Then he made Eve. And ever since we've been picking up the pieces. Loveology is just that—a theology of love. With an autobiographical thread that turns a book into a story, pastor and speaker John Mark Comer shares about what is right in male/female relationships—what God intended in the Garden. And about what is wrong—the fallout in a post-Eden world. Loveology starts with marriage and works backward. Comer deals with sexuality, romance, singleness, and what it means to be male and female; ending with a raw, uncut, anything goes Q and A dealing with the most asked questions about sexuality and relationships. This is an audiobook for singles, engaged couples, and the newly married—both inside and outside the church—who want to learn what the Scriptures have to say about sexuality and relationships. For those who are tired of Hollywood's propaganda, and the church's silence. And for people who want to ask the why questions and get intelligent, nuanced, grace-and-truth answers, rooted in the Scriptures.

    It's until death do us part. Then come eternal rewards or regrets depending on how we spent our lives. In his latest book, Francis Chan joins together with his wife Lisa to address the question many couples wonder at the altar: How do I have a healthy marriage? Setting aside typical topics on marriage, Francis and Lisa dive into Scripture to understand what it means to have a relationship that satisfies the deepest parts of our souls. In the same way Crazy Love changed the way we saw our personal relationship with God, You and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity will radically shift the way we see one of the most important relationships in our life. Jesus was right. We have it all backwards. The way to have a great marriage is by not focusing on marriage. Whether you are single, dating or married, You and Me Forever will help you discover the adventure that you were made for and learn how to thrive in it. 100% of the net profits from You and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity will go towards providing food, shelter and rehabilitation for thousands of orphaned children and exploited women in partnership with global charities.

    It is the gift God gave us to be able to have direct access to His throne room and communicate with Him. This book of prayers is purposed to encourage and guide you as you pray for specific aspects of your husband’s life. If you have been blessed by Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian, you will also be inspired by 31 Prayers For My Husband. My hope is that this resource motivates you to intentionally pray and petition for your husband and your marriage through the power of prayer. There is even free writing space for you to add your own thoughts and prayers to each prayer, to make them your own, and to lift up specific prayer requests your husband may have. I urge you to consider the importance of being a wife of faithful prayer, to commit to praying for your husband daily, and seeing God move in his heart!

    Marriage is simultaneously the biggest blessing and the greatest challenge two people can ever take on. It is the joy of knowing there is someone to share in your joys and sorrows, and the challenge of living with someone who thinks it's a good idea to hang a giant antelope head on your living room wall. In The Antelope in the Living Room, New York Times best-selling author and blogger Melanie Shankle does for marriage what Sparkly Green Earrings did for motherhood--makes us laugh out loud and smile through tears as she shares the holy and the hilarity of that magical and mysterious union called marriage.

    Packed with real-life examples and refreshing honesty regarding her own marriage, Stormie encourages you to lovingly intercede for your wife in every area of her life, including her priorities emotions motherhood fears sexuality.Each chapter features comments from well-known Christian men, biblical wisdom, and prayer ideas. The warm and easy-to-read book includes a foreword by Stormie's husband, multi-Grammy winning music producer Michael Omartian. It's a resource that makes a great gift to husbands from wives and is also an excellent study for men's groups wanting to develop the discipline of prayer.

    Ready to wed.Ready to Wed is the follow-up novella to When You’re Ready and should be read in order. Also includes: Never Been More Ready, a short story featuring characters from Never Been Ready.

    We fail to understand how deeply God cares about our spouse. We diminish our need to not only understand what biblical love really is, but also to become a people who excel at it. We let ourselves drift apart instead of making the daily choices to grow closer together.Whether your marriage needs a complete makeover, a touch up, or just a new purpose,A Lifelong Love promises to set your relationship on an entirely new dimension. You will never look at worship or your spouse in the same way again. You will understand how living for that day will so radically transform the decisions you make this day. And Gary will guide you through the power shifts and seasonal mine fields that blow up so many marriages so that you can grow in your love instead of in your disappointment.Thirty years of study and two decades of working with couples has led Gary Thomas to his most significant book yet on the relationship between husband and wife. Find out for yourself what all the fuss is about—and why A Lifelong Love is sure to challenge the way the church talks about marriage.

    Everyone dreams of a fairytale marriage--the perfect spouse, the perfect home, the perfect family. But reality tells us that these expectations don't hold up very long. Many studies indicate that close to fifty percent of marriages don't make it. With those odds, is it even possible to have a good marriage--let alone a great one? New York Times bestselling author and pastor Craig Groeschel insists you can . . . but not if you approach it like everyone else does.Perfect for single adults, engaged couples, and married couples alike, Craig and his wife, Amy, show you how to conquer the odds and find the joy, passion, and strength of a marriage built by God.Craig and Amy open their hearts, share personal experiences, and walk you through five powerful commitments you can make to fail-proof your marriage:Seek GodFight fairHave funStay pureNever give upIf you earnestly choose to do all five of these things, you will discover a richer, deeper, more authentic marriage. Starting right now--from this day forward.Spanish edition also available, as well as a video study and study guide.

    No matter how they oppose the idea, their parents are hell-bent on marrying them to each other to honor a five-generation-old deal that took place between their ancestors. For Ivory, whose heart has just been broken, her marriage to the handsome but cold Darius Quartz fails to provide her the happy life she wants. Instead, she finds herself in endless boredom and doing the same things she'd been doing the past six months. That is, until Darius arrives home from his training and her ex returns in the picture. Thrown in her loyal best friend, Rose, and Darius's insane cousin, Adrian. Her life suddenly turns upside down and becomes exciting and a whole lot crazier! It's a long journey full of tears, fun, joy, even insanity, and most of all, love.

    They have a strong and healthy relationship along with a beautiful family. Join them and the rest of the Cahill’s this Christmas to hear about their epic love story and catch up with the rest of the crew.

    Now that we’ve been married for 21 years. We’ve laughed together, cried together, slept together, raised children together, and have walked together for over two decades. Two people who’ve been loving each other for a long time. So women often ask me, they wonder how it’s done. What has worked and what has helped us through the hard times? What has brought us this far? And what will keep us loving each other in the years to come?Whether you’re newly married, have been together for decades, or still waiting to meet the one God has for you, Lisa Jacobson of Club31Women.com offers practical steps on how you can enjoy a lasting, loving marriage too. Join her on the life-long journey of learning to love each other. You might also be interested in the companion book, 100 Ways to Love Your Wife, written by her husband, Matthew L. Jacobson.

    A guy who didn’t believe in love at first sight, suddenly believed. A girl who believed a bad boy would always be bad, changed her mind. With Sophia by Brandon’s side, he knew he could conquer the world, and Sophia had never felt more loved or wanted in her life. They were good together.But even the strongest of foundations can be crumbled. Sometimes all it takes is one moment, fleeting as it may be, to crush what was once strong and indestructible, like a wrecking ball. Now Sophia has left and as she rediscovers herself, Brandon is left holding the shattered pieces of their lives, trying to figure out how to put them back together. He loves her.She loves him.All he needs now is to make her remember that.

    With enough backstabbing, finger-pointing, and disrespect to go around, this trio sticks to their motto of "What she can do, I can do better; and whatever she has, I want a piece of it too." Much competition is thrown in the mix, and jealousy is so thick that there will be no place for anyone to run when the mess hits the fan. Only then will they attempt to put their many differences aside, but when severe damage is already done, it may be possible to forgive, but certainly not to forget.

    Filled with practical insights that will benefit any couple, this inspiring book describes a godly courtship and the early years of the Vujicics’ marriage and parenting journey.   Above all, Love Without Limits is an inspiring reminder that when Christ is at the center of a relationship--even with serious challenges--true love will triumph. ***“Despite my optimism about other parts of life, I decided that love in this world had limits after all. I’d become convinced that no woman would want to marry such an obviously imperfect man as me….”   As a boy growing up in Australia, Nick Vujicic could not understand why God had allowed him to be born without limbs and if He would ever bring a woman into Nick’s life.    On the other side of the world, Kanae Miyahara—a girl growing up in Mexico--saw dysfunction sadly separate her family.  She wondered if a loving, lasting marriage was even possible.     Later, when Nick realized that God had a purpose for him, his life took on new meaning.  But after a long-term relationship ended in heartache, would he ever find someone to marry?   Kanae experienced relationships based on superficial attraction, but she longed to find a mate with strong character and faith—a man who would be a godly husband and father.     When Nick and Kanae met in the most amazing way, they realized that God—the ultimate Matchmaker-- had used even their discouraging and painful experiences to prepare them for each other…for the love of their life.

