Marriage
Resources

Marriage is one of God’s greatest gifts, but healthy marriages do not happen by accident. Strong marriages are built intentionally through prayer, humility, wisdom, communication, sacrifice, and a shared pursuit of Christ. Whether you are newly married, have been married for years, preparing for marriage, or simply desiring to grow in biblical manhood or womanhood, we encourage you to invest in your marriage now—not only when difficulties arise.
Below are recommended resources for wives, husbands, motherhood, fatherhood, marriage, and biblical manhood and womanhood.
Some resources focus specifically on women and wives, while others are intended to encourage men in loving, leading, serving, and shepherding their families well.

Favorite Resources for Women

Please note: Not every resource listed is written from a specifically Christian worldview.
Resources marked with an asterisk (*) should be read with biblical discernment.

On Being a Wife

BOOK - Let Me Be a Woman: Notes to My Daughter on the Meaning of Womanhood
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Many Christian women rarely, if ever, ask themselves that question. But knowing who you are as a woman―and as a Christian―can make a real difference in how you see yourself and others.

Elisabeth Elliot, author of A Chance to Die: The Life of Amy Carmichael, explores Scripture to help you find answers that make a difference. She suggests the place to start is by asking not “Who am I?” but “Whose am I?” In Let Me Be a Woman, she writes candidly about what it means to be a biblical woman, and she unabashedly tackles tough issues, including:

-Godly submission in relationships
-The single life
-Self-discipline
-Masculinity vs. femininity
-The right kind of pride
-What makes a marriage work

With advice on being a wife, following Christ, love, and faith, Let Me Be a Woman feels like sitting down for a mother-daughter conversation or a heart-to-heart with a wise friend.

Whether you are young or not so young, single, engaged, married, or widowed, you will better understand how you fit into God’s plan, and you will come away with a wonderful sense of peace about who you are as a Christian woman.
* BOOK - The Empowered Wife: Six Surprising Secrets for Attracting Your Husband's Time, Attention, and Affection
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When Laura Doyle was on the brink of divorce, she decided to talk to women who’d been happily married for more than a decade. Their advice stunned her. From it, she distilled woman-centric practices that ended her frustration and resentment, restoring the playfulness and passion in her own marriage.

Doyle has shared her secrets with women around the globe, saving thousands of marriages with her fresh, revolutionary approach and Six Intimacy Skills. Practical and counterintuitive, her newly updated Connection Framework is about focusing on your own desires and transforming your own life—not bending over backward to change your husband.

Incorporating these skills will empower you to:
-Attract his attention like a magnet when you relax more and do less
-Get back to your bliss when he seems distant
-Receive affection not because you told him to make more of an effort, but because he naturally seeks you out
-Feel more like yourself—and like yourself more

If you’ve been trying to “fix” your relationship and it’s not working, maybe the problem was never you or your husband—or even the two of you as a couple. Maybe the problem is that nobody ever taught you the skills you need to foster respect, tenderness, and consideration.

With humor and heart, The Empowered Wife, Updated and Expanded Edition will show you how to improve your relationship in ways you hadn’t thought possible. You’ll join a worldwide community of hundreds of thousands of empowered wives who finally have the marriages they dreamed of when they said “I do.”
BOOK - 25 Surprising Marriages: How Great Christians Struggled to Make Their Marriages Work
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This fascinating book reveals that the marriages of many Christian leaders were anything but dull. Names include such greats as: Graham, Wesley, Lewis, Moody, and Luther. The dynamic personalities of these great leaders, mixed with difficult circumstances and sacrifices of their vocations, made for many surprises along the marital journey.
BOOK - Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot
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Sex. In a world overwhelmingly obsessed with it, why is the church so silent about it? While our secular culture twists, perverts, cheapens, and idolizes sex, there are gaping holes in the church's guidance of young people. The result is generations of sexually illiterate people drowning in the repercussions of overwhelming sin struggles.

