The following are Web Site Links and descriptions of resources that pertain to married women. We pray they will minister to your marriage.

• www.familylife.com This the web site for the ministry of Family Life Today. This is a great ministry and they have a great web site that you could find very helpful. In particular, if you go into their web site and click into “Articles” and then select “Marriage” you will find an option you can select called “Wives.” There you will find a long list of articles you can choose from which you can read.

• www.marriagepartnership.com This is the web site for the great magazine called Marriage Partnership which is produced by the ministry of Christianity today. This is a magazine for those that are married, although married women will find quite a few articles that will be of special interest to you.

• www.peterswife.org: Peter’s Wife is a great place for women working outside their home culture to connect, encourage and help one another. Browse their site and choose the ways that best fit your situation and needs. The newsletter is the core of their service. For ten years Peter’s Wife was mailed until printing and postage made it too costly. The Internet breathed new life into their vision and in May, 2000, Peter’s Wife began again as an email newsletter. You can sign up for them on their web site.

• Today’s Christian Woman Magazine: This is a magazine for women which is published by the ministry of Christianity Today. They have a great magazine that you could find helpful as a woman and as a wife and also have a great web site with interesting and helpful articles on a variety of subjects.

RESOURCE DESCRIPTIONS:

• BECAUSE I SAID FOREVER -by Deb Kalmbach and Heather Kopp, published by Multnomah Publishers www.multnomahbooks.com. This book is by far one of my (Cindy’s) favorite books on the subject of marriage. It’s a compilation of true testimonies on various subjects of marriage lived out by different women who have and are living through some really tough situations and yet God has helped them to live victoriously despite the difficulties. The authors have done an excellent job of “applying biblical principles to the challenging issues involved in a difficult marriage.”

Women who read this book will “understand how doing things God’s way brings fulfillment and peace, regardless of the circumstances.” Even if you have a great marriage, it’s a wonderfully inspiring book to read. Plus, you’ll be better equipped to recommend it to those who are struggling in their marriages. Too often divorce becomes the prime option considered when marriage becomes really tough. The great thing about this book is it gives the readers some different biblically based options to consider. You’ll discover that it is possible to be personally fulfilled even if your marriage is not fulfilling. It is possible to discover joy, to find the support you need, to thrive in your Christian walk, turning your challenges into opportunities for personal and spiritual growth.” Buy this book now.

• THE BUSY WOMAN’S GUIDE TO A BALANCED LIFE -Edited by Ramona Cramer Tucker, published by Tyndale House Publishers www.tyndale.com. Quick and easy tips for managing the 10 most important areas of a woman’s life: Family, finances, friendship, health, hospitality, marriage, self, singles, spiritual life, and work. As author Barbara Johnson states: “An outstanding smorgasboard of helpful information to encourage women and provide balance in this whirligig of life. I could hardly put it down.” Buy this book now.

•  FOR WOMEN ONLY RADIO BROADCAST SERIES This is a series of radio broadcasts that the ministry of Family Life Today aired May 5,6,7,8, and 9, 2008, featuring discussions with Shaunti Feldhahn and Dennis Rainey. The aim is to help women better understand their husbands. It’s a GREAT series! You can either listen to each broadcast on your computer or Podcast, or you can read the transcripts they provide. To make your choice on the Family Life web site, please click onto the links provided below:

• Respecting the Man in Your Life (Day 1 of 5), please click HERE.
• Desiring His Love (Day 2 of 5) Please click HERE.
  
• Keeping Up Appearances (Day 3 of 5) Please click HERE.
• The Great Impostor (Day 4 of 5) Please click HERE.
• Roving Romance (Day 5 of 5) Please click HERE.

