Marriage gets tested receptively! There are sweet spots, rough spots, and times you want to be finished because you feel you must journey through things you didn’t sign up for. On the wedding day, no one knows just how good their good times will be or how daunting their worst times will be. The secret to being ready for whatever comes? Clinging to God in both times of joy and times of hardships.
One of the major resources my husband and I turn to first is marriage counseling—and I’m not talking about “this is our last straw, things are obviously terrible right now” counseling. I’m talking about benefiting from counseling even when things appear to be going well. We like to go to a counselor at least twice a year, even when no issues have surfaced. Just because you don’t hate each other and aren’t arguing all the time does not guarantee there aren’t any hidden issues. A trusted counselor could help you identify the things you’ve improperly learned to disregard or misplace.
When we’re not turning to counsel, there are a number of resources we keep in reach to both revive and enlighten us on a regular basis. Especially during times our marriage has hit a rough patch, these resources have proved their value in more ways than one.
Here are 4 books and 3 podcasts to add to your resource list of places to find healthy marriage tips and lessons:
Books
(1) 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman:
About The Book: Falling in love is easy. Staying in love—that’s the challenge. How can you keep your relationship fresh and growing amid the demands, conflicts, and just plain boredom of everyday life? In this book, you’ll discover the secret that has transformed millions of relationships worldwide. Whether your relationship is flourishing or failing, Dr. Gary Chapman’s proven approach to showing and receiving love will help you experience deeper and richer levels of intimacy with your partner.
(2) Things I Wish I Knew Before We Got Married by Gary Chapman:
About The Book: “Most people spend far more time in preparation for their vocation than they do in preparation for marriage.” No wonder the divorce rate hovers around fifty percent. This is not a book simply to be read. It is a book to be experienced. The material lends itself to heart-felt discussions by dating or engaged couples. To jump-start the exchanges, each short chapter includes insightful “Talking it Over” questions and suggestions.
(3) Sacred Marriage: What If God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy? by Gary Thomas
About The Book: Within the pages of Sacred Marriage, Thomas invites you to see how God can use your relationship with your spouse as a discipline and a motivation to love God more and reflect more of the character of his Son. In addition to life-changing insights from Scripture, church history, and time-tested wisdom from Christian classics, you’ll find practical advice and techniques to make your marriage happier by becoming holier husbands and wives.
(4) Victory Over Darkness: Realize the Power of Your Identity in Christ by Neil T. Anderson
About The Book: It’s Jesus’s promise to you–the promise that you will live triumphantly. But what keeps you from really walking in the joy of the Lord? The powers of darkness attack us daily. But, as Dr. Neil Anderson shows in Victory Over the Darkness, you can have the power to conquer them by knowing who you are in Christ. This book spells out practical ways to experience Christian growth based on Christ’s promise.
***
Podcasts
(1) Why or Why Not with The Watsons Podcast
Meet “Why” aka Benjamin and “Why Not” aka Kirsten as they discuss topics ranging from keeping the spark in your love story, to how to talk to your kids about race. Tune in to hear how they approached the crazy life of the NFL and mindfully apply biblical truth to their daily lives with their family. You will laugh and you may cry, but in the end their hope is that their different approaches to situations bless you and your family.
(2) 30 Minutes with the Perrys Podcast
30 Minutes with The Perrys is a podcast with a whole lot of truth given in a short amount of time. Preston Perry and Jackie Hill Perry bring their humor, honesty, and insight into conversations on everything from relationships, theology, politics, race, and parenting. You won’t be disappointed.
(3) Tony Evans’ Podcast
Dr. Tony Evans is one of the country’s most respected leaders in evangelical circles. As a pastor, teacher, author, and speaker, he serves the body of Christ through his unique ability to communicate complex theological truths through simple, yet profound, illustrations. While addressing the practical issues of today, Dr. Evans is known as a relevant expositor. His podcast features his latest sermons that have been a blessing to our lives individually and as a union.
