Starting Your Marriage Right : What You Need to Know in the Early Years to Make It Last a Lifetime

by RAINEY, DENNIS & BARBARA

• ISBN13: 9780785268031
• ISBN10: 0785268030
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-05-23
• Publisher: Harpercollins Christian Pub

Summary

Dennis and Barbara Rainey offer pertinent advice on the issues that surface in almost every marriage during the early years. Couples will learn how to keep the spiritual core of their relationship, appropriately handle relations with parents and family, build a dynamic team by working through role issues, disarm anger and offer forgiveness, meet each other's needs for sexual expression and intimacy, and work through the lifestyle issues that often divide couples.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	viii
Introduction	ix
PART 1
``The Honeymoon's Over?''---One Couple's Pain and Progress in the Early Years	1	(5)
``Make Me Happy!''---Developing Reasonable Expectations	6	(5)
``How's This Supposed to Work?''---Understanding God's Blueprints for Marriage	11	(4)
``Can't You Stop By This Weekend?''---Respectfully Leaving Your Parents	15	(5)
Looking Out for the Other One---Defeating Selfishness in Your Marriage	20	(5)
``Talk to Me!''---Open Communication Solves Many Problems	25	(5)
Sex---Just What Does God Have in Mind?	30	(6)
Sex---Her Needs, His Needs	36	(7)
Soul Mating---Building a Spiritual Foundation in Marriage	43	(5)
Conflict---Making Peace, Not War	48	(5)
Prayer---The Secret Ingredient in the Happy Marriage Recipe	53	(6)
PART 2
Family Values---Deciding What Really Matters	59	(5)
BMW or Bicycle?---Agreeing on Lifestyle Choices	64	(5)
Money---Balancing the Family Budget	69	(5)
Adjust---A Key Idea in Marriage	74	(5)
Forgiveness---The Safety Net Beneath Every Strong Marriage	79	(5)
Super Glue---The Power of Intimacy and Transparency	84	(5)
The Past---Clearing Out the Stuff You No Longer Need	89	(5)
Teamwork for Husbands---Claiming the Benefits of Differences in Roles in Marriage	94	(5)
Teamwork for Wives---Claiming the Benefits of Differences in Roles in Marriage	99	(5)
Growing Faith---Walking with Christ in Your Marriage	104	(4)
Work---Making Choices on the Mix of Career, Marriage, and Parenting	108	(7)
PART 3
Don't Do Marriage Alone---Becoming Accountable to Your Spouse and Others	115	(5)
Potatoes and Pineapples---Making Individual Differences a Strength in Marriage	120	(6)
Fanning the Flames I---The Five Romantic Needs of a Woman	126	(5)
Fanning the Flames II---The Five Romantic Needs of a Man	131	(5)
``And the Two Shall Become Three?''---The Decision on Children	136	(5)
Vows Revisited---Keeping the Marriage Covenant Fresh	141	(4)
Decision Making---When Flipping a Coin Just Won't Do	145	(5)
The BIG Adjustment---Getting Started As a Parent	150	(5)
Married and Lonely?---The Threat of Isolation	155	(5)
``I'm All Ears''---The Power of Listening in Expressing Love	160	(5)
Dad University---A Quick Course on Being a Godly Father	165	(5)
Mom University---Becoming a Mother of Influence	170	(7)
PART 4
Great Escapes---Getting Away to Dream, Plan, Refresh, Refuel	177	(4)
The Best Day of the Week---Choosing the Church Where You Worship God	181	(6)
Refresher Course---Reviewing the Basics to Keep Your Marriage on Target	187	(5)
Taming Time Together---Scheduling Busy Lives	192	(4)
Facing Troubles---Pulling Together in Tough Circumstances	196	(5)
Vacations---Making Them Delights, Not Disasters	201	(5)
``Where's the Remote Control?''---Managing the Media Monsters	206	(5)
``I Only Have Eyes for You''---Affair-Proofing Your Marriage	211	(5)
Holidays---Honoring Parents While Building Your Family's Traditions	216	(5)
``I Need a Break''---The Importance of Sabbath Rest	221	(8)
PART 5
Say Something Nice---Blessing and Encouraging Your Spouse	229	(4)
Road Warrior---Keeping Your Marriage Together When Travel Has You Apart	233	(5)
Help!---Knowing When Your Marriage Needs Outside Assistance	238	(5)
Don't Forget to Laugh---Lightening Up Your Marriage and Your Life	243	(4)
Stress---Taming Life's Pressures	247	(5)
Celebrate!---Memories Help Bind a Marriage and Family Together	252	(5)
A Legacy of Light---Building a Vision for Your Family's Future	257	(5)
``What's Next?''---Understanding Coming Seasons in Your Marriage	262	(5)
Appendix A: The Four Spiritual Laws	267	(3)
Appendix B: Family Budget Worksheet	270	(3)
Appendix C: The HomeBuilders Couples Series®	273	(1)
Notes	274