And like the husband in Fireproof (the film where The Love Dare originated), readers know this 40-day challenge to understand and practice unconditional love with their spouse need not end when the book does.With that in mind, The Love Dare Day by Day encourages and challenges couples toward new steps in faith and love with 365 marital encouragements, reminders, and action points worth repeating year after year.Unconditional love is eagerly promised at weddings, but rarely practiced in real life. As a result, romantic hopes are often replaced with disappointment in the home. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. Whether your marriage is hanging by a thread or healthy and strong, The Love Dare Day by Day is a journey you need to take. It’s time to learn the keys to finding true intimacy

    But which qualities, specifically, should they be looking for?What will you say when that certain young man sits down in your living room, sweaty-palmed and tongue-tied, and asks your permission to marry your daughter? What criteria should he meet before the two of them join together for life? What He Must Be... If He Wants to Marry My Daughter outlines ten qualities parents should look for in a son-in-law, including trustworthiness, a willingness to lead his family, an understanding of his wife's role, and various spiritual leadership qualities.Author Voddie Baucham follows up on his popular book Family Driven Faith with this compelling apologetic of biblical manhood. By studying the principles outlined in his book, parents who want their daughter to marry a godly man-as well as those who want their sons to become godly men-will be well equipped to help their children look for and develop these God-honoring qualities.

    John and Stasi Eldredge have contributed the quintessential works on Christian spirituality through the experience of men and the experience of women and now they turn their focus to the incredible dynamic between those two forces. With refreshing openness that will grab readers from the first page, the Eldredges candidly discuss their own marriage and the insights they've gained from the challenges they faced. Each talks independently to the reader about what they've learned, giving their guidance personal immediacy and a balance between the male and female perspectives that has been absent from all previous books on this topic. They begin LOVE & WAR with an obvious but necessary acknowledgement: Marriage is fabulously hard. They advise that the sooner we get the shame and confusion off our backs, the sooner we'll find our way through. LOVE & WAR shows couples how to fight for their love and happiness, calling men and women to step into the great adventure God has waiting for them together. Walking alongside John and Stasi Eldredge, every couple can discover how their individual journeys are growing into a story of meaning much greater than anything they could do or be on their own.

    That is all the more true in our casual times.Though personal selfishness and cultural bondage obstruct the wonder of God's purpose, it is found in God's Word, where his design can awaken a glorious vision capable of freeing every person from small, Christ-ignoring, romance-intoxicated views. As Piper explains in reflecting on forty years of matrimony: "Most foundationally, marriage is the doing of God. And ultimately, marriage is the display of God. It displays the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his people to the world in a way that no other event or institution does. Marriage, therefore, is not mainly about being in love. It's mainly about telling the truth with our lives. And staying married is not about staying in love. It is about keeping covenant and putting the glory of Christ's covenant-keeping love on display."This Momentary Marriage unpacks the biblical vision, its unexpected contours, and its weighty implications for married, single, divorced, and remarried alike.

    It is a spiritual discipline ideally suited to help you know God more fully and intimately. Sacred Marriage shifts the focus from marital enrichment to spiritual enrichment in ways that can help you love your mate more. Whether it is delightful or difficult, your marriage can become a doorway to a closer walk with God.Everything about your marriage from the history you and your spouse create, to the love you share, to the forgiveness you both offer and seek by turn is filled with the capacity to help you grow in Christ's character.In addition to life-changing insights, you ll find a wealth of discussion questions in this Participant Guide that will spark meaningful conversation in your group, between you and your spouse, or to simply ponder by yourself. You ll also find self-assessments, activities and highlights all created to help you engage deeply and prayerfully with the content of this study. Designed for use with the Sacred Marriage DVD (sold separately).Sessions include: 1. God s Purpose for Marriage2. The Refining Power of Marriage3. The God-Centered Spouse4. Sacred History 5. Sexual Saints6. Marriage: The Love Laboratory"

    The Power of Prayer to Change Your Marriage helps husbands or wives pray to protect their relationship from 14 serious problems that can lead to unsatisfying marriages or even divorce. For those who are already struggling in these areas, this book will help them find healing and restoration.Readers will learn how to pray about everything fromcommunication breakdown to struggles with finances and raising childrenmisplaced priorities to anger, unforgiveness, and sexual frustrationpornography and infidelity to depression and addictionsNo stranger to struggles in her 34 years of marriage, Stormie looks at these topics and more in the straightforward, hopeful manner readers have come to trust. As always, readers will find Bible verses and personal prayers they can use as powerful resources to help their marriages last a lifetime.Previously published as Praying Through the Deeper Issues of Marriage

    Gary Chapman guides couples in identifying, understanding, and speaking their spouse's primary love language-quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, or physical touch. By learning the five love languages, you and your spouse will discover your unique love languages and learn practical steps in truly loving each other. Chapters are categorized by love language for easy reference, and each one ends with simple steps to express a specific language to your spouse and guide your marriage in the right direction. A newly designed love languages assessment will help you understand and strengthen your relationship. You can build a lasting, loving marriage together."The Five Love ""Languages Men's Edition, ""#1 New York Times" bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman guides husbands in identifying, understanding, and speaking their wife's love language. Husbands are commanded to love their wives, but do you know what really makes your wife feel loved? Are you tired of missed cues and confusing signals? Everyone has a primary love language-quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, or physical touch. Each chapter concludes with ten simple and practical ideas for expressing that love language to your wife. You'll both enjoy taking the new love languages assessment and building a lasting, loving marriage.

    David Schnarch with their sex lives in shambles, wondering what's wrong with them, considering divorce. One partner will complain that the other doesn't desire him, the other complains that she's married to a sex maniac. During his 30 years in practice as a marriage and family therapist, Dr. Schnarch has discovered that sexual desire problems are normal and even healthy, in committed relationships.In Intimacy and Desire: Awaken the Passion in Your Relationship, Dr. Schnarch explains why couples in long term relationships have sexual desire problems, regardless of how much they love each other or how well they communicate. Through case studies of couples he worked with, Dr. Schnarch shows why normal marital conflict can be the cause of desire problems and creates a roadmap for how couples can transform marital conflict into a stronger relationship and a font of new and powerful desire for each other. He takes it a step further, giving readers simple but effective exercises that will help them reconnect with each other.

    How can a wife help her husband grow and progress and be a priesthood leader in the home without criticizing, nagging, or making him feel like he�s not measuring up? As a result of some wide reading, pondering, and research, John Bytheway attempts to answer that question in this book. With his trademark humor and unique insights, the author shares experiences from his own marriage, practical counsel from several marriage experts, and inspired statements from Church leaders. Simple tools such as �praising betimes with sharpness� and �making requests with an exit strategy� will bless marriages and help husbands and wives fulfill their roles as they try to lead their families in the latter days.

    The inconvenient truth is there's no such thing as a perfect partner, all couples fight, and feelings of love come and go like the weather. But that doesn't mean you can't have a joyful and romantic relationship. Through a simple program based on the revolutionary new mindfulness-based acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), you can learn to handle painful thoughts and feelings more effectively and engage fully in the process of living and loving together.With your partner or alone, ACT with Love will teach you how to:Let go of conflict, open up, and live fully in the presentUse mindfulness to increase intimacy, connection, and understandingResolve painful conflicts and reconcile long-standing differencesAct on your values to build a rich and meaningful relationship

    They'll come away understanding as never before how to look to God to strengthen and protect their marriage pray for their marriage in order to keep their hearts aligned with one another overcome issues of anger, infidelity, or any other problem that might try to undo what God has joined together Readers by the millions have loved the power and insight of Stormie's books on prayer. She now turns her attention to the deeper issues in the union between husband and wife. With the same care and insight she touches readers' lives with the truth and hope to be found in hearts that seek God.

    But Dr. Stanley shares the real truth as God sees it.In this powerful and inspiring message, readers reconnect with the grand vision God had when He uniquely created them. They learn that regardless of setbacks, failures, and frustrations, there is a better path based in His Word, one that's full of freedom and purpose. This book takes them to their specifically designed path to become exactly who the Father made them to be and achieve exactly what He designed them for.

    What You Don't Know about Men Will Hurt You.What You Don't Know about Relationships Will Cost You.Why does the modern-day search for romance so often end in disappointment, especially for women? Is it something we do? Something we don't do? Are we missing important information about the opposite sex—or about ourselves? Is there something wrong with us that we long so desperately for "til death do us part"?  Sadly, many women today see their ongoing singleness as a weakness or lack of worth. In truth, our dreams go unfulfilled not because we do not deserve for them to come true, but often because of wrong assumptions—assumptions that can easily be corrected. Drawing on both male and female perspectives, this book deals with the hard issues and questions you and other women ponder as you consider how to obtain lasting love. What Women Don't Know (and Men Don't Tell You) will help you adjust your desires, redefine what you are attracted to, set your values in order, and determine your goals—freeing you at last to pursue the loving relationship you desire.

