Marriage Mentor , livre ebook

Endorsements
Need help with your marriage? In this insightful and solid book, the Stoppes give real help! They put their fingers on problems and attitudes that plague every marriage-and then supply answers, solutions, and counsel from God s Word.
Elizabeth George
bestselling author, A Woman After God s Own Heart
A vast amount of the misery and brokenness people experience is the result of lies they believe. This is certainly true of marriage. Steve Rhonda Stoppe debunk misleading myths with grace, humor, and candor and leave you with hope that your marriage can become more than the stuff of your dreams: It can be the handiwork of God.
Richard Blackaby, PhD
author, Customized Parenting in a Trending World
If you ve ever been through a difficult season in marriage, you may have secretly wondered whether you d be happier with someone else In this terrific book, The Marriage Mentor walks through several critical areas of discontentment, busts the myths that are so easy to believe, and shows just how important it is to rely on God-and how to do that-in order to move from heartache to joy in your marriage. This is the book for everyone who wants to be content and happy in marriage but may not know how.
Shaunti Feldhahn, social researcher and bestselling author of For Women Only
I just loved reading The Marriage Mentor ! Are you searching for the secret to a happy marriage? The Stoppes not only deliver practical steps to finding your happily-ever-after, they share a life-changing message of how to use a Christ-centered marriage for the glory of God.
Erica Galindo, founder, CEO, and editorial director SonomaChristianHome.com
The Marriage Mentor packs practical wisdom and many aha moments to shed light on the myths that sabotage relationships. Through storytelling, humor, and biblical insights, the Stoppes reveal where true joy originates and the secret of becoming your husband s best friend. Bravo on such a well-written and much-needed message.
Julie Gorman, author of What I Wish My Mother Had Told Me About Men
I loved this book. Read it only if you dare to be inspired to better your marriage. The Marriage Mentor is a must-read for anyone. Steve and Rhonda s love for others shines through every page.
Carmen Whittaker
wife of Fermin Whittaker, executive director, California Southern Baptist Convention
If you re finding your happily-ever-after not turning out as expected and being shattered by your not-so-perfect Prince Charming, then Rhonda Stoppe is the fairy godmother who will point you in the right direction for a happy ending made in the kingdom of heaven!
Angela Rose
founder, TheLaundryMoms.com
Rhonda and Steve Stoppe have been long-distance pastors and mentors to my wife and me over the past 15 years. They are the most grounded-in-the-Bible people we have ever met. Because of that they have been an amazing example of how God intended a married couple to live as husband and wife, and mother and father.
Josh Berry
president, LabeLive
Rhonda Stoppe makes me want to be a better wife, a better mother, and a better grandmother. But most of all, Rhonda inspires me to be a better Christian through her own very real and passionate relationship with Jesus.
Joy Lucius
journalist, American Family Journal
author, The Dandelion Trial
When my husband had an affair, I thought my marriage was over. But Rhonda and Steve Stoppe helped us begin the healing process in our marriage by covering my husband and me with the love of our Savior. Their personal mentorship has been instrumental in making our heavy circumstances less burdensome, and they provide godly marriage counsel that imparts hope for the future.
Angie
humbled and blessed wife and student of the Word
HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version . Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Verses marked ESV are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Verses marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible , 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. ( www.Lockman.org )
Verses marked ASV are taken from the American Standard Version of the Bible.
Cover by Juicebox Designs
Cover photos Andy Roberts / Getty Images / Hand-lettering by Kristi Smith
Back cover photo Jackie Plaza Photography
The Marriage Mentor
Copyright 2018 Rhonda Stoppe
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97408
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
ISBN 978-0-7369-7143-0 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-7369-7144-7 (eBook)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Stoppe, Steve, author. | Stoppe, Rhonda, 1961- If my husband would change, I d be happy.
Title: The marriage mentor / Steve and Rhonda Stoppe.
Description: Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2018. | Adaptation: If my husband would change, I d be happy / Rhonda Stoppe. 2015. | Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018000520 (print) | LCCN 2018011515 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736971447 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736971430 (pbk.)
Subjects: LCSH: Marriage-Religious aspects-Christianity.
Classification: LCC BV835 (ebook) | LCC BV835 .S87755 2018 (print) | DDC 248.4-dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018000520
All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other-without the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of author s and publisher s rights is strictly prohibited.
Dedication
To my husband, Steve Stoppe,
the love of my life for more than 30 years:
By your example, you have taught me how
to love selflessly and fervently.
You are my Stoppe-Ever-After.
I pray God gives us many more years to serve Him together
in this mission:
To know Christ and make Him known.
To our grandchildren:
Karis, Ivy, Eliza, Ledger, Everly, McKenzie, Kelsey, and William
(and the many more yet to be):
We pray that God draws each of your hearts
to know and love our Savior
and that God one day draws to each of you a godly
spouse who loves Jesus more than life itself.
To our children and their spouses:
Tony and Kylene
Jake and Meredith
Brandon and Jessy
Estevan and Kayla
We are in awe of how your marriages reflect the love of Christ
to a world in desperate need of a Savior.
Soli Deo gloria
Acknowledgments
Thank you, Gayle, Molly, Joan, Elaine, Pam, Penny, and Marge, for becoming the Titus 2 women in my life when I was a young bride. The way you love your husbands drew me to you, and the way you love Christ caused me to want to love Him as well. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you (Philippians 1:3).
Special thanks to
My husband-Steve Stoppe, for partnering with me to write this book. As a pastor, counselor, and husband, your words are insightful and inspiring to me, and to anyone who takes them to heart.
My editors-Kathleen Kerr, for her amazing suggestions and support, and Steve Miller, whose insights and wise counsel have helped Steve and me author this marriage resource for a generation that is desperate to believe a happy marriage can last for a lifetime.
Thank you to each and every one of you who will read and apply the biblical principles in this book, and to those of you who will help us mentor the multitudes by sharing this resource with your friends, churches, small groups, and in your social media. Your sharing helps us help others build a no-regrets marriage.
Contents

Endorsements
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. If Your Spouse Would Change, Would You Be Happy?
2. What s the Big Deal About Respect?
3. We re Falling Out of Love
4. Your Marriage Can Survive Toddlers and Teens
5. The Grass Is Not Greener on the Other Side
6. Telling Her She s Pretty and Keeping His Attention
7. All He Wants Is Sex
8. Every Couple Fights
9. Our Marriage Would Be Better If Bad Things Would Stop Happening
10. Hope to Be Happy
11. Happily-Ever-After Is a Fairy Tale
Appendix: How to Have a Relationship with Jesus
Notes
Let s Not Say Good-bye!
About the Publisher
Introduction
I f you re like most married couples, you are so busy you rarely read through an entire book. And let s be honest: Statistics prove that men aren t the ones reading marriage help books. So rather than writing a book the wife has to continually nag her husband to sit down and read with her, we ve broken the book into sections for the wife to read (written by Rhonda) and small sections for husbands to read (written by Steve). Then the two of you can watch a short video online of Steve and Rhonda discussing the main point of each chapter together. (The videos are lighthearted and fun, we promise!)
Imagine if you had a weekly appointment with an older couple who could teach you the secrets to building a happy marriage that will last a lifetime. That s what you ll find as you walk with us through the pages of this book. But life gets in the way, and sometimes the immediate needs will drain you and make you think, There s always tomorrow to work on making my marriage better.
The truth is, for most couples tomorrow never comes. In over 30 years of ministry we have witnessed countless couples who intended to work on their marriages but