10 Great Marriage Resources for Forming a Solid Union
Marriage can be a wonderful and also a stressful thing! We can go through times of bliss and times of strife quicker than we realize. Slowly, over the years, selfishness sets in and your spouse is no longer the priority in your life. Little by little marriages can get pulled apart.
A way that we can guard against this happening, and begin to strengthen those marriages that are currently experiencing strife, is by studying and meditating on what God’s word has to say on marriage and our roles within marriage. But it is not always easy to know what the Bible has to say on marriage or how to understand it. So we have complied a list of our top 10 marriage resources for you! We will have many more in the future but we hope this list will get you started in the right direction.
1) The Excellent Wife & The Exemplary Husband
If you only have time in your life to read one more book, we highly recommend you read The Excellent Wife and The Exemplary Husband. Drop whatever you are reading right now and go get these books. Seriously.
These books are a no nonsense look at what the Bible has to say about being an excellent wife and an exemplary husband. Rather than explain things all in their own language and with lots of fancy examples, Peace and Scott jump right into the heart of what the Bible has to say on marriage and being an excellent wife or exemplary husband.
They dive into scripture and share what the Bible has to teach on the subject. Then they provide further explanation and examples if needed. With their teaching coming straight from Scripture, you will quickly be convicted of your role within marriage and how you need to constantly strive to improve your part in it.
If you are looking to pick up a book that points the finger at your spouse, these books are not for you. The Excellent Wife and The Exemplary Husband will convict you and bring you to your knees in repentance. We fully recommend these books to every married couple.
2) Strengthening Your Marriage by Wayne Mack
Mack doesn’t shy over the difficult parts of marriage in his book. And he recognizes that Scripture holds the answer for solving those problems, not the world.
He covers many aspects of marriage including: marital roles, communication, finances, sex, parenting and more. All from a solid Biblical standpoint. This would be an excellent book to read together as a couple and discuss with each other. A great way to open up and have things to talk about!
3) Grace to You Sermons
If you are not familiar with Grace To You, it is a ministry by John MacArthur. MacArthur is a pastor and Bible teacher and has written dozens of books. We highly recommend MacArthur, his teaching, and his books.
He is the featured teacher on the Grace To You ministry and if you search for marriage you can come up with some excellent sermons! MacArthur approaches Scripture from an expository point of view, and uses the Bible as his ultimate authority, not pop psychology or the world’s standards. Some excellent sermons on marriage include:
- Love, Sex, and Marriage – Hebrews 13
- What Can My Spouse and I do to Build a Strong Marriage? Q&A
- Divine Guidelines for Marriage – 1 Corinthians 7:8-16
- God’s Intent for Marriage Part 1 & Part 2 – Matthew 19:3-6
4) Getting Your Sex Life Off to a Great Start – Clifford and Joyce Penner
Yes, this book is geared towards the newly married. And if you are newly married then I HIGHLY suggest you get this book. However, it is a good refresher for anyone, especially if you are struggling with intimacy issues.
As Christians who waited until marriage to have sex, it can be difficult to know what things are normal and how to work out certain intimacy issues when first married. Getting Your Sex Life Off to a Great Start is written to the newly married Christian who hasn’t got a clue what to do in the bedroom.
Given as Christian, and not worldly advice, the Penner gives a great step by step guide to: designing a successful honeymoon, preparing for your first sexual time together, how to choose and use family planning, getting past disappointments, keeping the spark alive and more!
5) The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
The council advocates for a strong view of Biblical manhood and womanhood. They hold to a complementarian view of marriage which “affirms that men and women are equal in the image of God, but maintain complementary differences in role and function.”
They have some excellent resources on roles within marriage and share many great posts on their blog. We highly recommend you spend some time going through their material.
6) The Complete Financial Guide for Young Couples by Larry Burkett
Yes, again this book is geared towards newly married couples. So if you are newly married, get this book! But it is also extremely helpful for those who have been married longer. Finances are often a struggle within marriage and if you never got on the same page when it comes to money, you may still be struggling with these same issues 10 or 20 years later.
Burkett comes from a solid Biblical approach mixed with practical advice and years of experience. He addresses topics such as: buying a house, borrowing money, marriage roles when it comes to finances, credit cards, life insurance, establishing a budget, teaching your children about finances and so much more! A great resource for any marriage!
7) Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage in the Bible by Jay Adams
Maybe you suddenly find yourself divorced, are looking at remarriage after many years of singleness, or simply want to understand what a friend is going through, Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage can help give you a solid understanding of what the Bible teaches about divorce and remarriage.
“Adams gives a concise yet insightful presentation into these crucial and often controversial issues. The book is brief, but offers much in understanding the biblical position, especially from a pastoral/counseling perspective. He takes the “two exceptions view” and allows for remarriage.”
8) When Sinners Say “I Do”: Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage by Dave Harvey
Preparing for marriage is great, but what happens when you find yourself neck deep in strife, anguish, and an “un-happy” marriage? Where do you turn and how do you begin to rebuild your marriage?
When Sinners Say “I Do“ is “about encountering the life-transforming power of the gospel in the unpredictable journey of marriage.” We all find ourselves in tough situations in marriage sometimes, and we seldom think to turn to the Gospel to help sort out our problems.
But Harvey shares why that is exactly what we must do and the transforming work of the Gospel in our lives and in our marriage.
9) What Did You Expect? by Paul David Tripp
“Marriage, according to Scripture, will always involve two flawed people living with each other in a fallen world. Yet, in counselor Paul Tripp’s professional experience, the majority of couples enter marriage with far different expectations. These unrealistic expectations leave them unprepared for the day-to-day realities of married life.
This unique book introduces a biblical and practical approach to those realities that is rooted in God’s faithfulness and Scripture’s teaching on sin and grace. “Spouses need to be reconciled to each other and to God on a daily basis,” Tripp declares. “Since we’re always sinners married to sinners, reconciliation isn’t just the right response in moments of failure. It must be the lifestyle of any healthy marriage.” Source
10) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by Wayne Grudem
Grudem is one of our favorite authors and Bible teachers. Grudem, along with John Piper, assembled this book made up on 27 articles from 22 different authors.
It goes into great detail to define and defend a complementarian view of manhood and womanhood. If you have ever been confused about this topic or want to learn more about how this impacts your marriage, check out this book!
“Anyone concerned with the fundamental question of the proper relationship between men and women in home, church, and society will want to read this book.” Source
Join Me For a Challenge!
One of my goals for 2016 is to focus more on my husband, to have more fun in our marriage, and to make him feel cherished and loved! Together with two of my very favorite bloggers, we will be going through a marriage challenge February 8-March 8th!Get all the details & join in here!
Are you ready to take some time to focus on your marriage but you don’t know where to start? Do you wish you and your husband spent more time talking, laughing, and having fun together? Three Christian bloggers have come together to give you the ultimate bundle to help you strengthen your marriage! Check out the bundle today (and join our optional Facebook challenge group)!
P.S. We are offering a 100% money back guarantee in case the bundle isn’t what you expected or wasn’t helpful. Now you literally have no reason not to go check it out!
