Hurst Ashlee - Hope for your marriage: experience Gods greatest desires for you and your spouse

Praise for Hope for Your Marriage

Clayton and Ashlee Hurst are on the forefront of marriage ministry. This book is full of practical wisdom thats a must-read for anyone looking to grow in their marriage.

Jimmy Evans, founder and CEO, MarriageToday, Southlake, Texas

This book, layered with scriptures and personal stories of overcoming obstacles, will bless every couple ready to have a healthy and happy marriage with God at the center!

DeVon Franklin, CEO, Franklin Entertainment; bestselling author of The Hollywood Commandments, The Wait, and Produced by Faith

Whether you are a newlywed or married for decades, this encouraging book will give you new and practical insight into how to make your marriage the best relationship in your life.

Shaunti Feldhahn, social researcher; bestselling author of For Women Only, For Men Only, and The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages

We encourage every married couple to not just buy this book, but live with it, mine its depths, and live out its principles. You will be better for it!

John and Aventer Gray, Associate Pastor of Lakewood Church; Director of Dance at Lakewood Church

Ashlee and Clayton transparently tell their story of honestly misunderstanding each othera story of every husband and wife! Yet, God revealed insights that enabled them to love and respect each other in meaningful and friendly ways. We are blessed by their lives and testimony.

Dr. Emerson and Sarah Eggerichs, Love and Respect Ministries

Written out of the overflow of their own journey, Clayton and Ashlee share how God transformed their marriage. A hope-filled book for all those who desire a loving, supportive relationship.

Gary Chapman, Ph.D., bestselling author of The Five Love Languages

With practical wisdom and real-life application, Clayton and Ashlee provide a treasure-trove of insights for building a God-honoring marriage. Every couple needs to read this fantastic book!

Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, #1 New York Times bestselling authors of Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts

Read this book. Not only will it help you increase marital satisfaction, but it will lead toward a marriage you never dreamed possible.

Ted Cunningham, pastor, Woodland Hills Family Church, Branson, Missouri; author of Fun Loving You

The key to success in any media, especially as authors, is to identify so thoroughly with the audience that they feel the story is about themselves. Thats what Clayton and Ashlee Hurst have so masterfully achieved. If you want a great marriage, not just a good one, read this book!

SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt, New York Times bestselling authors of Godwinks book series and The 40 Day Prayer Challenge

Youre holding the quintessential playbook for a thriving marriage. No matter what marital season you find yourself in, this incredible resource will help you take your most-prized earthly relationship to the next level.

Chris Brown, pastor, speaker, Ramsey Personality, nationally syndicated radio host of Life Money Hope

Read it. Your marriage will be glad you did!

Ted Lowe, author of Your Best Us and founder of marriedpeople.org

2018 Clayton and Ashlee Hurst

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations 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.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are from The Living Bible. Copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version. Public domain.

Scripture quotations marked THE MESSAGE are from The Message. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are from the New King James Version. 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Any Internet addresses, phone numbers, or company or product information printed in this book are offered as a resource and are not intended in any way to be or to imply an endorsement by Thomas Nelson, nor does Thomas Nelson vouch for the existence, content, or services of these sites, phone numbers, companies, or products beyond the life of this book.

Epub Edition November 2017 ISBN 9780785216384

ISBN 978-0-7852-1638-4 (eBook)

ISBN 978-0-7852-1645-2 (TP)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017956694

Printed in the United States of America

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We pray many marriages will find the

hope they need within these pages.

Even the marriages yet to be created.

Let this be written for a future generation,

that a people not yet created may praise the LORD.

PSALM 102:18

Contents

Years ago, my father was frustrated with my mother and decided to give her the silent treatment. Or, as we call it, the cold shoulder-deluxe. He went around all day not speaking to her, and when he had to speak he would only give a one word answer. Well, this went on for a few hours until my mother had had enough. She went and quietly hid herself behind a door without telling anyone. She remained as still and quiet as she could, until finally my father got worried because he hadnt seen her in a while. He began searching the house. He looked, and looked. Then, when he walked right by, she jumped out on his back, scaring him and saying, I am not getting off until you cheer up! They laughed and laughed until my father could no longer remember what he was upset about.

Every couple will face difficulty in marriage, but the ones who learn how to overcome disagreements are the ones who will succeed.

Today, some of the greatest spiritual attacks are on our homes. The enemy works hard to divide families and bring strife into marriages. Thats why it is so vital for us to learn how to fight for our most important relationships.

Clayton and Ashlee Hurst have served faithfully here at Lakewood Church for more than a decade. We love the joy and leadership they bring to our family of ministries. Victoria and I have appreciated both their commitment to each other and their commitment to the people of Lakewood, and thats why we asked them to oversee the marriage and parenting ministry here at Lakewood.