    Your Sexually Addicted Partner shatters the stigma and shame that millions of men and women carry when their partners are sexually addicted. They receive little empathy for their pain, which means they suffer alone, often shocked and isolated by the trauma. Barbara Steffens' groundbreaking new research shows that partners are not codependents but post-traumatic stress victims, while Marsha Means' personal experience provides insights, strategies, and critical steps to recognize, deal with, and heal partners of sexually addicted relationships. Firsthand accounts and stories reveal the impact of this addiction on survivors' lives. Chapters end with “On a Personal Note” questions and propose new paths that lead from trauma to empowerment, health, and hope. Useful appendices list health and mental health care providers and clergy.

    Soon For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women provided an eyeopening counterpoint, with simple revelations for menthat explained the seemingly mysterious ways of the opposite sex. Together at LastNow these classics have been updated with insights from the latest brain research and with additional data. The new editions are brought together in the For Couples Only boxed set, providing the perfect resource to help you understand relationship-changing insights about the woman or man in your life.Each volume is based on input from more than a thousand members of the opposite sex—including an unprecedented nationwide survey and hundreds of personal interviews. This innovative approach yields candid and surprising answers that reveal what you don’t “get” about your significant other—answers that person deeply wishes you knew. It also produces simple but groundbreaking awareness of how you can best love and support the one you care about most.So whether you are newly dating or have been married fifty years, get ready to know each other in a whole new way. The adventure is just beginning!

    But Tim Chester and Ed Moll focus on families growing God-knowing, Christ-confessing, grace-receiving, servant-hearted, mission-minded believers-adults and children together.Christian families should be about...- not just making good citizens but also church planters, missionaries, reformers, servants and evangelists- not just learning about God but also showing Him to others; - not just controlling behaviour but also changing the heart;- not just parents and children, but being an integral part of the wider church family. In twelve concise chapters, Gospel-Centered Family takes us through the major Bible principles for family life, challenging us to give up our 'respectable' middle-class idols, and to become the distinctively different people that God, through His gospel, calls us to be.

    The book answers women's concerns and questions, including: How can I be a caretaker and a key emotional connector in the family if the children don't accept my influence? How shoud I cope with children who are confused about their family and torn between loyalty to their biological mother and me? When should I step back in conflicts and when should I insist that my husband stand up for me? In addition it addresses the spiritual and emotional climate of the home, providing perspective and guidelines to help stepmothers and their families thrive.

    A practical prayer-book designed to help wives pray God's Word for their husbands consistently.

    How can husbands and wives break through the many obstacles and issues that have derailed their desire and get back on track to being the crazy-in-love couple they once were?Solomon had a few secrets up his ancient sleeves, and marriage therapist Dr. David Clarke helps readers learn why the passionate exchanges and God-inspired, 3,000-year-old techniques of Solomon and Shulamith worked then--and still work today. Readers will learn how to troubleshoot problems and conflicts, put each other first, employ praise, have fun, flirt, be more playful and sensual, and rediscover the lost art of a great kiss.Every married couple can experience exhilarating passion; Dr. Clarke and the Song of Solomon reveal how!

    So the odds are pretty good that you or someone you know has experienced the searing pain of marital infidelity. But adultery is not an automatic death sentence for your marriage. You can trust again. You can restore intimacy. You can have a relationship that you will both cherish for a lifetime.Ten years ago, Gary and Mona Shriver experienced the devastation caused by adultery, and in the course of trying to save themselves, they wrote this book. Raw, transparently honest, the Shrivers’ story alone is an inspiration, offering hope and practical strategies for healing. Now this updated and revised edition adds other real-life stories of betrayal and forgiveness, and new information defining adultery, including the destruction of emotional affairs. Some doubt if a marriage can truly heal after the ravages of infidelity. Unfaithful proves you can. It’s not easy ... but it can be done. Is it worth it? Yes. And you hold the first step—and hope—in your hand.

