From This Day Forward – A Book Review

wpid-2015-02-18-21.25.08.jpg.jpeg

“As God by creation made two of one, so again by marriage He made one of two.”

 Thomas Adams

Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book to review by Family Christian.  All opinions are my own.

About a month ago, a newly-engaged young lady asked my husband and me, “What is the secret to your marriage?”

I was a little taken aback, as we have never been directly asked that before. We’ll celebrate our 32nd anniversary this August, so I guess we may look like “experts in the field.”

Because we have been married for a bit, I find myself gravitating to books and articles about marriage and divorce. I like to read about what we are doing right, and make sure we aren’t taking steps to doing it wrong. I am fascinated learning about the human interactions that makes marriage work and what can cause it to fail.

From This Day ForwardWhen I was given the opportunity to do a book review on From This Day Forward: Five Commitments to Fail-Proof Your Marriage by Craig and Amy Groeschel, I jumped at the chance.

I am really glad I did.

From This Day Forward is a wonderful book on Christian marriage. Craig Groeschel is a pastor and an author of several books. What makes this book unique is that at the end of each chapter, his wife adds her two cents with “Amy’s Angle.” Her take on her husband’s words really adds to the book, truly making it a couple’s book. It is refreshing to read her input.

Craig and Amy share their personal experiences, and I laughed out loud over their argument regarding perfect pancakes. This humorous look at their squabble made their book very believable. Just because he is a pastor doesn’t mean their marriage is any better or “more perfect” than anyone else’s. It means that as two humans that love each other, they have agreed to follow the “Five Commitments to Fail-Proof Your Marriage:”

1 – Seek God
2 – Fight Fair
3 – Have Fun
4 – Stay Pure
5 – Never give up

Sounds simple, right? But each of these categories, if ignored, can create enormous problems in a marriage. Each one of these points is critical, and I was especially pleased to see the chapters addressing having fun and staying pure.

Whether one is recently engaged, newly married or long-term married, I believe this book is a very good resource. Not only is it a guide, it helps to have the points of view from a man and a woman. And it is a very quick read.

Thirty-two years ago, I remember sitting in our pastor’s office as we went through our pre-wedding marriage counseling. Our pastor told us to “make Christ the center of your marriage.” His words were truly the best advice we received, and the first of the five commitments that Craig and Amy Groeschel recommend. When you see your spouse as God sees him or her, it makes all the bumps in the road of your marriage journey easier to handle.

This book would make a great gift for any couple, whether they are newly engaged, struggling, or just want to see if they are “doing it right.”

Interested in this book? Enter below for a chance to win your own copy! If you want to order From This Day Forward, follow this link.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

© Lynne Cobb – 2015

2 Replies to “From This Day Forward – A Book Review”

  1. Nice review, Lynne. This sounds like a great book that every married couple could benefit from. Thanks for your comments, also.

Leave a Reply to Bob Wonnacott Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *