wife, ML, recalls falling in love with his confidence and sheer determination. On one of their earliest dates, he persuaded her to ride on his lap in his wheelchair on their way home from an Elvis Costello concert. Thirty years later, they still travel like this from time to time, undaunted by the curious stares following them down the street. But In Sickness and in Health is more than an "inspiring" story of how a man born with spinal muscular atrophy

T.D. Jakes doesn't just preach to his listeners, he gives them the psychological and practical tools that they need to realize their faith in their lives. Clear-sighted, realistic, and spiritually uplifting, Making Great Decisions is one of those rare books that can change lives. "Remember," writes T.D. Jakes, "your tomorrow is no better than the decisions you make today."

Lee Strobel was the legal editor for the Chicago Tribune, a Yale graduate, and an atheist when his wife, Leslie, became a Christian early in their marriage. She began going to church; she found new friends; she became a different person. But Lee didn't believe in any of it. Both Lee and Leslie felt they were losing each other. Despite all the emotional clashes they experienced, God answered Leslie's prayers in miraculous ways. He gave her peace when she was feeling worried, gave her friends to walk with her, and gave her his Holy Spirit to comfort and guide her.

God has blessed Joel and Mary Beeke with a wonderful marriage. God has also given them the opportunity to counsel many people in troubled marriages as well as to provide premarital counseling to scores of engaged couples. In How Can We Build a Godly Marriage?, the Beekes share 10 principles they emphasize in their counseling. Perhaps you and your spouse are due for a checkup in your relationship. If so, carefully consider the important marks of a God-glorifying marriage found in this booklet. Strive to put these things into practice, and your marriage will be better for it!

Someone came between Lee and Leslie Strobel, threatening to shipwreck their marriage. No, it wasn't an old flame. It was Jesus Christ. Leslie's decision to become a follower of Jesus brought heated opposition from her skeptical husband. They began to experience conflict over a variety of issues, from finances to child-rearing. But over time, Leslie learned how to survive a spiritual mismatch. Today, they're both Christians - and they want you to know that there is hope if you're a Christian married to a nonbeliever.

Seven Desires explores the common desires to be heard, affirmed, blessed, safe, touched, chosen, and included. Using stories, biblical references, and sound psychological principles, Mark and Debra Laaser explain each desire and show us how we seek it and what it feels like to have it truly fulfilled in our relationships with God and others.

With so many obstacles arrayed against them, how can any couple hope to make it in today’s world? Health issues. Financial pressures. Misunderstandings. Sexual brokenness. Societal confusion. And, as if these storms were not bad enough, Satan is specifically targeting Christian marriages.

Como Saber qual a vontade de Deus para sua vida? Como entender o que Deus quer de nós, quando precisamos tomar decisões difíceis? Há alguma orientação nas Escrituras que ajudam os cristãos a reconhecerem a vontade de Deus? Deus manifesta sua vontade para cada decisão da vida do Homem? Essas são perguntas legítimas e muitos cristãos a enfrentam diariamente, especialmente diante de dilemas e decisões difíceis.

Since the very beginning, God's design for marriage is for husbands and wives to be ambassadors of holy love to a hurting world. Still, so many couples stop short at happy and wonder why they feel unsatisfied. Rather than "you and me against the world", God calls each couple to the rich and meaningful mission of "you and me for the world".

Our Godly Sexual Beings: The Fellowship of the Mystery explores substantial biblical and other ancient scholarly-backed references to unveil one of humanity great mysteries -God's Love affair with humanity. We were designed by God to crave, yearn, and desire love; however, in truth, these needs can only genuinely and forever be filled by God’s authentic spiritual love, granted to us by the One Who created heavenly affection.

You Can Start Over Again...Many Christians become so discouraged because of their sins and failures that they give up on ever having fellowship with God again. They also fear that their broken relationships will never heal. For everyone who has wished for a fresh beginning, here is good news. This gentle, affirming work emphasizes how much God wants his wandering children to return to him.