Craig Groeschel - From This Day Forward: Five Commitments to Fail-Proof Your Marriage

My friends Craig and Amy Groeschel have written a book that offers solid advice on creating a marriage that lasts. Whether you are considering marriage, remarriage, or simply want to strengthen your marriage, this book has something significant to offer.

ANDY STANLEY, Senior Pastor, North Point Ministries

Craig and Amy Groeschel pour their hearts into this book. This beautiful couple provide inspiring advice on how to maintain a loving and strong marriage through faith, fun, trust, and love.

MARK BURNETT AND ROMA DOWNEY

Every couple walks into marriage with expectations, but some couples are smart enough to recognize it. This book is a resource that I wish Id had when I first got married, but Im excited to share it with my friends! Im so proud of Amy and Craig and their leading others to love well from this day forward.

CHRISTINE CAINE, founder, The A21 Campaign; bestselling author, Undaunted

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result. If you want a better marriage, youve got to make some changes, starting with your expectations. Craig and Amy Groeschel give us all the wake-up call we need to safeguard our marriages against becoming another divorce statistic.

DAVE RAMSEY, New York Times bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio show host

I cannot think of two better people to deliver such practical and potent truth about marriage. Craig and Amy Groeschel have a marriage that embodies the partnership, passion, love, and potential that God desires to birth in every couple. This book is for those seeking marriage and those already on the journey, with encouragement from voices that ring true with helpful advice that every reader can put into action from page one on. Get this book and start toward a stronger, happier marriage today.

LOUIE GIGLIO, Passion City Church/Passion Conferences

Bobbie and I have a deep love and respect for both Craig and Amy Groeschel. Not only have we had the privilege of getting to know them personally, but also we have been able to observe their family and their ministry and found the fruit of their lives to be godly, full of wisdom, and contagiously joyful to be around. I have no doubt that their principles for a life of intimate marriage and commitment will refresh and inspire your relationship and give you practical tools as you seek God from this day forward.

BRIAN HOUSTON, Senior Pastor, Hillsong Church

Im a big fan of Craig Groeschel. His newest book, From This DayForward, cowritten with his wife, Amy, is honest, entertaining, and optimistic. Its a shot in the arm for married couples. Its a thoughtful and instructive engagement gift. More than anything, its a tell-it-like-it-is guide to a solid, lasting marriage. Read this book and pass it on.

KEN BLANCHARD, coauthor, The One Minute Manager and Lead Like Jesus

Other Books by Craig Groeschel

Altar Ego: Becoming Who God Says You Are

Chazown: Define Your Vision, Pursue Your Passion,
Live Your Life on Purpose

The Christian Atheist:
Believing in God but Living as If He Doesnt Exist

Dare to Drop the Pose
(previously titled Confessions of a Pastor)

Fight: Winning the Battles That Matter Most

It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It

Love, Sex, and Happily Ever After
(previously titled Going All the Way)

Soul Detox: Clean Living in a Contaminated World

Weird: Because Normal Isnt Working

What Is God Really Like? (general editor)

ZONDERVAN

From This Day Forward

Copyright 2014 by Craig Groeschel

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

ePub Edition August 2014: ISBN 978-0-310-33748-5

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible,New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois. All rights reserved.

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Craig Groeschel is represented by Thomas J. Winters and Jeffrey C. Dunn of Winters, King & Associates, Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Cover design: Curt Diepenhorst

Cover photo: Michelle Meisner

Interior design: Katherine Lloyd, The DESK

First Printing August 2014

Contents

When you were a child, did you ever wonder what marriage would be like one day? If youre a woman, did you ever fantasize about one day growing up and getting married in a perfect fairytale wedding? If you did, Id be willing to bet that in your dream, your husband had movie star looks and flawless hair. When you started your fantasy life together, Ill bet he carried you across the threshold of your perfect house, a gorgeous home with beautiful shutters and a perfectly manicured lawn surrounded by all your favorite flowers.

And that amazing man of your dreams loved you like crazy. Together you had the ideal number of beautiful children, each one with just the perfect name. (Of course, you were too young then to pay attention to details like pregnancy weight gain, stretch marks, and C-sections.) In your beautiful dream, your family could have been models for those pictures that come with new picture frames.

Now, what about the guys? When you were a teenager, what did you dream about for your marriage?

Again, Im just guessing, but Ill bet your wife looked pretty much like a bikini model. Ill bet she had blond hair (or whatever colors your favorite), if you even thought about details like that. In fact, Ill bet you couldnt tell me what color eyes your fantasy woman had. But Ill bet you were just sure youd have sex at least twice a day and three times on Sundays!

Now let me ask you, whether youre a woman or a man: Are you still dreaming? Or has reality set in for you?

Is your marriage what you expected it to be?

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

The truth is that all of us carry all sorts of expectations into marriage. We imagine what it might be like, constructing ideal circumstances. But then when marriage inevitably doesnt meet those expectations, many of us experience the crash: letdown, disappointment, pain, anger, frustration, despair often even divorce. We wonder what went wrong when we thought wed met Mr. or Mrs. Right. We wonder how we couldve been so mistaken about this person we thought we wanted to spend our lives with.

But heres the hard truth about marriage: no ones expectations hold up. Theyre based on romantic fantasies and chick flicks and airbrushed images of perfect bodies and compliant attitudes. The harsh reality is that were all imperfect human beings. Everybody occasionally forgets to put the toothpaste cap back on, or to lower or raise the toilet seat. Which is a reminder that everybody actually uses the bathroom.