I Do Again:With their professional success and adorable twin daughters, Jeff and Cheryl Scruggs looked like the perfect couple. But their polished facade concealed a widening chasm between two people unable to connect on an intimate, soul-deep level.
After years of frustration, Cheryl’s desire for emotional fulfillment led to an affair and, finally, divorce. Yet, incredibly, seven years later, Jeff and Cheryl once again stood at the altar, promising to “love, honor, and cherish” one another. A new and vibrant love had risen out of the ashes of this family’s pain.
I Do Again details the fascinating real-life story of a couple whose relationship seemed shattered beyond all hope until a spiritual awakening led them to reconsider their definitions of “happily ever after.” A riveting account of the power of prayer and redemption, this remarkable book offers renewed hope for even the most troubled marriages—and reveals why the rewards of restoration are well worth the wait.
Author Bio:
Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs are the founders of Hope Matters Marriage Ministries, and for the past several years they have shared their incredible story of a marriage restored with audiences across the nation. Jeff is an account manager with OshKosh B’Gosh, and Cheryl has served as director of the Frisco, Texas, office of the Center for Christian Counseling. They live in Dallas, Texas with their two college-age daughters.
The Love As A Way Of Life Devotional:In his book Love As a Way of Life, best-selling author Gary Chapman shows readers how to cultivate a new lifestyle built around the seven characteristics of authentic love. Now in a companion devotional, he provides ninety inspirational readings to help Christians consistently live out the characteristics of love in every relationship.
Each devotional entry showcases biblical truths that guide a life of love, offering fresh insight and practical guidance in how to make love a lasting habit. Over the course of three months, readers will learn to follow God’s lead as they practice the characteristics of a loving person: kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty.
The Love As a Way of Life Devotional makes an ideal gift for the holidays or for any special occasion. Couples, parents, new graduates, and anyone celebrating a milestone in life will welcome this inspiring daily guide to richer, more satisfying relationships.
Author Bio:
Dr. Gary Chapman is the author of twenty-six books, including the New York Times bestseller The Five Love Languages, with more than 4 million copies in print. His daily radio program, A Love Language Minute, is broadcast on more than 100 stations nationwide. Dr. Chapman, a graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Wheaton College, Wake-Forest University, and Southwestern Seminary, serves on a church staff in North Carolina.
For Couples Only Box Set:Since their debut, these revolutionary guides have sold well over a million copies, been translated into fifteen languages, and sparked much fascinating water-cooler conversation around the country. Now together in the For Couples Only boxed set, these books provide the perfect resource to help you understand what you never knew about the woman or man in your life.Each volume is based on input from more than a thousand members of the opposite sex—including an unprecedented nationwide survey and hundreds of personal interviews. This innovative approach yields candid and surprising answers about everything you don’t “get” about your significant other—even what that person deeply wishes you knew. It also produces simple but groundbreaking awareness of how you can best love and support the one who is most important to you.
So whether you are newly dating or have been married fifty years, get ready to know each other in a whole new way. The adventure is just beginning!
Author Bio:
Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn hold graduate degrees from Harvard University and are popular national speakers, authors, and entrepreneurs. They are also active church members and the parents of two young children, and they enjoy every minute of living life at warp speed.
Did I mention a giveaway?! I have two of these complete sets to give away here. Two of you will get all the books mentioned in this post! To enter, leave a comment on this post by 8:00 p.m. tomorrow night (Wednesday, 2/11). Because this is such a phenomenal giveaway, I think it deserves a little more thought than a knee-jerk "enter me" comment. So to be included in the drawing, please include one of the following in your comment: 1) a way you recently showed love when it would have been easier not to, 2) one thing about love (marriage, kids, friends, in-laws, anyone) you wish you had known when you were 20, or 3) your favorite Valentine memory. Continental US residents only, please. I'll draw 2 names tomorrow night or Thursday morning!
Happy Loving Reading!
Valentine picture credit: stock.xchng
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12 comments:
in my 20's, i worked harder to have my independence than trying to visit my parents as often as possible...I know it was important for me to learn my independence but I should have spent more time with them, asking their opinions...even if I was not going to take it.
don't take their presence for granted when you're younger because we don't know what tomorrow will bring...my dad died at age 63. And, I had lost that time with him...days I wish I could bring back.
My 20's were emotionally driven, and I wish that I had known that real love is not purely emotional. The first time I heard that as a young 20's at a marriage retreat, I scoffed thinking that such a statement was coming from people who had to plod through marriage and so the emotion had died. I was sure that I would fervently (emotionally) love my new husband with the same intensity I did while we were dating, engaged, & newly married.