    Just eight whirlwind weeks after their first meeting, level-headed career girl Lucy is seriously considering his pleas to marry him and asking herself if she could really be stepmother material.But before Lucy can make a final decision about becoming part of Greg’s world, events plunge her right into it. On holiday in the South of France, things start to unravel. Her future stepchildren won’t accept her, the interfering nanny resents her, and they’re stuck in a heat wave that won’t let up. And then there’s Greg. His behaviour becomes increasingly bizarre and Lucy begins to wonder whether his larger-than-life personality hides something darker—and whether she knows him at all.

    Trust can be rebuilt in your marriage! With patient, loving, self-sacrificing effort, it’s possible that one day your wife will risk her heart with you again. And she may even have more respect and love for you than before. In Worthy of Her Trust, Jason Martinkus relates how he repaired his own marriage after revelations of sexual addiction. Along with Stephen Arterburn, Jason offers exercises and tools rooted in counseling principles to help your marriage begin again. This comprehensive guide discusses: · How to be truly and effectively transparent · Combating the “he must not love me” myth and other untruths· What to do about the Internet, office temptations, and travel· Encouragement for wives who wonder if trust can ever be restored · The “five-minute phone call” and other daily trust-building strategies· What meaningful forgiveness and restitution look like· The Amends Matrix—a concrete exercise to admit past wrongs and cast a vision for a faithful futureIncluding insights from Jason’s wife, Shelley, Worthy of Her Trust guides you through the process of rebuilding your relationship so it is stronger than ever.

    Her journalist husband and her two adorable children were everything to her. But soon she would find out that her dream life didn't fall in line with her husband's expectations. Left alone to sort out the pieces of her crumbling life, Carly finds strength in her children and her growing relationship with her in-laws. Most importantly, she finds her greatest strength as she builds a friendship with herself. This is a beautiful story of one woman's strength and determination as she finds the will to move forward and be happy while the life she had grown to love crumbles around her. It is a story of a man who has lost his way and may lose it all if he can't find his way back. The Girl in Seat 24B is a story of love and forgiveness.

    They have been doing couples work for decades and still find it challenging. This book gathers together what they have learned over the years of their practice and touches on issues at the core of couples work. Topics addressed include:• You know that you need to “treat the relationship,” but how are you supposed to get at something as elusive as “a relationship”?• Compared to an individual client, a relationship is an entirely different animal. What should you do first? What should you look for? What questions should you ask? If clients give different answers, who should you believe?• Which client is right if they argue in front of you? Which one is the culprit, and which one is innocent? Who should you empathize with?• How do you empathize with both clients if they have opposite points of view? Later on, if they end up separating does that mean you’ve failed? Are you only successful if you keep couples together?• What are you supposed to do with all the emotional and personal history that your clients stir up in you?• How to make your work research-basedNo-one who works with couples will want to be without the insight, guidance, and strategies offered in this book.

    The Talk is a series of 7 studies, all anchored in the Scriptures, that helps parents to talk meaningfully with children about sexuality. The Talk was written for parents to read with children ages 6 to 10 years old. The study supplies elementary-age children with foundational truths about sexuality at a level they can understand.

    Not only is it a powerful tool for personal growth, it’s also an ideal study-guide for small groups! Each lesson leads you through one virtue at a time, offering you applicable and inspiring ways for a wife to grow closer to God and her husband. The virtues discussed are these:•Purity•Self-control•Love•Diligence•Patience•Kindness•Humility•Faith•Forgiveness•Joy•Passion•Radiance•Encouragement•Balance•Goodness•Trust•CourageVirtue calls us to action. As we exercise each one, they bring our flesh in line with our Spirit. It’s one thing to know what’s good, and it’s another to walk in obedience to the knowledge that we have received. Not always easy, but obedience to our faith is always worth the effort it takes!

    Happily married, with three children, she has worked her way to becoming one of the most successful reporters in the country. While reporting on conditions in Afghanistan, she is severely injured during a bombing. For months, she is presumed dead, and her family mourns her passing, unaware that she has survived. When she is found alive, it is revealed that she has no recollection of the past 10 years of her life. Her husband, her children, her career: all a mystery to her. Grateful to have his wife back and determined to hold their family together, Mark Tyverson makes it his mission to win his wife’s heart again — regardless of whether she remembers him or not. Remember Me is a story that traces the hard work of piecing back a life torn apart by memory loss. It explores the hardship both the victim faces as well as those around her, robbed of the person they know when she is robbed of the memories she had. Will Kristen, Mark, and their three children be able to rise to the challenge? **Please note there is occasional cursing and various references to sexuality and spirituality within this work of fiction. Reader discretion is advised.**

    She gives you a hug when what you really need is a home-cooked meal. The problem isn’t love—it’s your love language. Each one of us responds well to a different type of expression of love. The 30-Day Love Language Minute Devotional Volume 1 is your daily guide for a month to express heartfelt love to your mate in a way that he or she can appreciate it.

    It was a covenant that knit one man and one woman together. This weaving made both stronger, nobler, and more vibrant expressions of who they were created to be. They were better together than either had been on their own.The wedding ceremony was but a beginning. It was the gateway to build their happily ever after. Each choice and action was designed to construct the life their union represented. Husband and wife walked into the great unknown with hearts, hands, and voices intertwined to express the love of their Creator.How did we lose touch with this profound love story? In The Story of Marriage, John and Lisa Bevere invite you to rediscover God’s original plan. Whether you’re married, single, or engaged, your story is a part of His.Interactive book includes:- Daily devotionals- Questions for group discussion- Tools for mapping your dream marriage- Steps for writing your story well

    They have legitimate longings that the Church has been afraid to talk about, and books like Fifty Shades of Grey exploit. Whether you are single or married, sexually dead or just looking to revive your sex life, Pulling Back the Shades will address your desire to be both sexual AND spiritual. With solid Biblical teaching and transparent stories, trusted authors Dannah Gresh  and Dr. Juli Slattery, offer an unflinching look at the most personal questions women ask. The book offers practical advice for women to address five core longings:to be cherished by a manto be protected by a strong manto rescue a manto be sexually aliveto escape realityGod designed women with these longings and has a plan to satisfy them. It's time for women to identify their intimate longings and God-honoring ways to fulfill them.

    Just when she thinks she has found her path, a return to her hometown brings past hurts rushing back into her life. Can Emma learn to finally release the hardships of the past and rely on the goodness of God’s plans for her future? Eight years after a disfiguring accident, self-torment and life in the shadows keep David from all that he holds dear. When a chance encounter stirs him to hope again, he battles the voice inside that tells him he doesn’t deserve his second chance. Can he accept the gift of restoration God is offering him? Or will he allow self-doubt to rob him of his greatest love and the family he longs to embrace?

    Here, Anthony Esolen—professor at Providence College and a prolific writer uses moral, theological, and cultural arguments to defend this holy and ancient institution, bedrock of society—and to illuminate the threats it faces from modern revolutions in law, public policy, and sexual morality. Inside, discover: - Traditional marriage’s roots in age-old religious, cultural, and natural laws - Why gay marriage is a metaphysical impossibility - How acceptance and legal sanction of gay marriage threatens the family - How the state becomes a religion when it attempts to elevate gay marriage, and enshrine as a civil right all consensual sex - How divorce and sexual license have brought marriage to the brink - How today’s culture has impoverished and emptied love of its true meaning In Defending Marriage Esolen expertly and succinctly identifies the cultural dangers of gay marriage and the Sexual Revolution which paved its way. He offers a stirring defense of true marriage, the family, culture, and love—and provides the compelling arguments that will return us to sanity, and out of our current morass.

    Thoughtful guidance for Christians wondering how to approach conversations about God's design for marriage in a culture rushing to embrace same-sex marriage.

    They fell in love, built a family, and made sports history when Tony became the first African American head coach to win the Super Bowl. Yet they've also gone through difficult, relationship-testing setbacks, including job loss and devastating personal tragedy. In a culture where it seems harder and harder to make marriage last, what has kept the Dungys strong through it all? In Uncommon Marriage, Tony and Lauren share the secrets that hold them together, revealing what they've learned so far about being a good husband or wife; getting through times of loss, grief, or change; staying connected despite busy schedules; supporting each other's dreams and goals; and helping each other grow spiritually. They offer encouragement and practical advice to equip your marriage to survive tough issues and flourish with joy, purpose, and partnership--in other words, to be a marriage that is truly uncommon.

