Excerpt
Table of Contents


Introduction

Chapter One - Before You Marry

Chapter Two - Working Together

Chapter Three - Communication

Chapter Four - Compatibility

Chapter Five - Abusive Behavior

Chapter Six - Interpersonal Relations

Chapter Seven - External Pressures

Chapter Eight - Reactions

Chapter Nine - Put It All Together

Epilogue

About the Author

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Introduction

Building a Godly Marriage is the second of the expanded books in the Relational Self Help Series. This book is not intended to be the answer to all marital problems. It is intended to be a guide for couples to be able to get their marriages on track with God's will and keep it there.
I have attempted to show, by using numerous Bible passages, not only what God wants a marriage to be, but also how He expects us to go about it.
I think Premarital Counseling is one of the most important steps a couple can take when they contemplate marriage. It should be done before they even set a wedding date, definitely before they order invitations. This is because I feel that many marriages should never happen. I know that's a bold statement, but I stand by it. I have seen too many couples and counseled many of them who never should have gotten married in the first place.
For this reason, I have included Chapter One, Before You Marry. If you want a Godly marriage, you need to start with two people who at least want to be close to the Lord. Therefore, the best way to have a Godly marriage is to start it off that way.
As I mention later, the best way for a marriage to stay Godly is to practice a little preventive maintenance. That means that if both spouses treat each other right from the beginning, then there will be no major problems to be dealt with along the way. This is what I discuss in Chapter Two, Working Together.
One of the most important aspects of any relationship, especially a marriage relationship, is communication. I feel that communication is so important that I devote a whole chapter to it, Chapter Three, Communication.
Compatibility or a lack thereof is important to a marriage. If you don't have perfect compatibility, you need to learn how to make your differences come together to form a Godly marriage. This is what Chapter Four, Compatibility is all about.
The horrible fact is that some marriages include an abusive relationship. This is such a crucial subject that, again, I have included an entire chapter on it, Chapter Five, Abusive Behavior. This chapter includes a list of what to look for in a potentially abusive person.
There are many situations that a marriage can fall into, and many of them are outlined in Chapter Six, Interpersonal Relations. Each situation is outlined with possible solutions listed as well.
Marriage would be easy if there was no outside influence, such as relatives, friends, and jobs. Chapter Seven, External Pressures, goes into each of these potential problem areas.
Many of the situations mentioned in Chapters Four through Seven cause many different reactions from either or both spouses. Chapter Eight, Reactions, deals with the most common of these reactions.
Finally, Chapter Nine, Put It All Together, does just that. It is a review of Chapter Two, which is really how the marriage should be all along.
Please, do not think that the suggestions in this book will solve every issue every time. There may come a time when you and your spouse will need professional counseling. Make sure that you go to a counselor who not only believes in and practices what the Bible teaches, but also will use the Bible along with prayer to help you.