Point Them in the Right Direction Before They Walk Down the Aisle Married couples begin their lives together with a vow of lifelong love and devotion . . . but many walk down the aisle unaware of all that promise entails. Now you can help engaged couples make their vows with open eyes and hearts, fully prepared for the hard and rewarding work of building a strong and lasting Christian marriage. Created by FamilyLife, one of America's leading marriage and family ministries, Preparing for Marriage is a dynamic, comprehensive premarital education program designed to lay the foundation for biblical, fulfilling marriage. As a supplement to Preparing for Marriage, the Preparing for Marriage Leader's Guide is an invaluable tool for pastors, premarital counselors, mentor couples, and small group leaders. Inside is everything you need to help engaged couples establish a lasting relationship built on an unshakable foundation: Jesus Christ. The Preparing for Marriage Leader's Guide will help you: * Counsel an engaged couple or lead a small-group study for couples * Share God's unique blueprints for marriage and the home * Help couples discern God's will for their relationship * Provide practical guidance on finances, responsibilities, and intimacy * Evaluate a couple's readiness for marriage after counseling * Create a mentoring couples program and develop mentoring relationships * Build healthy, Christ-centered marriages in the Church

Samuel and Rebecca Rainey, preteens themselves not many years ago, add their perspective as young adults who vividly recall their own successes and failures as teenagers. Covering such topics as friends, peer pressure, boundaries, dating, and sex, the Raineys address the most common traps of adolescence and teach young people how to avoid making poor choices. Short, concise chapters are filled with engaging illustrations and practical applications. This book is essential reading for preteens.

You're in love, and it's the real thing. You have made a joyous decision together--a decision destined to change your lives forever: You're getting married! Now, as you plan your wedding celebration, it is time to lay the foundation for a lifetime of love and romance. Today you can begin the important, lifelong task of building a strong Christian marriage. Created by FamilyLife, one of America's leading marriage and family ministries, Preparing for Marriage is a dynamic, comprehensive program designed to help you prepare for life together after the cake is cut and the guests head home. That is when the real adventure begins--the adventure of creating an intimate, lasting, and biblical marriage! Inside you'll find eight sessions of fun, romantic study that will help you target areas for growth in your relationship. You can work through Preparing for Marriage as a couple, with a pastor or premarital counselor, or with a small group. Don't just plan your wedding . . . prepare for your marriage!

Over half of all marriages end in divorce. We hear stories all the time about what went wrong. But how often do we hear about what goes right in the marriages of couples who stay together? Here is a collection of wisdom and insight on what makes a marriage work over the long haul-and what makes couples able to stand up and affirm that "they still do" after all these years. Featuring popular speakers from the "I Still Do" rallies and marriage conferences sponsored by FamilyLife, this upbeat collection will inspire couples everywhere to remain committed to the sacred covenant of marriage. Contributors to " We Still Do" include: Dennis and Barbara Rainey, Dan Allender, Bob Lepine, Gary and Barbara Rosberg, Joseph Stowell, Rod Cooper, Crawford and Karen Loritts, Tim and Darcy Kimmel, Dr. Gary Chapman, Steve Farrar, Gary Smalley, and many more. Also includes study guide for group or individual use.

Take Time Out of Each Day to Relax and Grow Together In the midst of the stress and pressure of everyday life, Moments Together for Couples will give you and your mate a chance to pause, relax, and draw upon the strength of the Lord. This easy-to-use devotional helps you set aside anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes every day with your spouse to grow closer to God and closer to each other.

By God's design, romance is supposed to be the flame in the fireplace of marital intimacy. Yet far too many Christian couples feel cheated because their marriage produces as much spark as a book of wet matches. Others have neglected to fan the flames of passion for so long that they have lost hope of experiencing romance.

Rekindling the Romance, now available in trade paper, is organized into short, biblically-based chapters. Packed with practical insight, this tastefully candid and inviting resource provides the Christian couple with the keys to unlock their relational and sexual intimacy.

