Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married

Front Cover
Moody Publishers, Sep 1, 2010 - Religion - 160 pages

OVER 500,000 COPIES SOLD!

“Most people spend far more time in preparation for their vocation than they do in preparation for marriage.”

With more than 45 years of experience counseling couples, Gary has found that most marriages suffer due to a lack of preparation and a failure to learn to work together as intimate teammates.

So he put together this practical little book, packed with wisdom and tips that will help many develop the loving, supportive, and mutually beneficial marriage they envision, such as:

  • What the adequate foundation for a successful marriage truly is
  • What to expect about the roles and influence of extended family
  • How to solve disagreements without arguing
  • How to talk through issues like money, sex, chores, and more
  • Why couples must learn how to apologize and forgive


Ideal for newly married couples and those considering marriage, the material lends itself to heart-felt, revealing, and critical conversations for relational success.

Read this bookand you’ll be prepared for—not surprised by—the challenges of marriage.

Bonus features include:

  • Book suggestions and an interactive websites to enhance the couples’ experience
  • “Talking it Over” questions and suggestions to jumpstart conversations over each chapter
  • Appendix on healthy dating relationships and an accompanying learning exercise


 

 

Contents

Introduction
9
Chapter One That being in love is not an adequate foundation for building a successful marriage
15
Chapter Two That romantic love has two stages
21
Chapter Three That the saying Like mother like daughter and Like father like son is not a myth
33
Chapter Four How to solve disagreements without arguing
41
Chapter Five That apologizing is a sign of strength
51
Chapter Six That forgiveness is not a feeling
65
Chapter Seven That toilets are not selfcleaning
75
Chapter Nine That mutual sexual fulfillment is not automatic
93
Chapter Ten That I was marrying into a family
101
Chapter Eleven That spirituality is not to be equated with going to church
115
Chapter Twelve That personality profoundly influences behavior
127
Epilogue
145
Appendix Developing a Healthy Dating Relationship
149
Notes
163
Resources
165

Chapter Eight That we needed a plan for handling our money
83

Common terms and phrases

About the author (2010)

GARY CHAPMAN, PhD–author, speaker, counselor–has a passion for people and for helping them form lasting relationships. He is the #1 bestselling author of The 5 Love Languages series® and director of Marriage and Family Life Consultants, Inc. Gary travels the world presenting seminars, and his radio programs air on more than 400 stations. For more information, visit his website at www.5lovelanguages.com.

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