Enough is enough, says Mo Isom. With raw vulnerability and a bold spirit, she shares her own sexual testimony, opening up the conversation about misguided rule-following, virginity, temptation, porn, promiscuity, false sex-pectations, sex in marriage, and more and calling readers back to God's original design for sex--a way to worship and glorify him. This book is for the young person tangled up in an addiction to pornography, for the girlfriend feeling pressured to go further, for the "good girl" who followed the rules and saved herself for marriage and then was confused and disappointed, for the married couple who use sex as a bargaining tool, for every person who casually watches sex play out in TV and movies and wonders why they're dissatisfied with the real thing, and for every confused or hurting person in-between.

Sex was God's idea. It's time we invited him back into the bedroom.
* BOOK - Happy Wives Club: One Woman's Worldwide Search for the Secrets of a Great Marriage
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One woman undertakes a worldwide search to learn the secrets of a great marriage--and finds one foundational truth that could change everything.Fawn Weaver was a happily married woman running a successful business--and then something happened. Maybe it was divorce rate reports on the evening news, The Real Housewives of Orange County, or any daytime talk show where husbands and wives dramatically reveal their betrayals. Everywhere she looked, Fawn saw negative portrayals of marriage dominating the airwaves and dooming everyone to failure.

Looking at Keith, the love of her life, she knew that wasn't true. She was determined to find and connect with women just like her--happy and optimistic about marriage, deeply in love with her spouse, and committed to building a strong marriage that stands the test of time.

On a whim,she started the blog HappyWivesClub.com and sent the link to a few of her friends. What started as a casual invitation to five women exploded into an international community with close to 400,000 women in more than 100 countries.

Happy Wives Club is Fawn's journey across the world to meet new friends and discover what makes their marriages great. Join her on this exciting, exotic trip across six continents and through more than eighteen cities. Walk the streets of Mauritius, the historic ruins in Italy, and the vistas of New Zealand and Australia. Go from Cape Town to London, Manila to Buenos Aires, Winnipeg to Zagreb.

Along the way, you will meet everyday women whose marriage secrets span cultures. You will hear their stories, witness their love, and be inspired by the proof that happy, healthy marriages do exist--and yours can be one of them!
It turns out great marriages are all around us--when we look for them. Go on a trip with Fawn and learn the best marriage secrets the world has to offer.

On Birth and Motherhood

BOOK - You Bet Your Stretch Marks: Finding Beauty and Worth in the Ways Motherhood Marks Our Bodies and Souls
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Bestselling author Abbie Halberstadt offers encouragement and insight for mamas struggling to remain engaged and hopeful amid the challenges of motherhood.

It’s easy to be grateful for motherhood when your child is writing “best mama ever” on your birthday card or giving you a great, big hug. But how about when you’re scrubbing crayon marks off the wall for the third time in a week or tussling with your teen about curfew . . . again?

The all-in enterprise called parenting will test your patience and stretch your capacity like nothing else, but mama-of-ten Abbie Halberstadt is here to remind you that having children is a calling you should never, ever regret or apologize to anyone for.

With her trademark candor, relatable humor, and biblically based insight, Abbie will help you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus as you navigate the sometimes-murky waters of motherhood.

Even with an eyes-up approach, will you still struggle? Yep.

Will it be painful and hard at times? Without a doubt.

But will it be worth it? For you? For them? You bet your stretch marks!
* BOOK - Hannah’s Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth
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In the midst of a historic "birth dearth," why do some 5 percent of American women choose to defy the demographic norm by bearing five or more children? Hannah’s Children is a compelling portrait of these overlooked but fascinating mothers who, like the biblical Hannah, see their children as their purpose, their contribution, and their greatest blessing.

The social scientist Catherine Pakaluk, herself the mother of eight, traveled across the United States and interviewed fifty-five college-educated women who were raising five or more children. Through open-ended questions, she sought to understand who these women are, why and when they chose to have a large family, and what this choice means for them, their families, and the nation.

