A Lasting Promise

The revised edition of the bestselling Christian guide to a happy marriage For more than fifteen years, Scott Stanley's A Lasting Promise has offered solutions to common problems—facing conflicts, problem solving, improving communication, and dealing with core issues—within a Christian framework. Thoroughly revised and updated, this new edition is filled with sacred teachings of scripture, the latest research on marriage, and clear examples from the lives of couples. The book's strategies are designed to help couples improve communication, understand commitment, bring more fun into their relationship, and enhance their sex lives. Lead author Scott Stanley is co-director of the Center for Marital and Family Studies at the University of Denver and coauthor of Fighting for Your Marriage, which has sold more than a million copies. Offers reflections on how to enhance anyone's marriage over the long term and avoid divorce Covers recent cultural shifts, such as dealing with the endless technological distraction and issues  with social networking New themes include the chemistry of love, the life-long implications of having bodies, and how to support one another emotionally Uses illustrative examples from couples’ lives and rich integration of insights from scripture This important book offers an invaluable resource for all couples who want to honor and preserve the holy sacrament of their union.

Acknowledgments vii Introduction xi Part 1 Foundations 1 1 Naked and Unashamed 3 2 Communication Danger Signs 16 3 Asking God: Praying for Your Marriage 34 4 We Found Your Keys 51 5 Talking Without Fighting 69 6 Finding Solutions to Problems 86 Part 2 Complexity 107 7 Jars of Clay: Why Bodies Matter 109 8 Handling Events, Understanding Issues 131 9 Unraveling the Mysteries of Expectations 150 10 Protecting “Us” in iWorld: Marriage and Technology 170 Part 3 Deeper Connection 189 11 Positive Bonding: Keeping Fun and Friendship Alive 191 12 Touch and Sexual Oneness 207 13 Got Your Back: Carrying Each Other’s Burdens 220 Part 4 The Promise Is Lasting 241 14 The Power of Commitment 243 15 Forgiveness and Restoration 264 16 Spiritual Blessings and Intimacy 283 17 Onward 297 Appendices 301 Appendix A Getting More Help with Serious Problems 303 Appendix B Resources from PREP ® 309 Appendix C Research and Scholarly References 313 Notes 319 About the Authors 321 Index 323 Scripture Index 335