With the challenges brought about by work, finances and the everyday grind, nurturing relationships with your spouse and your family has become even more challenging. But two books from OMF Literature Inc. help couples and families make life better for the ones they love. Soon-to-weds might find the advice valuable as they build the foundation for their life together as husband and wife.
10 Principles for a Happy Marriage by Selwyn Hughes
10 Principles for a Happy Marriage by Selwyn Hughes is a simple, but very helpful book. It outlines 10 ways on how married couples can make their marriage sweeter and one that is worthy in the eyes of God. The book is centered on the faith-life of the married couple and how it is reflected in their actions and words towards each other. The author constantly relates each of the principles to a verse from the Bible to further strengthen the importance of clinging to faith and keeping God at the center of the marriage.
The principles are not different from those we normally hear from priests, counselors and even our parents, such as maintaining good communication with your partner, living within your budget, respecting, loving, caring for each other and many more, but Hughes further expounds with actual experiences he has heard from the couples he has counseled or helped in one way or another. The challenges and situations in the book are real and the book offers simple and practical advice (like forecasting a budget). Never criticizing your spouse in front of others, and dealing with conflict issues immediately after they occur are just among the nuggets of wisdom that will help in preventing challenges from blowing out of proportion.
The book ends with a marriage check up that outlines the important aspects of a good marriage such as communication, finances, in-laws, sex life, and some points under it that every husband and wife should ponder. It's helpful for newlyweds, couples who have been married for a couple of years and those who feel that their marriage needs some sprucing up.
The Family You've Always Wanted by Gary Chapman
Gary Chapman's The Family You've Always Wanted aims to help people in achieving the ideal family--one that is stable and full of love. Similar to the first book, this also uses biblical passages and scripture to depict how families can improve their relationships with each other and create a happy and healthy home.
Chapman gives five characteristics of a healthy family environment where each of the family members practice an attitude of service, and parents have a special intimate relationship with each other. From that bond stems a great love not only between the husband and wife, but one that is also imbibed by their children and spreads all over the home.
The book provides families with a clear guide on the roles of each member to make their family the best unit it can be. It tackles the importance of having parents dedicated to teach and guide their children to be conscientious and respectful individuals; it also highlights the role of fathers/husbands as loving leaders of their household.
These two books could be helpful to brides and grooms, especially if they want to get a good start on marriage and have a clear game plan for their future family life.