    Sexual impurity creates a vicious circle, one that springs from misconceptions about Christ and further taints our understanding of Him. Yet another circle is available to men and women trapped in sexual sin, a circle of sexual redemption.When practiced as God intends, spirituality and sexuality both draw us closer to Christ. Spiritual maturity and sexual maturity go hand-in-hand, and together they hold out the promise of redemption and restoration needed by everyone who has been damaged by sexual sin.There is hope. Real change is possible; true intimacy is available. To the person who has failed time and time again sexually, God’s message is simple: You, too, can be undefiled.

    With biblical insight, Leslie guides readers to take simple steps as they…recognize and change habits that, day by day, keep them from experiencing happinessmake good choices and learn from mistakes without beating themselves updevelop the skills that enable them to let go of negative and painful emotions more quicklytransform difficult circumstances so they can live with gratitude, joy, and purposeApplication questions help readers work godly thinking, as well as healthy skills and habits, into their lives and hearts. They’ll discover that, even if nothing changes in their circumstances, their inner chains can be broken and they can go free…into a new path of real hope and happiness.

    The Rienows give encouragement and insight into life-changing parenting that will impact generations to come. Parents will be inspired to build faith and character in the heart of their kids. Topics covered include: the God-filled daily life, impacting a thousand generations, the family calendar, the noble calling of fatherhood and motherhood, the vision for family worship, and discipline that shapes the heart.

    Fernando Torres is revered by players, coaches and managers, adored in his homeland and idolised by 42 million Liverpool fans across the world. From his birth in Madrid's working-class Fuenlabrada district to his incredible 33-goal first season at Liverpool and his winning goal in the final of Euro 2008, renowned sports journalist Luca Caioli goes behind the scenes of Torres' life to find out what makes the new hero of Anfield tick - as well as kick. Using often exclusive material from interviews with Rafael Benitez, Vicente Del Bosque, Andres Iniesta, Kenny Dalglish, Fabio Capello and Torres himself, Caioli paints a dazzling personal portrait of one of the world's most exciting young footballers.

    If you want something more out of your marriage, then author and pastor Jim Hughes's "C Through Marriage" is for you. Explore the many issues that every married couple must face on a regular basis if their marriage is going to be what God intended. Life has become a vicious cycle of busy activity for most of us. We scarcely have time to say hello to each other, let alone have the time to nurture and grow our love. The busier we get, the farther we drift apart, and the farther we drift apart, the more we are tempted to wander. We don't want it to happen, but isn't that just the way of life these days? Adultery, divorce, loveless marriages-what can we do? Hughes's advice covers everything from Cash and Chemistry to Children and Cuddling. But the most important focus of any marriage is the Covenant that it is and the oneness it creates. Easy to read and understand, "C Through Marriage" provides thoughtful questions for everyone, whether you're thinking about getting married or have been married fifty years. Pull up a chair, sit down, and begin your journey to a much happier, more satisfying marriage than you ever thought possible.

    But it doesn't have to be. Join author and speaker Nina Roesner as she guides you through 40 days of deepening your connection with God and your husband by simply shifting the way you think about one key area of relationships--unconditional respect.In The Respect Dare, Nina shares true stories and thought-provoking questions that will help you apply biblical wisdom to the most important relationship in your life. This book is filled with stories of struggle and success, and many practical applications of respect that have dramatically changed marriages across the globe for the better.Nina has already led countless women through this practical and life-changing journey, and in The Respect Dare, Nina addresses the most common questions she's received over the years:How can I foster a culture of respect with my spouse?What does it mean to honor God through marriage?How can my relationship with God impact my marriage?Experience the meaningful intimacy God intended and discover what he can do in your heart and in your marriage when you choose to show respect his way.

    Can marriage really be heaven on earth? Robert & Debbie Morris open their hearts and lives, revealing the stories and sharing the principles that led them to "The Blessed Marriage."

    Even within the church, homosexuality, divorce, and shallow, sentimental views of love are subverting God’s design for husbands and wives. To help Christian couples counter these trends and recover marriage as God intended it, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin has compiled a rich anthology of love letters from saints of the past. Each letter gives us a glimpse of what marriage should be: joyful companionship, deep passion, and unfailing commitment through the ups and downs of life. At its best, Christian marriage is a foretaste of eternal bliss—and it’s far more satisfying than any of the substitutes this world has to offer.

    Some men have grown up with dads who were good role models for how to love their wives. Sadly, most have not. From the crucible of real-life experience and study of God's Word, Larry McCall delivers a powerful message that there is a model of perfect husband-wife love. Here is help for any husband or band of brothers who desire to grow as husbands. It is Bible-based, Christ-centered, and grace-promoting.

    Whether you're married and considering divorce, single and considering marriage, or divorced and considering remarriage, you're battling tough questions: Am I doing what's best? Am I doing what's right? Maybe you think no one knows exactly how you feel--no one understands the pressures shaping your decision. If that's the case, you'll be relieved to know you are wrong. God's Word offers the most comprehensive guide to answering those questions. In The Divorce Dilemma, John MacArthur looks directly to the Bible to dig out the solutions and advice you need. This book can help to strengthen good marriages and heal troubled ones, and offer wisdom for singles and divorced people considering marriage.

    The heartfelt writings perfectly capture the depth and breadth of emotion felt between two people who were meant for each other, and the elegant illustrations add to the overall beauty and appeal of this book.

    Its counterpart, Garden of Peace for Men, was received with acclaim for its down-to-earth, honest, and sensitive approach, and these qualities shine from this volume for women as well. * How can a woman build up her marriage so that it is one of peace and tranquility? * What is the real meaning of love? * What is the role of the wife in the home?Not only does this book present a beautiful, time-tested perspective on marriage, it also offers wisdom and insight on parenting, prayer, and motherhood. A vital read for every Jewish woman!Translated from Hebrew to English by Rabbi Lazer Brody, this book is for women only, but women of all ages. Not limited to marital issues alone, Rabbi Arush teaches of whole life from the feminin perspective. The book is divided into eight sections, covering all aspects of a woman's life. Yes, marriage, but also finances, food, children, etc. etc. When King Solomon said, "Every wise woman buildeth her home : but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands." (Mishlei 14:1), it is this knowledge and wisdom that is refered to. Get it and read it.

    This frustration manifests itself as fighting, resentment, feelings of either guilt or rejection, and general marital strife. There are few safe and appropriate places to ask the questions about sex that frustrate and confuse women most. In "No More Headaches," Juli Slattery provides that place with honest answers that target women's specific needs. Her warm and compassionate style come through as she examines the underlying issues that prevent couples from having a satisfying sex life. Helping husbands and wives understand and address the sexual relationship with their spouse will improve the marriage by reducing stress and frustration in that area, which will reduce stress in other areas of marriage as well. Each chapter contains questions for reflection and questions for couples to discuss. Juli Slattery has extensive experience speaking to women about marriage, parenting, and family issues at retreats and conferences as well as on television and radio.

    For Muslims, the best stance and the best way is that of the Prophet Muhammed (salallahu alayhi wasallam). Allah has taught that this is how we should seek to resolve our conflicts:{If you differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger if you do believe in Allah and the Last Day: that is best and most suitable for final determination.} (Qur'an 4:59)Our Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam) was a husband with eleven women, each of whom has revealed to us her personal impressions of some or the other aspect of his exemplary personality.This book is a must-read for all married couples-and for any Muslim man or woman who is contemplating marriage-who wish to achieve satisfaction in their personal lives.

    How does today's young woman handle the difficult questions surrounding guys, relationships, and waiting for the right one? Leslie uses her experiences, both in mentoring numerous girls and with her own beautiful love story, to give straightforward help and advice on these questions and more.Instead of trying to follow the world's plan for capturing the man of your dreams, Leslie challenges her readers to live a set-apart life and develop a Christ-consumed heart. She shares the secret to becoming a woman who is truly beautiful and irresistible to a godly man. From understanding modern guys and the plan God has for them, to learning how to treat and interact with guys in everyday life, Answering the Guy Questions will equip young woman with inspiration and strength to live God's way in all their relationships.

    Norman Wright’s beloved wife, Joyce, passed away, he grieved the loss of his partner and the life they shared. Even in his state of sorrow, he knew he had to find a way to live without Joyce, to forge a hopeful path, and to move forward in God’s grace and strength.With vulnerability and emotional insight, Norm shares from his deeply personal journey and illuminates the way back to living when someone you love is gone. Readers who have lost their spouse will discover support and guidance as theywork through anger, including anger at God, to ease toward God’s peacemove away from denial and “what ifs” to move forwardallow memories to provide comfort without getting stuck in the pastcreate a healthy new, daily routine to care for themselvesturn their new identity and life over to God’s leading and mercyThis tender and inspirational book will help any reader who is grieving or who is walking alongside a grieving friend.

