The Bible says, “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD” (Proverbs 18:22) and “Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD” (Proverbs 19:14)

Your bride is God’s gift to you. “She is worth far more than rubies” (Proverbs 31:10) or any other treasure.

• Always treat her like God’s gift.
• Never allow any earthly thing—not a job, not a ministry, not a football game, not another friendship—to take priority over her.

As unlikely as it may seem today, you will have disagreements. Some of them might be loud. But the song of Solomon refers to “little foxes” that ruin the vineyards (Song of Solomon 2:15).

I urge you not to ignore even the smallest disagreements, because left alone, they can wreak havoc on a marriage.
• Keep short accounts with your bride.
• Never walk away while she is crying.
• Never lay a hand on her except in love;
• and “Do not let the sun go down while you are angry” (Ephesians 4:26).

It would probably be best if you don’t try to get inside her head; you’ll just get lost in all the twists and turns in there (it’s not like a man’s head). Instead, concentrate on getting into her heart; try to feel what she’s feeling when she’s feeling it, and you’ll probably end up understanding her much better.
• Simply observe what pleases her and what irritates her and work tirelessly to increase the former and decrease the latter.

The Bible also instructs you to “rejoice in the wife of your youth” (Proverbs 5:18).

• Revel in her. Bask in her smile. Delight in her laughter.
• Spend time with her. Pray with her.
• Soak up her words.
• Keep dating her after the wedding.
• Kiss her often—and long.
• Say “I love you” every day of your life.
• Try never to miss an opportunity to tell her she’s beautiful.
• Do whatever it takes to remember her birthday and your anniversary.
• Save as much money as you can, but never cut corners on gifts …or lingerie!
• Ask her for forgiveness when you need it, and ask her for advice even when you don’t need it.

I charge you also with words from the book of Malachi: “Guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth” (Malachi 2:15).
• Build hedges around your marriage.
• Set boundaries that will guard your heart and preserve your integrity and ensure that you never break faith with the wife of your youth.

And finally, remember that the biblical model for a husband is a man who willingly died for His Bride. So I charge you to do as the Bible says and love your wife “just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25).

• Love her.
• Give yourself up for her.
• Lay down your life—day after day—for her.

Strive always to be the man she deserves,
and you’ll be amazed at how
she remains exactly what you desire.

It’s a wonderfully unique book which goes through each part of the wedding vows (“To Have and to Hold, For Better or for Worse, For Richer, or for Poorer, In Sickness and in Health, Forsaking All Others, To Love and to Cherish, Till Death Do Us Part”) and tells actual events on each of these subjects about real people—who are choosing to live out the vows they made on their wedding days. We love true stories that we can learn through and this book is packed with them!