Product Details
- Cover Type:
- 304 Pages
- Publisher: New Growth Press
- Publication Date: August 2010
- ISBN: FSMITHWITMARRIAGEMATTERSEXTRA9781935273615
Marriage Matters: Extraordinary Change Through Ordinary Moments
Listen to an episode of Christ the Center entitled Christ and Marriage. (Reformed Forum)
Publisher's Description
Can Ordinary Marriages Become Extraordinary?
He snapped at her at breakfast. She brought up a past mistake. He walked out angry. She left without saying good-bye. Just one day in an ordinary marriage. But what if things could be different? What if the ordinary moments of annoyance, conflict, pain, or cold indifference could become moments to understand God’s incredible agenda for love and begin something new?
This book offers a simple, yet powerful prescription for changing marriages one ordinary moment at a time. Change begins with understanding how and why small disagreements evolve into major problems, taking practical steps to love one another more effectively, and learning how to take those same steps over and over again. Interactions that used to devolve into pointless annoyances and fights can become opportunities for God’s love to become increasingly evident and powerful. Winston T. Smith takes abstract, biblical principles and applies them to the concrete details of life so that ordinary marriages can become extraordinary.
About the Author
Winston T. Smith, M.Div., is a counselor and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF) and has extensive experience as a marriage and family counselor. In addition to the Marriage Matters book, he is also the author of two Marriage Matters companion products: Marriage Matters Manual Facilitators Guide, and Marriage Matters Study Guide.
Endorsements (${ productEndorsements.length })
“It is impossible to capture the genius of this outstanding book in a few short sentences. Winston demonstrates how we can turn our ordinary marital disappointments into opportunities for growth in love, faith, and intimacy. Rich in exegetical insight, exquisite theology (don't miss the chapters on conflict and division: superb!), and warm pastoral insights all presented in a simple and flowing style, this book can help to make your marriage sing. My only regret is that I did not surrender the marriage course to this wise man much, much sooner.”
John Bettler
Former Executive Direction of the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation
"Winston Smith combines serious reflection on the Bible with very practical insights in marriage. Married couples and those contemplating marriage can greatly benefit from his wisdom.”
Tremper Longman III
Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies, Westmont College; author of Breaking the Idols of Your Heart and Intimate Allies
“Marriage Matters is a vital resource for every married couple and for those who counsel couples. Winston’s honest transparency about his own marriage and the depth of Biblical insight and counseling experience combine to reveal the true heart of Christian marriagea deepening understanding of the manifold grace of God at work in His children. Winston gets itand he’ll help you get it too! This will be required reading for my students.”
Jason Barrie
Lecturer in Marriage and Family Counseling, Westminster Seminary California; Associate Pastor, Rocky Mountain Community Church
“Too often, couples are resigned to settle for fewer conflicts and minimal hurts in their marriage. Marriage Matters is incredibly hopeful and empowering to help couples feel "unstuck" and move toward growth. Winston offers practical insight and suggestions to engage these ordinary moments and frames marriage as the context to experience God’s extraordinary love. He shows us that our ability to love is not dependent on the lovability of our spouse, but a reflection of having our entire lives oriented around our love for the living Godthis is worship. In this deepest sense, Winston shows us that marriage truly matters.”
Judy Cha
LMFT, Director of Counseling, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, NYC
“Through his own transparency as a husband and his expertise as a counselor, Winston Smith offers very rich, yet very practical insight on how to function relationally from a divine frame of reference. Marriage Matters brings the rich theology of Scripture from the abstract to the real-life, from the cerebral to the experiential, offering couples amazing truth that holds the potential to completely reshape their view of relationship. Very refreshing. Very encouraging!”
Jeremy Lelek
M.A., L.P.C., President, Association of Biblical Counselors
“The strength of this book is the way it takes biblical principles, applies them to the ordinary moments in marriages, and then shows how to connect to Jesus for the change we need. Again and again he brings us to ChristHis Will, His Way, His Wisdomuntil we find Him in the ordinary moments of life. It is a book every couple should study, apply, and share with others.”
Rose Marie Miller
Missionary; Bible teacher; author of From Fear to Freedom
“Marriage Matters is different from and goes deeper than many of the other biblically based books on marriage. In keeping with the Scriptural emphasis on being Christ-centered and heart-centered in all of life, this book helps Christians see what being Christ centered and heart centered actually means when applied to the marriage relationship. After personally perusing this volume, my recommendation to all married people is: read the book and apply its contents and, if you do, you will have a marriage that truly matters.”
Wayne Mack
Professor of Biblical Counseling at Grace School of Ministry, Pretoria and Capetown, South Africa; author of Preparing for Marriage God's Way
“Marriage Matters will help you. If my own experience is a measure, it will help you. Too much advice, I get lost. Give me spiritual inspiration alone, I get motivated until . . . until I don’t get what I want. Winston draws both inspiration and practical advice together. Even more, he will keep them in front of you until you have a rich vision that leads to specific action. He is nice about it, but he definitely wants to see us grow and change.”
Edward T. Welch
Ph.D., Faculty and counselor at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation; author of Depression: A Stubborn Darkness and Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest
“Winston Smith reminds us that there are no ordinary moments in a marriage. With a wonderful understanding of the grace the Lord exhibits in small things, Smith gives us the resources to understand our heart’s response to ordinary moments with our spouse in order to create an extraordinary marriage.”
Bryan Chapell
Ph.D., President and Professor Practical Theology at Covenant Theological Seminary, St Louis, Missouri; author of Each for the Other: Marriage as It's Meant to Be
Product Description
Listen to an episode of Christ the Center entitled Christ and Marriage. (Reformed Forum)
Publisher's Description
Can Ordinary Marriages Become Extraordinary?
He snapped at her at breakfast. She brought up a past mistake. He walked out angry. She left without saying good-bye. Just one day in an ordinary marriage. But what if things could be different? What if the ordinary moments of annoyance, conflict, pain, or cold indifference could become moments to understand God’s incredible agenda for love and begin something new?
This book offers a simple, yet powerful prescription for changing marriages one ordinary moment at a time. Change begins with understanding how and why small disagreements evolve into major problems, taking practical steps to love one another more effectively, and learning how to take those same steps over and over again. Interactions that used to devolve into pointless annoyances and fights can become opportunities for God’s love to become increasingly evident and powerful. Winston T. Smith takes abstract, biblical principles and applies them to the concrete details of life so that ordinary marriages can become extraordinary.
About The Author
Product Details
- Cover Type:
- 304 Pages
- Publisher: New Growth Press
- Publication Date: August 2010
- ISBN: FSMITHWITMARRIAGEMATTERSEXTRA9781935273615