The following are Web Site links and resource descriptions that will help you to discover marriage preparation materials that are available for your use. We pray you will find them to be helpful.

• www.beforeyougetengaged.com This web site helps you to consider various issues that are important as you decide whether or not “he or she is the one” that you should marry some day. It features material from the book Before You Get Engaged, written by Dr David Gudgel, Brent Gudgel, with Danielle Fitch, which is published by Thomas Nelson. On this web site you will find a sample chapter of the book, You Tube advice videos from Dr David Grudgel, a sermon download on relationships, companion book guides to help you as you read the book “Before You Get Engaged”, a radio interview with Dr Grudgel, advice on various issues, and more that you may find helpful.

• www.prepinc.com PREP (Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program) is one of the most comprehensive and well respected divorce-prevention/marriage enhancing programs in the world. PREP is a skills and principles-building curriculum designed to help partners say what they need to say, get to the heart of problems, and increase their connection with each other. PREP is for couples who want to make their marriage be the best it can be. It doesn’t matter whether you have a new-found love, you’re gritting your teeth as your teen gets his license, or your youngest has left you with an empty nest. PREP offers you the chance to discover how to enjoy your marriage no matter where you are today or what tomorrow may bring.

• www.prepare-enrich.com They began in 1980 as a result of several research projects at the University of Minnesota in which Dr. David Olson developed a set of inventories for couples known as PREPARE/ENRICH. Because of the demand for the inventories, Dr. Olson began the company PREPARE/ENRICH (now called Life Innovations) to provide these helpful tools to counselors and clergy members. There are now a total of 5 couple inventories that can be used for premarital and married couples. We have also trained over 60,000 PREPARE/ENRICH Counselors in the U.S., and have 13 International Offices. Over 2 million couples have completed one of the couple inventories.

• www.realrelationships.com This is the web site for Dr Les and Dr Leslie Parrott who are a husband-and-wife team who not only share the same name, but the same passion for helping others build healthy relationships. In 1991, the Parrotts founded the Center for Relationship Development on the campus of Seattle Pacific University - a groundbreaking program dedicated to teaching the basics of good relationships. Their web site has free videos that you can view on your computer which gives relationship advice on many different subjects including “Pre-marital” as well as “Mentoring.” We highly advise that you visit their web site to see what they can offer you.

• www.troubledwith.com This web site has a collection of articles, resources and referrals organized by topic — including “Getting Married” which deal with family issues and concerns. Their goal is to help families by providing complete coverage of issues including a brief introduction to each topic, an overview of the issue at hand, Q&A with experts and tips for making things better. They are a division of the ministry of Focus on the Family.

RESOURCES:

• BEFORE THE RING -by William L Coleman, published by Discovery House Publishers. This book has a different “spin” on things than most, because it actually focuses in on helping couples to know if they really SHOULD consider marriage. It’s a book that is designed for couples to take the time to get to know each other all the more. It suggests questions for couples to to consider. Every couple wants an ideal marriage. They want assurance that their love will last a lifetime. They want some guarantee that they are making the right decision. Although there are no guarantees, author William Coleman says there is a way to assure yourself that you are marrying the right person. Ask questions — lots of questions. Of yourself. Of each other. And then be honest with your answers. To get reliable answers, you have to ask the right questions. And that’s the goal of this book. Preview or purchase this book now.

• BEFORE “I DO” …Preparing for the Full Marriage Experience -by K. Jason Krafsky, published by Turn the Tide Resource Group, and can be ordered at their website at: www.FullmarriageExperience.com. This is an excellent Pre-marriage workbook which we HIGHLY recommend. We see it as an invaluable tool to help those who are considering marriage become much better prepared as it gives sound Biblical counsel and principles, integrates proven relationship insights and learn relationship fundamentals, and attain the skills to live the Full Marriage Experience. Couples benefit greatly by the topics covered, the issues raised, and the questions asked, which they’ve probably never discussed before. While the book is filled with useful information, it engages readers to interact with the material, and more importantly, their future mate. It also can be used with a “Marriage Investor” (clergy, small group leaders, marriage mentors, a seasoned married couple or counselor who acts as a pre-marital education facilitator). As they say, “meeting regularly with someone a little older and wiser will only enhance your pre-marital experience. They can provide perspective, accountability, and insights.” This is a GREAT resource! Preview or purchase this book now.

