Month One: Marriage Take More Than Love

Hey there,

This is going to be a short blog post for once! Earlier this year I made a resolution to read a book every month this year. Month one, January, is officially over and so is my book. So, how did it go?

Great! Well, for the most part. At one point I didn’t think I would finish it in time. But, with perseverance and the help from Noah, I did it! I read all 239 pages of Marriage Takes More Than Love by Jack and Carole Mayhall. I must say that I did get a few puzzled looks from friends and even strangers as I sat with this book in a cafe morning after morning. If I'm not getting married soon why did I choose to read the book in the first place?

The river filled with slabs of ice!

I decided to read this book because I received it as a gift from my grandmother for Christmas. I had it and so I read it. I am not planning on getting married for a little while still. But, I want to be the best I can be at anything I am; the best friend, daughter, sister, girlfriend and, one day, wife and mother. We prepare for just about everything in life especially things we are to become. People study for their careers, on how to be a parent and on how to be a good Christian. So, why shouldn’t I study about how to be a good spouse one day!? This is the second book on marriage that I’ve read. The first was Love and Respect by Dr Emerson Eggerichs and I read it with Noah. This one I read by myself but every now and again I would send a paragraph to him and sometimes I would read a chapter aloud while we were on the phone. I liked this book a little more. I found this one a little less repetitive and more discussion ensued. It covered a wider range of topics and us to talk about things. Though, they do compliment each other really well!

However, I must say that I am glad I read it on my own. This is definitely a book for married couples! If you're not you should read it separately. It has some great things to say to both the man and the women. But, some of the subjects are very touchy/intimate. Therefore, the authors suggest that a couple reads it separately before marriage and together after marriage. 

Monigram; my home away from home!

To conclude, I am glad I read the book! It's a thought-provoking and insightful book. It contains some good wisdom and did teach me some good things. It made Noah and I think and talk about things we hadn't before. However, it was not meant for me. I was not the author's intended audience. This made reading some of the chapters slightly strange or awkward. Maybe I will read it again in a few years when I am the intended audience. 

This month I am reading Do More Better by Tim Challies. It's a pretty small book so I will probably read another shorter book after. But, I'm not sure which one it'll be yet. It's winter here in Cambridge, Ontario which means it's the perfect weather for reading. I love sitting at a cafe, sipping my coffee and reading. Until next time friends,

Darcy-Rea