Important Books for Couples

The following books are ones that I have personally read and that I have found to be very informative and useful in marriage counseling. If you read them with your spouse and they are designed for couples, remember to read them with a focus on yourself and not your spouse so as to promote an environment of "What can I do to improve" as opposed to "See! I told you so!"

You will find that the books below can improve your outlook as a person, improve your marriage, and even make your life more fulfilling!

Love and Respect - Eggerichs

This book based on Ephesians 5 is a great book which irons out specific ways you can better understand you spouse and enrich your marriage.

The Five Love Languages - Chapman

I have found on many occasions during the course of marriage therapy that couples have been expressing their love to one another in a way that was not understood by their partner. Chapman explains this in a way which makes sense and can help individuals understand their married partner in a way they never have.

Covenant Marriage: Building Communication & Intimacy - Chapman

Another wonderful book from Chapman which describes how you can have better communication and intimacy in marriage.

The Meaning of Marriage - Keller & Keller

This book offers instruction on how to have a successful marriage and to know God and love more deeply as a person.

Why You Do the Things You Do: The secret to healthy relationships - Clinton & Sibcy

This is a great book and how to understand relationships and how to have more successful ones.

Real Marriage: The truth about sex, friendship & life together - Driscoll

If you want to have on long lasting, fulfilling marriage then you should read this book.

Sacred Marriage: What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy? - Thomas

This book helped me to form my own ideas about the purpose of marriage in our lives here on earth.

His Needs Her Needs: Building an affair-proof marriage - Harley

An ingenious book about how to fulfill one another's needs in marriage.

Fall in Love Stay in Love - Harley

This book is a follow-up to His Needs Her Needs which fleshes out more of his first book.

Married. Happily. - Laurie

This is a book by Greg Laurie about oneness and harmony in marriage.

The Uncommon Marriage Adventure: A devotional journey to draw you closer to God and each other - Dungy

A great devotional for couples written by Tony and Lauren Dungy

The Love Dare - Kendrick & Kendrick

Have you seen Fireproof the movie? Great follow-up book for the movie!

Boundaries in Marriage - Cloud and Townsend

An incredibly insightful book about understanding boundaries in your marriage.

Important Books About Sex in Marriage

Sheet Music - Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage - Leman

The concept of sex in a committed marital relationship

Have a New Sex Life by Friday - Because Your Marriage Can’t Wait Until Monday - Leman

Another great book by the author of Sheet Music.

Intended for Pleasure: Sex Technique and Sexual Fulfillment in Christian Marriage - Wheat

Experiencing joy and fulfillment in your sexual encounters, solutions for sexual problems, and much more!

Worthy of Her Trust: What You Need to Do to Rebuild Sexual Integrity and Win Her Back

An excellent book on rebuilding marriage after infidelity.

Important Books for Women

Adorned: Living out the beauty of the gospel together - Wolgemuth

This book is one of my wife's favorites and has a lot of good information on the topic of submission in a biblical marriage.

The Power of a Praying Wife - Omartian

How to ask God for a great blessing on your man’s life which will in many ways lead to your own happiness in marriage.

For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men - Feldhahn

Women need to read and understand this book the same way men need to read “Every Man’s Battle”

Passion Pursuit: What Kind of Love Are You Making? - Dillow and Slattery

How to have passion in your marriage!

Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds - Wilkin

A great Bible study resource.

Lies Women Believe, Updated - Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

In this book, Nancy exposes common lies women believe that keep them from life fulfillment and living in God’s grace.

Submission is not a Four-Letter Word - Llewellyn

On the subject of submission in marriage

Important Books for Men.

Four Pillars of a Man's Heart - Weber

This is a great book about the role of a man in life and as a Christian man his responsibilities according to biblical principles.

Biblical Headship: Making Sense of Submission to Authority - Polis

How not to abuse your God-given authority in the home and instead be the sacrificial man Jesus wants you to be.

The Measure of a Man - King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. on what it is to be a man. Two influential sermons on the measure of a man.

The Measure of a Man - Getz

A book about God's standards for men who wished to be godly fathers husbands and mentors to other men.

What Wives Wish Their Husbands Knew About Women - Dobson

One of the first books I read from Dobson about marriage and women.

Being a Dad Who Leads - MacArthur

So... this book is short but sweet and lines out the steps to being a good Christian man, parent, and friend.

A Man After God’s Own Heart - George

Aspects of a man’s life often unattended to are addressed in this study.

Act Like Men - MacDonald

40 day study to being a better person and godly man.

Every Man’s Battle - Arterburn & Stoeker

A book addressing the use of or addiction to pornography.

Closing the Window: Steps to Living Porn Free - Chester

Becoming a porn-free man who understands what women are and doesn’t objectify them.

Important Books for Individuals

Boundaries: When to say yes when to say no to take control of your life - Cloud & Townsend

A great read for anyone but especially for those who feel overextended and troubled about when to say no to friends and relatives in their lives.

What’s Good About Feeling Bad? - Thomas & Habermas

A book about depression and anxiety in the Christian life.

Hope and Help for Your Nerves - Weekes

One of the best books I have ever read on the process and help for anxiety and panic disorders. See this article

Essential Help for Your Nerves - Weekes

Another great book from Weekes about anxiety. See a video

Overcoming Anxiety & Depression - Phillips

Recognizing triggers, replacing catastrophic thinking, and making lifestyle decisions which will make you feel better.

An article from a Christian on depression.

Important Books for Parents

The New Dare to Discipline - Dobson

Parenting in light of today’s political climate and helping your child to know the difference between right and wrong. Read an article

The Five Love Languages of Children - Chapman & Campbell

Your kids have love languages as well.

Gospel Powered Parenting - Farley

"I wondered, as I closed the cover, “could this be the best book I’ve ever read on parenting?” ... what I do know is that it told me exactly what I needed to hear at this moment and did so more than any other parenting book I’ve read. It had just the right combination of affirmation (your struggles are universal struggles, your joys are universal joys) and exhortation to both encourage and challenge me in all the right ways. I highly recommend it to any and every parent."Tim Challies

Important Books for Christians Seeking God.

Putting Away Childish Things - Seamands

A book about reaching your potential as a Christian.

Experiencing God - Blackaby

This is an in-depth study of the Christian walk which is incredibly insightful.

Hearing God’s Voice - Blackaby

A follow-up to Experiencing God for those who are ready to listen.

In Step with God - Stanley

Great book on understanding about this life.