• BUILDING YOUR MARRIAGE UPON THE ROCK, is an in-depth premarital workbook “with the Bible as your authority and guide.” It is written by Mike Williamson and published by Genesis 224. Their web site is www.genesis224.com and Mike’s email is mike@genesis224.com. The goal of this book is to:

“present material relevant to a broad-based audience of differing upbringings and life situations. Some workbooks take a more lighthearted approach, which might work well for couples who have maintained their purity, who come from wonderful families, and who have well-balanced lives. This book will certainly work for them, but it also speaks to those whose lives have been messed up or who, apart from God have made a mess of their lives.”

• CALLED TOGETHER …Asks difficult questions couples must answer before and after they say “I do” -by Steve and Mary Prokopchak, published by Horizon Books. This workbook, designed for couple-to-couple mentoring or personal use, prepares couples for a successful, God-honoring marriage. It also addresses the challenges of remarriage, intercultural marriage and senior adult remarriage. Whether you’re considering marriage or remarriage or you counsel those who are, this book supplies down-to-earth advice and biblical wisdom on how to: be certain that God has called you together, combine future goals and coordinate a long-term marriage mission, interact constructively in verbal and nonverbal ways, view finances from a biblical perspective, relate sexually to your partner, plan a God-honoring ceremony; plus it includes post-marital checkups on communication, emotional needs, goal setting, budgeting and forgiveness.

• FIT TO BE TIED …Making Marriage Last a Lifetime -by Bill and Lynne Hybels, published by Zondervan www.zondervan.com. This is one of our favorite books for those contemplating marriage. In it, Bill and Lynne Hybels draw on their own personal experience and a guiding faith to offer practical advice on how to enjoy a lifetime of togetherness. They say they have several purposes for writing this book. First, they want to help single people choose their marriage partners wisely. They also want to help them find partners with whom they share absolutely crucial compatibilities.

Second, they want to help married people stay married. They offer a two-pronged plan that includes: first, working through the lesser incompatibilities that interfere with peace and mutual satisfaction, and second, learning healthy patterns of living and relating on a daily basis. They claim not to be “experts” on marriage but rather are among those who have suffered in their marriage and wondered how God let them make such a terrible mistake. They said that they felt hopeless and trapped. But in that time of entrapment they say, “We did the only thing that seemed right for us to do. We worked at it. And worked. And worked some more. And we continue to work.” Again, this is a great book that we highly recommend because it’s very down-to-earth and is also easy to read. Preview or purchase this book now.

• GETTING READY FOR MARRIAGE WORKBOOK …How to Really Get to Know the Person You’re Going to Marry -by Jerry Hardin and Dianne Sloan, published by Thomas Nelson Publisher www.thomasnelson.com. This workbook uses interactive exercises to help couples discover the roots of their beliefs, to sight potential problem areas, and learn how to successfully work through problems. Couples are encouraged to make their own covenants in specific areas such as financial matters, resolving conflict, religious orientation, and family planning to build a strong marriage partnership. Preview or purchase this book now.

• GREAT EXPECTATIONS -by Toben and Joanne Heim, published by NavPress www.navpress.com. This workbook will help you, whether you’re newly engaged or newly married, to build a foundation of understanding that will last a lifetime. It helps you to talk about the expectations you have over a variety of subjects that will inevitably come up within marriage. While you may imagine big family dinners on Sunday afternoons, your spouse may be looking forward to football and pizza on the couch.

So how do you resolve how to spend your Sunday afternoons and rest of your life together? They key is to examine your expectations for all different aspects of marriage and talk about them with your spouse (or spouse-to-be). They deal with issues like money, family history, sex, spirituality, and more. This fun, interactive book is packed with honest anecdotes, intriguing questions, and exercises designed to help you understand and appreciate what makes your spouse different—and special.

• HOW CAN I BE SURE?…Questions to Ask Before You Get Married, by Bob Phillips, published by Harvest House Publishers, www.harvesthousepublishers.com. This book is actually designed not to be an “answer book for marriage problems”, but rather it’s meant to be an inventory and “discussion guide to help couples open up important channels of communication; express their thoughts, desires, and feelings to each other; and enhance their growing relationship together.” The author recommends that each person should have a personal copy in which to write his or her own responses. As the author Bob Phillips says, “If you will honestly share with each other your thoughts and feelings with regard to the questions, your future marriage will begin on a strong, firm, and mutually satisfying foundation.”

