Jim Burns - Getting Ready for Marriage: A Practical Road Map for Your Journey Together

To Cathy Burns

I am the most fortunate man in the world to have you as my wife. Without your commitment to our marriage and to God, this book would not have been written.

To Cathy Fields

I never imagined that when two young kids got married in 1985 there would be so many rewarding years to follow. I still cant believe you said yes Every day Im thankful. My prayer is that our three amazing kids get to experience what weve shared. Youre one of a kind!

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

As I read through this outstanding book, I kept thinking, I wish Kay and I had this resource before we were married . Far too many of the 2.4 million couples who get married each year are not adequately prepared to make it work. I am so happy that theres a book like this where every page is filled with practical God-honoring advice.

Not only are Jim Burns and Doug Fields experts in the field of family relationships, but they are my dear friends. Doug and I worked together for almost twenty years on staff at Saddleback Church. I love this man! He is one of the most gifted communicators I know. Plus, he lives out what he speaks about with his marriageIve seen it firsthand. Jim has been a guest speaker at Saddleback several times throughout the years, and like Doug, he communicates practical truths with authenticity and power. Jim was Dougs youth pastor, and I have always admired their relationship. This book is evidence that two of Americas most gifted marriage and family experts can come together to write a masterpiece to help couples get ready for marriage.

For years, many of us who care deeply about marriage and family have been concerned that the resources on premarriage are getting stale, and thats why Im excited for Getting Ready for Marriage to bring fresh content to the world. Doug and Jim know this generation of engaged couples like few in the world and have communicated the truth of marriage preparation in a down-to-earth, pragmatic, and helpful way. I believe in the importance of premarital preparation and counseling. Who wouldnt? Recent findings reveal that couples who go through a premarital book like this one will have a 31 percent better chance of staying married than couples who do not.

This book was written for engaged couples who want to make the most of their marriage. Often a family is only as strong as the marriage that keeps it together. The book is also written for those I have served most of my lifepastors, ministry leaders, marriage mentors, and counselors who will take couples through the beautiful process called engagement to prepare them for marriage.

Again, I love this book, the upcoming workbook, their online assessment tool, and their other resources. I suggest you use all of them to help ensure a successful engagement and eventually a wonderful marriage. I cant think of finer people than Doug and Jim to help lead you in this journey.

It was thirty-nine years ago when Kay and I stood together committing our love for each other, and asking God to bless our marriage. We would be the first to say that we have not had a perfect relationship, but we have been committed to work on it and through Gods faithfulness and our perseverance I can tell you that besides making a commitment to Jesus Christ, the most important decision I ever made was to marry Kay. As I read through Getting Ready for Marriage , it dawned on me that although we didnt do it perfectly, many of the concepts Jim and Doug have presented are the exact marriage concepts that have been the glue in our growing marriage.

If you are reading this, you are no doubt preparing for marriage or mentoring a couple through the process. Congratulations on picking up this book, and may Gods blessing be upon your life and marriage.

Rick Warren

Pastor of Saddleback Church

Author of The Purpose Driven Life

GETTING READY FOR MARRIAGE

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com ; Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved; Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved; Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved; Scripture quotations marked RSV are taken from The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version. Copyright 1946, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

LCCN 2014943141

ISBN 978-1-4347-0811-3

eISBN 978-1-4347-0856-4

2014 Jim Burns, Doug Fields
The Author is represented by and this book is published in association with the literary agency of WordServe Literary Group, Ltd., www.wordserveliterary.com .

The Team: Don Pape, Gwen Ellis, Nick Lee, Carly Razo, Karen Athen

Cover Design: Nick Lee

Cover Photo Credit: Shutterstock

First Edition 2014

JIM BURNS is the president of HomeWord and the executive director of the HomeWord Center for Youth and Family at Azusa Pacific University. Jim speaks to thousands of people around the world each year. He has more than 1.5 million resources in print and a radio broadcast heard on over 800 stations daily. He, his wife, and three daughters live in Southern California.

DOUG FIELDS is the senior director of the HomeWord Center for Youth and Family at Azusa Pacific University. Doug has been a youth and teaching pastor at Mariners Church and Saddleback Church, and has authored more than fifty books. He is a passionate speaker and blogger, reaching thousands of leaders, teenagers, and parents every year. Doug resides with his wife and three children in Southern California.

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