Sacred Marriage: What If God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy?

by Gary L. Thomas

Book Overview

What if God designed marriage to make you holy instead of happy? What if your relationship isn't as much about you and your spouse as it is about you and God?

In Sacred Marriage, bestselling author Gary Thomas uncovers the ways that your marriage can become a doorway to a closer walk with God and with each other. Join over one million others who have already uncovered Thomas's tips for fostering a sacred marriage.

Within the pages of Sacred Marriage, Thomas invites you to see how God can use your relationship with your spouse as a discipline and a motivation to love God more and reflect more of the character of his Son.

In addition to life-changing insights from Scripture, church history, and time-tested wisdom from Christian classics, you'll find practical advice and techniques to make your marriage happier by becoming holier husbands and wives.

In Sacred Marriage, Thomas will give you all of the tools you need to:

Turn marital struggles into spiritual and personal appreciationLove your spouse with a stronger sense of purposeConfront your weaknesses and sin in order to grow your relationship with God and with your spousePartner in the spiritual growth and character formation of your spouseTransform a tired marriage into a relationship filled with awe and respect

Thomas reveals that sacred marriages teach us to love God and others well by fostering a healthy sex life, a strong prayer life, and a rich spiritual life. God uses our marriages to help us grow in character, in prayer, in worship, and in service--we just have to recognize that the purpose of marriage is holiness, not happiness.

Each copy also includes thought-provoking discussion questions designed to spark conversation between couples and small groups, allowing you to dive deeper into the lessons that Thomas shares in Sacred Marriage.

Join the one million others who have already started on their journey to transforming their relationship with their spouses and with their Creator.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0310337372
• ISBN13: 9780310337379
• Release Date: August 2015
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 18 years and up

Customer Reviews

I always wanted this book!

A biblical instructional book that I always wanted, I'm so excited to read it.

Marriage is sacred

Love this book and it’s insight in marriage relationships. Great gift

Got a participant guide not the actual book

I ordered the Sacred Marriage book and got a guide. The guide is based off a DVD and notes some chapters in the book to read. If you don't have the access to the dvd or book already guide is sorta pointless. The Sacred Marriage book is actually a great resource for couples.

Beat expectations

My wife and I read two books when we went through counseling with our pastor. I particularly found them almost useless. After we got married, I especially wanted some more practical guidance during the tremendous process of change that takes place immediately after marriage. My view of many things concerning marriage was skewed, badly. I searched for a book because it was the most convenient form of advice I'd take. I bought this book and have been most rewarded for doing so. Thomas is evangelical (a scary idea to me) but he cites many theologians from across church history to help convey his ideas and message. His anecdotes are quite absorbing yet short enough to appreciate how they relate to my own situation. My situation was mostly in terms of ideas, i.e., the ideas I had about marriage. Thomas has done much to correct them and put marriage in proper light. He doesn't try to be your friend and sound odd doing so, but he wants his readers to know how marriage is of God and used by God. As he says, marriage is not about making us happy but making us holy. Though at first this sounded way too evangelical for me, Thomas is not pietistic in his approach to marriage. He's quite realistic and grounded. The questions were very helpful as my wife and I used them as part of our reading of the book. We're not even finished with the book but we're already reaping its benefits. If you're looking for a book that will actually help you in your marriage (I'm speaking as a newly wed and this may pertain more to this demographic), then investing in this book will meet your expectations.

Life Changing!! Earth Shattering!! Incredibly Amazing Book!!

This book changed my life and literally saved my marriage. I had divorce papers on my desk filled out and ready to take to the courthouse, then this book fell in my lap. Gary is truly a God send. Honestly, I thought at first that his wife must have written the book and signed his name to it because I have NEVER read a book by a man that had such insight about women. There is not enough space in this little box to describe how this book has changed my life and the way I view marriage completely. It should be REQUIRED READING for any man who dares to utter the words "Will you marry me?" Incredible, Awesome, Fantastic book. For me it was sent straight from from the throne of God. I knew this when I opened to the 3rd page and cried my eyes out. It said "For Lisa" I can't rave enough about this book. Get it! Get copies for all of your family and friends. Hand it out on street corners. The divorce rate in this country will be cut in half!! It's AWESOME!! A "must read" for all married Christians. Thank you Gary and thank you God for making Gary.

Awesome

I can't think of another word to describe this book than - awesome. I am rarely impressed with books these days but this one really moved me deeply. This is only the second review I have written.A great companion book would be The RoMANtic's Guide -- it speaks about finding the "man" or "woman" in romance -- not caving in to the impersonal commercial approach to romance most people do these days. It was very enlightening and helpful.

A refreshing refresher!

I found Sacred Marriage to be one of the most honest and practical reads on marriage in a long time. It doesn't portray a lily-white Christian this-is-how-it's-supposed-to-be picture of man and wife, instead it fosters great acceptance of the way things really are in marriage, with a view on the greater purpose of growing closer to God, both individually and together. A worthy book for any library, and a refreshing book for any marriage that is wearying on the road to holiness.