    Louis and built a new life in New York. Ten years later, they have it all or at least that’s what everyone believes. Black and Meesa have a secret - their marriage is falling apart. Meesa is doing everything she can to save it but some things aren’t always mendable. Then there's Kelly. Kelly puts her career before everything and it’s not because she wants to. Her man, Jaden, isn’t dependable so Kelly does what she has to do to keep a roof over her and her son's head. But temptation is on the horizon... Will Kelly give in? And what about Gwyn? Gwyn is a no nonsense kind of chick that cherishes her freedom. She comes and goes as she pleases but an old flame reenters the picture and threatens to expose past demons that Gwyn is determined to keep hidden. But once the door is opened, skeletons seem to tumble out. National Best Selling Author Keisha Ervin returns with the long awaited sequel to her critically acclaimed 1st novel, Me and My Boyfriend. Fast forward a few years, and look into the lives of your favorite characters with Pure Heroine, which will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

    Their first ten years together included Domingo’s alcoholism and abuse, and Irene’s desperate prayers for answers. Then a miracle happened: Domingo pleaded for forgiveness. As God healed their marriage, Irene and Domingo adopted a little girl. And a new season began for an imperfect couple who were willing to say yes to each other and to God. Over the past forty-five years, the Garcias have birthed, fostered, or adopted thirty-two children. Their story holds difficult endings as well as promising new beginnings. Above all, their story reminds us what can happen when ordinary people submit to God’s call. Rich in Love is about a family cemented in hope. About a need to love the orphan. And about a God who never, ever gives up.

    Maintaining a long distance friendship with an old sweetheart isn't making the decision easier, especially when that sweetheart, now a famous country music star declares his love for her, even though she is married. Randall Connor is a recovering alcoholic and wants to heal his broken marriage, and as a new believer, he is counting on God to help him. When Darla rejects his ultimatum to sever ties with her old boyfriend, he's in for the battle of his life. Will Darla follow promises of a better life with her old boyfriend, or will she surrender to God in time to save her marriage?

    . . trials will inevitably come that threaten your marriage. No matter how long you’ve been married or how strong your relationship is, sooner or later you are going to have a mess to clean up.Messy Beautiful Love is about cleaning up messes God’s way, exchanging your ideas for His, and being prepared for both the best and the worst that marriage has to offer. When you surrender your relationship to God, then and only then will you experience the blessing of marriage as He intended. This is the blessing of obedience.Messy Beautiful Love is an invitation to that obedience. The cynical world says marriages don’t last, but God knows better. Tune out the world and tune in to Him. When you do that, a beautiful marriage is not only possible, it’s inevitable.

    What does it take to have a great marriage? It's not all that complicated - just a whole lot of decisions that say, "I love you," rather than those that say, "I love me." This book provides suggestions that help demonstrate to your spouse that she is a cherished priority in your life.

    The average cost of the occasion now exceeds $25,000, and societal pressure to create the “perfect day” is so strong that even Christian couples forget what God originally intended for the sacred marriage ceremony. While paying attention to the good fun that follows that special proposal (the dress, the flowers, the cake, the gatherings, etc.), A Christ-Centered Wedding first serves as a guide to believers who want their wedding to portray the relationship of Christ with the church and to reflect the gospel to all in attendance. From the start, this thoughtful book looks to the Creator of weddings for guidance in planning by emphasizing the sacrificial love of the Savior more than the modern world’s idealistic view of romantic love. There are chapters filled with practical information about everything from pre-marital counseling and choosing a wedding location to other resources like a planning checklist and timeline, music suggestions, guidance on potential issues of conflict, a listing of traditional financial responsibilities, sample vows, and other great ideas from couples who have successfully put together a Christ-centered wedding.

    The society is made up of homes and it is the origin. The home is life and the life is society. If the home is strong and morally sound, it will reflect in the larger society. Whatever the home is made up of that is the reflection that will be seen in the society. When the society is morally bankrupt it should be traced to the home. To rescue our society from destruction the home needs to be rebuilt on sound footings. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:"Happiness has four elements; a good wife, a spacious house, a good neighbour and a good riding beast." (Ibn Hibbaan)From this hadeeth, it can be seen that three out of the four elements of happiness concern the home This book highlights the means and processes of building a Muslim home which guarantees sakeenah (tranquility). [an-Nahl (16):80]

    But how can you succeed in a society that attacks the role of fatherhood and godly family values? Are you sometimes tempted to give in or give up?The rewards of being a dad who leads are well worth making the effort to stand firm. The Bible offers clear guidance for dads on how to parent effectively. Join pastor-teacher John MacArthur as he looks at…the keys to building healthy family unityessential character qualities to teach every childhow to lovingly discipline children and nurture obediencetraps to avoid in the course of parentingthe power of a dad’s example to influence future generationsCommit yourself to being a dad who leads, and God will enable you every step of the way. There’s no surer path to experiencing a lifetime of family blessings!

    Emotionally distant but highly successful Edward Feathers, his beautiful wife Betty, and his devilishly handsome professional rival (and Betty's one-time lover) Edward Veneering are the anchors of this series, with each novel focusing on a differenct character. Feathers was a "raj orphan"--children bown in Far East British colonies and raised in England--while Veneering's own path to legal renown is a Dickensian as his name. Filth and his circle tell a bittersweet tale of enduring friendship while contending with the disappointments and consolations of age as a once-insurmountable empire declines around them. Told with Jane Gardam's customary wit, the Old Filth trilogy is a deeply humane and often comic portrait of aging and a reminder that the experiences we choose to take with us in our twilight years are as unforgettable--and unpredictable as life itself.

    What they are here for is your marriage. Jim and Doug have seen it all. They have worked with many couples and have studied extensively to uncover the essential elements for making marriages thrive. This book is their early wedding gift to you: a comprehensive, easy-to-navigate road map for beginning your union. Filled with premium fuel for the journey—including meaningful exercises, hard truths, and conversations starters—this book will nourish and guide your relationship for the long haul.Jim Burns is president of HomeWord and the executive director of the HomeWord Center for Youth and Family at Azusa Pacific University. Jim speaks to thousands of people around the world each year. He has over 1.5 million resources in print and a radio broadcast heard on over 800 stations daily. He, his wife, and three daughters live in Southern California.Doug Fields is the senior director of the HomeWord Center for Youth and Family at Azusa Pacific University. Doug has been a youth and teaching pastor at Mariners Church and Saddleback Church, and has authored over 50 books. He is a passionate speaker and blogger reaching thousands of leaders, teenagers, and parents every year. Doug resides with his wife and three children in Southern California.

    You will learn to: • Step into your royal identity as a daughter of the King and experience contentment, security, and patience in your life • Protect your purity as you see how God sees you—valued, beautiful, and one-of-a-kind • Take advantage of the waiting process and use it to become a woman of devotion, faith, and conviction • Refuse to settle for anything or anyone less than God’s best for your life Enjoy the wait, embrace the journey, and experience the extraordinary power of being a Lady in Waiting! This is a great book for when God says wait.

    You will too. Men, read this book and improve your marriage!"—Lee Strobel, New York Times best-selling authorHaving a pulse is all it really takes to fall in love. Staying in love is another matter; staying in love requires a plan and some learned skills. "My primary audience for this book is guys (sorry, sneaky ladies)," says author Doug Fields. "I am writing in a way that most men seem to talk and learn."In 7 Ways to Be Her Hero Fields gives, quite candidly, seven very doable actions to transform any marital relationship, guaranteed. It also includes a bonus chapter for guys to read with their wives. So if you want to understand some simple ways to invest in your marriage and be your wife's hero (again), this is the plan!

    They talked about getting married, and he started looking for a ring. They dreamed about life together, a life of beauty and joy, raising babies and laughing with friends and growing old. They did not imagine a car accident. They did not imagine his brain injury. They did not dream about the need for constant care and a wheelchair and fear that food might choke him.  And they could not have imagined how persistent love would be. Theirs and God's.  Ian and Larissa Murphy tell their story of love in Eight Twenty Eight. Except, it's not just their love story. Really, it's yours as well. Read and gain a picture of love that will challenge all you think you know about what is true and what persists.

    Through all of that, their lives have never gotten less complicated. Now their daughters are teenagers, and they have to adjust to a new stage of life. Incarnate is a slice-of-life novella that is best read after the preceding books about Erin and Seth--Nameless and Christening.

