Making Marriage Beautiful: Lifelong Love, Joy, and Intimacy Start with You

I’ve been married 21 years and I still am not the perfect wife, nor do I have the perfect husband. While it is a continual effort (and worth it), having some biblical guidance will make the effort fruitful. Reading the complimentary book I received from the publisher, I have discovered some things I can do to improve myself and my marriage.  While not all of these are issues for my marriage, I do believe they are subject matters that influence many marriages.

Many couples enter marriage with unrealistic expectations, as well having worldly views of gender vs. Christ-centered gender expectations.  They may have anger issues, lack listening skills, and fight discontentment. They may not know the importance of confession and forgiveness within a marriage. These issues are covered in this book which reference God’s Word in regard to each one.

The part of the book that spoke to me most was the section on joy. I love my husband, my children, my life in general, yet I tend to be discontent.  Why? While I can’t recite the entire book, I do have to say that I understand joy much better after having read the book. It’s something I must fight for through worship, gratitude, and prayer.

Whether you’ve been married a year or twenty, this book has plenty in it to cover what you may need to improve in your marriage. Be sure to open your Bible and look up the Scriptures as the book references them. The book can be read by an individual or couple and offers a study guide. Each chapter ends with some questions for deeper evaluation.

About the Book:

What makes a marriage beautiful? Honesty? Compatibility? Physical and emotional intimacy?

All of these are important, but there’s one component that determines the quality and longevity of a marriage more than anything else: a willingness to grow.

Because a wedding joins together two imperfect people, all couples experience disappointment, conflict, and pain. How husbands and wives respond to these challenges determines the kind of people they will become and the kind of marriage they will have.

Making Marriage Beautiful reveals how the pursuit of Christ results in profound transformation for both the individual and the marriage. Rather than offering clichés and formulas, Greco relies on candor, humor, and real life stories to bring encouragement and wisdom to all couples, regardless of whether they have been married four weeks or forty years.

About the Author:

Dorothy Greco and her husband, Christopher, have spent their entire twenty-five-year marriage helping men and women create and sustain healthy marriages. They have served numerous churches in the Greater Boston area for thirty years. Dorothy's writing has been featured in "Relevant Magazine," "Christianity Today," "Sojourners," and "Her.meneutics." She is a regular contributor for "Gifted for Leadership," "Today's Christian Woman," and "Start Marriage Right." The Grecos have three sons and live near Boston.