This book is also designed to be a helpful tool in the hands of Pastors and Counselors for pre-marital counseling. The topics covered are: Family Background, Previous Marital History, Status of Present Relationship, Religious Background, Children, Finances, Communication, and also has a Sexual Inventory along with a Wedding Checklist and additional resources. There is a good explanation in the beginning of the book for Pastors and Counselors, Teachers and Leaders (as well as for couples alone) to know how to best use this tool to aid couples know each other better before marriage. Preview or purchase this book now.

• MONEY BEFORE MARRIAGE …A Financial Workbook for Engaged Couples -by Dr Larry Burkett, published by Moody Press www.moodypublishers.com. This workbook gives key insights of wise money management. Learn how to avoid the most common financial and communication pitfalls experienced by thousands of newlyweds. In this workbook you’ll learn to: Apply to your marriage what God’s Word says about finances. Understand your personality profile and that of your future mate. Discover the practical aspects of managing your personal finances. Answer the tough questions relating to debt, credit card use, life insurance needs,and separate bank accounts. It also helps you to prepare your first budget. Preview or purchase this book now.

• PREPARING FOR MARRIAGE: A Guide for Christian Couples -by Donald J. Luther, published by Augsburg Fortress Publishers. This book is designed to help you take a good look at your marriage. It contains thought-provoking exercises to help you think through and share your thoughts about marriage, its meaning and challenges. The exercises are not scientific personality tests. They are tools that are designed to (1) promote and stimulate conversation (2) deepen mutual understanding and (3) draw out insights and feelings about sensitive areas that otherwise might not be discussed. There are two copies of some of the exercises so you can each have one to complete and eventually discuss together. Preview or buy this book now.

• SAVING YOUR MARRIAGE BEFORE IT STARTS …Seven Questions to Ask Before and After You Marry by Dr Les and Dr Leslie Parrott, published by Zondervan Publishing House www.zondervan.com. This book is based on the fact that marriage doesn’t have to be a gamble. As psychologist (Les) and marriage and family therapist (Leslie) who counsel hundreds of married couples, they have “learned that living happily ever after is less a mystery than a mastery of certain skills. Although married life will always have its difficulties, you will steadily and dramatically improve your relationship by mastering certain life skills.”

This book “cuts to the heart of every marital conflict. Whether single and dating, in a committed relationship, contemplating marriage, or already ensconced in one, this book will help you learn the skills you’ll need for a lasting and happy life together—before unhappiness sets in.” They’ve also written two workbooks as companions to this book, one for the man and one for the woman. “The twenty-one self-tests in the workbooks will help you and your partner put into action what is taught in this book. As an additional help, they have provided questions for reflection at the end of each chapter that are suitable as discussion starters for couples or small groups. Finally, if you would like to bring this program to your church or small group setting, a video curriculum is available, also entitled, Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts. Preview or purchase this book now

• SHOULD WE STAY TOGETHER? …A Scientifically Proven Method for Evaluating Your Relationship and Improving Its Chances for Long-term Success, published by Jossey -Bass. This book includes Self-Tests from the Relate Premarital Questionnaire. It debunks many time-honored myths as it provides couples with the tools they need to make better decisions and explore many aspects of their relationship. From individual characteristics, idiosyncratic family histories, unresolved conflicts and needs, and combined strengths and weaknesses, this book will help couples understand the specific traits that predict a satisfying or disastrous relationship. Preview or purchase this book now.

• 10 GREAT DATES BEFORE YOU SAY “I DO” -by David and Claudia Arp, published by Zondervan. This book has a unique approach featuring fun-filled dates to help seriously dating and engaged couples strengthen their relationship. Couples will soon discover whether or not to go to the next level of commitment, and will spend quality time together now while preparing for a great marriage in the future. It combines the best of marriage preparation research with a fun, easy-to-follow format. Couples will love growing together while going out together. Some of the topics these dates cover: Share your hopes and dreams, Appreciate your differences, Communicate and connect, Develop spiritual intimacy, Evaluate your relationship, Celebrate romance, and more. Preview or purchase this book now.