Juli Slattery - God, Sex, and Your Marriage

Mutual sexual fulfillment is the desire of most married couples, but often seems illusive. It may seem strange to Christian ears that God has that same desire for your marriage. In God, Sex, and Your Marriage, Dr. Juli Slattery clarifies the power of letting God into the marital bedroom. Understanding Gods perspective has the potential of greatly enhancing your sexual relationship.

GARY CHAPMAN

Author of The 5 Love Languages

This is a MUST READ for every married couple. And even singles. Juli brings a wisdom and insight into Gods design for sexuality that will deepen your understanding of Gods dream for married sex, but also of God Himself. Her teaching on yada is worth the whole book. Get it. Read it. Apply it. And share this book with others because these truths are needed now more than ever.

DAVE & ANN WILSON

Cohosts of FamilyLife Today

T. S. Eliot once observed that we must first know what something is for if we are ever to know what to do with it. The same is true of sexual intimacy in marriage, which makes God, Sex, and Your Marriage by Juli Slattery such an important book. Beyond the dos and donts, Juli offers the big picture of why God created sex in the first place.

JOHN AND SARAH STONESTREET

If there are parts of your sex life that are too painful to even think about, let alone talk about, this book is ESSENTIAL reading. In the arena of Christian sex help, Juli brings a unique and much-needed perspective, helping us understand how the pursuit of true sexual intimacy begins not in the bedroom but in the throne room. Eminently practical and relatable, this book makes my heart sing when I think about the hope and healing that this message will bring to couples who feel stuck and demoralized.

ROSIE MAKINNEY

Director, Fight For Love Ministries

God, Sex, and Your Marriage is an excellent and theologically sound resource that incorporates spirituality and sexuality. Colossians 3:17 says, And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus (ESV). Dr. Slattery teaches how we can enjoy sex in the name of Jesus and grow in our relationship with Him through Gods gift of sex. This book will help you grow in your walk with Christ and in your enjoyment of your spouse.

BRAD AND MARILYN RHOADS

Cofounders of Grace Marriage

2022 by D R . J ULI S LATTERY

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

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 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 NASB are taken from the (NASB) New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, represented by Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

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 KJV are taken from the King James Version.

All emphasis in Scripture has been added.

Names and details of some stories have been changed and others are composites to protect the privacy of individuals.

Some wording has been adapted from the authors previously published works.

Published in association with the literary agency of Wolgemuth & Associates.

Edited by Amanda Cleary Eastep
Interior design: Ragont Design
Cover design: Erik M. Peterson
Cover illustration of puzzle copyright 2020 by Bohdan Kotoshchuk/iStock (1204289471). All rights reserved.
Author photo: Kate Thomas

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Slattery, Julianna, 1969- author.

Title: God, sex, and your marriage / Dr. Juli Slattery.

Description: Chicago : Moody Publishers, 2022. | Includes bibliographical references. | Summary: Many Christian books talk about sexual issues within broader works on marriage, but few resources comprehensively and biblically guide couples specifically on sexual intimacy. God, Sex, and Your Marriage challenges the common assumptions couples have about sexuality and presents the richer biblical narrative of sex as a metaphor of Gods covenant love. Dr. Juli Slattery applies that biblical framework to the practical challenges in sexual intimacy. Godly sexuality extends far beyond sexual purity and calls us to sexual integrity. God invites every couple to view their sexual relationship, including their greatest struggles, as an avenue to learn about the nature of His covenant love. Its Gods desire to make us more like Himself, and sex within marriage is often a powerful training ground for godly character. That desire gives purpose and context to addressing pornography, healing from past wounds, sexual incompatibility, pursuing pleasure together, and forgiveness--Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2022002751 (print) | LCCN 2022002752 (ebook) | ISBN 9780802429018 | ISBN 9780802474001 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Sex--Religious aspects--Christianity. | Marriage--Religious aspects--Christianity. | BISAC: RELIGION / Christian Living / Love & Marriage | RELIGION / Christian Living / Mens Interests

Classification: LCC BT708 .S539 2022 (print) | LCC BT708 (ebook) | DDC 261.8/35--dc23/eng/20220302

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022002751

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022002752

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This book is dedicated to my brothers and sisters in Christsome who have labored before me and some who now work beside me in reclaiming Gods design for sex. The field is ripe for the harvest but the laborers are few. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant us harmony with one another in Christ Jesus, so that with one mind and one voice we may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 15:56).

Friend,

Thank you for choosing to read this Moody Publishers title. It is our hope and prayer that this book will help you to know Jesus Christ more personally and love Him more deeply.

The proceeds from your purchase help pay the tuition of students attending Moody Bible Institute. These students come from around the globe and graduate better equipped to impact our world for Christ.