Fantastic Reads ~ The Great Books On Marriage

Friday, December 26, 2008 Posted by Shattered Paradigm





The POWER OF THE PRAYING HUSBAND
By Stormie Omartain







This review is from: The Power of a Praying® Husband " I am so impressed with this author. A friend of mine some time ago gave my wife and I "The Power of a Praying Wife" and "The Power of a Praying Husband." When I first read the book I couldn't get through it. As a Catholic Christian I thought that spending a chapter on submission was ridiculous, outdated, and downright fundamentalist. I nearly threw the book away, but instead shoved it into my bookshelf, assuming it to be yet another book by an undereducated fundamentalist someone decided to burden me with. However, my wife and I were arguing about something about six months later, and I thought to myself "stop yelling and get quiet... I can't hear God when I'm loud." I apologized and went to my study, and there on the book shelf was "The Power of a Praying Husband." Aright I thought, prayer is ALWAYS the best answer, lets pray, I began doing a chapter a day. I say "doing" because at the end of each chapter there are prayers, and I prayed them seriously. I also began "doing." I realize many readers of this review will probably think I am going to hell for this, but I believe that faith without works is dead, so I began acting on the implications of what is in the book. I took control of our finances so my wife wouldn't have to worry about paying the bills. She has so much to do already. I started picking up around the house to help her. I started to do so much MORE than I used to. I realized something through the process. I was not an enlightened person in a modern marriage. I was lazy! I began to feel better about myself and more empowered, especially in that I was in charge of the finances and paying the bills etc. My wife became less burdened and much more happy. Our sex life improved and I received a greater sense of purpose in my manhood. Our lives have become happier. This is not an academic book. I spend most of my reading time on serious theology, scripture, and on the history of the early church. I had to get "un-snoby" and read with the simple eyes of a man seeking to be a better and Christian husband. Praise God I did. This book was literally life changing. My wife and I keep our copies of our respective editions by the bed. Really folks, BOTH you and your spouse need to read BOTH editions before judging whether or not this author has an appropriate and Christian agenda. We reread and redo the chapters pretty regularly and our marriage is more rewarding than ever before. I recommend this book wholeheartedly. If found that when I let go of my arrogance and prayed with the book, my life improved. Thanks stormie! "
Couldnt put it down, August 16, 2001 By A Customer This review is from: The Power of a Praying® Husband- "I was going through a very trying time in my marriage and was led to this book, I found out that I do have power and can help my wife cope with the emotions, fears and insecurities in her life, Before I would shy away from her when I did not know what to say or do, I thank GOD for this book. If you are a man needing the tools to be a good husband this book is for you. "






BOOK REVIEW: The LOVE DARE
by Stephen Kendrick (Author), Alex Kendrick (Author), Lawrence Kimbrough (Author)







Reviewed by Mary Ann Ryan (Knox, ME), December 20, 2008
"I saw the movie Fireproof about a month ago and the Book The Love Dare was in it. The movie made such an impression on my heart! I cam home and oredered 4 copies of the book. One for me (I am about 2 weeks into the dare) and 3 more copies, one for each of my 3 kids to give them on their wedding day. I know it will be awhile before then but I am saving them each their own copy for when they are old enough to decide who they will marry."

Reviewed by Judith Bird (Berlin, PA), December 18, 2008


"Wonderful. This book should be in every couples home, not only to read but to use. It is also great for anyone, married or single, to learn the love that Jesus showed and how we can apply it to our lives everyday. I highly recommend it to everyone as a daily devotional that you could use over and over to walk closer to each other and more importantly to the Lord."


