Loving Your Marriage Enough To Protect It by Jerry Jenkins

How many people do you know who once had a good marriage only to be shattered by extra marital affair? Sometimes it is a result of a bad marriage but other times even seemingly "good" marriage results in adultery. Just when a spouse think it will not happen to him/her and feels so secure in their relationship that this heartbreaking news explodes on his/her face.
I love reading and re-reading this book "Loving Your Marriage Enough to Protect It" by Jerry B. Jenkins. He tells of some practical ways to protect your marriage and family from the sin of adultery. He writes about safeguard practices (what he calls hedges) that he religiously applied based on his own personal weaknesses (flirting, inappropriate joking with the opposite sex) to avoid temptations even before they start.
As human beings with a sinful nature, nobody is exempted from being tempted to have an affair outside marriage. That is why I personally, feel scared even at the thought of having an affair, other than my husband of course. And I firmly believe that that’s where it starts. If you know that you are vulnerable and you love your family, you will at all cost, put a safeguard around you and your marriage so you do not fall into the enemy’s trap.
Jerry also clarifies that the guidelines that he wrote are what he practices and encourages the reader to make one of his own based on his/her own personality and weaknesses. At the very last chapter is the Study Guide that the reader will find helpful in pinning down the hedges he can carry out in his own home.
Do you love your marriage enough to protect it? What hedges should you plant around your marriage?

The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate

In this book, Gary Chapman talks about five different ways people define love or five things that make them feel loved, namely: spending quality time, words of affirmation, receiving gifts, acts of service, physical touch. It is important to note that we are all different and the thing which makes me feel loved may not be true for my husband and vice versa. I think my top love language is spending quality time with him, while his I think, would be acts of service. He said he feels loved when I cook for him and do things for him. While I feel loved when he spends time with me listening to me and giving me undivided attention. The principles discussed in this book, according to Chapman are not only helpful for husbands and wives but also for other relationships as well, like between parents and their kids. Find out which of the following makes your love tank full, what makes you feel loved, then ask your lovey which one makes him/her feel loved: Quality time - you like undivided attention, you like doing an activity or going places together, spending time together, quality conversation Words of Affirmation - words of appreciation, expressed in simple, straightforward statements - hearing words like: You look very nice in that dress! ; I appreciate your doing that for me. ; Thank you for the delicious meal! ; encouraging words ; kind words ; humble words - making requests, not demands Receiving gifts - it's not the amount of the gift but the fact that you are remembered and loved, it is a reminder of love - receiving tokens or gifts, bought or made, gift of physical presence, especially in times of crisis Acts of Service - your mate does the chores and other things to please you or to express his/her love for you Physical touch - lots of hugs and kisses, or simply touching to know he/she is there for you What is your love language? Please let me know if you have questions. I am not an expert but I may have some idea. Our friends here are welcome to add something too!