 

• FOR WOMEN ONLY … What you Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men -by Shaunti Feldhahn, published by Multnomah www.multnomahbooks.com. This is a GREAT book to help women learn about what motivates men and their thought processes behind their actions (or non-actions). Shaunti interviewed over 1000 men in researching this book. As a result she found that she didn’t know the mind of her husband and others like she thought she did. So what she does in this book is reveal the findings her research brought out so that other women can better understand the men in their lives (i.e. husbands, sons, dads, brothers, friends, etc.) which will help them to better interact with them. Shaunti makes it very clear that this isn’t a “male-bashing” book. It’s also not written to justify what men believe, it’s written to reveal what they believe. There are always exceptions to everything. But as Shaunti explains, this book will help women to better understand most men and most likely her husband.

This book helps women to see how differently we’re wired psychologically. When you better understand that, you’re better able to work with things the way they ARE rather than how you think they should be. Buy this book now.

• FOR WOMEN ONLY DISCUSSION GUIDE -by Shaunti Feldhahn with Lisa Rice, published by Multnomah www.multnomahbooks.com. This discussion guide is designed to be used by book clubs, in small group settings, or even for having a one-on-one dialogue with the man in your life. Many women, after reading the For Women Only book may wonder, “So what do I do with the information I’ve just been given?” This discussion guide is designed to help answer that question. It contains personal stories, questions, and situational case studies to equip you to apply the truths you learn in your own life. Buy this book now.

• GET MORE DONE IN LESS TIME -by Donna Otto, published by Harvest House Publishers www.harvesthousepublishers.com. Discover easy ways to save thousands of steps in the kitchen, streamline your shopping, create joyful holiday gatherings,and make your daily planner work for you. This book deals with: Clutter, paper piles and stacks of mail, deadlines, last-minute panics, wardrobe woes, inflexible budgets, and much, much more.

• LIBERATED THROUGH SUBMISSION … God’s Design for Freedom in All Relationships -by Bunny Wilson, published by Harvest House www.harvesthousepublishers.com. In this wonderful book, Bunny Wilson shares her clear and thoughtful understanding of a principle that will revolutionize your thinking on the area of submission. Using the Bible as a guide, Liberated Through Submission shares the fascinating facts of true, biblical submission and explores how submission applies to every man and every woman—whether married or single. If submission is the last thing you want to do—you need to read this book!

• MARRIED BUT NOT ENGAGED -by Paul and Sandy Coughlin, published by Bethany House. This book aims to bring married women hope, encouragement, and insight as you embark on the quest to create or rediscover genuine intimacy in your marriage or marriage-to-be). Every woman wants her man to be “engaged,” and not in the sense of putting a ring on her finger, but in terms of being emotionally present. The author Paul Coughlin, a former “Christian Nice Guy”, explains what causes a man’s passivity, what destruction takes place when a man decides to be nice instead of good, and what you can do to help your man find and use his emotional compass. He shares ways he tried to foster and facilitate change, including why most of his attempts didn’t work, and what ultimately proved to restore to marriage the intimacy couples want.

• SACRED INFLUENCE… What a Man Needs from His Wife to be the Husband She Wants, by Gary Thomas, published by www.zondervan.com. In these pages, you’ll find a fresh perspective to help you understand your husband: the view of the marriage relationship through a man’s eyes. Thomas gives you insider information on how men think, feel, and can truly be motivated. Does a heartbreaking marital problem—a hair-trigger temper, Internet addiction, irresponsibility, emotional distance—feel like an impossible roadblock to you? This book doesn’t gloss over issues like these but faces them head-on with a solid, positive advice. Sacred Influence shows how God can bless you with a soul-filling intimacy as you and your husband are shaped into the people he intends you to be. This is a WONDERFUL book that we HIGHLY recommend for you to read. It really gives a new fresh insight into the male mind, along with spiritual help in seeing this from a Godly perspective. Buy this book now.

