Monday, February 08, 2010

Post 2,200 Brings Love and War A Book Review



ABOUT THIS BOOK FROM RANDOM HOUSE

What the Eldredge bestsellers Wild at Heart did for men, and Captivating did for women, LOVE & WAR will do for married couples everywhere. John and Stasi Eldredge have contributed the quintessential works on Christian spirituality through the experience of men and the experience of women and now they turn their focus to the incredible dynamic between those two forces.
With refreshing openness that will grab readers from the first page, the Eldredges candidly discuss their own marriage and the insights they’ve gained from the challenges they faced. Each talks independently to the reader about what they’ve learned, giving their guidance personal immediacy and a balance between the male and female perspectives that has been absent from all previous books on this topic.   They begin LOVE & WAR with an obvious but necessary acknowledgement:  Marriage is fabulously hard.  They advise that the sooner we get the shame and confusion off our backs, the sooner we'll find our way through.

LOVE & WAR shows couples how to fight for their love and happiness, calling men and women to step into the great adventure God has waiting for them together. Walking alongside John and Stasi Eldredge, every couple can discover how their individual journeys are growing into a story of meaning much greater than anything they could do or be on their own.

Read an excerpt here.

In A Nutshell: Love and War is written by couple John and Stasi Eldredge who are bestselling authors who wrote a book about marriage and compared the differences of men and women.

What I Loved About It: This couple, really puts themselves out there. Throughout the book, the part that sat with me the most was from the first chapter. Stasi writes what most women would write. She wants to be "seen and valued for WHO she is, to be truly known by her husband" .  Is there not a women alive who feels their husband REALLY knows them?  The comparison to Titanic really brings home. "Jack really sees Rose, while her fiance' although knowing Rose is unhappy ignores her and fails to ask why.  Stasi also wants to lean into her husband's strength. We all want that safe place to fall. In our husband's capable hands, knowing that no matter what he is there for us and nothing bad will happen.

 Then John's part; he sees what Stasi wrote and says, "that's good to know." His desires are so different. He goes on to tell us that there is a scene in the movie Cinderella Man that almost brought him to tears. As he goes on to talk about the scene where the main characters wife runs across town just to tell her husband, "Remember who you are, I'm always behind you." Then he talks about a scene in The Man From Snowy River where a couple are alone, just the two of them, in the wilderness. And, still more where the female basically lets the man be a man and take care of her while worshiping him for the "man" he is.

John and Stasi have been married for 25 years and had never shared these very feelings with each other. Marriage is hard work and if more people where to be so open and share, really share their hopes and dreams, imagine the full, happy, life we would have.

This book, if read by most would cut the divorce rate in half.

From Differences To God - To Sex - John and Stasi put marriage in words that many people will be able to understand, appreciate and concur with.

While the book falls into the religion - self help category, I think it is much more than that. This is an honest, real book about hope and faith in finding the marriage you've dreamed of.

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

5 comments:

  1. If it helps couples find happiness, then yay!

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  2. Congrats on post 2200!! That is huge!

    Great review. I like these types of stories. I will be sure to look for it.

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  3. This book sounds fantastic. We are currently doing a bible study and one of the topics is about marriage. It has really gotten me thinking more about maintaining mine. We have been married for 20 years, and I agree marriage is a lot of work. But when you put God first in that marriage and are willing to do the work, then that is when a marriage will flourish, be it newlyweds or lifers.

    This would be a great book for every couple to have to read when the tough spots hit, after seeking the Lord first.

    Great review.

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  4. Vange, Exactly!

    Freda, I know it! Where has the time gone? I will definitely go back to the book from time to time.

    Cheryl,
    It is a great book Cheryl. This would be a great addition for your bible study group.

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  5. I am actually recommending it tonight at the bible study. We make a list of books we want and then we purchase a couple of copies to pass around. This book is going to be my recommendation. Thanks again. I appreciate it.

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