Hannah’s Children is more than interesting stories of extraordinary women. It presents information that is urgently relevant for the future of American prosperity. Many countries have experimented with aggressively pro-natalist public policies, and all of them have failed. Pakaluk finds that the quantitative methods to which the social sciences limit themselves overlook important questions of meaning and identity in their inquiries into fertility rates. Her book is a pathbreaking foray into questions of purpose, religion, transcendence, healing, and growth—questions that ought to inform economic inquiry in the future.
BOOK - Spirit-Led Parenting: From Fear to Freedom in Baby’s First Year
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Over the years, a mainstream approach to Christian parenting has emerged, and it’s one that promotes sleep training and feeding schedules for infants, warns that spoiled children and marital discord are certain by-products of homes where newborns are over-indulged, and promotes these methods as the Biblical way to care for a new baby. Unfortunately, the message of mainstream parenting advice preys on the universal fear of new parents everywhere: the fear that if they stray from the program, their babies and their marriages will suffer.

In Spirit-Led Parenting: From Fear to Freedom in Baby's First Year, two mothers share their stories. They tell of a journey that began in fear-soaked, tear-stained days marked by an overwhelming fear of failure that eventually found redemption in discovering the freedom to ignore the wisdom of man and follow the direction of the Spirit.

· This gentle path looks toward the example of God the Father, seeks after Christ's unequivocal call to servanthood, and leans upon the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in determining and meeting the individual needs of each unique child.

· Spirit-Led Parenting doesn’t encourage a methodology, but rather a mindset. This outlook on parenting is radically different from what has become the trend in Christian circles, and yet the authors believe that it is firmly rooted in and supported by Scripture.  

· Throughout the book, the authors show how parenting with a spirit-led approach has allowed them to become more peaceful, happy mothers, more intimately connected to their husbands, and closer and more surrendered to Christ.  

Sharing from their unique experiences as well as their shared philosophy, Megan and Laura play the role of big sisters, wrapping their arms around the shoulder of the new mother trying to navigate the confusing world of life with a baby and answering those important questions:  “What if the ‘right’ way doesn’t feel ‘right’?” and “Could there be more than one way to honor God as I care for my baby?”

There is another way.  That's what they wish they had been told as new mothers. And it's the message they are passionate about sharing with new parents everywhere.
PODCAST - Holy Wild Birth
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For Christian mamas and birth workers who desire to embrace physiological birth... outside of the medical system.

Holy Wild Birth is a podcast embracing the reclamation of giving birth rooted in God’s original design, undisturbed. Here we share home birth stories highlighting God’s presence as the Great Midwife as well as conversations about all aspects of a holistic, Spirit-led childbearing year from the perspectives of traditional midwife Lauren Hall (Rooted in Eden Private Contract Association) and birthkeeper Brooke Collier (Sister Birth).

On Womanhood

BOOK - Adorned: Living Out the Beauty of the Gospel Together
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Known for her wisdom, warmth, and knowledge of Scripture, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth has encouraged millions through her books, radio programs, and conferences. Now she’s back with a legacy work on Titus 2 and its powerful vision for women:

Woman to woman. Older to younger. Day to day. Life to life.
This is God’s beautiful plan.

The Titus 2 model of older women living out the gospel alongside younger women is vital for us all to thrive. It is mutually strengthening, glorifies God, and makes His truth believable to our world.

Imagine older women investing themselves in the lives of younger women, blessing whole families and churches. Imagine young wives, moms, and singles gaining wisdom and encouragement from women who’ve been there and have found God’s ways to be true and good. Imagine all women—from older women to young girls—living out His transforming gospel together, growing the entire body of Christ to be more beautiful.

This is Christian community as God designed it. Read this book and take your relationships to new depths, that your life might find its fullest meaning as you adorn the gospel of Christ.
BOOK - My Dear Hemlock: A Christian Fiction Book for Women on Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, and Hidden Vices
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We have no intention of explaining how this correspondence which we now offer to the public fell into our hands.

Inside you will find letters exchanged between the diabolical Madame Hoaxrot and her junior devil Hemlock, who are scheming against a young woman’s relationship with her Creator.

They plot to sabotage every feature of her life from sex to female friendship to empathy, motherhood, and aging.

