Talk to a Pastor about your marriage
MARRIAGE IS HARD WORK
If you’ve been married for more than a couple months, you know marriage is wonderful and amazing, but it is also hard work. It takes more than just strong feelings for each other; marriage takes effort, being intentional, sacrifice, and commitment to make it last.
Is your marriage struggling or are you going through a rough patch? Are you newly weds wanting to create a strong foundation for your future together? or are you some where in between? We have compiled some resources that are full of insight, encouragement, wisdom and helpful tips to help strengthen your marriage. We don’t claim to be the experts, but the men and women who have created these materials have lived through it and are sharing their wisdom with us. They have put in the hard work, so now it’s time for us to do some hard work in our own marriages.
Blogs:
Fierce Marriage: “We started this blog to help us process through marriage’s trials as well as celebrate it’s joys. We are in our 11th year of marriage and we’ve learned a ton about what works and what doesn’t. We hope that as we share openly it will help you grow and cultivate a truly Christ-centered marriage… Everything we write here stems from our core values. In short, our relationship with Jesus Christ and our faith in Him governs everything we write. We wouldn’t be married if it wasn’t for the grace of Jesus and the power of God in our lives. We literally owe Him everything. You can expect us to post 1-2 times per week on various marriage topics like communication, priorities, love, sex, and accountability. Everything we share is from our experiences, reading, and advice given to us by others.”
Beating 50 Percent: “Beating 50 Percent is about building better than average marriages, and giving more than 50% to your spouse. Let’s be compelled to give more, serve more, learn more, play more, seek more, and love more, always more, as we share stories and insights from married couples around the world. Join the conversation by commenting on posts or responding on our feeds!”
Married and Young: “It is our mission to see Married and Young increase the marriage rate and decrease the divorce rate in the World by helping singles, courting, engaged, and newly married couples establish a solid foundation for a successful Godly marriage! We believe strongly in order to have a healthy marriage, Christ must be in the center of it. Married and Young is reaching over 30,000 singles and couples monthly with the message of having a thriving Christ Centered marriage.”
Podcast:
Love that Lasts with Jefferson and Alyssa Bethke: “Jeff and Alyssa are a married couple with two toddlers running around their home talking about faith, culture, and take listener’s questions with a little dash of random sprinkled in.
Loving on Purpose: “Love doesn’t happen on accident. We dream of helping to create a world where leaders create safe relational cultures, where husbands and wives choose each other no matter what, and where no child grows up afraid in their own home.”
#StayMarried Podcast: Real Life Advice for Beating the Odds: “Brought to you by Tony and Michelle Peterson, founders of the #staymarried blog. Since we like each other so dang much, we decided to let you listen in on some of our conversations. Season 3 is happening now. The focus this season is split between answering the questions you submit on Ask #staymarried and talking with real couples about how they navigate teamwork, conflict, and changes in their marriage.”
The Fierce Marriage Podcast: “Show hosts Ryan and Selena Frederick discuss modern marriage issues with their trademark transparency, humor, and gospel-centered teaching. Join them for honest conversations, light-hearted hilarity, and more than enough grace to go around…”
Books:
Thirty-One Prayers For My Husband: Seeing God Move in His Heart by Jennifer Smith & Aaron Smith
“This book of 31 marriage prayers is purposed to encourage and guide you as you pray for specific aspects of your husband’s life and character. My hope is that this marriage resource motivates you to intentionally pray and petition for your husband and your marriage on a daily basis through the power of prayer. There is even free writing space for you to add your own thoughts and prayers to each marriage 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 and marriage daily, and watch God move in both your hearts!”
Thirty-One Prayers For My Wife: Seeing God Move In Her Heart by Jennifer Smith & Aaron Smith
“This book of 31 marriage prayers is purposed to encourage and guide you as you pray for specific aspects of your wife’s life and character. My hope is that this marriage resource motivates you to intentionally pray and petition for your wife and your marriage on a daily basis through the power of prayer. There is even free writing space for you to add your own thoughts and prayers to each marriage prayer, to make them your own, and to lift up specific prayer requests your wife may have. I urge you to consider the importance of being a husband of faithful prayer, to commit to praying for your wife and marriage daily, and watch God move in both your hearts!”
Two as One: Connecting Daily with Christ and Your Spouse by Ryan Frederick and Selena Frederick
“Learn how the gospel relates to every aspect of your marriage by tracing core issues to their source and seeking Jesus as the answer to every question. Each day starts with an image/quote combination designed to inspire and stimulate conversation. Explore passages of the Bible, connect the gospel to real challenges, and pray alongside your spouse.”
The Marriage Book by Nicky and Sila Lee
“Most couples come into marriage with BIG expectations. How can we be happily married to one person for our entire lifetime? How do we resolve conflict? How do continue to develop intimacy in our marriage? Full of practical advice and personal inventories, this best selling book by Nicky and Sila Lee is easy to read and a real source for building a healthy marriage!”
Marriage Workbooks/Curriculums:
iMarriage – Transforming Your Expectations by Andy Stanley: In this marriage-makeover DVD and study guide from Northpoint Resources, Andy Stanley ’s three key teachings help you transform your expectations and examine the “I’s” of marriage: “Keeping My ‘I’ On You,” “Putting Your ‘I’ Out,” and “It Takes Three.” Broken into six DVD sessions with discussion questions, this is one lesson your marriage won’t survive without.”
The Love Dare by Alex and Stephen Kendrick: The Love Dare, the New York Times No. 1 best seller that has sold five million copies and was major plot device in the popular movie Fireproof, is a 40-day challenge for husbands and wives to understand and practice unconditional love. Whether your marriage is hanging by a thread or healthy and strong, The Love Dare is a journey you need to take. It’s time to learn the keys to finding true intimacy and developing a dynamic marriage.
The Story of Marriage by John and Lisa Bevere: Marriage was forever. 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.
The Marriage Course by Nicki and Sila Lee: The Marriage Course is a series of seven sessions, designed to help couples invest in their relationship and build a strong marriage. Nicky and Sila Lee, authors of The Marriage Book, developed The Marriage Course for couples looking for practical support to strengthen their relationship. The course is designed to help couples build strong foundations, learn to communicate more effectively and resolve differences well.