    Can the magic of the Emerald Isle and the Lady reunite these two wounded hearts?

    on the outside everything looks perfect.. What happens behind closed doors?They fight. They yell and scream. There's insults, and accusations of cheating thrown around. Separate rooms and ignoring each other. It's constant bickering. They've grown apart and realised that true love doesn't always keep people together. He's cold and arrogant, and she's a hot blooded Italian.Fed up.. no longer willing to fight, they assume there's only way one to end it all.. Divorce is the only option, and for someone to move out.That was the plan until a surprise holiday is sprung on them and they have to keep their act up for a little while longer.. Until they realise that they're not faking it at all.. they're doing everything they never used to, from talking and making the effort...Finally, they realise that.. they've started to fall in love all over again.

    Everyone has one. For Dr. Cassidy Brannon it was discovering her husband, Phillip, in a compromising position with his best friend Max’s almost fiancée, Amber, while vacationing with the other couple. Angry and heartbroken, she and Max indulge in a night of drunken sex. The next day, Cassidy returns home with one goal in mind—divorce.However, nothing goes as planned. Phillip, hell bent on fixing their marriage, won’t agree to a divorce. What was only meant to be one night with Max has turned into so much more. Then Cassidy finds out she’s pregnant. With both Max and Phillip claiming to be the father, how much more can Cassidy take before she’s pushed beyond the breaking point?BROKENMax Desalvo is a broken man. Two years ago he gave his heart, soul and body to another man’s wife, Cassidy Brannon. And, he’d thought, his child. They’d made promises, vows. One year. One year for Cassidy to secure her freedom, so they could be together. Unable to be in the same city with Cassidy and not see her, hear her voice, or touch her, Max left. While gone he waited, waited, and waited for the call that never came.Now he’s returned to Philly, his home. Running into Cassidy was inevitable, but she isn’t the woman he remembers. If he’s broken, she’s shattered. Phillip, her husband, is dead. Why hadn’t Cassidy contacted him once she was free? And why does she gaze at him with eyes full of hurt and mistrust, as though he were the one to break her heart?Max has a choice. Discover the truth of what happened and reclaim the love he’s lost or forever remain…broken.

    But there is more to love than a language can express. While understanding one another is certainly important, conforming to God’s intended design for marriage is the only way to the most beautiful relationship words can express. With the Lord as the center of your marriage, the more you connect with Him, the closer you’ll be to your spouse. Therefore prayer can have an astounding impact on your relationship, as God tenderly changes your heart and redefines your understanding of a good marriage. In this book are 14 of the most powerful prayers that will bless any marriage. Whether your marriage is struggling or amazing, these prayers will help you to fine-tune your relationship with your spouse. They will help you to get on track with the Lord’s blueprint for marriage, which will transform your relationship into the beautiful blessing He has always desired for you.

    It gives people things to DO not to BE. No 'psycho-babble', 'religion', or 'feel-good frills'. Just straight up advice from a guy who has screwed up and learned how to make his marriage work through hard times. Marriage isn't a game of chance. Are you willing to put your chips on the table and go 'all in' to win and keep your wife's heart? This book shows you how.

    The authors present a unique approach that reflects 40 years of combined experience in counseling couples. Mohamed Hag Magid is a prominent imam at one of the largest mosques in the US, and Salma Elkadi Abugideiri is a licensed mental health professional. The two provide an Islamic framework for the entire marriage process and present marriage as a partnership while underscoring the ingredients for successfully finding a spouse, as well as for establishing and maintaining a healthy marriage. This book is invaluable for anyone seeking marriage, as well as for parents who are involved in their children's marriage process. Those getting re-married after a divorce or death of a spouse will also find this book extremely useful. The authors raise thought-provoking questions to help readers increase self-awareness, clarify what is desired in a spouse and in a marriage, and help them get to know a potential spouse. Topics addressed in detail include finding a spouse, the role of family and in-laws, the marriage contract and wedding, intimacy, spirituality and finances. Special issues addressed include mental health, domestic violence and threats to a marriage. This marriage guide is surprisingly comprehensive and practical. It provides a tool kit with concrete skills that can be used throughout a marriage to ensure a healthy relationship that is grounded in the Islamic values of love and mercy-qualities that are necessary to achieve the ultimate purpose of marriage: mutual tranquility. This book promises to be a valuable resource that couples will turn to for many years both as a refresher and as a reference.

    With the daily struggles of raising a family and climbing out of debt, she and her husband Colin, work hard to hang on to what they’ve got.So when Claire is offered an incredible opportunity to rise in the ranks of her firm, she jumps at the chance. Her joy, however, is short lived at the discovery that her close friend and colleague, Beth Graves has just been accused of embezzlement.Compelled to see Beth’s name cleared, Claire digs deeply into the inner workings of her organization, uncovering something that was never meant to be found. Something that brings danger into her ordinary life.When Claire turns for help, who will be on her side? Who will she be able to trust?

    It is recommended for use with couples pursuing Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). It closely follows the course of treatment and is designed so that clinicians can easily integrate guided reading and reflections into the therapeutic process. The material is presented in a recurring format: Read, Reflect, and Discuss. Readings help couples look at their relationship through an attachment lens, walking them through the step-by-step process of creating a secure relationship bond. 33 Reflections invite readers to engage with the material personally, expanding their own awareness and ability to tune into their partner. Discussion sections suggest relationship-building exercises and a framework for conversations that promote safety, disclosure, and engagement. Case examples, along with informative illustrations, are scattered throughout the book to validate, illustrate, and inspire couples along their journey. Clinicians conversant with EFT can use this workbook to extend the effectiveness of their work with couples by giving them structured tasks to work on between sessions. For clinicians training in EFT, the book can guide them in staying focused on the EFT roadmap and illuminate how important change events unfold.

    Those who are in union with Him share His offices in a limited but important way. In this booklet, Joel Beeke explains how husbands and fathers should lead their families as prophets, priests, and kings. Filled with biblical wisdom and practical application, How Should Men Lead Their Families? is a helpful guide for men who desire to bear the image of the Father of glory and of the heavenly Husband as they lead, teach, love, evangelize, protect, and rule over their wives and children. Author Joel R. Beeke is president of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary and a pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Endorsement “This booklet is a masterpiece. Joel Beeke not only provides sound biblical teaching about being a father, he also gives us a simple and practical framework for reminding us of our calling: prophet, priest, and king. Each of these perspectives on fatherhood is opened up and applied with clarity. If you want to understand fatherhood and its primary responsibilities from a biblical perspective, read this booklet, then share it with someone else.” — Tedd Tripp, senior pastor of Grace Fellowship Church, Hazleton, Pennsylvania, and author of Shepherding a Child’s Heart Cultivating Biblical Godliness Series D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said, “The world today is looking for, and desperately needs, true Christians. I am never tired of saying that what the Church needs to do is not to organize evangelistic campaigns and attract outside people, but to begin herself to live the Christian life. If she did that, men and women would be crowding into our buildings. They would say, ‘What is the secret of this?’” Many people who are new to the church need instruction in the most basic aspects of godly living. Even where churches are engaged heavily in discipleship, visitors and members often have gaps in their understanding and practice. One of the greatest needs of our time is for the Spirit of God to cultivate biblical godliness in us in order to put the glory of Christ on display through us, all to the glory of God the Father. For these reasons, Joel Beeke and Ryan McGraw are coediting a series of booklets titled Cultivating Biblical Godliness. These booklets treat matters that are vital to Christian experience, and each contribution aims to address a wide variety of people and circumstances at a fundamental and introductory level. This includes teaching people what to believe in order to practice personal holiness as well as specific directions on how to cultivate biblical godliness in relation to issues that are common to God’s people. The distinctive feature of this series is its experiential tone. While some booklet series aim to enlighten the mind, these booklets aim to warm the affections as well. The goal is to promote communion with the triune God and to transform the entire person in thought, speech, and behavior. To this end, we intend to include a wide range of authors whom the Spirit has blessed to skillfully stir up the church to personal holiness and affection to Christ through their preaching and writing ministries. We need a Christianity that puts the transformative power of God in the gospel on display through developing a communion with God that is visible to the world. Our prayer is that through this series, the Lord would revive His church by producing Christians who are full of love for Christ, who deny themselves in order to follow Him at great personal cost, and who know the joys of walking with the triune God. This is the kind of Christianity that we need. This is the kind of Christianity that the triune God has used to turn the world upside down. May He be pleased to do so again. Review This booklet is a masterpiece. Joel Beeke not only provides sound biblical teaching about being a father, he also gives us a simple and practical framework for reminding us of our calling: prophet, priest, and king. Each of these perspectives on fatherhood is opened up and applied with clarity. If you want to understand fatherhood and its primary responsibilities from a biblical perspective, read this booklet, then share it with someone else. --Tedd Tripp, senior pastor of Grace Fellowship Church, Hazleton, Pennsylvania, and author of Shepherding a Child s Heart About the Author Joel R. Beeke is president of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary and a pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

    The hotel where she works has a strict hands-off-patrons policy and if it’s found out she’s even lingered too long in his room, she’ll lose the job she’s worked so hard for. Maybe if she were more reckless and willing to step out on a ledge she would, but she isn’t and she can’t. Because it isn’t just Ria’s welfare at stake, but her little brother’s, and she’s not able to put his happiness on the line for her own. So, she’ll keep hiding behind the meaningless wedding ring and fake husband that she knows is the only thing that has kept Drake from pushing her for more. She’s seen enough rich and powerful men like Drake Hawthorne to know they didn’t care about the havoc they left behind only for the moment where they got what they wanted. Ria needs more than a moment, she wants and needs forever. When Drake finds out there isn’t a husband, he demands marriage, and Ria opens her mouth to say yes, until he warns her about the ending. Marriage shouldn’t come with a time limit and Ria refuses to give in. Just when it looks like forever is promised, will a threat from her past cost her the future that’s within reach with Drake? Please be aware this is an erotic romance and is explicit. This is a standalone novella at 41,845 words Excerpt available on my blog: http://fionamurphyeroticromance.blogs...

