Countdown for Couples: Preparing for the Adventure of Marriage (Focus on the Family Books)

Research and common sense indicate that engaged couples will eventually have stronger, more successful marriages if they get good premarital counseling. Many churches now require such counseling, yet many Christian couples still enter marriage without that preparation. Countdown for Couples will fill that void. It will help couples learn about each other, and themselves individually, as well as their relational skills and compatibility as a couple.From the AuthorSusan loves to connect with her readers. Connect with her today.Visit SusanGMathis.comand sign up for her newsletter. That way you'll always be up-to-date on her latest news.How can readers learn more about you?Website: SusanGMathis.comFacebook: facebook.com/SusanGMathisTwitter: twitter.com/@SusanGMathisInstagram: instagram.com/susangmathisPinterest: pinterest.com/susangmathisautGoodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/6044608.Susan_G_MathisGoogle+: plus.google.com/u/0/108568340293012416399Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.Countdown for CouplesPREPARING FOR THE ADVENTURE OF MARRIAGEBy Dale Mathis Susan Mathis Tyndale House Publishers Inc.Copyright © 2008 Dale and Susan MathisAll right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-58997-485-2ContentsAcknowledgments...................................................................................xiPreface: Getting Started..........................................................................11 A Marriage of Three: What's God's View of Love and Marriage?....................................72 Ready or Not: Are You Ready for a Lifelong Commitment?..........................................193 Surviving or Thriving: How Do You Meet Each Other's Needs?......................................374 Great Expectations: What Should You Expect in Your Marriage?....................................515 Beautifully Different: Can Your Differences Be Gifts from God?..................................636 Loving Communication: How Do You Express Love?..................................................777 Rules of Engagement: How Do You Fight Fair?.....................................................938 Let's Make Cents: How Do You Navigate Your Financial Life?......................................1119 A Productive Partnership: How Do You Handle the Nitty-Gritty of Daily Life?.....................13110 The Intimate Mystery: What's God's Design for Sexual Intimacy?.................................14311 It's a Family Affair: Why Is Family Such a Challenge?..........................................15712 The Great Adventure: What Do You Do with the Rest of Your Life Together?.......................171Notes.............................................................................................183Recommended Resources.............................................................................187Chapter OneA Marriage of ThreeWhat's God's View of Love and Marriage?I [Susan] was so excited. Dale and I had driven to Estes Park, Colorado, to get away and visit some friends. We sat gazing at the beautiful mountains, asking question after question of each other and discussing the possibility of our future together. Before considering marriage, we had promised to reveal our thoughts, fears, goals, and needs to each other completely.After our time in the mountains, every night for several weeks Dale and I went through lists we'd made of things we wanted to know about each other-everything from how we were raised to finances to roles and goals to expectations and pet peeves to sex and health issues to our relationships with God, and so much more.As adults, we had both been single for more than a decade. We'd been deeply hurt by our earlier failed relationships, and we worried that we might not be able to be successful in the future. Although we had tried to learn all we could about love, relationships, and God's plan for marriage, being open and honest with each other made us feel very vulnerable. We r