Who Said Marriage Didn't Come With a Set of Instructions? See contrary to popular belief God ... never intended for us to just barely get along, or simply tolerate each other, and marriage was never supposed to be temporary, He said The Two Will Become One Flesh. (Mark 10:8 NIV) Marriage, as God designed it, is what happens when He combines the lives of an ordinary man and woman to create one extraordinary life!! And in this book you will obtain the tools necessary to possess a Godly marriage. So why settle for average when you were destined for greatness.
Marriage is one of the most important decisions you will ever make in your life. This is a book aimed at helping the young person who is embarking upon the grand adventure of finding a life partner (although married couples will also find much of benefit in it). As with most things in life, there is a right way to go about this and a wrong way. But with the stakes so high, choosing the right person for the right reasons and establishing a solid and successful foundation for the relationship are crucial.Couples are encouraged to read this book together. It will take them through the process of preparing oneself for marriage, finding a life partner, working out whether he or she is the right one, enjoying an effective engagement period, and developing a sound and profound understanding of what marriage is all about, as a firm foundation for the lifelong adventure of marriage. Along the way, a number of issues are discussed, including: how to know that a decision is a good one; the beautiful meaning and symbolism of the ancient Orthodox rites of Betrothal and Marriage; difficult issues such as gender roles, abuse, intimacy, sexuality, contraception, and abortion; how couples can learn to understand one another and meet one another¿s needs; and the perilous danger and life-transforming beauty that is the mystery of marriage in the Orthodox Christian Faith. The approach taken is firmly based on both ancient Orthodox Christian principles and modern psychological principles, and is holistic and contemporary, seamlessly weaving together ancient wisdom and modern psychology into a single approach.
How do we reconcile the death sentence - specifically, a sentence of death that was pronounced on the 8th of May in 1987 - with our marriage, and more importantly, with eternallife? In order to answer this question, we need not only to lookback, but especially, to look forward.Before we were joined in marriage, we were two peoplefrom two extremely divergent backgrounds. Frank, the only childborn to affluent parents, had a childhood of privilege; Rachel,the only daughter of a couple who later divorced, had a childhoodracked with difficulties. In spite of the difficulties, Rachelbecame "one of us" - a hard-working American with a kind andgentle heart and a rock-solid belief in God. Despite the privilegesand the affluence, Frank's "choices" - some that he made andsome that had been foisted upon him - led him down the darktrail that ended, eventually, on Death Row in an Arizona prison.The stories of our lives are the stories of the two very differentpeople, who, several years after the death sentence hadbeen pronounced, were married on December 17, 1991. They arethe stories of how Rachel become "one of us" and of how Frank's"choices" led him so far astray. They are the stories of how we met and married; but they go further, for they are the stories thatexplain how each of us discovered Orthodoxy and came to be Eastern Orthodox Christians, and especially, of how the trajectoryof our lives has so completely changed. Merely being OrthodoxChristians can never be enough; we have learned to leadlives of prayer, repentance, and most of all, hope. With our hopefirmly grounded in our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, welook forward to life in Him, because only in Him are all thingspossible.We must emphasize that we did not "become one" uponour marriage, but years later. Through our individual life experiencesand through our shared experiences, we have learned, atlast, what is meant by "And The Two Shall Become One". At therequest of clergy near and dear to us, we offer these, first, ourindividual and then, our shared experiences to the scrutiny andprayers of all who read them. And we pray, always for the salvationof all.
Expert, biblical answers to tough questions Every couple has those questions they don't know how or whom to ask! Sexual Intimacy in Marriage discusses the basics, like the definition of marriage, and the not-so-basic topics, such as achieving sexual pleasure and biblically "OK" sexual activity. It addresses real people in the real world--without compromising God's wonderful purpose and design for his gift of sex. This highly acclaimed, medically and biblically accurate book extensively covers sex in marriage with a sensitivity and frankness that every couple will appreciate. With over 100,000 copies in print, and now in its fourth edition, this best-selling biblically based book for nearly-weds, newly-weds, and truly-weds is the gold standard for Christian intimacy guides. "Has greatly benefited our own family and marriage relationship. . . . Marvelously blends the glory of sex with the reality of life." --Dr. Tony and Lois Evans "Scientifically accurate, biblically based, intensely practical, and written with a large dose of humor." --David Stevens, President, Christian Medical & Dental Association "Cutrer and Glahn . . . cut through the fog of partial truths to help newlyweds, soon-to-weds, or couples who have been married for years." --The Dallas/Fort Worth Heritage
Highly regarded Old Testament scholar John Goldingay offers a substantive and useful commentary on the book of Genesis that is both critically engaged and sensitive to the theological contributions of the text. This volume, the first in a new series on the Pentateuch, complements the successful Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Wisdom and Psalms series (series volumes have sold over 55,000 copies). Each series volume will cover one book of the Pentateuch, addressing important issues and problems that flow from the text and exploring the contemporary relevance of the Pentateuch. The series editor is Bill T. Arnold, the Paul S. Amos Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary.
The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.
Marsha Aizumi shares her compelling story of parenting a young woman who came out as a lesbian, then transitioned to male. Two Spirits, One Heart chronicles Marsha's personal journey from fear, uncertainty, and sadness to eventual unconditional love, acceptance, and support of her child who struggled to reconcile his gender identity. Told with honesty and warmth, this book is a must-read for parents and loved ones of LGBTQ+ individuals everywhere. In the past decade. Marsha has traveled the world sharing her journey and joy of parenting her trans son to diverse places such as religious groups, colleges and LGBTQ+ and PFLAG organizations. "Two Spirits, One Heart is honest and impactful, and I am immensely grateful to both Marsha and Aiden for sharing their personal journey with everyone. As Executive Director of PFLAG National—an organization focused on the journey of parents and families of LGBTQ+ people—I’m moved by Marsha's passion to make this world a better place for all people, and by her unwavering love for her trans child.” —Brian K. Bond, Executive Director. PFLAG National “Marsha and Aiden have written a must-read book that has helped generate conversations around inclusion and the importance of support and allyship in the LGBTQ+ space. We would highly recommend providing copies for employees, especially for those active within Employee Resource Groups, as we have received endless positive feedback.” —Emma Hamm & Joseph Pawlicki, Co-Heads of Out+Ally ERG at Subaru of America, Inc.
Maybe you're a newly wed or maybe you've been married "forever." This book's message will meet you right where you're at. Skillfully woven throughout, the Joys share stories of their own struggles during more than 50 years of marriage while sharing the biblical passages and sound principles of human psychology that helped them in their own relationship.