Ladies, this book will give you the eyes to see the feminine vices that hide behind feminine virtues.

A book for every Christian woman: This spiritual novel is presented in an allegorical, fictional tale, a darkly witty tale of feminine temptation and subtle sabotage. This captivating read is designed specifically for the Christian woman seeking inspiration, growth, and a deeper understanding of her faith.

What lies within this Christian novel is a series of letters between the cunning Madame Hoaxrot and her junior devil, Hemlock, as they hatch diabolical plans to undermine a young woman’s spiritual journey. Their goal? To corrupt every aspect of her life—from her relationships and friendships to her self-perception, empathy, and even motherhood.

Unique among Christian fiction books for women, this book offers profound insights and reflections that resonate with the everyday experiences of women. My Dear Hemlock offers an eye-opening exploration of the struggles women face through the lens of these manipulative forces, shedding light on how virtues can mask hidden vices. Ladies, our Christian book by author Tilly Dillehay will provide you with a sharpened awareness of the pitfalls that lie in wait behind the veil of feminine virtues.

Portraying a theme similar to the Screwtape Letters by C.S Lewis, it speaks to all Christian women who desire to grow in their faith and understanding. It’s a must-have among Christian books for women, providing motivation and encouragement for those seeking to deepen their relationship with God.
* BOOK - The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles & Optimize Your Fertility
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MENSTRUATION ISN'T JUST ABOUT HAVING BABIES

Your menstrual cycle is a vital sign, just like your pulse, temperature, respiration rate, and blood pressure. And it provides you with essential information about your health.The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles and Optimize Your Fertility brings together over 1,000 meticulously researched scientific references in a textbook-quality guide to understanding your menstrual cycle.

In this book you’ll learn:
-What a normal cycle looks like;
-The best way to chart your cycle and increase your fertility awareness;
-How best to manage critical aspects of your health, including better sleep, exercise and a healthier diet;
-Natural methods for managing period pain and PMS;
-How to successfully avoid pregnancy without the pill; and
-How to plan ahead if you do want to get pregnant.

The Fifth Vital Sign aims to better connect women with their menstrual cycles, to break the myth that ovulation is only important when you're ready to have a baby.

READ THE FIFTH VITAL SIGN TO BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR HEALTH AND FERTILITY

Whether children are a part of your future plans or not, your health matters. Start learning more now, and take control of your health.
PODCAST EPISODE - Holy Wild Birth Episode "Living as Cyclical Beings"
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If you've gone most of your menstruating history seeing it as an annoying inconvenience at best or a painful torture session you'll want to tune in for this episode.

We'll explore:
-The deeper meaning and symbolism of our cycles
what it means to be a cyclical being (our menfolk too!)
similarities between cycles phases in our bodies and in creation as a whole
-How God "sees us" in our cycles and makes provision for us
-How our bodies express truths about YHWH and the gospel
feminine and masculine ways of learning and living with our cycles
-And so much more...

It's a delicious conversation. We hope you'll never see your period the same way again!

Favorite Resources for both Husband and wife

Please note: Not every resource listed is written from a specifically Christian worldview.
Resources marked with an asterisk (*) should be read with biblical discernment.

On Sexual Sin

BOOK - From Ashes To Beauty: Restoring Marriages From The Devastation Of Sexual Sin
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THERE IS HOPE FOR EVERY MARRIAGE...Even in the aftermath of sexual sin.

Jeff Colón's marriage stands as a testimony of God's power to restore any marriage, even one that has been ravaged by sexual sin and drug addiction. Christian marriages are under attack as never before. Couples are suffering more than ever under the same despair that gripped Jeff and his wife, Rose –– Is there really hope for my marriage?

THE ANSWER IS A RESOUNDING YES! ...but the solution wasn't the typical fare found in Christian marriage books. Jeff and Rose had to go to the heart of the problem.... they needed something more than outward alterations; they needed an inner transformation. Jeff's personal journey and his experience counseling men and couples qualifies him to share the biblical truths that will restore any marriage "From Ashes to Beauty!"