The Power of Commitment A Guide to Active, Lifelong Love

by Stanley, Scott M.; Smalley, Gary

• ISBN13: 9780787979287
• ISBN10: 0787979287
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-04-06
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

The Power of Commitment What is commitment and what's so scary about it? How can we better understand and appreciate the value of commitment and make it last--for a lifetime? In his new book, Scott Stanley, best-selling marriage expert, reveals that the secret ingredient for finding lasting love is understanding commitment. Too often, men and women find themselves in half-committed, Maybe I Do, relationships that lead to frustration, sadness, and, in many cases, divorce. But it doesn't have to be this way. Scott Stanley offers a five-step plan--based on his groundbreaking marital research and uniquely spiritual approach--for understanding commitment, including learning to handle the pressures of everyday life, moving through the pain of unfulfilled dreams and hopes, overcoming attraction to others that might endanger a marriage, transforming your thinking from "me versus you" to "we" and "us," and capturing the beauty and mystery of lifelong devotion, loyalty, teamwork, and building a lasting vision for the future. "Nobody is more qualified to write this book than Dr. Scott Stanley." --Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, Seattle Pacific University; authors, Love Talk "This book should be mandatory reading for dating, engaged, newlywed, and not-so-newlywed couples. Bravo!" --Michele Weiner-Davis, author, Divorce Busting and The Divorce Remedy

Author Biography

Scott M. Stanley, Ph.D., is the lead author of A Lasting Promise and coauthor of the best-selling Fighting for Your Marriage. He is codirector of the Center for Marital and Family Studies at the University of Denver and appears regularly in the media, including appearances on Fox News, 20/20, national radio talk shows, and in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Atlantic Monthly, Psychology Today, Redbook, and Ladies Home Journal.

Table of Contents

Foreword: Gary Smalley	vii
Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction	1	(10)
STEP ONE Understanding the Importance of Commitment
1 Understanding Commitment in a "Maybe I Do" World	11	(26)
2 The Deepest Desires of the Heart	37	(16)
STEP TWO Battling the Myths That Undermine Commitment
3 Maybe I Can Have It All	53	(18)
4 Maybe You Can Wait	71	(18)
5 Maybe the Grass Is Greener	89	(20)
6 Maybe It Should Be All About Me	109	(22)
7 Myths About Children and Divorce, Soul Mates, and Living Together Before Marriage	131	(36)
STEP THREE Building Your Future with the Power of Commitment
8 Living with an Eye to the Future	167	(18)
9 Grieving and Growing	185	(26)
10 Investing for the Long Haul	211	(18)
11 For Couples Who Have Lost Their Way	229	(24)
Ponderables	253	(2)
Notes	255	(16)
Resources	271	(2)
About Scott M. Stanley and Gary Smalley	273