**Giveaway details at the end of the post!**
The day our premarital counseling workbook began addressing arguments, my husband and I were relieved. We have always been really good at arguing. It’s one of our unexpected spiritual gifts (ha!) We even told the pastor counseling us.
He was surprised.
Apparently, most couples get married believing they’ll always just get along or are caught up in love to the point that arguing has yet to cross their minds.
Not us. The Lord uniquely blessed us with plenty of practice disagreeing early on.
I mean it. The Lord gifted us with arguments.
My husband and I learned from the Lord Himself to argue well and to resolve issues to His glory. We have been taught to fight- for each other. The Lord has allowed us to experience strife- teaching us to strive to discern the Lord’s will despite our own propensities for sin.
Arguing can be to God’s glory too.
When we learn to disagree in a godly way, we learn to work in unity with the Lord to live according to His will.
That’s what The Blessings of Unity by Richard Case is about. I really enjoyed the book’s no-nonsense approach to the topic.
Married to Linda for more than 45 years, Case offers Biblical insight into one of God’s primary commands for husbands and wives: to cleave to one another. Case puts the command in context: not only is cleaving in marriage important, but it is also part of the unity of the body of Christ.
As Case says on page 35, “unity is brought about by our desire to pursue God.” We ought to seek this sort of unity in Christ’s body as the church and as couples.
The Blessings of Unity provides comprehensive Bible study examining several angles and forms of unity. I’ve never encountered a topical marriage book so structured around passages of Scripture.
Each chapter addresses challenges and strategies for unity in the context of living by God’s Word.
Being aligned with the Holy Spirit is another main theme throughout The Blessings of Unity. Case explains: “The same one Holy Spirit in me is also in my spouse…our decisions can always go to unity with the Spirit when we are willing to hear what the Spirit has to say” (pg 42.)
Insightful points like these are packed in tightly.
If there is a criticism of this book, it is also a warning: The book is dense to the point of disorganization. You will find extensive, helpful, Biblical truth throughout, but you will have to work to put it all together in a memorable format for yourself.
I imagine spouses would benefit from reading the book individually and discussing it informally, as it’s not clearly organized for shared study. Retreat or study leaders are also likely to find essential truth in The Blessings of Unity, but should expect to create their own more organized materials for teaching and discussion.
Certainly useful and supported by substantial Bible lessons, The Blessings of Unity is an important reference guide for those involved personally or professionally in the work of more faithfully pursuing God through marital relationships.
Find a copy here.
GIVEAWAY of THE BLESSINGS OF UNITY:
- Leave a comment on this blog post
- Be sure to include your email address in the private form for commenting
- Comment by 11pm EST Monday, November 21st.
- I’ll randomly select a winner on Tuesday, November 22nd and notify you by email if you won! You will then receive a free copy in the mail.
“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”
BONUS GIVEAWAY: All For Jesus eBook
If you’d like a practical 6-page eBook on living an unshakable life, you can grab it here.
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Sounds like a great resource!
I love your take on fighting — for each other. 🙂 The Blessings of Unity sounds like an encouraging book. Thanks for sharing about it here (and for the warning; I do like to know what to watch for, even if it’s disorganization).
Someone gave us those words to describe how we fight and that goal keeps our arguments in perspective : ) Glad to offer an honest review- no book is perfect, and the content in this one is great!
Lisa, you are the random winner! Please PM me (https://firstandsecondblog.wordpress.com/connect/) so I can get your address to send the book! Congratulations!
I’m excited! Just now saw this. I sent you an email…. Thanks, Bethany!
Sounds like he’s incorporated Scripture into a marriage book in a way that is unique and deeply challenging, Bethany. I’d love to receive a copy of it. I’m always working on creating Bible studies and am currently working on one that is a marriage study using the Bible as the primary mode of understanding God’s truths that we need to embrace in marriage.Thanks for the giveaway and for joining my linkup! It’s nice to meet ya and to have you in the lineup!
That’s so cool, Beth! I love your passion for marriage ministry. If you’re looking to write a study on the Bible as the primary mode of understanding truth for marriage, then I’m absolutely sure Blessings of Unity will be important for you. Case has so much of the sort of groundwork I suspect you’d be covering! Good luck in the drawing : ) Nice to meet you too!!