A book review of Simple Habits for Marital Happiness: Practical Skills and Tools That Build a Strong Satisfying Relationship by Randall Schroeder
Stars: *****
Crosslink Publishing (2020)
Christian Marriage
227 pages
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Summary: A healthy, happy marriage is built day by day through the specific, small actions that show our love. The good news is that anyone can learn the habits that create a gratifying marriage!
SIMPLE HABITS FOR MARITAL HAPPINESS is an incredible book that covers every aspect of a marriage to help you create a vibrant, rewarding relationship that grows stronger every day. Backed by over thirty years of experience, Dr. Randy Schroeder – a pastor and marriage counselor – helps you develop the habits your marriage needs.
Simple Habits for Marital Happiness
I’ve read a few books about marriage, both Christian and not. A lot of them had great advice but this is by far the best I’ve read so far.
The book may be filled with simple habits but there are tons of them. It’s not just a book of 10 habits to have a happier marriage. The author clearly knows his stuff. The habits are simple in design but may be harder to put into practice, depending on where your marriage is at right now.
The book has 90 habits. Yes 90! I was pleased to find out I’m already doing some of them but I found others my husband and I need to work on for sure. I even found a few that at first glance I though I was doing well but upon reading more, I realized I was blind to some of our problems. The more your marriage is in trouble, the more of these you probably aren’t doing.
Here are some of the habits, so you can get an idea of what is talked about:
Understand why forgiveness is so difficult
plan for marital satisfaction
safeguard sleep
make requests not demands
be cooperative, never controlling
don’t expect an A+ or even an A in marriage
avoid sarcasm
closely watch your relationships.
The habits are separated into categories such as forgiveness, practical wisdom habits, habits that promote spiritual and emotional closeness, communication habits, habits that guard your relationship, habits that keep the bond of peace and habits that secure god-pleasing financial harmony.
The habits are of course more attainable if both you and your spouse are willing to read them and work on them together. However even if your spouse isn’t willing to analyze your marriage to see what the problem areas are or isn’t willing to try new things to improve your marriage, you will find changes you can make yourself in the book.
The book is Christian and does reference God and scripture but I think this book is way better than any non Christian marriage book I’ve read. If you aren’t completely against Christian values, I suggest you try the book, even if you aren’t Christian.
The author knows his stuff. Dr. Randy Schroeder is “a licensed marriage and family therapist and pastor” and “has a lifetime of expertise in marriage, both professionally and personally.” He has been helping couples for over three decades.
Dr. Shroeder shares the KEY to a happy marriage and when you hear what it is you may roll your eyes but as I read the book, I realized he was right. You don’t want to pass up this book.
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