Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Money and Marriage

Lets face it, earning money and managing t wisely is necessary for anyone's marital well being. Far too many couples who were once blissfully caught up in a romantic hot air balloon find themselves falling from the sky shortly after the financial realities of married life begin to ran down. A consistent cash flow and prudent allocation of resources is a fundamental cornerstone in married life.

If you are contemplating marriage or in one that is struggling due to financial woes, you will find considerable help in the following resources by Larry Burkett. During his life, Larry was a well known Christian author and teacher on the topic of stewardship and family finances.

Money In Marriage

Money is an enormous issue in marriage. This workbook helps couples understand the principles of Godly stewardship and helps guide them through a process that can help them get on the same page with their financial goals.

To learn more about this workbook click the link below:


www.christianfamilyguidancecenter.com/addresource_marriage.html



The Financial Planing Handbook

There are countless books on ths topic but this one brings Biblical principles into the matter. If you are a Christian and want to plan for your future in a way that honors God, this book can get you on the right path. It is filled with practical wisdom and spiritual truth.


To find out more about this resource go to:

www.christianfamilyguidancecenter.com/addresource_marriage.html



Giving & Tithing

What about giving and tithing? Is it still relevant for today? We believe it is not only relevant but extremely important to the flow of God's blessings in your life. This book will lay the scriptural foundation for giving and tithing. It will also emphasize the importance of this practice today for Christians who want to honor God by planting wisely into His kingdom.

You can find this resource at:

www.christianfamilyguidancecenter.com/addresource_marriage.html


To explore resources relevant to other topics in marriage or Christian lfe please visit our Christian Books St. Louis site at:

www.christianbooksstlouis.com

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Resources for Your Marriage

Here are some of our most highly recommended resources for strengthening your marriage. Each resource has been approved for use in our counseling practice. That means it has met the litmus test of being sound from a Biblical/Scriptural perspective and provides information that is also well researched in the behavioral sciences.


The DNA of Relationships

Gary Smalley has been a major contributor to Christian marriage counseling for many years. This book, written in conjunction with Dr. Gary Smally, reveals that we were created to have relationship with God, ourselves and others. He unveils what he refers to as the "destructive dance" that is at the heart of all conflict. He then reveals new dance steps that will help us find harmony with our three relationship arenas. As a Christian counselor, I enjoy the creative manner n which Dr. Smalley conveys Biblical truth that helps couples change their perceptions and behavior in a way that honors God and is kind and respectful to others.
For more information click the link below:

www.christianfamilyguidancecenter.com/addresource_marriage.html



The Five Love Languages

If you attend church, your pastor has no doubt mentioned Dr. Gary Chapman's book, The Five Love Languages. This is a great book for helping couples learn how to connect at deeper emotional levels. A recent study on the effectiveness of marriage and family therapy revealed that most marriage counselors were simply trying to teach couples conflict resolution skills. What really works is when the therapist helps the couple reconnect at a deep emotional level. This book is highly recommended by many because it helps you find that deeper connection. For more information click the link below:

www.christianfamilyguidancecenter.com/addresource_marriag


His Needs / Her Needs

Dr. Willard Harley Jr. helps couples recognize that men and women get married for different reasons. That is they often have different sets of gender specific expectations. The key is for men to learn how to fulfill their wife's deepest desires and for women to learn what their husband needs. At Christian Family Guidance Center, we often refer to Dr. Harley's research when helping both marital and premarital couples.


www.christianfamilyguidancecenter.com/addresource_marriage.html


The Marriage Builder


This book was written by Dr. Thomas Whiteman, a licensed Christian psychologist and developer of the "Fresh Start Ministry". The goal of this book is to offer struggling couples a tool kit of "solution focused" methods to improve their communication. It is written in a pragmatic "user friendly" fashion. Click the link below for more information:

www.christianfamilyguidancecenter.com/addresource_marriag

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Safe Haven Marriage

The secret to a growing and vitalized Christian marriage is to cultivate the home as a safe and loving harbor. It should be a place where husbands, wives and children can feel safe, secure and renewed. Most couples, however, are unaware at the time of their courtship of how their prior family patterns, expectations and perceptions will impact their adjustment to married life. This book, written by Dr. Archibald Hart (a pioneer in the Christian counseling field) and his daughter Dr. Sharon Hart Morris, is one of the best guides available to help couples cultivate a sense of mutual safety in their communication, conflict resolution and intimacy in their marriage and family relationships. The book is filled with practical examples of the most typical patterns and problems that trouble marriages. If you and your spouse ever feel "anxious and unsafe" when discussing important matters this book offers much help in navigating to a place of love and safety. To obtain this resource at the most reasonable cost click

www.christianfamilyguidancecenter.com/addresource_marriage.html

Love & Respect

In this resource, Dr' Emerson Eggerichs discusses the" Love" a wife desperately desires n her marriage as well as the "Respect"every man earnestly longs for. A famous Christian psychologist who hosts a nationally syndicated radio program on family issues thought this book was so significant he sent copies out to Christian counselors across the country. There have been many good books on love and communication in marriage but few have addressed the issue of how a woman can connect more deeply with her husband by demonstrating the behavioral cues he recognizes as respectful. To obtain this resource at the most reasonable cost click here:

www.christianfamilyguidancecenter.com/addresource_marriage.html


For Better or Best / If He Only Knew

These two books are early classics by Gary Smalley. They are great for any Christian couple that want to further develop their marriage together. For Better or best focuses on how a woman can draw her husband toward her by recognizing how a man thinks and responds.
If He Only Knew is for the husband. It will help him become much more aware of how a woman thinks and perceives and give him practical advice on how he can express more tenderness and loving affection. For more information click here:

www.christianfamilyguidancecenter.com/addresource_marriage.html



Resources for the Problem of Infidelity


No pre-marital or newlywed couple ever anticipates that the crisis of infidelity could occur in their marriage but sadly, this does unthinkable problem does impact some marriages. When it happens people need competent professional or pastoral counseling. Please see our article on this topic at: http://christiancounselingstlouis.blogspot.com/

The Myth of Greener Grass

This book, written by J. Allen Peterson is no longer in print but can be obtained through resources on our website. It is a very good book for someone who is struggling with the matter of faithfulness in their marriage and one that has helped many find their way back to peace and safety.



Hedges

Jerry Jenkin's book, Hedges is to the previous resource in some ways but it also focuses on much on the boundaries that couples must keep to safeguard their marriage after an affair. The information is also helpful for couples as a preventive educational tool.



Torn Assunder

This book was written by Dave Carder helps people understand the dynamics and types of affairs that can occur. It speaks to parties on both sides of the infidelity.




Love Must Be Tough

Love Must Be Tough is a book you must have if your spouse is cheating on you or has some other compulsive problem that is destroying your marriage. It is probably one of Dr. Dobson's most significant contributions to hurting families and Christian helpers.




To obtain these resources go to:

www.christianfamilyguidancecenter.com/addresource_marriage.html

For additional help, contact us at : www.christianfamilyguidancecenter.com

or: 636-394-5553

Blessings,

Mike Miller MEd, LPC, LCSW