• 10 LIFE SAVING PRINCIPLES FOR WOMEN IN DIFFICULT MARRIAGES - by Karla Downing, published by Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City. This book helps women overcome their sense of powerlessness by giving them tools to improve their marriage. It examines misconceptions about Scriptures that cause confusion and even pain, helping women recover their faith that God cares for them. Women will begin to focus on what they can do to change themselves, instead of trying over and over again to change their husbands. As they learn to set boundaries with their husbands, they will protect themselves and their children from the effects of the difficult marriage. One day at a time, their lives will begin to change and heal as they apply the information, insights, and principles to their individual situation. 10 Lifesaving Principles helps women: Re-examine their ideas about certain Christian scriptures and principles (for example, submission) Develop a support system of family, friends, and other women facing the same problems Set boundaries with their husbands to protect themselves and their children from the effects of the difficult marriage. Buy this book now.

• THE BEST THING I EVERY DID FOR MY MARRIAGE …50 Real-life Stories -by Nancy Cobb and Connie Grigsby, published by Multnomah www.multnomahbooks.com. This book contains 50 eye-opening, often humorous true stories—including contributions from Cynthia Heald, Dee Brestin, Rosemary Jensen, and Donna Otto—that will inspire you with moments that build stronger marriages. It inspires you to: bring down walls between you and your husband, adjust to differences in your personalities, deal with the damage and heartbreak of betrayal, and go on living when everything goes terribly wrong.

As the authors, Nancy Cobb and Connie Grisby say about this book (and we agree with) “You’re about to embark on an eye-opening journey that we believe you’ll walk away from feeling hopeful and inspired. The women in this book have walked in your shoes! With refreshing honesty and insight, they share the struggles in their marriages and what got them on track again. And the masks have been dropped! Regardless of whether every chapter applies to you or not, we think you’ll be encouraged and heartened. Each chapter offers insight to help you build a stronger marriage, while sharing inspirational truths about God’s design for your life.” Buy this book now.

• THE MOTHER-IN-LAW DANCE: Can Two Women Love the Same Man and Still Get Along? -by Annie Chapman, published by Harvest House www.harvesthousepublishers.com. This book has so much to offer. I’ve (Cindy) always loved everything Annie has written but this is one of her best. I’d highly recommend this book to everyone to read who either is a mother-in-law or has a mother-in-law because it has something in it that everyone can learn from and be inspired. In this book Annie Chapman describes the delicate relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law as a dance. She, very candidly discusses the twists and turns of this connection and provides practical advice to help you better relate with your mother- or daughter-in-law.

Drawing on years of experience, real-life input from other women through hundreds of conversations with women and specially designed questionnaires, and solid biblical insights that will encourage your own spiritual growth, Annie reveals potential missteps to watch out for, and practical ideas to help you create more positive interactions with your in-law to successfully: build a great relationship — deal with new traditions and activities — overcome hurts and conflicts — set realistic boundaries — handle generation-gap issues — accept (and reject) advice — and cope with differences in faith. We hope you’ll obtain a copy of this book for your own use and to give out to others as a gift. Buy this book now.

• THE POLITICALLY INCORRECT WIFE -by Nancy Cobb and Connie Grigsby, published by Multnomah www.multnomahbooks.com. This is a real down-to-earth book which is both inspiring yet practical, and helps those who read it to have a clearer understanding of God’s design for the married woman. After years of having their marriages “stuck” in no-win positions, they eventually realized how “selfish and self-centered” their idea of love really was. They eventually “discovered God’s plan for marriage and began to follow His set of standards.” They go on to say, “By God’s grace, we discovered a life-changing truth: Political correctness doesn’t work in a marriage. We were shocked to learn this! After all, we had spent years shaping our lives around this faulty view. Now, however, we consider that view to be utter foolishness and thank God every day for showing us the spiritual principles in His plan for marriage.” You’ll want to read the book to find out what they learned and the spiritual principles upon which their discoveries are founded so your marriage could benefit also.

• THE POWER OF A POSITIVE WIFE -by Karol Ladd, published by Howard Publishing Company www.howardpublishing.com. You can read this book for your own personal growth and enrichment, or you can use it in a group study with the women in your church or community. There are Power Points at the end of each chapter which offer scriptures to read with questions to ponder, sample prayers to pray, verses to memorize, and activities to help you effectively put principles of the chapter into practice. Buy this book now.

