“Spiritual Matters” Links and Recommended Resources

The following are Web Site Links and descriptions of resources that concern spiritual matters within marriage.

We pray you will find them to be helpful to your marriage partnership.

Spiritual Matters Links:

• ANSWERS to QUESTIONS from BIBLE READERS: MARRIAGE To view what Christian Bible Studies.com has posted to address questions asked on the subject of marriage. “Whether you’re currently married, or thinking about getting married, the Bible reveals the secrets to a happy, successful marriage. With so many men and women “falling out of love” with each other in marriage, it’s crucial you know what God says about marriage —and how highly He values it.”

• BIBLE ON ONE PAGE The Bible at your fingertips (New International Version). Just click on any chapter number you desire. You can then read that portion of the Bible at the click of a button.

• Faithandmarriageministries.org This ministry is “dedicated to providing the encouragement and support needed when you’re standing for marriage restoration. Even if you are already divorced, or the only one who wants to save your marriage, we know that through the love, power and grace of Jesus Christ, the restoration of your marriage is NOT hopeless or impossible, even after years of separation or divorce.” They have a page dedicated to those who are unequally yoked that you might find especially helpful.

• Godmissionpossible.blogspot.com “Deborah’s Blog is written to showcase God’s Word and bring practical hope to the reader. ‘Mission Possible’ (the book) encourages women through scripture to believe that God’s Word will transform their husbands and bring glory to God. Deborah invites the reader to join her as she candidly portrays her quest to reach her husband for Christ. Her goal is to share her personal testimony with others while bringing hope and practical help through her book.”

Additional Spiritual Matters Links:

• Godlife.com This web site is for you, whether you are new to knowing God personally, or you are looking for more to help you walk closely to Him. They provide ways for you to get your questions answered. You’ll receive more information, and find others to talk with about spiritual matters.

• GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. You don’t have to go through the grieving process alone. Thousands of groups meet weekly around the world. Visit or join a group at anytime. And attend as many meetings as you like. There are thousands of GriefShare grief recovery support groups meeting throughout the US, Canada, and in over 10 other countries. Also, you can sign up to receive an encouraging email message every day for a year. These short messages will inspire you and provide practical information as you grieve the loss of your loved one.

More Spiritual Matters Links:

• Hannah.org —Hannah’s Prayer Ministries provides Christian based support and encouragement to couples around the world who are struggling with the pain of fertility challenges including primary and secondary infertility, pregnancy loss, early infant death and adoption loss. Their outreach extends to those who become parents of living children through pregnancy, adoption and/or foster care. All of the staff members are unpaid volunteers who are proclaiming Christians (from a range of denominational backgrounds) and have personal experience with the heartache of fertility challenges.

• I Do Daily Devotionals Dennis and Barbara Rainey provide these daily devotional for your marriage. You can access them on the Crosswalk.com web site. Plus, you can sign up to subscribe to receive these daily devotionals in your own email box.

• Rejoiceministries.org Their entire ministry, is designed to encourage and give hope to those who are standing in the gap believing God for a miracle in their marriages. They supply its reader’s page after page of testimonies of restored marriages, along with pages where you’re able to read individual letters of praise to God for answers to prayer and testimonies of God’s faithfulness through the various difficulties they’ve encountered in their marriages and families. You can read the testimonies and the stories of restored marriages from the side bar of the Home page of their web site.

Plus, these additional Spiritual Matters Links:

• Sarahs-laughter.com This web site provides support for those who are struggling with infertility and/or the death of a baby. They recognize that the life changing devastations of infertility or the loss of a baby, is simply too hard for women to survive on their own. Sarah’s Laughter offers support to those that reach out to them through a variety venues. This includes having prayer teams pray over submitted prayer requests.

• Steps to Peace with God This web site offers a presentation of the gospel with information and resources for new Christians. It is put together by the Billy Graham Association.

• Unequalmarriage.typepad.com is a web site which explores many difficult and often serious topics. This ministry acknowledges, “We can feel overwhelmed with the seriousness of life because our struggles are sometimes enormous.” On this web site you will find practical help and encouragement to thrive in a Spiritually Unequal Marriage.

