Marriage Growth

Rob and Kristin Bell introduce a startling new way of looking at marriage, The Zimzum of Love. Zimzum is a Hebrew term where God, in order to have a relationship with the world, contracts, creating space for the creation to exist. In marriage, zimzum is the dynamic energy field between two partners, in which each person contracts to allow the other to flourish. Mastering this field, this give and take of energy, is the secret to what makes marriage flourish.

In this groundbreaking book, New York Times best-selling author and Hollywood producer DeVon Franklin dishes the real truth about men by making the compelling case that men aren’t dogs, but all men share the same struggle. He uses the metaphor of a dog that needs training as a way to explore why behavior persists in men that can lead them to act against their vows, their integrity, and even their character.

Many pastors feel ill-equipped to handle the challenges that arise when a couple is going through marital difficulties. If you are or have been in this situation before, this book shows church leaders how to counsel married couples from both a logical and biblical perspective. Author and pastor Jonathan Holmes offers you a practical guide to get started with the first sessions and then offers specific guidance on nine of the most common topics that come up in marriage counseling.

We're facing an identity crisis. For decades our culture has tried to blur the lines between men and women, to make gender irrelevant, all in the name of equality. It’s a message that has slowly infiltrated our marriages, our homes, and even our churches. Yet instead of creating harmony, this message has only caused confusion, ultimately leading to a tragic breakdown of relationships and families. Divine Design calls us back to God’s original intent for men and women.

Are you emotionally connected with your spouse? Can you trust him or her with your heart? Creating a safe haven for each other in a marriage can enable a couple to weather any storm. Having a marriage safe haven is an accomplishment that is certainly easier said than done. Psychologists Arch Hart, Ph.D, and Sharon Hart Morris, Ph.D., present a detailed blueprint for establishing a marital safe haven so that couples can count on each other and avoid criticizing, blaming and shutting out their partners during tough times.

Equip yourself and your spouse with powerful and life-changing prayers that will strengthen your marriage and help you discover the peace, provision, and joy that comes from trusting God with your most important relationship. Regardless of where you are in your marriage journey—be it newly engaged, celebrating a golden anniversary, or weathering a storm—this book is your companion, guiding you to pray effectively for every aspect of your marriage.

What do you do when someone you love leaves? And how do you pursue someone who has hurt you, who has sinned against you? In Letting Go, pastors Dave Harvey and Paul Gilbert share stories of pain and stories of hope as they reveal how to care for the prodigal who has strayed. Whether you are dealing with an unfaithful marriage partner, a rebellious child, or a wayward friend, the counsel they offer will help you to pursue a gospel-rooted approach, grounded in truth and practiced in the midst of Christian community.

As Jeremy and Audrey write, if you can fall into love, you can fall out. True love is something you choose to live out each day through your actions, decisions, and sacrifices. To find and still seek, now that is love. From the moment you meet your potential spouse, you can be intentional about shaping a beautiful love story, uniquely written for who God created you both to be.

Winning your husband back necessitates more than simply rearranging the old stuff in your relationship. You may decide to fight differently than you did in the past, but if the old unresolved anger is allowed to remain, then nothing will genuinely change in our marriage. Winning Your Husband Back Before It's Too Late targets the foundational weaknesses in your marriage.

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.

Gabriel Conte has created a life that others dream of—he's married to the love of his life, he's an entrepreneur in multiple fields, he nurtures great relationships with his parents and siblings, and he's sustaining a vibrant relationship with God that's at the heart of everything he does. But it didn't happen overnight. He's worked with intention to get to where he is today. With encouraging and uplifting stories from his personal journey, A Mission for Meaning highlights what he's learned about life, love, and being accountable for the consequences of your decisions.

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."

Beautiful isn’t likely the first word that comes to mind when we think about sex. Our reactions are as varied as our experiences and backgrounds. Around us, our culture is divided by this topic. On one side, “progressive” voices seek to dismantle historic Christian teachings to fit current norms. On the other side, “conservative” voices can reinforce messages of shame, judgement, and repression. Beautiful Union offers a third way, one that is both true and beautiful.

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.

Strong, successful marriages requires hard work and a guide. Dr. Kim Kimberling is that guide, and 7 Secrets to an Awesome Marriage and the tools within show wives and husbands how they can have the kind of communication and intimacy that results in loving, lifelong marriages.

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.

While the culture has never been more confused about the definition of what marriage is, those who are married have never been more hopeless about how marriage should be lived. The times have never been more crucial for digging deeper, past the definition of marriage to the structure of marriage, the blessings of marriage, and the opportunity for living out the image of the gospel that's embodied within marriage. So, what now?

Throughout Keep Showing Up, Karen includes ideas to implement in your marriage right now, such as powerful statements to speak to your spouse, date-night-on-a-shoestring suggestions, and discussion starters. Discover how your "incompatibility" can become the strength of your marital team in this real-life guide to both living with and loving your spouse - differences and all.

Nearly every marriage starts out happy, and if we're honest, nearly every marriage at some point becomes unhappy. Is there a solution? Kevin and Marcia Myers, married for 37 years through nearly every challenge a couple can face, emphatically say yes. Rooted in Scripture and contemporary insights from the Myers' marriage, as well as real stories from other couples, this revelatory book shows how any marriage can regain depth, meaning and, yes, happiness.

Only when you and your mate know and respect each other's needs, choices, and freedom can you give yourselves freely and lovingly to one another. Boundaries are the "property lines" that define and protect husbands and wives as individuals. Once they are in place, a good marriage can become better, and a less-than-satisfying one can even be saved. Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend, counselors and authors of the award-winning best seller Boundaries, show couples how to apply the 10 laws of boundaries that can make a real difference in relationships.