In this series, I plan to profile some of the books and resources that have been valuable to us over the past year and a half as we prepared for marriage and our first two years as a married couple. Based on conversations with others, we read more than most and invested more than most. (Perhaps that’s because we are older and had more baggage than most!)
As a caution and a disclaimer, I am convinced the answer to a successful marriage doesn’t lie in books or formulas or workshops. The only chance of a successful and thriving marriage is two hearts united in Christ, two hearts committed to seeking after Christ and willing to do the hard work of living out His love and grace day by day. Steven & I are crazy in love with each other and our love grows deeper every day. And still, it is seldom easy to have the tough conversations, to let go of our selfishness, to negotiate the ups and downs of doing life together day-in and day-out.
However, I will say that we have benefitted greatly from the collective wisdom of these resources. It has been such a blessing to learn from others who have gone before us, who have provided us with knowledge, skills, and insights. Their collective wisdom provided much needed encouragement along the way. Diving into these resources together has also sparked much needed conversations, prompted critical reflection, helped us navigate potential pitfalls, and plan for our future together. Perhaps even more importantly, God used so many of the conversations sparked by these resources to begin to knit our hearts together with Him and with each other.
"To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and fully loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God." - Tim Keller, The Meaning of Marriage
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