Whether you've been married for five years or you've just recently tied the knot, books on marriage serve as your roadmaps to wedded bliss. The Honeymoon Never Ends by Nelson T. Dy and The Act of Marriage by Tim and Beverly LaHaye are two such books that could steer your marriage from the doldrums to the realms of deeper intimacy and passion--making it the ideal relationship for you and your spouse.
The Honeymoon Never Ends by Nelson T. Dy
The Honeymoon Never Ends is a great starter or refresher book for married couples; the book provides principles that will point your marriage--which should ideally feel like an extended honeymoon, not just for a few days in a month but for the rest of your married life--to the right direction.
The nice thing about this book is that it was written by a real-life husband who has been enjoying a never ending honeymoon with his wife. The author actually starts the book with a dedication that says, "To my darling wife Lucy who deserves a gold medal for putting up with a husband who is still learning what he has written in this book." The book tells couples that marriage should be constantly worked on not just by either the wife or the husband, but by both parties with the help of God.
Included in the book are some practical ways to keep love and romance alive in marriage--these include burning scorecards, pursuing joy, outserving each other, nurturing in-laws (and not outlaws) and many more. But the book starts with a chapter that features the most important principle for couples: Begin with a Romantic God. The principle--as explained by the author--simply means that you should get things right with God first and once you've done this, getting things right with your spouse will naturally follow with a lot less struggle and more joy.
Another positive of this book is that it provides relatable life experiences of married couples who describe themselves as lifelong honeymooners. These couples rose above the normal struggles of marriage and did something right to merit such a title. Maybe after reading and imbibing all that's written in the book, you too can call yourselves lifelong honeymooners.
The Act of Marriage by Tim and Beverly LaHaye
The Act of Marriage on the other hand tackles the physical aspect of marriage. It explains the beauty of sexual love in the context of the Bible because as the author states, "The Bible is the best manual ever written on human behavior. It covers all kinds of interpersonal relationships, including sexual love." Biblical passages are used to explain the different aspects of sex and reinforce the fact that the act of marriage is indeed approved by God.
The book helps couples understand deeper their spouse's needs when it comes to the sexual front. It brings its readers beyond the idea that the act of lovemaking is primarily for the purposes of propagation of the species.
The fourth chapter of the book clearly gives the five reasons why God created sex: to propagate the race, to provide mutual pleasure in marriage, to reduce sexual temptation, to produce mutual ownership, and finally to produce a unique union and means of communication that is not possibly on any other level. All these reasons establish to brides and grooms that the sexual act is more than just fulfilling your physical desires. It's on an even higher level of showing each other your love, trust and compassion.
The Act of Marriage is a suitable book for any wife or husband who wants to maintain the flame in their relationship or rekindle it. It also doubles as a guidebook to becoming a better lover to your spouse.