BOOK REVIEW The Mystery of Marriage - Mike Mason


By David R. Bess (Charleston, WV)



" There are thousands of books available on how to prepare for marriage, how to improve upon a marriage, or how to affair-proof a marriage. Mason here departs from the crowd and exults in the institution of marriage itself. His perspective is one of reverent awe rather than analytical examination.
Mason ponders the mystery of marriage from several different angles: otherness, love, intimacy, vows, sex, submission and death. His words are readable, yet profound. His book considers the greatest delights of marriage as well as the greatest demands.
I recommend this volume to anyone wanting to get a better understanding of how God has created marriage, and how He manifests His glory and His grand design through it. I have read many other books on marriage, but none with this unique, awe-inspiring approach. This work is a true classic! "



By Mike Chambers (Stafford, TX USA)



"This review is from: The Mystery of Marriage (Hardcover)Mike Mason's "The Mystery of Marriage" is an inspired and inspiring work, a breathtaking work of prose which reveals the transcendency of marriage, from the physical to the spiritual. Without preaching, Mason tells the story of his stepping away at the last moment from life in a monastery to embrace a life-consuming love in marriage. In a work which is profoundly honest and intimate, we glimpse the spiritual nature of marriage so easily lost in our chaotic world. Mason's openness, honesty and vulnerability, give us a work of incredible love which is beyond human ability to share. I am moved to tears by the love of Christ poured out on these pages."


By Kitty Law


"This review is from: The Mystery of Marriage (Hardcover) Well, I guess it's about time to write a review for Mystery of Marriage after reading it over and over many times since my husband and I were first dating (8 years ago) and after giving it as a wedding gift to every single bride and groom we know. This book is a masterpiece. It stands alone as the most richly woven piece of literature about the state of being married that I have ever read. Mike Mason puts eloquent, authentic words to the feelings every husband and wife experience in a manner that makes you SO glad that you're married (or about to be) EVEN IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING REAL STRUGGLE. You cannot help but be moved by his riveting description of the marriage union...both the utter agony and the sheer bliss. The book builds as the true MYSTERY of marriage unfolds before you...the very thing we all long to understand and to grasp. Once you're into this book for very long, what will really send deep shivers through your soul is the realization that this unbelievabley 'impossible' union we are trying to have with our mate is only hinting at the extraordinary marriage between our God and us. Yes, this beautiful analogy has been written of numerous times before, but trust me...not like this. I would recommend ordering at least TWO copies of this book... one to give away and one to read simultaneously with your partner.(I suggest alone, because these words are powerful and seering, and to be most effective, perhaps need to be contemplated deeply in solitude.) You will not be sorry to have invested in this book...and don't let the 'gift book' appearance turn you off...I believe it was packaged this way to encourage giving it to couples. Give it to YOURSELF first. And to God be the Glory! "


The Five Love Languages - by Gary Chapman


By Sandra L. Tish (MN USA)


The author reveals, through 25 years of counseling, that he has determined people communicate love in five basic ways.They are Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Physical Touch and Giving Gifts. For example, if my primary love language is Quality Time, then I will show my love to others by spending quality time with them. If I don't receive that in return, my love tank will be empty. The author stresses the importance of knowing your loved one's love language so that you can communicate love to that person in a way in which he/she feels love, so that their love tank can be continually replenished. If my spous's love language is acts of service and he is always doing things for me to communicate his love, but I receive love through the language of quality time, I will not receive his acts of service as communicating love and therefore my love tank will be dry. I in return, must communicate my love to him through acts of service in order to fill his love tank. An empty love tank causes relationships to deteriorate.This book was excellent for teaching us to recognize the way in which our loved ones receive and feel loved.



BEST GIFT I HAVE EVER RECEIVED, CHANGED MY ENTIRE LIFE, October 4, 1999
By A Customer" It is so simple and easy to understand. After I read it, I couldn't understand why I hadn't realized these concepts before. I wish I could give a copy of this book to every man, woman, and child. What a wonderful world we would have if we all understood the "Five Love Languages" and spoke them to all we meet everyday!! The family is a great place to start. My family and I regularly ask eachother "How full is the 'love tank?'". When things are tough at school, work or life in general, we now ask eachother freely "What can I do to make your love tank full?" Sometimes only the passing of time will cure a family problem (example: problems at work), but our family's committment to express to eachother the variety of dialects between quality time, words of affirmation, and physical touch (which seem to be the most needed of the 5 languages in our particular household when outside problems occur) can make the hardest of times go by so much easier and faster. How I wish everyone would read this book!!! "

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