Review: Sacred Influrence: How God Uses Wives to Shape the Souls of Their Husbands by Gary Thomas

Synopsis: If you're sick of all the ways you've tried to bring about change in your marriage---the silent treatment, nagging, one-way discussions, or pleading---it's time to set aside those broken methods for a Christ-based approach. This book demonstrates how women can inspire, influence, and help their husbands move in positive directions. Replacing your plan of action with God's leads to a marital transformation where both partners are moving in sync, the way God intended. Gary Thomas draws concepts from his bestseller, Sacred Marriage, and outlines practical applications you can start using today. He also shows how marriages were transformed through these methods employed by real-life women. In these pages, you'll also find a fresh perspective to help you understand your husband: the view of the marriage relationship through a man's eyes. Thomas gives you insider information on how men think, feel, and can truly be motivated (from the back of the book)

Review: I routinely read books on marriage, a habit I instituted shortly after I got married and based on the advice of a pastor I knew. I read Thomas' book "Sacred Marriage" early on and consider it the best book one marriage I've read. This one I would recommend for any wife, particularly those who are struggling. I myself am struggling on some areas and found God speaking to me through this book, speaking to my heart and mind. I could go on about it, but a better choice is give you quotes and let you decide for yourself

"A good marriage doesn't happen by accident, and a good marriage isn't maintained by accident" ~ pg. 35

"How is [God] using your marriage to teach you to love?" ~ pg 40

"Even if your husband never changes; even if every bad habit, every neglected responsibility, every annoying character trait, stays the same - then, for your own spiritual health, you need to learn how to love this man as he is." ~ pg 56

"You husband, because he is your husband, deserves respect." ~ pg 64

"Now comes the hard part: will you give your husband what God has given you" ~ pg 66

"Because God's plan seems to go against my nature doesn't mean I question God's plan; it means I submit to His will and ask Him to help me overcome my natural and sinful weaknesses." ~ pg 86

"Your greatest temptation to sin is when someone first sins against you. But their sin never justifies your sin." ~ pg 94

"Phileo is a practical kind of love that is other contexts can mean "to be in the habit of." ~ pg 125 (speaking of Titus 2:4, how young women should love their husbands)

"Your first goal as a sister in Christ is to help your husband more fully express the image of Jesus" ~ pg 140

"If change was going to transform her home, it would have to begin with [me]" ~ pg 161

"What's it like being married to me & What's it like hearing the words I say?" ~ pg 180

"Be patient" ~ repeatedly said

"Whether your husband is spiritually mature, immature or in between, your heavenly Father likely will call you to love him and to sacrifice on his behalf" ~ pg 220

"Marriage is about choosing to allow the strong points of your marriage to be the dominant points, the areas you choose to focus on" ~ pg 232

"In a mature marriage, romance is maintained only through hard work, deliberate choices, and concrete actions." pg 240

Bookmarks: 9 of 10

Awards: None

Date Finished: 4-16-2011
Pages: 251