• 24-7prayer.com This is a web site that is dedicated to being available to pray for your prayer requests.

SPIRITUAL MATTERS LINKS TO RESOURCES:

• A Marriage After God’s Own Heart –written by David Clarke, published by Multnomah. This book teaches men and women in a committed relationship how to pray together, create “spiritual conversations,” read and study Scripture together, hold private worship sessions, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide them. It’s extremely practical counsel all couples need today. As the author, Christian psychologist Dr. David Clarke (who has worked with hundreds of couples) says, “Spiritual bonding is the process by which a couple cultivates the presence of God in their relationship, and it’s the only ‘glue’ that sustains relationships long-term.”

• BELOVED UNBELIEVER: Loving Your Husband into the Faith is written by Jo Berry, is published by Zondervan Publishing. This book could truly help those who are married to unbelieving spouses. Jo knew what it was like to live with an unbelieving spouse and also interviewed dozens of women who are married to unbelievers. In this book they share the greatest difficulties they encountered and practical ways to handle the problems.

Jo wrote this book because as she said, “There IS hope! There are principles an unequally yoked wife can learn and apply that will make her life easier. She needs to realize that God has placed her in unique position of being His representative to the man she loves. She can also develop a positive mind-set about her mate and her marriage.” That is what the author Jo Berry attempts to help women do throughout this book.

Additional Spiritual Matters Links to Resources

• Couples’ Devotional Bible (NIV) is published by Zondervan. This Couples Devotional Bible draws on the experiences and insights of over 140 contributors. Each weekday you’ll read a brief devotional message and a nearby Scripture passage. At the end of the devotional message, you’ll find Marriage Builder questions for discussion or personal evaluation. On the weekend, you’ll find “Weekending,” which combines a short, reflective devotion with Scripture readings for Saturday and Sunday. Each devotion is tailored and relevant, written to apply God’s words to issues that are important to couples and includes advice from bestselling writers, marriage therapists, and pastors, including Les and Leslie Parrott, Gary Thomas, Bill and Lynne Hybels, and Gary Smalley.

• Devotions for a Sacred Marriage: A Year of Weekly Devotions for Couples is written by Gary Thomas, published by Zondervan. This is by far our favorite devotional book for married couples! It explores how God can reveal Himself to your through your marriage and help you to grow closer to Him as well as to your spouse. You will find 52 devotions in this book. It’s based on another of Gary Thomas’ books (which we highly recommend) Sacred Marriage. It originated because so many people requested a follow-up book to Sacred Marriage. Gary gives you a different yet compatible perspective on this subject encouraging you to build your marriage around God’s priorities. We can’t recommend it highly enough!

More Spiritual Matters Links:

• Devotions for Couples- Man in the Mirror Edition: For Busy Couples Who Want More Intimacy in Their Relationships -by Patrick Morley, published by Zondervan. Written in the vulnerable style that has been the author’s trademark, Patrick Morley, invites you to let God’s Word do some searching, encouraging, and strengthening of your hearts and your marriage. These practical 120 devotional readings will help you apply biblical truths to deepen your relationship, communicate better, understand each other, learn about what pulls you apart and how to stay together, raise your children, and share a future filled with growth and appreciation of one another.

• GRACE FILLED MARRIAGE is written by Tim Kimmel, published by Worthy Publishing. This is a great book. It’s so true that the missing ingredient in most marriages isn’t love; it’s grace. Love inclines us to get married. But we need grace to keep that love healthy, strong and committed. In Grace Filled Marriage Kimmel explores questions such as: – How can you show grace when all your spouse seems to do right now is frustrate you? – How do you show grace without being taken advantage of? …Whether your marriage is just beginning, seems healthy, or is struggling on life support, a deeper understanding of the power of grace will help it not just survive, but thrive.”

Also:

• THE LOVE DARE is written by Alex Kendrick, and Stephen Kendrick, and is published by B&H Books. This “best seller that has sold five million copies and was major plot device in the popular movie Fireproof. It is a 40-day challenge for husbands and wives to understand and practice unconditional love. Whether your marriage is hanging by a thread or healthy and strong, The Love Dare is a journey you need to take. If you desire greater intimacy, friendship, and fulfillment in your marriage, let it begin where millions have started. With a dare. It now features revised chapters, new bonus material, and access to a free online marriage evaluation.”

