Love And War: Finding The Marriage You've Dreamed Of (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
John and Stasi Eldredge show how the biggest impediment to marriage is ourselves. We don't understand that this is a battle, and that we have to engage in the battle--we have to be willing to change ourselves.That's why God created marriage--as an impetus to change us towards greater holiness.And that's why so much marriage advice doesn't work. It's not about changing little things; it's about changing the heart.The book is almost poetic, and it's an easy read with a lot of great stories.My problem is that I'm a more logical thinker (think TJ on the Myers Briggs test), and this book is more for Fs (feeling types). It's mystic, it's profound, and it's beautiful. I'm not sure how practical it is, but I think for many it is exactly what they need to inspire some serious spiritual introspection, growth, and change. Worth reading as a couple. My wife liked most of it, though she hated a couple of things. I would say the same. A good summary would be three principles for a healthy marriage that the authors give about 2/3 of the way through (I'm quoting from memory here). Each partner should:- build a strong relationship with God;- deal with their "brokenness";- learn to fight for each other's welfare in the spiritual realm.The sum of these three is that marriage isn't just about two people. (So, a lot of times, we should forget about blaming our partner.) Rather, there's also a God who designed marriage to make us more like him; a spiritual enemy who wants to destroy God's plan for our marriage; and a whole lot of other people, especially family, who have passed on to us loads of stuff we have to try to fix. My wife and I have worked on these three areas since long before reading this book, but it took us years to get there. Reading someone else's journey, and having them vicariously accompany us on ours, is very helpful.
What do You think about Love And War: Finding The Marriage You've Dreamed Of (2009)?
I've heard great reviews on this book. Excited to read it with Jacob.
—thehodge
Loved the insight and honesty from the authors. Very refreshing.
—Hercules2011
OK. Some good thoughts but not life changing.
—Carmen
