The Marriage Challenge – A Book Review

The first thing I must say about this book is – It should be mandatory reading prior to getting married.  That is right, I felt this book would be a great tool in marriage – even those of us already married can ascertain valuable insights and help from this book.

 

Art Ranier has broken down a financially successful marriage into 12 chapters, with an additional 4 chapters to highlight issues, as he calls them marriage dividers, that can hinder your success as a couple.

Don’t get me wrong this book is NOT a God wants you to be rich heresy, but rather a step by step plan to live biblically with your finances.

 

One of my favorite parts of the book are the challenges at the end of each chapter for couples to do together.

 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.  A must read

 

https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/the-marriage-challenge-P005805333

What Am I Here For?

The very first talk on a Lutheran Via de Cristo weekend is called “Ideal.”  The premise of the talk is that everyone has an ideal in life;  a goal they are aiming toward.  It’s this goal that gives life meaning.

Now, we can have a good ideal (living to serve others) or a bad one (the one who dies with the most expensive “toys” wins).  We can have a realistic ideal (owning our own home or business) or an unrealistic ideal (becoming the queen of England). We can devote ourselves to a false ideal (such as a political party or candidate) and be devastated when it proves to be disappointing.  The big problem is we often fool ourselves and fail to recognize and admit what our ideal really is.  For example, I may tell myself I am working 60 hours a week in order to support my family (a laudable goal) when what I actually desire is just more money to spend on luxuries, or the admiration of others.

The talk ends with some practical advice I’m going to share with you.  Examine your checkbook and your calendar.  Look hard at how you are spending your money and your time.  Remember, we all find the money and the time to do the things we really want to do.  So, does your stewardship of these things reveal an ideal worthy of a disciple of Christ?  Or does it show you something else?  What is your true ideal?