• Mission Possible Spiritual Covering is written by D. L. McCarragher, published by Alabaster Box. We HIGHLY recommend this book to those who are dealing with the issue of being unequally yoked in their marriage. In this book, not only does the author share wonderful insights the Lord has given her that helped in her own unequally-yoked marriage, but the added Scriptural references, Bible Study Application Questions and Reflection Points make this a valuable resource as well.

It gives the reader the opportunity to grow deeper in her own spiritual journey as our Wonderful Counselor further uses His Word to expand her faith. This would make a great gift to give to those who are struggling with this issue in their marriage. It would also make a GREAT resource for small group Bible studies for women in similar circumstances.”

More Spiritual Matters Links to Resources

• Moments Together For Couples is written by Dennis and Barbara Rainey, published by Regal Books. This book has a year’s worth of inspiring daily devotionals that will re-energize your marriage and help you stay in close contact with God and your spouse. It touches on the issues that are central to your marriage. Plus it helps you and your spouse grow in love and friendship. It has 365 quick-reading devotionals that take you straight into God’s heart for your marriage. Also, it has discussion starters and prayer suggestions at the end of each reading to get you talking and praying with your spouse.

• Moments With You: 365 All-New Devotions for Couples is written by Dennis and Barbara Rainey, published by Regal. In the pages of this devotional, “the Raineys offer just what couples need to get started or to continue growing in their quiet times together. These short biblical devotions are enjoyable and easy to use, providing a daily discussion point, prayer and Scripture reference.”

• Night Light: A Devotional for Couples is written by James and Shirley Dobson, published by Tyndale Momentum. This daily devotional offers the personal, practical, and biblical insights that have sustained the Dobson’s marriage for forty years and encouraged couples and families around the world. Night Light can enrich your marriage too —tonight and every night.

Plus:

• NIV Couples’ Devotional Bible is published by Zondervan. This Couple’s Devotional Bible is designed to help you build your relationship on the one foundation you can count on: God’s Word. The devotions cover many topics, including communication, work and career, sex, money, fears, setting goals, step parenting, forgiveness, and more.

It has 260 weekday devotions by contributors such as Jennifer Schuchmann, Wayne Brouwer, and Carla Barnhill and 52 weekend devotions include advice from bestselling writers, marriage therapists, and pastors, including Les and Leslie Parrott, Gary Thomas, Bill and Lynne Hybels, John Townsend, Henry Cloud, and Gary Smalley —Weekend devotions also contain tips, helps, quizzes, activities, and a ‘Let’s Talk’ section that promotes application and interaction —Book introductions —Subject index, list of contributors…and more.

• One Marriage Under God: Building an Everlasting Love is written by H. Norman Wright, published by Multnomah. This is a book that will help you see things from God’s perspective, clarifying the institution of marriage as God originally created it—a beautiful committed, eternal bond. Dr. Wright helps you see how this bond leaves only one option for anyone who’s ever said I do: Make it work, no matter what! This book gives insights on: Whether you married the “right” or “wrong” person is entirely up to you… God has a good plan for every marriage… Your marriage needs to be re-created daily… and more.

Additionally:

• Sacred Marriage: What If God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy is written by Gary Thomas, published by Zondervan. This is one of our favorite books. It talks about the mystery of God’s purpose in marriage. It makes the point “your marriage is more than a sacred covenant with another person, it is designed to help you know God better, trust him more fully, and love him more deeply.” Some of the questions posed and discussed in this book are, “What if God’s primary intent for your marriage isn’t to make you happy, but to make you holy? What if your relationship isn’t as much about you and your spouse as it is about you and God?” This is a great book for you both to read together as marriage partners in Christ!

• Soul-Healing Love is written by Drs. Beverly and Tom Rodgers, published by Selah Publishing Group. This book is about dealing with our own woundedness hand-in-hand with God, and then applying what we have learned to other areas of our lives such as marriage and parenting. The Rodgers tell of their own soul-healing journey and then explain the “map” they have learned to teach others to take on their own healing journey. Sprinkled throughout this book are case studies of actual couples who have learned to use the Soul Healing Love Model successfully.