    Settling for less than what she deserves and desperate for her marriage to work, she begins to ignore the blatant disrespect that her husband is dishing out. With lies and infidelity coming into play, she may be getting more than she bargained for. Is she holding on to a marriage that barely worth fighting for? Find out in this emotional tale of a broken marriage.

    Each unit opens with a case study selected from Danny’s personal ministry and counseling sessions. This real-life scenario creates context for reading the book chapter alongside the Study Series session that corresponds to the unit. A reading and viewing guide is provided to help the user identify the main points from the chapter/session.

    In Chastity Is for Lovers, Spenceley expands on that piece, advocating Catholic teaching on sex and marriage with candor and humor, and without judgment. In her debut book, seasoned journalist and self-professed “happy virgin” Arleen Spenceley offers a mature, funny, and relatable vision of Catholic teaching on chastity for young adults. Chastity Is for Lovers provides perspective on a variety of topics—the difference between chastity and abstinence, how virginity is an affirming and valuable life choice, how the word “purity” can be harmful in ministry settings, how to date well, and why sexual self-control is the best form of marriage preparation—and gives single adults the best possible chance to find true love. She carefully avoids using language that shames readers and instead presents a view of chastity that is joyful and positive.

    After her arduous trip from Virginia, she learns her fiancé has died. His handsome brother has sworn to take care of her and she’s instantly attracted to him, but he seems indifferent toward her. What will happen to her and her sister?Kage Johanssen, co-owner of a ranch in Idaho with his cousin Matt, is forced to take over his family’s Central Texas ranch on the death of his older brother. Kage is in no hurry to get married, and when his brother’s bride shows up, she’s everything he doesn’t want in a wife—except she’s stunningly beautiful. Despite his deathbed promise to his brother and his attraction to Ellie, he’s convinced she doesn’t have the grit to be a rancher’s wife.When a greedy, sadistic villain attempts to take over the ranch and kill Kage, can Ellie save her true love? What will it take to prove that she’s the only woman for Kage?Mail-Order Ruckus by Jacquie RogersMatt Johanssen returned to the ranch he and his cousin Kage started in Owyhee County, Idaho Territory, not knowing he took Laura Dickerson's heart with him. Now that her sister no longer needs her, Laura wants a home of her own and a family to put in it. No other man would fill the bill as well as Matt, but he’s not interested. Not wanting to live as a spinster aunt the rest of her life, Laura signs a contract with a marriage broker, choosing to go to Silver City, near Matt’s ranch, in hopes that he might come around. But he’s not on the roster of eligible grooms!When Matt sees Laura among the brides on display on the balcony of the Idaho Hotel, he feels gutshot. He’s in no position to take a wife, not with a ranch eating up every spare moment and dollar. But if he doesn't step forward, the one woman he wants will be wed at the end of the week—and not to him.Will Matt walk away from the woman who stole his heart or let go of everything he's worked so hard to build go in exchange for love?

    But often depression interferes with your relationship, distancing you from your partner during your time of need. If you are in the midst of depression, you may worry that you aren’t good enough for your partner, or become irritable around them. You may even push them away when you feel like your emotions are beyond your control. In addition, your sense of intimacy may diminish, and your sex life may fizzle as a result of fatigue, medications and feeling disconnected from your partner. The hard truth is that feelings of isolation, worthlessness, and tiredness can all take a hefty toll on your love life. But you don’t have to let depression be the demise of your relationship. Using an integrative approach based in mindfulness, interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), When Depression Hurts Your Relationship offers practical skills to help readers with depression reignite intimacy with their partners. If you suffer from depression, this book is a must-read to help keep your romantic relationship healthy, exciting, and rewarding for you both.

    But Fate’s a nasty mistress. One week before their special day, Pippa narrowly escapes when fire erupts in the ballroom they’d reserved for the ceremony. They’ll have to use every resource at their fingertips to implement Plan B. In this case, B stands for the barn at the Sleepy T Christmas Tree Farm. Hobbled by a sprained ankle, Pippa is unable to help with the preparations. In spite of the grime accumulated over twenty years, Clay is determined. He promises Pip he’ll transform the barn into an idyllic location for a winter wedding. Plus, he’ll make time to throw in a special surprise. What Clay doesn’t factor into his plan is the snowstorm bearing down on them. With predictions of up to two feet of snow, will Mother Nature prove too much of an obstacle to overcome?

    But regardless of the consistency, intensity, or proximity of anger and aggression in our lives, most of us share a common handicap our greatest resource, the weapon of love, remains either sheathed or only timidly employed . . .Conflict and contention are among the more undesirable and unavoidable characteristics of human nature. While it is within our power to control our own actions and attitudes, how can we encourage those around us to break the cycle of anger and negativity? Learn to limit others negative power by wielding a weapon stronger than hate or greed or fear or malice the weapon of love. Author J. David Pulsipher encourages readers to take a Christ-centered approach to negativity with a comprehensive look at how conflict arises, how human nature distorts conflict, and how to use love as a force against anger.

    Paul, Minnesota, to live in Georgia, Molly feels alone and plans a visit to her brother, Patrick, in Las Vegas. Molly had been worried about him ever since his wife died in a tragic boating accident. Grieving she could understand, but she sensed something deeper going on. And she was concerned about Patrick's six-year-old daughter, Bethany. So she sets aside her life in St. Paul to spend an indeterminate time in Vegas. When Molly gets there, she finds more than she bargained on. And in the lead-up to Christmas, the situation only gets worse.... 6 year-old Bethany loses her last anchor. How does Molly convince her that somehow, Christmas will come.

    Discouragement is.You’ve probably heard the grim facts: Half of all marriages end in divorce. The divorce rate inside the church is the same as outside. Most marriages are just holding on. But what if these “facts” are actually myths?In The Good News About Marriage, best-selling author Shaunti Feldhahn presents groundbreaking research that reveals the shocking, incredibly inspiring truth:· The actual divorce rate has never gotten close to 50 percent.· Those who attend church regularly have a significantly lower divorce rate than those who don’t.· Most marriages are happy.· Simple changes make a big difference in most marriage problems.· Most remarriages succeed.For too long, our confidence in marriage has been undermined by persistent misunderstandings and imperfect data. This landmark book will radically change how we think and talk about marriage—and what we can dare to hope from it.“Shaunti takes aim at marriage myths that have spread like a cancer through our culture–myths that have become self-fulfilling prophecies. This book is packed with game-changing revelations. Like this one: Not only are most people staying married, they are happy in their marriages!” –Emerson Eggerichs, best-selling author of Love and Respect

    Now What? is a recommended read for all couples who are planning to take their relationships to the next level. Many couples forget to talk about the situations they will encounter, leaving them unprepared and unaware of how their partners may react. Many have unrealistic expectations which are not based on reality, and that results to disappointment and frustrations. Feelings which lead to contempt, until one day you realize that the love you once felt... is gone.

    Life has become more about the demands of their careers and growing family rather than living the life they dreamed together. When another man displays interest in Courtney, and isn't shy about his intentions, one relationship develops while another slowly unravels. Courtney is soon caught in a web of secrets and lies. Deep in her heart she knows Alex has always been her one true love but is it enough to resist temptation?Through a roller-coaster of emotion and not so wise choices, Alex and Courtney must come to realize they want the same thing. Each other.

    Love Cycles helps readers understand where they are in the cycle of their relationship and provides a clear strategy for how to stay happy and committed, even in difficult times.

