Marriage is something we take very seriously here in the Dixon household. We believe that it is something to be entered into prayerfully and with a lot of preparation. When Alec and I were engaged we had a lot of suggestions for how we should go about using our time as an engaged couple to prepare. Books, classes, meetings with friends, you name it people told us to try it. Besides pre-marital counseling (which is a must) we found two tools extremely helpful and we wanted to share with you!
- The Meaning of Marriage, by Timothy Keller: This book is hands down our favorite marriage book. It goes through the biblical meaning of marriage, popular marriage myths, and even details like love languages and how to fight. Really, it hits every category you can imagine and more. It is also incredibly easy to related to with real personal stories from Mr. Keller. We recommend this book because its honest and open about what marriage is really about.
- Questions to Ask When Preparing for Marriage, by John Piper: This is simply a list of questions engaged couples can ask each other to prepare them for marriage. This is my favorite tool of the two. It’s actually my favorite because it lead to a lot of little fights, which is crazy, I know! When we were engaged we didn’t think about what our life would look like beyond the registry gifts and where we would live. We hadn’t talked money, when/if we wanted to buy a house, or should we have a TV in the bedroom. Facing these kinds of questions upfront before you’re married gives you time to talk, seek wise counsel, and smooth out potential problems before you say “I do”. Check out the list by clicking here!
These tools helped us come into marriage ready to hit the ground running. We hope that these two tools will bless your future marriage like they did ours!
Blessings,
Katie
