Recommended Marriage Resources

1.The Bible“- Easily the greatest book ever written.

In Depth His Needs Her Needs Resources

2. “Five Essentials of Life long Intimacy” /Book / by Dr. James Dobson / Dr Dobson (PhD in child development) was 14 years an associate professor of pediatrics at USC School of Medicine, 17 years on the attending staff of Children’s Hospital of L.A. (child development and medical genetics) and he is the founder and chairman of Focus on the Family, a non profit nationally syndicated radio program heard daily by more than 200 million people. He is the best selling author of over 30 books and is a licensed psychologist in CA. listed in the Who’s Who of medicine. / family.org (800) 232-6459 / This book is an essential. A short book, a quick easy read, packed cover to cover with the absolute essentials for building a rock solid relationship that will last a lifetime. Dr. Dobson offers practical advice for the greatest concerns and questions of modern couples: Will we grow together or apart? What can we do to keep romance fresh? With marriages crumbling all around us, how can we cultivate an intimate relationship? You need this book!

3. “Rekindling the Romance” / Book/ by Dennis and Barbara Rainey / Dennis and Barbara are Gold Medallion Winning authors and the creators of the HomeBuilders Couples Series. Dennis Rainey is the President and Co-Founder of FamilyLife, a division of Campus Crusade for Christ International and a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. He is the daily host of the nationally syndicated radio program FamilyLife Today. / familylife.com (1-800)-358-6329 “Rekindling the Romance” is organized into a collection of short, easy-to-digest chapters, and reads like a novel. Packed with practical insight, this tastefully candid and inviting book provides a couple with the keys to unlock relational intimacy. It does this by helping the couple better understand what their spouse needs, and why. The first half is authored by Barbara and is addressed to wives with the second being authored by Dennis and addressed to the husbands.

4. “His Needs Her Needs” / Book, Audio Book / by Dr. Willard Harley / Dr. Harley has a PhD in psychology, taught psychology at the graduate and undergraduate level for 10 years, has been a marriage counselor for 25 years, founded and developed the largest network of mental health clinics in Minnesota, hosts the “Marriage Talk” radio show and the “Marriage Builders” weekend retreat and home study course, and is the best selling author of 13 books. /marriagebuilders.com (651) 762-8570 / His needs Her Needs is designed to change the course of a marriage. Dr. Harley helps couples understand why their best intentions are not enough to prevent marital incompatibility. He describes the five emotional needs of men and women. He helps you identify which are the most important to you and your spouse, helps you communicate them to each other, and then helps you learn to meet them.

5. “For Women Only” / Book, Audio Book / by Shaunti Feldhahn / Shaunti Feldhahn holds a masters in Public policy from Harvard, has worked on Wall Street and Capitol Hill, is a founding member of “We Care America”, a nationally syndicated columnist, and a best selling author of 4 books. “For Women Only” seeks to unlock the mysteries of men for women. Ever been totally confused by something your man has said or done? Want to understand his secret desires and fears, his daily battles that you know nothing about? With findings from a groundbreaking national survey and personal interviews of over one thousand men, For Women Only is full of eye-opening revelations. These revelations will help you to not only understand the man in your life, but also to support and love him in the way he needs to be loved. Grounded in biblical hope, you will discover how to love your man for who he really is ? not who you think he is.

6. “Weekend To Remember” The Weekend to Remember is a weekend marriage conference that teaches God’s design for marriage and family. The environment is fun, and non-threatening. And it’s a wonderful time for couples to refresh good marriages or heal troubled ones. There are over 150 conferences in cities all across the U.S. each year. Registration is open to individuals, couples, or groups. Whether you’re engaged, newlywed, or remarried, enrich your marriage and begin a godly legacy for your family by attending a conference in a city near you. Or plan a memorable getaway to a destination of your choosing.

7. “God’s Dream For Your Marriage” / 6 CD Audio series, DVD / by Chip Ingram  / Chip holds a Masters in theology, is the teaching pastor for Living on the Edge ministry, and President of Walk Thru the Bible / lote.org (888) 333-6003 “To Have and To Hold” is a topical series examining God’s design for marriage, using the beautiful metaphor of a dance for the relationship between the husband and the wife, with practical instruction to help you make your marriage what God desires it to be. This resource covers roles in marriage, keys to intimacy, communication, and God’s dream for your marriage.

Love

8. “Divorce Proof Your Marriage” / Book, Audio Book / by Dr. Gary and Barbara Rosberg / for credentials and contact info see #8 / This resource helps you map your relationship. Where are you right now? Using the real stories of many actual couples Dr. Gary and Barbara Rosberg reveal what a healthy marriage looks like from many vantage points, and then they coach the reader through an understandable doable game-plan to divorce proof his or her marriage. This resource, in a very complete way, explains [the] six aspects of marital love. Beyond that, it also directs you to additional books, conferences, and workbooks specific to the facet(s) of love that most interests you and your spouse. “Group Discovery Kit” / Book, Workbook and DVD / In home do it yourself marriage seminar with Gary and Barbara Rosberg. They teach couples the six secrets to a forever marriage.  You will learn where your marriage is on the marriage map and how to reclaim God’s dream for your marriage.  This kit is for groups or individual couples and was born out of the tried and tested “Discover the Love of Your Life All Over Again” marriage conferences. This resource includes 8- 25 min. video sessions, 1 “Discover the Love of Your Life All Over Again Handbook”, 1 “Discover the Love of Your Life All Over Again Workbook” and 1 “Divorce Proof Your Marriage” book.