    Christian psychologists Michael Misja and Chuck Misja show you how to be free from shame if your marriage is not “successful” by conventional Christian standards.Learn:• the practical theology of desire• how the battlefield of the soul impacts your life• the relational process for moving from hoping in your marriage to hoping in God• how to love from godly strength, without asking for a response from your spouse

    But it is easy to be overwhelmed, to feel helpless and hopeless about living by God s high standards for singles. It s easy to cave in to the pressures of this sex-soaked world and accept defeat blaming the media, the culture, even girlfriends who don t know how tough it can be. But many men have read books like Every Young Man s Battle and Tactics and have committed themselves to stand strong and pure in the power of God and to go on the offensive against the onslaught of negative stereotypes. Some have suffered. Some have fallen. But many have experienced victory and you can be among them. What makes those committed men so desirable to women? Be Her Hero is their motto. From best-selling author Fred Stoeker, along with his son Jasen, come the straightforward insight and real-life examples you re looking for to help you take personal purity to its logical conclusion. Here s straight truth with irrefutable evidence of what makes an ultimate hero to women who long for men of faith men who stand by their convictions and make their world a safer and better place. Are you ready to accept the challenge?"

    The forty daily dares featured in the best-selling book are printed on individual four-color, thick-stock cards that fit easily into shirt pockets, the corner of a computer monitor, etc. Use them to remind you daily of your current dare.

    Fear is an emotion that doesn t possess you outwardly, but that can be controlled by the use of God s Word.

    In The Husband Project women will discover fun and creative ways to bring back that lovin’ feeling and remind their husbands—and themselves—why they married in the first place.Using the sense of humor that draws thousands of women a year to hear her speak, Kathi Lipp shows wives through simple daily action plans how they can bring the fun back into their relationship even amidst their busy schedules.The Husband Project is an indispensable resource for the wife who desires todiscover the unique plan God has for her marriage and her role as a wifecreate a plan to love her husband “on purpose”support and encourage other wives who want to make their marriage a priorityexperience release from the guilt of “not being enough”The Husband Project is for every woman who desires to bring more joy into her marriage but just needs a little help setting a plan into action.

    How have other couples learned to manage the relationship strains caused by this illness? What can you do to provide your partner with truly helpful nurturance and support? No one cares more deeply about these questions than Dr. Cynthia Last, a highly regarded therapist/researcher who also has bipolar disorder. Sharing stories and solutions from her own experience and the couples she has treated, Dr. Last offers heartfelt, practical guidance for getting through the out-of-control highs and the devastating lows--together. Learn how you can help your spouse come to terms with a bipolar diagnosis, get the most out of treatment, and reduce or prevent future mood episodes, while also taking care of yourself.

    So while John Piper's This Momentary Marriage focuses on the theological meaning of marriage, its companion volume, Velvet Steel, reveals the rich, emotional dimension.Within these pages Piper shares a series of poems written for his wife, Noël, during the first forty-two years of their relationship, starting from the day of their engagement. In it he provides readers with a taste of one man's tender affections for his wife-poems that he hopes will fan into flame readers'affections for their own spouses and ultimately for the Maker of marriage.

    

    Are you ready?This book by best-selling author Jerusha Clark explores the 10 most common and destructive marriage misconceptions. Find out if your expectations of marriage are actually hurting your relationship by examining your thoughts on money, sex, God's will, children, love, and contentment.Women of all ages and their relationships can benefit from this honest dialogue.

    Closer shows wives and husbands how to grow that love together. Introduced with Scripture verses and engaging stories, these 52 devotionals will inspire couples to draw closer through faith conversations--those quiet talks so vital for emotional and spiritual intimacy in a marriage. Guided, practical action steps round out each reading. Closer, with its flexible weekly format, is an appealing alternative to a daily devotional.

    Drawing on their own experience of bringing up four children and having talked to thousands of parents over the years on their parenting courses, Nicky & Sila Lee bring fresh insights and time-tested values to the task of parenting.

    The book provides empirically grounded strategies for helping clients overcome the initial shock, understand what happened and why, think clearly about their best interests before they act, and move on emotionally, whether or not they ultimately reconcile. The volume is loaded with vivid clinical examples and carefully designed exercises for use both during sessions and at home.

