“A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” In truth, a fulfilling marriage takes more than two individuals to succeed. Whether it is your personal faith in God, trained counseling, enrichment seminars, reading resources, or support groups – building successful marriages and healthy homes takes hard work and strong commitment.

Realistically, not every day is a “Maui romantic day” (not even on Maui!), so we want to use this web page to introduce couples to helpful books, web sites, and marriage enrichment seminars that address the issue of learning how to live life together after the “I dos” (also known as the real world!). Our commitment is to search out faith-based and non-sectarian organizations and authors that are focused and skilled on helping keep marriages and families together, and on a path to fulfilling, lifelong relationships.

 

Recommended Web Sites:

 

www.marriagebuilders.com

The Marriage Builders® site was created out of the successful marriage counseling and effective writings of Dr. Willard Harley, Jr. You will be introduced to some of the best ways to overcome marital conflicts and some of the quickest ways to restore love. This is a great site for practical relationship enrichment books and regional seminars. Also it is an excellent source for repairing a marriage after the heartache of infidelity. Dr. Harley’s successful approach to building marriages can help you build yours, too.

 

www.smartmarriages.com

This web site was developed by the “Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couples Education,” an organization that serves as an information exchange and clearinghouse to help couples locate marriage and relationship courses; to help mental health professionals, clergy and lay educators locate training programs and resources; to connect those with an interest in the continuing development of the field; to support community initiatives, legislation and research; and to promote the effectiveness of the courses and increase their availability in the community. The Coalition is non-denominational, non-partisan, and non-sectarian.

 

www.dnaofrelationships.com

Life is relationships—the rest is just details. Gary Smalley has been writing and speaking about successful relationships for years. He says that “we are designed for three satisfying relationships: with others, with ourselves, and with God. It's part of our relational DNA. Our brain has been wired by God to hunger for safe, satisfying, emotionally based relationships. When our relationships are weak, we suffer in many ways: health, addictions and life fulfillment. This web site is a storehouse of books, articles & conference opportunities to help you discover how to have an enriching, loving life.

 

www.realrelationships.com

Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott, a husband-and-wife team, who share the same passion for helping others build healthy relationships, are the founders of the Center for Relationship Development on the campus of Seattle Pacific University - a groundbreaking program dedicated to teaching the basics of good relationships. Each year the Parrotts speak live to over one million people in more than 40 cities nationwide and internationally. Their audiences include a wide array of venues, from churches to Fortune 500 company boardrooms. Their books have sold over one million copies in more than two dozen languages, and include best-selling and Gold-medallion winner Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts.

 

www.familyfirst.net

Family First attempts to strengthen the family by establishing family as a top priority in people's lives and by promoting principles for building marriages and raising children. At Family First, they try to reach out to a wide variety of people through the common ground of the family via their Family Resource Center and the Family Minute daily radio broadcast.

 

http://bettermarriages.org

The Association for Couples in Marriage Enrichment is an international, non-profit, non-sectarian organization whose purpose is to promote better marriages by providing enrichment opportunities and resources that strengthen couple relationships, increase intimacy and enhance personal growth, mutual fulfillment and family wellness.

 

Recommended Books:

	“Before You Say ‘I Do’” by H. Norman Wright & Wes Roberts A great workbook for brides and grooms who are serious about better understanding each other as they prepare for a fulfilling lifetime marriage with their future mate. Click here to Purchase from Amazon.com
	“Fall in Love, Stay in Love” by Dr. Willard Harley, Jr. Being in love is vital to a happy marriage. And it's "a feeling that can be sustained indefinitely," says Dr. Willard Harley as long as the right conditions are met. In Fall in Love, Stay in Love he outlines those conditions and shows you how to meet them in your marriage. Click here to Purchase from Amazon.com
	“His Needs, Her Needs” by Dr. Willard Harley, Jr. This book is designed to change the course of a marriage. Using a conversational style, Dr. Harley helps couples understand why their best intentions are not enough to prevent marital incompatibility. Couples must do more than want to meet each other's needs--they must actually meet them! Dr. Harley describes the ten emotional needs of men and women. He helps you identify which are the most important to you and your spouse, helps you communicate them to each other, and helps you learn to meet them. Click here to Purchase from Amazon.com
	“Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts” by Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott Whether you’re contemplating marriage, engaged or already married, the book Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts will help you discover the myths of marriage, identify your love style, bridge the gender gap, fight a good fight, and much more. Click here to Purchase from Amazon.com
	“Saving Your Second Marriage Before It Starts” by Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott This book is an entire course in premarital counseling. The Parrotts explain the importance of becoming "soulmates." Prepare for your second marriage with nine crucial questions to ask before you remarry. Click here to Purchase from Amazon.com
	“The Five Love Languages” by Gary Chapman Dr. Gary Chapman talks about how different people express love in different ways. Some people are verbal, expressing their love in words. Others may never speak their affection, yet they show it by the things they do. Sadly, many couples look to receive love the same way they give it, misunderstanding their spouses. This can lead to quarrels, hurt feelings, and even divorce. However, if you understand each other's love languages, you can learn to give and receive love more effectively. Click here to Purchase from Amazon.com