Do you want to give a gift to your spouse this Christmas that will last? Why not give a gift to your marriage. Here are some gift ideas for investing in your most important and intimate relationship, some of the best resources we have seen for couples:
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, by John M. Gottman, PhD
This small book is more like a workbook, with chapters explaining what does and does not work in marriage, based on John Gottman’s groundbreaking research on what happily married couples do. Many of the chapters also include exercises you can do with your partner at home or on a date to become better friends, show more appreciation to each other, and work through conflicts.
New Parents Workshop
https://www.gottman.com/parents/new-parents-workshop/
For couples who are about to or recently transitioned into parenting, a workshop by Brining Baby Home educators can help you learn to navigate the typical challenges to a relationship when adding a baby, such as differences in parenting styles and managing the new responsibilities of a baby, while still staying connected as a couple. This is not a class about how to change a diaper or make a bottle; it is about how to maintain a great marriage while being parents too.
The Couples Checkup Online Assessment www.couplecheckup.com
At this site, you can get a marriage “physical” for $35. Each of you will complete a series of questions about your marriage online, and then receive a downloadable, customized 15-20-page report of strengths and growth areas in your marriage, looking at areas such as communication, conflict resolution, finances, and sex. You also receive a downloadable discussion guide to help you further explore where you are doing well relationally and your growth areas.
Love and Respect, by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
This book is based on the Bible verse, “Husband love your wives, wives respect your husbands.” While written from a Christian worldview, the principles in this book can apply to people in general. The book is also available in a video curriculum for those who enjoy learning via audio.
Night Light: A Devotional for Couples, by James and Shirley Dobson
This is a devotional for couples that you can easily work through at bedtime or in the morning with your spouse, in just a few minutes a day. It is made to read through in a year. Each day lists a Bible verse applicable to marriage, a short narrative, and discussion questions.
Fireproof, the Movie
This movie shows a peek into the lives of a conflicted couple in a failing marriage. In it, the husband seeks to overcome dependence on pornography and regain his wife’s trust, as the wife is contemplating an affair. The movie is entertaining, relatable, and inspiring as you watch the couple navigate healing for their marriage.
Winshape Marriage Retreats
A couple’s getaway is a key way to invest in a relationship, and becomes even more needed when the couple has children. Winshape retreats are customized for couples in different categories: those preparing for marriage, wanting to strengthen their relationship, or on the verge of divorce. The Winshape Retreat Center is located on the Berry College campus in North Georgia.
Marriage Counseling with Harmony Counseling Atlanta
And, of course, don’t forget marriage counseling. Marriage counseling is especially helpful when you feel like your marriage needs more help than what a book, movie, or class can offer. Marriage counseling helps couples when conflict is suffocating the good in a marriage, the trust has eroded, or commitment is waning. We know how to help you restore trust, intimacy, and create dialogue around perpetual relationship problems. Give us a call if you want to work out a marriage counseling package to put under the tree for your spouse.
