Book Review: Love That Lasts

I recently finished reading Love That Lasts, when Marriage meets grace, by Gary & Betsy Ricucci. The book continually reminds us that marriage is about offering grace to your spouse. Grace is the only way that we can grow in Christ and together. Each chapter depicts a certain aspect of marriage. I will give a brief summary of each chapter.

Chapter 1:The Journey of a Lifetime (Where it all begins)- This chapter tells us what marriage is "Marriage was created by God and belongs to Him and exists for His glory."

1. "God's grace is constant everyday of our marriage."

2. The local church is vital for any marriage to grow. "It is the local church-Christians living a shared life biblically before God and one another-that will ultimately secure the place and role of marriage and family from generation to generation."

Chapter 2: Leading with Love (The Role of the Husband)-"We see in Adam and Eve that man and woman are equal in value, yet different in their roles of submission, ordination, and leadership, following the very pattern of the Godhead."

1."The role of the husband doesn't begin at the altar-it begins with the atonement...at the cross."

2. Husbands are to: love her graciously, love her sacrificially, love her redemptively, love her with understanding, and love her with honor.

3. Husbands are to lead their wives, this isn't just a position-it is a service husbands are to provide.

"Our role originates in the gospel, is empowered by the gospel, and is perfected through the gospel."

Chapter 3: Walking in Wisdom (The Role of the Wife)-

1. Here are some ways to cultivate a heart of love for our husbands: pray for him and with him, learn to understand him, communicate in ways that serve him, demonstrate physical affection to him, and enjoy shared activities with him.

2. We are to respect our husbands in public and private. There are practical examples of respectful thoughts and deeds we can do for him.

3.Great quote:"Submission is our divine calling, designed by God, not man!" When we submit joyfully to our husbands, we are being like Christ who submitted joyfully to his father.

Chapters 4-6 Deal with Communication and Conflict Resolution

All three of these chapters are gospel driven and based. We must be willing to forgive, to offer grace to our husbands. We must communicate with them about our desires, needs, and spiritual walks. We must be willing to humbly listen to their counsel, advice, and leadership about all these aspects of our lives. We must not let pride get in the way, which is the biggest temptation in marriage. We need to allow each other the freedom to probe and analyze our attitudes and motives in the light of God's grace and truth. The gospel must be the center of our resolution.

There are many practical examples of how to resolve conflict and check motives and attitudes.

"The gospel reminds us that nothing done to us, no matter how wicked, will ever surpass the wickedness done by us, to the holy Son of God."

Chapters 7-8 Deal with Romance and Intimacy

These two chapters are very practical about how to romance each other and the beauty of sexual intimacy. They provide us with examples of romance and intimacy straight from the Song of Songs and things that get in the way of both. I like how we are reminded that romance is something to be practiced and learned throughout your marriage. Dating each other is very important, and I am glad to have someone point out the necessity of it.

This book is a great read for any married couple or engaged couple. It offers Biblical and practical help on all the issues of marriage. I would strongly recommend this book to everyone.