9. “Love and Respect“/Book, Audio Book / by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs / Dr. Eggrichs holds a masters degree in both communications and divinity, and a PhD in family ecology. He is the former senior pastor of Trinity Church in Lansing MI., architect of the “Love and Respect” marriage conferences and is the president of Love and Respect Ministries. / loveandrespect.com (616) 459-9190  Cracking the communication code between husband and wife. What do you want for your marriage? Want to feel close? Want to feel valued? Want to experience marriage the way God intended? A wife has one driving need — to feel loved. When that need is met, she is happy. A husband has one driving need — to feel respected. When that need is met, he is happy. When either of these needs isn’t met, things get crazy. Love and Respect reveals why we sometimes react negatively to each other, and how to deal with such conflict quickly, easily and biblically. 10. “The Five Love Languages” /Book, Audio Book / by Dr. Gary Chapman / graduate of Moody Bible Institute, holds a B.A. and M.A. from Wheaton and Wake Forest University, respectively, and an M.R.E. and Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Chapman is a marriage counselor, marriage seminar director, associate pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, the host of a nationally-syndicated radio program, a two time Gold Medallion Award winner and best-selling author of 15 books. / fivelovelanguages.com We all need to receive love from our spouse, but we don’t all receive it in the same way. If you have tried to meet the needs of your spouse but your spouse has not responded it could be that you are speaking the wrong language. This book can help you identify your love language and the language of your spouse, so that finally when you say I love you, your spouse will hear you. “The Five Love Languages” has topped the best-seller charts for ten years, and has sold over three million copies.

11. “Starved For Affection” / Book / by Dr. Randy Carlson / Randy is a Certified Marriage and Family Therapist, holds a doctorate in counseling psychology, has over fifteen years of counseling experience, and  hosts a nationally syndicated radio program. He is also President of Family Life Communications / flc.org (800) 776-1070 / Is there an absence of tenderness, emotional closeness or sexual passion in your marriage? This book will help you: define intimacy in marriage, target the causes of affection starvation and the barriers to overcome, identify specific areas of starvation and offer practical solutions that can supercharge affection in your marriage.

Forgiveness

12. “Total Forgiveness” / Book / by Dr. R.T. Kendall / Dr. Kendall- the pastor of Westminster Chapel in London, England for 25 years, holds a Masters of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, an Oxford PhD in philosophy, has authored over forty books, and teaches internationally. / www.rtkendallministries.com Speaking from his own walk through the valley of un-forgiveness Dr. Kendall will lead you into the peace and freedom found in forgiveness; that you may enjoy the best God has for you. Lay it all aside and experience the incredible freedom found in total forgiveness. Learn what forgiveness is and isn’t, uncover the physical, emotional and spiritual consequences of un-forgiveness and discover why God commands us to forgive.

Sexual Temptation

13.  “Every Man’s Battle” /Book, Audio Book / by Steven Arterburn and Fred Stoeker / Steven  holds degrees from Baylor University and The University of North Texas, is a best-selling author of over 60 books, the founder and chairman of New Life Ministries and is the host of the nationally syndicated “New Life Live!” Steve is also the founder of the Women of Faith conferences attended annually by over 3,000,000 women. / everyman’sbattle.com (800) newlife / Fred Stoeker holds a BA from Stanford, this, his first book  “Every Man’s Battle” (a best seller) has launched a series of spin-off books and manuals. “Every Man’s Battle” is a practical, detailed plan to help men find freedom from sexual temptation God’s way. The process starts when men realize two things. First, they aren’t alone. Second, there is help. Honest, real, life-changing help, written in a brother-to-brother style. Includes a special section for women, designed to help them understand, empathize, and support the men they love.

Purpose

14. “What wives Wish Their Husbands Knew About Women” / Book, Audio Book / by Dr. James Dobson / for credentials and contact info see #2 American Women are facing an identity crisis and have begun to question who they are and where they are going. In this book Dr. Dobson provides an empathetic look at self esteem and the barriers to marital harmony, and offers many insightful and helpful suggestions for their resolution.

15. “The Purpose Driven Life” / Book / by Rick Warren / Rick Warren holds a Doctorate of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the founding pastor of one of the largest churches in the United States (Saddleback Church of CA.). / purposedrivenlife.com This book will help you gain an understanding of why you are alive and what God’s amazing plan is for you, both here, now, and for eternity. Rick Warren will guide you through a personal 40-day spiritual journey that will transform your answer to life’s most important question: What on earth am I here for? Knowing God’s purpose for creating you will reduce your stress, focus your energy, simplify your decisions, give meaning to your life, and, most importantly, prepare you for eternity.

16.  “This was your Life“/ Book, Audio, Video/ by Rick Howard and Jamie Lash / Jamie Lash- a professor and Director of student development at Dallas Baptist University and president of the Christian resource ministry Life Giving Words. He is the co-author of the best selling book “This Was Your Life” and conducts “Freedom in Christ” and “This Was Your Life” conferences. / lifegivingwords.com 800-791-1965 [email protected] / “This Was Your Life”a truly life-changing resource, available as a book and as an audio or video version of the conference. In all formats this resource powerfully coaches on many topics that are directly related to marriage, relationships in general, purpose and life! Despite its profound nature this resource is extremely practical, very entertaining and easy to understand. It can help you to grow your marriage and find joy!

17. “Wild At Heart” / Book, Audio Book, DVD Series / by John Eldredge / John Eldredge, formerly with Focus on the Family, holds an MA in biblical counseling from Colorado Christian University. He is the founder and director of Ransomed Heart Ministries, a fellowship devoted to helping people discover the heart of God. “Wild At Heart” asks and answers why so many men are bored, unhappy, un-fulfilled, in jobs they hate, and in marriages that are dead? It seeks to restore the passion and God-given masculinity that so many men in today’s world, and church, are missing. This book is certainly slanted toward the male reader but would also be valuable for the woman who longs to better understand her husband.

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