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The first time I ever prayed for my marriage was a night that my hopelessness had turned into desperation.

 

I went into my five year old bedroom as she slept. Turned on her desk lamp and sat in the corner to cry.

 

We went to bed angry that night. Our argument only stopped because of mental exhaustion from the both of us.

 

I felt so much discord between us that even laying next to him in bed gave me knots in my stomach. I think it was because of fear in me. Fear that he was going leave to work in the morning and chose to never come back.

 

What reason would he come back?

To be entangled into another argument? To be wrapped up in selfish words of how he is not fulfilling my needs or wants? Who wants to be struggling in a marriage that is falling apart thread by thread?!

 

If I woke up with knots in my stomach, what more was he feeling?

Insolation? Depression, desperate, unvalued? Emasculated?

 

As I sat in the dim lighted room trying to not make my tears known to my sleeping daughter and especially to my husband that was sleeping a room away I sighted a book that was stuffed into my daughters built in bookcase.

 

The book was given to me two years prior on Easter Sunday from my mom. She had neatly gifted it in between a bunch of goodies in a Easter basket for me and the kids. Though already married with children, my mom still continued to do her tradition of gifting her children on Resurrection Sunday.

 

Each book I had received throughout the years was always full of hope, encouragement, and ultimately of God’s word. I would stash each one my daughter’s  bookcase to fill the voids in between the preschool library books.

Marriage books become my training ground for the battles in my marriage. #marriage Share on X

One glance of that book that night urged me to stand to my feet and reach for the shelf.

It was titled: The Power of the Praying wife. I will never forget the purple colored covered as I opened the book. The first words I read in the book was, “Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning.”

 

That was the moment that altered my life. It was the beginning to fighting the greatest fight I have ever fought. It was the beginning to knowing who God is and was.

 

“Lord please let there be joy in the morning. Please God, please!!” That was my prayer. Joy in the morning. .

 

Without books during my hardship in marriage I honestly do not think I would have fought so hard or learned how to fight for the most loved people in my life.

 

Marriage books become my training ground for the battles in my marriage.

Due to little money, I would spend four to five nights a week at Barnes and Nobles bookstore in my favorite hidden corner with my two children. Our routine each night was to go to the kids corner, grab three books each, go to the Christian self help section grab a handful of books for me, then head to our favorite spot with snacks and water.

10 Christian books that will encourage you to fight for your marriage. #Marriagehelp Share on X

We would sit there any average of two hours a night as I devoured Christian Marriage books reading testimony after testimony, theology standpoint on Christian marriage after standpoint, and every biblical encouragement to preserve that I could find.

 

Learned pretty quickly not all books, though Christian foundation, had scriptures in the books, only references, so I would carry my pocket bible with me each night and cross reference every scripture. I would highlight and write pages of notes or copy by hand paragraphs that gave me revelation or encouragement.

 

Those old notebooks are still stored and still weathered with tears and anointing oil that I would have on my hands as I wrote those pages.

 

Those pages are marks of my fight.

 

Imagine the fight you are in now, would you be able to write the entire story of it? Would your heart be healed enough to transfer words for others to read?

 

Possibly not but those writers did and was. Due to their perseverance, I was able to grow as a wife. I was given God moments from the power of their writing.

Related Posts: 

Seven things to never say when fighting with your spouse. 

67 Things to say to your husband to encourage him.

When your marriage is under Spiritual Attack.

Here are ten books that will encourage you to fight for your marriage:

 

The Power of a Praying Wife: 

As I mentioned earlier in the post, this book was pivotal for me. Each chapter is on a different topic relating to your husband. The writer give specifics moments in her life that she was led to pray for her husband within the topic then finishes every chapter with powerful prayers. I still go to this book for specific prayers for my husband and is always the first book I recommend to any wife, no matter the years of marriage. 

The Power of a Praying Woman:

I know this book is not specifically on marriage but trust me when I say this book will help you strive through many obstacles. Whether in your marriage, at work, through insecurities, and so much more. Which ultimately all refers back to your marriage because marriage is the one of the biggest parts of our life. 

The Love Dare: 

The Love Dare was the first actionable devotion I did in purpose of restoring my marriage. After watching the movie, Fireproof, I was highly encouraged to push forward and fight for the gift of marriage. It returned to me abundance. My attitude, my hope, my perceptive on marriage was drastically changed through the book. It was something I looked forward to do everyday. 

Wife after God: 

The author of this book, Jennifer Smith is the Blog creator and Ministry leader of Unveiled Wife. I have been following her for three years now and it has been so inspiring to see all that God has done in her marriage in extent of allowing God to use their testimony. Her and her husband struggled with intimacy for four years in there marriage. Nights left her crying into her pillow. Through those years of struggle they both created ministries. His is: Husband Revolution. In the past few years Jennifer has created many books that speaks right to the wife’s heart. Her vulnerability in each book is captivating and enlightening to understanding what God desires for us in marriage. 

Here are several books that I encourage you put on your book list: 

                                                               

 

The Five Love Languages: The secret to love that lasts.

Learning our spouses love language and our own will help alleviate so much frustrations. When dating my husband I was on the urge of breaking things off several times. He seemed so closed in some areas after we said, “I love you”. Once those three words were spoken, I expected a fairy tale of us becoming blissfully romantic. Though I felt like he was not feeling the void of my romance side, I knew by God’s leading he was the man I was supposed to marry. Then one day, I decided to read this book and Whoa, it opened my eyes so much. I learned I was expecting my husband to love me in a certain way but neither of us knew what it was so in those specific areas I felt a void. It was being neglected by no knowledge.

There is a quiz within the book. After taking the quiz, you can refer to how to learn how to love each other the way the other person desires. This book encourages spouses to thrive in marriage by understanding each other instead of allowing frustration to take over and give up on each other. 

Understanding the Purpose and Power of Prayer

This book has been the most influential book in my prayer life. I started reading this book at that cozy corner in Barnes and Nobles  many years ago when fighting for my marriage. It was literally the first book I spent money on. I still have it in my prayer room and read it quite often. Myles Munroe was truly anointed when he wrote this book and gave such an example of what warring in prayer is like. I can not recommend this enough to any man or woman that desires to fight for something in their life, especially marriage. I challenge you to even read the reviews of this book. You will know I am not the only that feels this strongly about the book. 

Dear Wife

Dear Wife has twenty seven ten minute devotions for wives. This book was created by a team of women expressing their own experiences in their marriage then leading you into prayer and an action for that specific invitation. I personally know some of the writers that contributed to the book and could not be happier for each of them to partake in this book. Each of their testimonies has personally awed me in God’s grace. The moment I heard this book was launching, it gave me all the hopeless love feels, knowing it was going to be the next marriage book to encourage a Jesus Christ centered marriage. 

 

Sacred Marriage:

This book is intended for self reflection in marriage which in my experience and preference that is the BEST thing you can do for your marriage. Do not concentrate on what God should do in your marriage, concentrate on what He wants you to see.

 

Last note, never forget the best book any of us can read to encourage our marriage is the Bible. Though I read many books on marriages, I never put them before God’s word. The word of God is life.

What are your favorite marriage books that has encouraged you?

How can we pray with you today for your marriage?