My first post in this new blog is a review of the book Living in Love, by James and Betty Robinson. I hope that you find my review helpful.
Admittedly there are almost as many books on marriage as there are couples married! Everyone seems to have their own idea of what a good marriage should look like. But what works for one couple doesn’t necessarily work for the next. That’s one of the strengths of this book. It’s not a quick fix or how-to guide to marriage. The book is an honest story of a couple’s journey toward and with each other – complete with struggles and all.
The book has four sections: beginnings, commitment, communication, and challenges. Each of these sections deals with the different areas in marriage that tend to become obstacles for couples if not properly tended to. In the beginnings section, the Robinsons share insights about how our baggage coming into a marriage can have an impact, positively or negatively, on our married life for years to come. Our baggage comes in the form of preconceived ideas about what married life will be like, the assumption that bad stuff won’t happen to us, and even some of the bad choices from our past. All of these play an integral role in the married life that we experience.
These potential hazards can easily be dealt with before they become problems. James and Betty believe that in their situation communication and commitment, or trust-building, were helpful tools. When they talk about communication and commitment they boldly speak of their faith as a major asset to the strength of their marriage.
After identifying and explaining the three keys to a successful marriage (commitment, communication, and co-operation) the authors realistically anticipate challenges. No marriage is going to be exempt from some minor speed bumps or flat tires as they put it. Knowing ahead of time some of the major challenges that many other married couples have faced could prove beneficial.
Finally, they believe it is essential to be pliable, willing to change. When couples work on their commitment, communication, and co-operation with one another while being willing to change and be flexible, there is great potential for astronomical growth together in the marriage journey.
All in all the book was well written and I believe there are several gems any married, or pre-married, couple can mine from this work. The only recommendation would be that the couple read the book together and discuss their findings.