• THE POWER OF A PRAYING WIFE -by Stormie Omartian, published by Harvest House Publishers www.harvesthousepublishers.com. What a wonderful book this is! Along with real-life illustrations Stormie also includes sample prayers and “power tools”—verses that inspire and encourage—to help wives rest in the assurance of God’s wonderful promises of restoration, renewal, and growth in marriage. Stormie says this book is “not a means of gaining control over your husband. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It’s laying down all claim to power in and of yourself, and relying on God’s power to transform you, your husband, your circumstances, and your marriage. This power is not given to wield like a weapon in order to beat back an unruly beast. It’s a gentle tool of restoration appropriated through the prayers of a wife who longs to do right more than be right, and to give life more than get even. It’s a way to invite God’s power into your husband’s life for his greatest blessing, which is ultimately yours, too.”

She goes on to say, “Many difficult things that happen in a marriage relationship are actually part of the enemy’s plan set up for its demise. But we can say, ‘I will not allow anything to destroy my marriage.’ …’I will not sit idle while an invisible wall goes up between us.’ ‘I will not allow confusion, miscommunication, wrong attitudes, and bad choices to erode what we are trying to build together.’ ‘I will not tolerate hurt and unforgiveness leading us to divorce.’” To that we say, “AMEN!” This is a terrific book that we highly recommend! Buy this book now.

• THE POWER OF FEMININITY …Rediscovering the Art of Being a Woman -by Michelle McKinney Hammond, published by Harvest House www.harvesthousepublishers.com. This book helps you to get a handle on the true feminine mystique—-the one designed by God. You’ll find help in perfecting the art of being a woman, including: using your greatest power—influence, finding strength in your vulnerability, and reclaiming your rightful identity as a woman of God as you begin to appreciate and celebrate the differences between the genders. If you’re ready to end the battle of the sexes once and for all in your mind, you’ll love this bold discussion about the real differences between men and women. Even though Michelle isn’t married, you’d never know it by reading the advice she gives us married women. It’s right on target!

• THE WALKOUT WOMAN …When Your Heart is Empty and Your Dreams are Lost, written by Dr Steve Stephens and Alice Gray, published by Multnomah www.multnomahbooks.com. We HIGHLY recommend this book —it’s outstanding! This book is for women who need practical and inspiring help to breathe new life into their marriages which may seem hopeless. As the authors say, concerning this book, “We pray that you will recognize the symptoms and dangers of becoming a walk-out woman and that you will realize that it is not a path to happiness. Opening your heart to your marriage again is indeed a risk, but we believe it’s a risk worth taking. We want to help you understand your husband better and show some ways you can encourage him to listen to your hurts and anger. We want to help you understand more about yourself as well—why you may have started “keeping score” and how you have built a wall around your heart. We’ll talk about realistic and unrealistic expectations and the dangers of creating a new fantasy with someone else. We’ll also give you strategies for taking care of yourself, getting connected again with your husband, resolving conflict, dealing with anger and loss, remembering the good times, and pressing closer to the Lord.” Buy this book now.

• THE WOUNDED WOMAN - Hope and Healing for Those Who Hurt -By Dr Steve Stephens and Pam Vredevelt, published by Multnomah Publishers, www.multnomahbooks.com. This is a good book for women filled who are finding it difficult to cope with some of the tragedies that plague them. It offers you the pathway to regain your footing, restart your life, recover your energy, and reclaim your joy. Contained within its pages are real-life testimonies that will guide you toward recovery and inspire you to press forward in newfound strength-not in spite of your wounds but because of them. As Dr Stephens says, “We cannot change the past. What has occurred-with all of its hurt, injustice, cruelty, disappointment, and tragedy-has slipped into history, beyond our control. Even so, we can change how we view the painful realities that have touched our life and what we say to ourselves about those realities.” The mission of this book is to help you move forward as you work through your pain, “reminding you that there is hope that you are not alone. God never promised to keep us from wounds, but He did promise to be with us and to help us heal.” Buy this book now.

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