    Now updated and with a fresh new cover, Love, Sex, and Lasting Relationships helps readers walk a path to true love that is more fulfilling than they ever imagined. "There's a better way to find love, stay in love, and grow in intimacy for a lifetime," says Chip Ingram. It's God's way. Whether single or married, happy or searching for hope, readers will discover that by following God's prescription, they can create a love that lasts.

    Drawing from God’s emphasis on purity and holiness in our lives, this booklet explains how to avoid perverse sexual demonic activity in a home. Issues covered include pornography in the home, oral and anal sex, adultery and more. Learn what defiles the marriage bed, and find principles for a righteous and favored marriage life. “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled.” (Heb. 13:4)

    It is the day when all your friends and family, as well as the friends and family of your husband-to-be, gather together to celebrate your big day. Unless you are lucky enough to be able to afford a wedding planner, you will have so many things to think about and plan, from the pre-wedding parties to the wedding ceremony and reception, and even the honeymoon. As part of your wedding day, it is expected that certain people in your wedding party give speeches to congratulate you on your newly married status and also to tell a few stories about you and the groom. To a certain extent, you don’t need to worry about this aspect of the wedding, unless you intend to make a speech yourself. However, you will want to have an input into who makes the speeches and how long they are because this will have a roll-on effect on everything else that happens at your wedding reception. Who gives the speeches and toasts at your wedding really depends on what you want. It is traditional for the male side of the wedding party only to give speeches. You may even want to cut this down further and just ask the best man and groom to give a speech. Then again, you may want to laugh in the face of tradition and make sure the female side of the wedding party, including yourself, have the chance to say something. Of course, you will need to check with everyone that they are happy to give a speech. The groom and best man probably won’t have much choice, but others may prefer to stay quiet and simply listen to what the main members of the wedding party have to say. Reviews By Author Natasja Hellenthal I bought this book on Amazon.co.uk. This is THE BOOK to prepare and create your wedding speech! I was searching for a book like this as one of my best friends is getting married, so naturally my speech has to be perfect! There are so many tips and ideas to start you off with that I will be telling other people about it too. It has many chapters for different speeches, best man, bridesmaids, grooms etc, so take your pick! By Vanessa D. I bought this book along with the authors book on wedding planning as I am the upcoming maid of honor to my best friends wedding. Never having given a speech before at a wedding, I knew I needed to do my homework when it came to delivering one during the reception. While this book provide information on what my speech could contain.... By Author Cliff Roberts No more freezing in public. Wow a great guide that anyone can use to help make themselves look like a pro speaker.... You'll Learn ✔Order of the Speeches and when to use them ✔How to Deliver a Great Speech ✔Tips for Father of the Bride Speeches ✔Examples of Father of the Bride Speeches ✔Tips for Mother of the Bride Speeches ✔Examples of Mother of the Bride Speeches ✔Tips for Father of the Groom Speeches ✔Examples of Father of the Groom Speeches ✔Tips for Mother of the Groom Speeches ✔Examples of Mother of the Groom Speeches ✔Tips for Speeches by the Groom ✔Examples of Speeches by the Groom ✔Tips for Speeches for the Bride ✔Examples of Speeches for the Bride ✔Tips for Best Man Speeches ✔Examples of Best Man Speeches ✔Tips for Maid of Honor or Bridesmaid Speeches ✔Examples of Maid of Honor/Bridesmaid Speeches ✔And much more! Download Today and deliv

    She didn’t expect to live in the haunted room or to fall for the inn’s owner, a fire-scarred, war veteran who uses the inn to hide away from the world. She didn’t expect her sister to show up at Rest Thy Head either, much less her formidable mother. Now, thanks to the aid of a friendly ghost, Peyton has a shot at true love, and so does her sister Ashley, provided the guys cooperate of course!

    have written a new book that expands upon their previous theoretical approach while describing in detail new practical interventions for couple counseling and enrichment. Weaving together classic cases outlined in Hope-Focused Marriage Counseling and over 75 brand new practical interventions, Ripley and Worthington root their practical examples in an even deeper theoretical framework and research in attachment and intimate bonds. Written with the couple counselor in mind, this book occupies a rare niche that is accessible not only to therapists and counselors but also to pastors and married couples alike. Both licensed clinical psychologists and experienced counselors, the authors base this follow-up work on the pillars of their Hope-Focused Couples Approach. The assessment tools included help facilitate improved marriages in many settings, and the combination of theory and real-life case studies easily integrates into the practices of professional counselors and researchers as well as into the lives of couples. Instructor Resources for classroom use include activities, video demonstrations of the authors in couples therapy, audio lectures, testbank, chapter summaries and a sample syllabus.

    And even if he is Mr. Wonderful, he will still do things that disappoint you…and even make you unhappy.But being a happy wife has more to do with choice than circumstance. It begins with your personal decision to choose happiness. And it’s characterized by a thread of thanksgiving that runs through your life, bringing with it contentment and cheerfulness.In 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Wife, Arlene Pellicane explores five character traits you can choose to develop in your journey toward happiness. Organized into 31 daily readings, her biblically based insights will show you the way to becomeHopeful—believe that a happy marriage is within your reachAdaptable—learn to be open to changePositive—choose to be more optimisticPurposeful—discover a new vision for your role as a wifeYielded—experience joy as you submit to God’s planCommit yourself to this month-long quest to becoming a happy wife and discover newfound joy for yourself and for your husband.The book includes a “Happy Wives Club Discussion Guide,” filled with thought-provoking questions for each daily reading that will enhance your personal or group study.

    She gives you a hug when what you really need is a home-cooked meal. The problem isn’t love—it’s your love language. Each one of us responds well to a different type of expression of love. The 30-Day Love Language Minute Devotional Volume 2 will be your daily guide for a month to express heartfelt love to your mate in a way that he or she can appreciate it.

    Monae is looking for a committed relationship from Porter, but she runs out of patience after their two years of dating, with him refusing to marry her. She ventures off to dating, but meets another guy who is aiding in the revenge on Porter planning to take the one person he loves away. Yvette battles her relationship with her cheating boyfriend. She secretly has affairs with Troy leaving her with an unwanted pregnancy, not knowing who the father of her unborn child is. See how these characters deal with the drama and betrayal they are faced with at every turn. The shocking twists will leave you wanting to read more to find out what the next chapter holds.

     Alex and Courtney's love is true. It was a lesson they had to learn the hard way. Now with hearts mended they focus on the future but have they learned from the past? Do they have what it takes to stay each other's true...forever? Forever True, a short novella, follows Alex and Courtney into their second chance at happily ever after. **still contains hot sexual situations*

    Then what? The Parrotts present a proven, three week “happiness plan” that will dial up the happiness factor in any marriage.

    Mills questions the idea of marriage—as a right, as a relationship, as a contract. Mills juxtaposes the lives of housewives—from his mother to Mad Men’s Betty Draper—with the lives of gay men—from Raymond Burr, to Frank O'Hara, to the poet himself. He explores his own conflicting thoughts about marriage against the backdrop of the political fight for marriage equality over the last decade. He asks, “...what does it mean to become / a housewife voluntarily? /.../ And what does it mean to be married / yet remain queer?”

    His biological dad was an alcoholic. His stepfather deserted him. His foster father accused Jim of trying to kill him. All were out of Jim's life by the time he turned 13.Isn’t it odd—and reminiscent of the hand of God—that the director of the leading organization on family turned out to be a guy whose own background as a kid and son were pretty messed up? Or could it be that successful parenting is discovered not in the perfect, peaceful household but in the midst of battles and messy situations, where God must constantly be called to the scene?That is the mystery unraveled in this book. Using his own expertise, humor, and inexhaustible wealth of stories, Jim will show you that God can make you a good dad, a great dad, in spite of the way you’ve grown up and in spite of the mistakes you’ve made. Maybe even because of them.It’s not about becoming a perfect father. It’s about trying to become a better father, each and every day. It's about building relationships with your children through love, grace, patience, and fun—and helping them grow into the men and women they’re meant to be.