Yes, not so much. When the hard times hit, by God's grace I remembered that statement and began to test it, biblically. Reaping the value of real love not being purely, solely emotional kept our marriage afloat during deep emotional lows. Loving my husband now has a fullness to it that I give praise to God for first giving to us.
One way I've recently showed love when it would have been easier not to...Well, the fact that my husband & I aren't going through a divorce is evidence of us both showing love when neither of us wanted to or when neither of us were being very loveable. I'm learning that love is a choice and a decision - not just a feeling.
I haven't been able to find the one marriage book that the hubs will read. Maybe if I win one of these, it'll be "the one" for him!!??
Thank you Linda!
Yay, I am keeping my fingers crossed for a big win!
One thing I wished I knew about love when I was a teenager, was that those you love the most will not always live forever. My granny died when I was eighteen and I so wish I could talk to her today. There is so much I would love to know, and even though I thought I knew so much about her, I would of loved to be able to talk to her about my children. good times, frustrations, and anything about my daily life! I miss her! Although I have the love in my heart and the great memories, I wish then I took advantage of the present day love for her!
My favorite Valentine memory was my rehearsal dinner. Yep, we got married the day after Valentine's day. I remember going to sleep that night after staying up half the evening giggling with my maid of honor that it was my last night as a single woman and that as of tomorrow, I would be married to the most awesome man in the world. We really don't celebrate Valentine's since our anniversary is the 15th (we feel it's a little overkill) so my "last" Valentine's celebration was definitely my best!
Good idea with making it tougher! OK let's see here.
One of the things I just did this morning was something I didn't do! After my husband left I had found something he swore we didn't have. My first instinct was to call him and tell him so, but that little voice inside me said, NO that would be spiteful and he deserves more.
The one thing about kids I wish I knew was really how tough it is to raise kids these days! I know I probably wouldn't have listened and thought "well that won't happen to me" but it is such a struggle sometimes to always make the right decisions. I also think that it is so important when raising kids to always be able to talk things out with your spouse, and to try really hard not to let the stress of issues effect the two of you.
A few years ago my husband surprised me by getting a babysitter and then taking me 1 hour and 15 minutes away to my favorite light house. It was dark when we got there, but he stopped where we could see the light and gave me the sweetest card. Then because there weren't that many restaurants in a closed down resort town we when to a bar in a nearby town and Steve had a 1 lb hamburger!
Thanks for the giveaway Linda. I've heard the one couple talk on FamilyLife or Focus on the family.
O.K. I do not read well. Don't you think I should get extra credit for answering all three! TEE HEE Oops! You can delete this after reading and just know that I am a ditzy blonde from the north whose brain has frozen!!!!
I wish I had known the joys of submission earlier in my marriage. I think that some of our rough patches would have been smoother had I committed myself to biblical womanhood from the very start.
This is such an awesome giveaway! I can't think of anything better for Valentine's Day then a few good books to read...
Xandra
Yippeee for a Valentine giveaway!
I have a favorite Valentine memory.
On Friday, Feburary 13, 1998 I was given a handmade Valentine card asking "would you be my Valentine" from a cute boy over lunch with friends in the Bean at ACU. Then we both went our separate ways for the weekend to our hometowns so we didn't even spend Valentine's Day together. I think I gave him my yes answer on Sunday when we got back to college. I'm still his Valentine today. :) We're going back this weekend too since the 13th is on Friday again this year.
One thing I wish I had known in my 20's is that "Leave and Cleave" is vital. I invited my mom into our marriage for a long time and it was...well, very tough. I could write several chapters on marriage as I am preparing to teach a seminar on "The Mystery of Marriage." If I win these books, I'm going to share some that day.
Ok I am going to answer number 1 because it happened last night and is fresh in my cluttered skull...
i was on a video call with my husband and he asked me why after all that is happening that I was able to talk so lovingly to him, and I frankly told him because well we are all human and make choices that are hurtful..I have made plenty of those myself so why should I let my words cause more damage.
Okay, one thing about love that I am STILL working on knowing is that you can't always act how you feel. I am NOT a morning person, therefore there a plentiful number of days I'd rather pull the covers over my head and hit the snooze button ohhhh... about 20 times or so. However, about 5 years ago my husband pointed out that my morning blahs really added a good deal of sress to the day for him and the kids. Since then, I've made a real effort to wake up each morning and start the day by counting my blessings and praising my Lord. It's amazing how much this helps me greet my family cheerfully and speak encouraging, loving words for them to carry with them throughout the day!
pitkin5@comcast.net
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