Description

Elizabeth is a family expert and a marriage and family coach. She presents some insights on why individuals need to reflect and discover what there is in marriage and family before, in her book Christian Marriage Preparation for Family Sustainability: The Challenge. The book gives a brief overview of marriage preparation’s in the current situation by revisiting various contexts, African, Christian and Jewish marriage preparations. The main idea is finding out what marriage entails and what is in it before a lifelong commitment.The book also presents firsthand experiences as shared by different couples regarding what sustains marriage and what contributes to its failure. The bottom line here is each marriage is as unique just as each individual is, and so it takes two to make it work or fail, without ignoring the fact that marriage is also communal. The most striking question is, are couples of today prepared for marriage or the wedding? Which is fundamental, marriage or wedding preparation? Find out!

Individuals’ attitudes towards the concept of marriage preparation is another unique aspect of this book. Although marriage preparation is core to marriage sustainability, alone cannot guarantee the success of the marriage. It takes each party’s effort into making sure their marriage works for them and their children. The author of this book highlights some aspects that seem simple but destabilizes marriage and family, such as lack of self-awareness of one or both and poor communication in all areas. Find out from the experiences of those who have been there before you what has worked for them and what did not and why. The book also gives high hopes to the young people that, though there is a loud cry on marriage instabilities, the good news is that, “A large number 57.5% of the marriages are stable, 17.5% are unstable, or 12.5% are very stable” (p.65). In addition, marriage is the most relevant and compelling institution of human society deserving reverence and protection by all means and by all people. This is because it makes us who we are, giving us security and dignity. Its success or failure is both individual and collective responsibility.

The book is insightful and uses straightforward language. The tone used is also friendly to the reader and is an excellent research work for anyone seeking to understand the concept of Christian marriage preparation and how it contributes to sustainability. This book is worth reading and plays an indispensable role in addressing some of the essential components of any marriage ignored or overlooked by many institutions and individuals in today’s society.