Countless married couples end up living alone - in the same house. Over twenty-eight years of conducting "Weekend to Remember" conferences have convinced Dennis and Barbara Rainey that isolation is the number-one problem in marriages today. But they believe it's possible to overcome "marital drift" and experience the miracle of oneness. This book provides a positive, workable strategy for keeping your marriage vital and intimate. Included are proven principles and hands-on exercises to help you:

• understand the personal and cultural forces that isolate you from your spouse
• manage your schedules, workloads, roles, and responsibilities without losing sight of each other
• allos for (and enjoy) individual differences while maintaining unity
• build an atmosphere of cooperation by meeting each other more than halfwey
• "affair-proof" your relationship (or heal it after the fact)
• grow closer duing hard times instead of letting your troubles pull you apart
• create a "safe" atmosphere for transparent communication
• discover the secrets of a mutually rewarding sex life
• leave a legacy of love and unity to your family and friends

Previous Edition: 0-8499-3343-9

Self-esteem is either the crippler or the completer of the marriage relationship, says Dennis Rainey. From their personal and seminar experiences with thousands of couples, Dennis and Barbara Rainey have found that one of the most vital, yet most often missing, ingredients in a marriage today is the diligent effort on the part of each spouse to build the other's self-esteem.

From Marriage and Family Experts Dennis and Barbara Rainey Dennis and Barbara Rainey have spent decades helping families find biblical help to strengthen and transform family relationships. Through radio broadcasts, conferences, and other events, they have been teaching on the foundations necessary for building godly families. Now they bring insights and expertise gleaned from those years of ministry, as well as from their own personal experience of raising six children, to The Art of Parenting. Expanding on parenting themes shared with FamilyLife audiences in person and on the radio, Dennis and Barbara offer trusted advice on how to establish Christian values in your home. In The Art of Parenting, Dennis and Barbara will help you to experience God's truth and apply his Word in your family by focusing your attention on four crucial elements in your children's lives: 1. Identity--understanding who they are in Christ 2. Character--learning to live wisely and honorably 3. Relationships--fostering godly connections with others 4. Mission--understanding why they are here When you apply biblical truths in these four areas, you can feel confident your children will have a foundation they can build upon for the rest of their lives.

There is nothing traditional about the typical family of the twenty-first century, and so it follows that ministering to today's families presents an assortment of new challenges. Rainey believes that the resources needed by the church to confront and combat family problems do exist, and "Ministering to Twenty-First Century Families" is a user-friendly guide to combating the destruction of the family unit. Offering practical solutions and encouraging action, Rainey calls for a "roll-up-your-sleeves" approach to healing weary families.

"The FamilyLife Bible."

With articles and insights by Dennis and Barbara Rainey, "The FamilyLife Marriage Bible" covers many of the issues facing husbands and wives: resolving conflict, communicating effectively, raising Godly children, rekindling romance together, loving difficult family members well, and more. God does not intend for husbands and wives to navigate the great mystery of marriage without Him. "The FamilyLife Bible" will point them in the right direction.

Features include:

• Devotions for Couples
• Romance tips, quotes, and notes
• Parenting Matters - articles on raising children God's way
• Biblical Insights articles
• Family Manifesto - FamilyLife's biblical model of a Godly family
• 8-page Family Tree presentation section
• Topical Index

The Raineys offer an upbeat and practical manual for marriage to guide couples through the challenges they face as they start their lives together.

What is the true secret to spiritual growth for couples? Dennis and Barbara Rainey know from experience that the secret is more moments together. When you are lifting up your relationship and the rest of your life together to God, you won't be able to keep the spiritual growth from happening. In the pages of Moments with You, the Raineys offer just what couples need to get started or to continue growing in their quiet times together. These short but poignant biblical devotions are enjoyable and easy to use, providing a daily discussion point, prayer and Scripture reference. Married couples desiring a deeper spiritual connection with God and their spouse will come to treasure their time spent over Moments with You. For married couples of all ages and at all stages of life.

A Study Guide to Equip Couples for Life.

"FamilyLife Bible Study for Couples" helps couples--and those who are one half of a couple--explore the issues facing husbands and wives: resolving conflict, communicating effectively, raising godly children, rekindling and maintaining romance together, loving difficult family members, and more.

With firm biblical grounding, this seven-week study has applications for personal growth, individual reflection questions, and discussion questions for couples and small groups.

Trustworthy Stepfamily Expert Offers Single Parents a Guide to Dating
Single parents who are dating or want to begin a dating relationship wonder, "How will dating affect my children and my parenting?" They probably have figured out that "dating in a crowd" is complicated. Now they're looking for help. Ron Deal, who has counseled single parents and remarried couples for many years, helps single parents--as well as those who date them--navigate the potential pitfalls involved. He gives perspective on when a relationship may be harmful to the children as well as how it can be a blessing to all. Always at the forefront is the goal of strengthening families. Includes questions for individual or group study.