John and I haven’t had a perfect marriage. Far from it! There have been struggles over the years, but I’m so happy that we decided to fight FOR our marriage instead of fighting against each other. Today I want to share some resources to transform your marriage.
Marriage…it’s worth fighting for! Don’t give up too soon on your marriage.
It has not been an easy road for us, but we have learned so much along the way! One thing that helped us was reading marriage books and watching marriage videos. It helps to have a third person (the author/speaker) giving the advice instead of the spouse pointing fingers.
Over the years we’ve found some great resources to transform your marriage! These are our top recommendations.
{Note: You can click on the images if you’re interested in ordering them! These are affiliate links.}
These are my favorite 6 resources to transform your marriage:
1. Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti by Bill and Pam Farrel
This book helped me understand my husband better. I understand his “boxes” better … and I strive to make him successful in the marriage/parenting box, so he’ll want to hang out in there more!
“A man will strategically organize his life in boxes and then spend most of his time in the boxes he can succeed in.”
— Pam Farrel
I actually love all Bill and Pam’s stuff! Check out their website.
Believe me, after you spend a bit of time on their page, it won’t be long until their stuff will be in your top list of resources to transform your marriage too!
2. Love is Not a Fight by Warren Barfield
This song helps me to remember what it’s all about! Our marriage is worth fighting for!
“Though love is a not a fight, its something worth fighting for.”
― Warren Barfield
3. Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas
Get the book and the companion book as well then watch the videos. It’s great to go through at home with your spouse or in a group!
“What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?”
— Gary L. Thomas
4. Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerich
I added this as one of my top resources to transform your marriage even though it may seem a little pricey at first. ($99!) But, let me tell you, it’s way cheaper than a divorce and this series is SO worth it! Learning to respect my husband was HUGE! It changed nearly everything about our interactions. {The book is “just okay.” But the DVD series is awesome!}
“Your husband needs you to love him, but he also needs you to like him as a friend.”
— Emerson Eggerichs
5. Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage by Mark Gungor
I seriously laughed all the way through this DVD series … and we’ve gone through it numerous times. Mark Gungor has a way of mixing hard-hitting truths with humor. Not easy, but very effective!
“Marriage problems are relationship problems, they are the result of how two people interact with each other. You may abandon a troubled marriage, but you will still bring the way you interact with others along with you.” —Mark Gungor
6. His Needs, Her Needs by Willard F. Harley, Jr.
If you can only pick one resource out of all my resources to transform your marriage, choose THIS ONE! Seriously, read this book! You can be meeting most of your husband’s needs, but if there are one or two that are not being met, he will be drawn to those who meet those needs. Or … if your husband is meeting most of your needs, but there is a hole somewhere, you will be drawn to filling it. Powerful stuff!
“An environment of carping and criticism is dangerous to your mental health, whereas those who support and encourage you to bring out your true potential and spark your genius.” —Willard F. Harley Jr.
How about you? What are your favorite marriage resources?
Download this FREE printable of marriage quotes you won’t want to forget!
These look like great marriage enrichment resources!
For marriages that are really suffering (marriages facing a near-certainty of divorce) I cannot more highly recommend The DNA of Relationships for Couples. It’s put out by the National Institute of Marriage (NIM) which is a ministry of Focus on the Family.
NIM specializes in watching God do miracles in marriages that look absolutely hopeless (marriages failing because of past adultery, physical abuse, substance addiction, marriages where one spouse has already filed for divorce, and other extremely difficult situations).
If your marriage is in serious trouble, get to NIM in person if at all possible!!! If you can’t get there in person, The DNA of Relationships for Couples is the absolute must-read resource. It will change your life…and possibly your marriage.
National Institute of Marriage website: http://www.nationalmarriage.com/
The DNA of Relationships book:
http://family.christianbook.com/relationships-couples-discover-these-found-passion/robert-paul/9780842383226/pd/83220?event=TCG
Thank you SO much for sharing this information!
Tricia