Plus:

• SPIRITUALLY SINGLE: Living with an Unbelieving Husband is written by Jeri Odell, published by Beacon Hill Press. As the author Jeri Odell (who has been married for 29 years and has persevered alone in her Christian walk for nearly 23 of those years) says,

“This book is written for you, my sisters in Christ. My 20-year journey as an unequally yoked Christian woman has left me with many memories to share. Some of those are sad, some happy; all carry the fingerprints of Christ. I pray that you’ll see Him in each life lesson, for without Jesus I would have no story to tell, no victory to claim. My hope is that you’ll avoid the mistakes I’ve made. I recently read this quote: ‘If you can’t be a good example, then you’ll just have to be a horrible warning.’ Please heed my warning, learn from my failures, and do it right the first time.”

Also:

• SURVIVING A SPIRITUAL MISMATCH IN MARRIAGE is written by Lee and Leslie Strobel, published by Zondervan. In this book you will read of the Strobels who were high school sweethearts whose marriage seemed to have been made in heaven. They enjoyed a good life with two children and experienced few problems until Leslie became a committed Christian, much to the dismay of her husband, a confirmed atheist.

• The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus is written by Lee Strobel, published by Zondervan. An explanation from the author: “Maybe you too have been basing your spiritual outlook on the evidence you’ve observed around you or gleaned long ago books, college professors, family members, or friends. But is your conclusion really the best possible explanation for the evidence? If you were to dig deeper —to confront your preconceptions and seek out proof —what would you find?”

That’s what this book is about. In this quest for truth, Lee Strobel used his experience as a legal affairs journalist to look at numerous categories of proof —eyewitness evidence, documentary evidence, corroborating evidence, rebuttal evidence, scientific evidence, psychological evidence, circumstantial evidence, and even fingerprint evidence.

Additionally:

• The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity is written by Lee Strobel, published by Zondervan. This is the perfect book for the intellectual, the doubter and the inquisitive. It’s a great faith builder. As a tough interrogator and a skillful communicator, Lee Strobel addresses several tough subjects on his quest for answers. Some of them are: “Since evil and suffering exist, a loving God can not —Since miracles contradict science, they can’t be true —God isn’t worthy of worship if He kills innocent children —It’s offensive to claim Jesus is the only way to God —A loving God would never torture people in Hell”, and more. He also addresses evolution, violence in church history, and doubting.

• The Love Dare Day by Day: A Year of Devotions for Couples is written by Stephen and Alex Kendrick, published by B&H Books. This devotional encourages and challenges couples toward new steps in faith and love with 365 marital encouragements, reminders, and action points worth repeating year after year. Unconditional love is eagerly promised at weddings, but rarely practiced in real life. As a result, romantic hopes are often replaced with disappointment in the home. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. Whether your marriage is hanging by a thread or healthy and strong, The Love Dare Day by Day is a journey you need to take. It’s time to learn the keys to finding true intimacy.

Plus:

• The One Year Devotions for Couples is written by David and Teresa Ferguson. The 365 meditations in this couples’ devotional are arranged around 52 themes. There is one theme for each week of the year —such as affection, compassion, forgiveness, etc. Scripture passages, real-life stories, prayers, and daily challenge questions give couples a dose of truth, encouragement, and direction to strengthen their marriages. Husbands and wives will learn to give and receive love in a whole new way.

• The One Year Love Language Minute Devotional -written by Dr Gary Chapman, published by Tyndale House. This devotional goes through the different ways people can express and receive love. This every day devotional has a selection from Scripture, an insightful message about communicating love, and a prayer. Spend this year growing closer to those you love most.

• The One Year Love Talk Devotional for Couples is written by Drs Les and Leslie Parrott, published by Tyndale House. In this devotional, Les and Leslie provide the help couples need to connect and communicate every day. This practical, uplifting guide will help anyone who longs to experience a stronger relationship and better communication. Each day’s devotion offers an inspirational quote, a selection from Scripture, and an insightful message about communicating love and growing closer to the one you care about the most. These easy-to-follow daily readings focus on loving each other the way God loves us.