    When those suffering in such situations turn to us for help, where do we turn? The Quick-Reference Guide to Marriage and Family Counseling provides the answers. It is an A-Z guide for assisting people-helpers--pastors, professional counselors, youth workers, and everyday believers--to easily access a full array of information to aid them in (formal and informal) counseling situations. Issues addressed by Clinton and Trent include affairs and adultery, communication in marriage, parenting, sibling rivalry, and many more. Each of the forty topics covered follows a helpful eight-part outline and identifies: 1) typical symptoms and patterns, 2) definitions and key thoughts, 3) questions to ask, 4) directions for the conversation, 5) action steps, 6) biblical insights, 7) prayer starters, and 8) recommended resources.About the seriesThe Quick-Reference Guides are A-Z guides that assist people-helpers--pastors, professional counselors, youth workers, and everyday believers--to easily access a full array of information to aid them in (formal and informal) counseling situations. Each of the forty topics covered follows a helpful eight-part outline and identifies: 1) typical symptoms and patterns, 2) definitions and key thoughts, 3) questions to ask, 4) directions for the conversation, 5) action steps, 6) biblical insights, 7) prayer starters, and 8) recommended resources.

    In 1979, Pope John Paul II departed from this traditional dichotomy and offered an integrated vision of the human body and soul. In a series of talks that came to be known as the theology of the body, he explained the divine meaning of human sexuality and why the body provides answers to fundamental questions about our lives. In CALLED TO LOVE, Carl Anderson, chairman of the world's largest catholic service organization, and Fr. Jose Granados discuss the philosophical and religious significance of the theology of the body in language at once poetic and profound. As they explain, the body speaks of God, it reveals His goodness, and it also speaks of man and women and their vocation to love. CALLED TO LOVE brings to life the tremendous gift John Paul II bestowed on humanity and gives readers a new understanding of the Christian way of love and how to embrace it fully in their lives.

    One Bible teacher details a long list of the commands you should be keeping. The next teacher says only grace matters. Who is right? Centuries ago, in answer to this question, Jesus simplified all the rules and regulations of the Law into just two great commands: love God and love people.  Loving God and Others looks at how these two commands define the heart of Christian faith. As you rest in the certain knowledge of what God calls you to, you will be challenged to live these commands out—and discover how obeying Jesus’ simple commands will transform not only your life but also the lives of those around you.

    Yet there is uncertainty about Jesus' commands concerning divorce and remarriage. Do we truly understand the words of Christ (and Paul)?

    Most are resigned to it, but Gary and Joy Lundberg believe there is a solution. Drawing on their expertise as a marriage counselor and as marriage workshop leaders, Gary and Joy Lundberg assert this doesn’t have to be so. In Love That Lasts, they reveal the fourteen secrets every spouse should know to keep marriage joyful, passionate, and fulfilling. These secrets cover everything from finances and parenting to communication and intimacy, from being each other’s best friend to preserving a sense of humor, and the surprising power of courtesy. The Lundbergs address the differing needs of men and women and offer sensitive, realistic, and easy-to-understand solutions to healing the hurt, enhancing communication, and achieving emotional satisfaction.Brimming with fresh ideas and advice that works, this book is filled with stories of couples who have changed their marriages for the better. Love That Lasts also includes practical exercises, quizzes, tips, techniques, and topics for discussion that will help you understand and make the most of your relationship.

    But in these relationships, so critical to our well-being, might we also detect the workings, even directives, of biology? This book, a rare melding of human and animal research and theoretical and empirical science, ventures into the most interesting realms of behavioral biology to examine the intimate role of endocrinology in social relationships.The importance of hormones to reproductive behavior from breeding cycles to male sexual display is well known. What this book considers is the increasing evidence that hormones are just as important to social behavior. Peter Ellison and Peter Gray include the latest findings both practical and theoretical on the hormonal component of both casual interactions and fundamental bonds. The contributors, senior scholars and rising scientists whose work is shaping the field, go beyond the proximate mechanics of neuroendocrine physiology to integrate behavioral endocrinology with areas such as reproductive ecology and life history theory. Ranging broadly across taxa, from birds and rodents to primates, the volume pays particular attention to human endocrinology and social relationships, a focus largely missing from most works of behavioral endocrinology."