    . .After twenty years, childhood best friends Alexandria Thornton and PJ Brightwood have reunited--and fallen in love. Alex's artistic nature as a spoken word artist, and PJ's success as a talented surgeon promise a bright future. But their happiness brings unexpected complications for those they care about most. . .A devoted wife, loving mother, and successful businesswoman, Victoria Thornton is a pillar of her suburban Atlanta community. But when her daughter, Alexandria, becomes engaged to the son of Victoria's former lover, her past mistake threatens her orderly life. As the impending marriage reunites both families, it reignites old feelings that test all of their relationships--and all of their boundaries. . .Praise for the Unexpected Love series""Looking for Trouble "is a fantastic saga about family, friendship, love, status and destiny." --">RT Book Reviews""Ahumorousandentertainingnovel." --UrbanReviewson"Keeping Secrets & Telling Lies""Hickman hits all the high notes in this charming modern romance where love and loyalty trump race." "Publishers Weekly "(starred review) on "Unexpected Interruptions"

    Men are from earth. Just deal with it.” Though witty, this sentiment fails to recognize one of the real truths in life: that both genders are completely mystified by one another, and often have a mile-long list of complaints for the opposite sex. Yet, generally speaking, both men and women want to get along—especially if there’s romance involved. A Woman’s Guide to How Men Think offers a practical, humorous, yet compassionate guide for women who want to learn the secrets of the elusive male mind. With author Shawn Smith’s trademark humor, you’ll come to understand why men think and see the world the way they do, and how to work with men to cultivate understanding and communication in relationships, without expecting men to be creatures that they are not. This isn’t a male-bashing book about how men should be more like women, but a book about how men actually are, and how women can use this understanding to get what they need from their relationships. You’ll also learn why men often feel frustrated and criticized, how to deal with lack of communication in ways that don’t put men on the defensive, and how being curious and compassionate (while not accepting disrespectful or abusive behavior) instead of dismissing men for their inherently male traits can lead to greater understanding between the sexes. The plain truth is that both men and women are from planet earth. But that doesn’t mean we are the same. If you are looking for an insider’s guide to the ever-elusive male mind, this is the book for you. The author, Shawn Smith, is a psychotherapist with a blog at ironshrink.com.

    With honesty and frankness, life coach and best-selling author ShannonEthridge opens the minds of both husbands and wives to embrace a lifestyle of passionand pleasure.Divided into four sections, The Passion Principles helps couples celebrate the spiritual,mental, emotional, and physical dimensions of sexuality. Questions include:Whatwas God thinking when He created sex?Whydo humans think about sex so much?Willthere be sex in heaven?Howdid we get such different ideas about sex and love?Howcan I get past his or her sexual past?Howcan I help my spouse heal from the sexual abuses he or she suffered?Whatif my heart is telling me I married the wrong person?Howcan we balance mismatched sex drives?Some chapters end with questions for personalcontemplation or for couples to use as conversation starters, and otherchapters end with prayers that foster a deeper spiritual and emotionalconnection, making this book a perfect guide to a more passionate love life.

     Everybody seems to have advice about marriage, but how can I be sure I am meeting the requirements of my faith and of my partner? How can I be a better spouse and strengthen my marriage? You are not alone in asking these difficult questions. Marriage is a wonderful blessing, but it is also a big step. It takes effort, patience, and flexibility to be able to work with a partner throughout the journey of life. The modern world has changed marriage in many ways, but Christian marriages can follow the guidance of God while fulfilling the needs of both spouses in everyday life. Answer your questions about marriage and face the tough issues head-on with the guidance and love of God. Learn how to overcome stresses and disagreements to grow closer as a couple, explore the needs of both spouses, and discover how to manage a busy schedule, successfully juggling between everyday life responsibilities and your marriage. Increase happiness, worry less, and truly enjoy your marriage as God intended. It's possible when you get back to the basics and remember the blessings that marriage grants us. Christian Marriage 101 is unlike other Christian books on the market, comprehensively exploring both the expectations set forth by God and the needs of our spouses and ourselves. Other books for couples may not explore Christianity or speak to your faith. This guide is a great addition to any collection of Christian relationship books or the volumes you use to guide your life and walk the path of the Lord. Whether you have been married for many years, are exploring the commitment of marriage, or are a newly wed, Christian Marriage 101 provides helpful tips and the guidance needed to prevent and solve problems. Embrace your marriage in a whole new way, blessed by God just as it was on your wedding day. This guide will be there when you have tough questions, pulling answers from God's word and helping you achieve happiness and a better marriage.

    Then he made Eve. And ever since we've been picking up the pieces.Loveology is a theology of love from God's point of view.The five sessions start with God's design for marriage and works backward, dealing with sexuality, romance, singleness, and what it means to be male and female. Pastor and writer John Mark Comer shares about what is right in male/female relationships---what God intended in the Garden. And about what is wrong---the fallout in a post-Eden world.The Loveology video-based Bible study is for anyone who wants to learn what the Scriptures have to say about sexuality and relationships and for people who want to ask the why questions and get intelligent, grace-and-truth answers.As you walk through this five-week study, you will come to better understand what God fully intended back in the garden. By comprehending the brilliance behind God's original plan for love and marriage and sex and romance---if we can redefine that fuzzy, amorphous, confusing word 'love' and look at it through the lens of Jesus---your marriages and relationships will be radically altered as a result.This study guide is designed for use with Loveology: A DVD Study (sold separately) and contains video notes, individual or group reflection questions, and between session personal applications to enhance your journey through the video study.Sessions include:LoveMarriageSexRomanceSingleness

    But you’re still the right dad for your boy.Bestselling author Jay Payleitner, dad of four grown sons (and one amazing daughter), gives you a bucketful of man-friendly ideas on how build a father-and-son relationship. Good news is, you don’t have to say a lot. By your life and example, you canshow your boy why it’s good to be a guydemonstrate how to treat women wellteach him to work hard and have fun, often at the same timeshow him how to live with honesty and self-respectgive him the inner confidence to live a purposeful lifeThese 52 quick-to-read chapters offer great ways to relate or spend time as dad and son. And each idea provides a new building block for a father-son relationship that will help your boy along the path to becoming a man.

    Fans of Susan Andersen, Bella Andre, Rachel Gibson, Carly Phillips, and Susan Mallery will fall head over heels for New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis' Lucky Harbor series. In the brand-new MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY, it's a very special holiday for beloved Lucky Harbor couple Sawyer and Chloe... Wild child Chloe Thompson can't believe how much things have changed. She still can't get enough of her sexy husband Sawyer, but he seems to prefer working to impending fatherhood. So tonight, a very pregnant Chloe is escaping her troubles at the town Christmas party. Sheriff Sawyer Thompson hopes surprising Chloe at the party will give him a chance to set things right. But as the snow begins to fall and the wind rages, he wonders whether he can make it back in time. While mother nature conspires to keep Sawyer and Chloe apart, an unexpected arrival will require them to kiss and make up . . . and ring in the happiest holiday Lucky Harbor has ever seen. In UNDER THE MISTLETOE one couple finds here's no place like home for the holidays... The Lucky Harbor Bed & Breakfast is bursting with festive lights and good cheer. But for Mia, Christmas is turning out to be anything other than merry and bright. Her recent break-up with her boyfriend Nick has made her return bittersweet. But then a surprise arrives, when Nick follows her to town bearing gifts-and asking for forgiveness. Nick grew up without a family of his own so he's overwhelmed by the love that Mia receives from all her relatives, gathered together to celebrate the season. Under their watchful eyes, Nick finds earning back her trust the hardest thing he's ever had to do. If he succeeds, he will receive the greatest gift of all, Mia's love for a lifetime. Want more sexy, fun romance? Return to spellbinding Lucky Harbor or visit Sunshine, Idaho in Jill's captivating Animal Magnetism series.

    Rancher Tye Ashmore is content with life until he meets quiet and beautiful Maria. He falls in love at first sight, but her reluctance to jeopardize her teaching position by accepting his marriage proposal only makes him more determined to make her part of his life. When their lives are threatened by gunshots and a gunnysack of dangerous wildlife, Tye believes he is the target of an unknown enemy. Not until Maria receives written threats urging her to leave does she realize she may be the target instead of the handsome rancher.With the help of Tye, Abigail, and a wily Indian called Two Bears, Maria diligently works to find her uncle’s killer and put aside her fears. But will she discover happiness and true love under Colorado’s starry skies?

    Barely making ends meet, she has no time for a relationship. Jason King has been in love with Julie since the moment he saw her. There’s only one problem: she can’t stand him and blames him for the past. But when a dangerous man threatens Julie and her brother, she’s forced to trust the one man she never thought she could. Julie is about to discover the truth about the man who’s loved her all along.

    You are bonded together to cultivate in each other those virtues that lead to sanctification. That's why this book isn't just about saving your marriage it's about transforming it into a joyful, loving relationship.In these pages, acclaimed author and psychotherapist Gregory Popcak shows you how to heal the hurt in your marriage and develop the crucial habits necessary to resolve conflicts, renew the love you once had, and discover the passion you always wanted.Dr. Popcak's clinical experience and recent research show that the difference between happy and unhappy marriages lays in the habits both good and bad that are practiced in the home. Here you'll discover the simple steps needed to root out behavior that leaves you resentful and demoralized, and to begin practicing positive habits that facilitate mutual respect and cultivate admiration.