More Spiritual Matters Links to Resources

• The Power of a Praying® Husband is written by Stormie Omartian, published by Harvest House Publishers. In 20 short, easy-to-read chapters, Stormie Omartian shares how you can intercede for your wife in areas where she longs for your prayers —her emotions and moods, her spiritual walk, her motherhood, her priorities, her sexuality and more. There are also personal stories from well-known Christian men, as well as advice, prayer ideas, and words from Scripture that will help you shape your requests to God.

• The Power of a Praying® Wife is written by Stormie Omartian, published by Harvest House Publishers. What a wonderful book this is! In it, Stormie Omartian shares how God has strengthened her own marriage since she began to pray for her husband concerning key areas of his life. Along with real-life illustrations Stormie also includes sample prayers and “power tool” verses that inspire and encourage —to help wives rest in the assurance of God’s wonderful promises of restoration, renewal, and growth in marriage.

Something that Stormie says about this book is important to note. She says, it’s “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. You are to rely on God’s power to transform you, your husband, and your marriage. It’s a way to invite God’s power into your husband’s life for his greatest blessing. This will ultimately be yours, too.” This is a terrific book that we highly recommend!

Additionally, we recommend:

• The Power of a Praying Wife Prayer and Study Guide is written by Stormie Omartian, published by Harvest House. This inspiring 16–week prayer and study guide will help women apply the life changing direction of Stormie Omartian’s bestselling The Power of a Praying® Wife. While lifting up their husband’s emotional, professional, sexual, and spiritual well–being to God in prayer, women will discover deeper intimacy in their marriages.

Stormie shares her personal experience of praying for her husband at a difficult time in their marriage as she guides readers through insightful, revealing questions that get below the surface and allow each woman’s prayers to be specific and unhindered. Great for individual or group study.

• The Power of Prayer to Change Your Marriage is written by Stormie Omartian, published by Harvest House Publishers. This book helps husbands or wives pray to protect their relationship from 14 serious problems that can lead to unsatisfying marriages or even divorce. For those who are already struggling in these areas, this book will help them find healing and restoration. Readers will learn how to pray about everything from communication breakdown to struggles with finances and raising children, misplaced priorities to anger, unforgiveness, and sexual frustration, pornography and infidelity to depression and addictions.

Plus:

• WHEN A BELIEVER MARRIES A NONBELIEVER is written by Bebe Nicholson, published by Priority Publishing. This book is designed to present a clear, distinct course of action the believer can follow to influence an unbelieving or “unspiritual” spouse toward greater faith. Although it is God who ultimately draws us to Him, He uses us for the accomplishment of His purposes here on earth. Just as He works through missionaries who spread His message to the remotest regions of the world, he will sometimes work through the believing spouse to share His message of true salvation and joy with the unbelieving partner.

• When Couples Pray is written by Cheri Fuller, published by Multnomah Publishers. As Cheri says: “The reality is that half of all marriages today end in divorce, both for Christians and non-Christians. Studies show that simply attending church does not guarantee a happy marriage or divorce-proof a relationship. However, couples who pray together regularly report enjoying the most satisfying marriages of all —and the divorce rate for praying couples is less than 1 percent!” This should give us all the more incentive to bond together as a family unit in prayer.

Lastly:

• WHEN HE DOESN’T BELIEVE: Help and Encouragement for Women Who Feel Alone in Their Faith is written by Nancy Kennedy, published by Waterbrook Press.This book supplies hope for every wife who wonders if God has not heard her prayers for her husband’s salvation. Nancy writes with humor. And yet she writes straight from the heart.  She also provides Biblical tools, websites, and books for additional help and information.

• WINNING HIM WITHOUT WORDS is written by Dineen Miller and Lynn Donovan and is published by Regal Books. This book “presents 10 Christ centered keys to thriving in a spiritual mismatch. Readers are encouraged to release their spouse to God’s capable hands. By doing so they will find peace in their relationships with Christ and with their spouse. Plus the reader is to continue their pursuit of a growing faith and to love their spouse with fresh enthusiasm. God wants every marriage to exude peace and love. Winning Him Without Words empowers readers to create that environment in their homes as God works.”