    Nevertheless, changes in just one person can have an amazing impact on a marriage relationship!Instead of focusing on -How do I have a better marriage?- this book embraces that truth, and helps women ponder the question, -How can I be the best wife I can be?- It provides every woman with skills, information, and encouragement to make a positive difference to this and future generations, by wholeheartedly investing in her marriage and her relationship with her husband today.The Wholehearted Wife is written by Erin and Greg Smalley, along with Gary Smalley, the creator and presenter of Keys to a Loving Relationship, one of the best-selling video series of all time. Recognizing that most if not all married women have either experienced a time when her marriage felt lifeless--or sat with another female friend or family member who was experiencing that situation--this book is also a wonderful resource for those times.

    It is a clear statement about how they have approached every day of their more than twenty years of marriage.When the couple entered a marriage covenant together in front of God, family and friends years ago, divorce was never an option, and today it is still not. That is quite a stance in a world where divorce is just as accepted (even celebrated) as marriage is, but the Jordans hope to inspire others to see the joys, rewards and peace that comes from marriage through their new book, This is How We Do It! Making Your Marriage a Masterpeace. Focusing on providing humorous but straightforward Christian marriage counseling, the Jordans highlight important factors to consider, whether you are single, engaged or are married, to help define God’s plan for marriage to others.Scripture is included throughout Masterpeace to educate readers on how the word meets the world to reveal the covenant blueprint for marriage, God’s reasoning for bringing man and woman together, and how children are to be raised in a godly manner. Faith is important to the Jordans and, as expressed in their book, kept their marriage strong through challenging times in career, family and walks with Christ.Readers also will get a glimpse of the first meeting between Montell and Kristin, seen by both as more comical than romantic, but that lead to the realization of God’s intervention in their lives to make them one. It’s not just a celebration of how God brought two people together into a lasting marriage; This is How We Do It is a teaching lesson to all couples that marriages determined by God are meant to last into eternity.

    While Expectant Parents does touch on important issues of pregnancy, its core purpose is help expectant parents understand key issues related to the arrival of a new child in the home, offering practical assistance as they prepare themselves for long-term family success.It's often said that babies don't come with an instruction manual. This book actually provides parents with information and practical steps for writing their own--as they work to create the kind of home and family they choose to build. This includes strengthening their own marriage relationship, setting plans and expectations for parenthood, increasing communication, and preparing for the new stage of their family life that is just ahead. Ideal for first-time parents, this book would also be helpful for couples wanting to explore and prepare for the emotional, physical, and spiritual life changes that come with the arrival of any new child into the family.

    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.

    Moving beyond other treatments that primarily focus on select passages, this winsome volume traces Scripture's overarching pattern related to male-female relationships in both the Old and New Testaments. Those interested in careful discussion rather than caustic debate will discover that God's design is not confining or discriminatory but beautiful, wise, liberating, and good.

    But is a couple’s marriage really anyone’s business but their own? Of course. Marriage doesn’t affect just a husband and wife. It affects their kids, their community, even the health of the church—your church. When marriages are strong, attendance, tithing, volunteerism, even the quality of worship tends to go up. When marriages are weak, the opposite usually happens. In MARRIED PEOPLE: HOW YOUR CHURCH CAN BUILD MARRIAGES THAT LAST, Ted Lowe and Doug Fields show how the church is uniquely positioned, despite being overcommitted in time and resources, to be in the “business” of building marriages. For every ministry leader—pastor, age group minister, family minister, even the dedicated volunteer—this book offers a vision and a step-by-step strategy for empowering marriages and strengthening the church in the process.

    The Bonobo Way is a very unusual book: whimsical yet serious, easy to read yet thoroughly researched, challenging yet ultimately deeply comforting. Dr. Susan Block is living proof that bonobos aren’t just sexy and fun—some of them are damned smart, too."--Christopher Ryan, Ph.D., best-selling author of Sex at DawnIn her unique and game-changing book, internationally acclaimed and controversial sex educator Dr. Susan Block offers a brilliant new view of human sexuality, war, peace and community, inspired by a role model who isn’t even human: our closest genetic cousin, the bonobo. With a provocative, humorous and engaging style that makes science fun and ecology erotic, The Bonobo Way boldly asks: What do these great apes know about sex, war and the rest of life that we don’t? Here are some things we know about bonobos: They have a lot of sex. They never kill each other. They empower the females. They stay younger longer. They live in peace through pleasure. And we thought humans were the smartest apes! For decades, scientists and philosophers have used the “killer ape” paradigm to explain why humans murder, make war, bomb and behead each other, and supposedly always will. Sure, our common chimp cousins kill, but do they tell the whole story? Luckily, they don’t. The Bonobo Way shows the other side of the primate story, presenting the bonobos as an exciting new great ape paradigm for humanity that could change the world… or at least improve your love life. From the lush depths of the Congo rainforest to the satin sheets of your own bedroom, Dr. Block takes you on an unprecedented and fascinating journey into an erotic, peaceful paradise on Earth. Powerful yet playful, heartfelt but science-based, she weaves stories, studies, theories and fantasies into possibilities and a practical path of action, presenting a very different kind of “12-Step Program” to release your “inner bonobo,” help save the real bonobos from extinction and energize all facets of your life. Whether you don’t know bonobos from bananas, or you think you know all about these amazing creatures, The Bonobo Way will show you the way to a happier, healthier, sexier life, and a more peaceful, sustainable culture. Take it for a test drive! You'll be glad you did, and so will everyone you know.www.TheBonoboWay.com

    Jack Matheson's reaction to the news that his son is gay.

    

    and those differences can make your marriage tricky—and some days, seemingly impossible! So what’s the secret? To realize a healthy, passionate and life-giving relationship for the long haul you need . . .love. Not the fairy tale kind of love that lives "happily ever after" once a single measly dragon has been slain. (There’s always more than one dragon in real life anyway, right?) The secret is a love that does the work of loving—day in and day out, never giving up or backing down.      In Love Works, Holly and Philip Wagner pull back the curtain on their nearly 30-year partnership and invite you to take an honest look at your own relationship. With humor and transparency they demonstrate how you can create an extraordinary and fulfilling relationship —the kind of real and remarkable everyday love that stands the test of time.      You will find that your dream marriage … is truly a labor of love.

    Rebecca Vandoodewaard of The Christian Pundit blogsite gives Biblical advice for women who are in a relationship, who wish to be in a relationship, or who struggle in an imperfect marriage by addressing the spiritual, emotional, mental, physical and relational effects of intimacy and answering questions for the single or married such as: Where does love fit in? and, How do I fit in?

    He highlights the one-flesh union of husband and wife as the fundamental team for God s design of society, the family, and marriage. Facing challenges together this cohesive team must not allow division to weaken their union. As children are added, Mom and Dad play their unique and essential roles to strengthen the expanding team. The family must close ranks on opponents to God s design, tackle obstacles, and fortify the bonds in their huddle. In the unity and synergy of teamwork each player is uniquely positioned to advance the team s objective. The goal is to give God glory, and enjoy the blessings and joy that come with obedience.

    Compelled to know if she can return his affection, he becomes Renatta's hospital volunteer only to learn that the accident erased her memory. Together they must discover her past, present and future. In the way of happily ever after stand her opera career, tyrannical mother, and fiancé. Antonio must win Renatta's heart before she bends to the will of her mother and marries Marcello. Failure means a lifetime of loneliness, for love at first sight never happens twice.

    The church's position on sexual matters has been made clear throughout history: all sexual activity outside the boundaries of Christian marriage is sin. But rarely has the church honestly addressed the true needs of Christians who are struggling with sexual desires they believe to be counter to the Bible. So we hide our struggles and pretend to live above the erotic fray, or else we cozy up to the culture's redefinition of which sins are acceptable. But what does the Bible really say about sexual desire and sexual intimacy?God Loves Sex "offers a truly liberating, godly view of holy sensuality by recovering the clear meaning of the Song of Songs as God-sanctioned eroticism. Then it uses that lens to answer questions posed by a fictional new Christian struggling with expectations of sexual purity. It asks provocative questions, such as "What does it mean to be both holy and filled with rich sexual desire?" and "How can our sexual struggles take us deeper into the purposes of God?Pairing psychological insight with sound biblical scholarship, Allender and Longman bring it all out into the open, allowing Christians of any age and any marital status to discover sex the way God meant it to be.