'TO HAVE AND TO HOLD...': A MARRIAGE PREPARATION AND ENRICHMENT MANUAL

In the words of Chuck Swindoll, when we think of institutions, we often think of places where delinquent, defective, or dependent people need help and a place to stay away from society (Swindoll, 2022). Indeed, this could well describe the institution of marriage today¿an arrangement to pair together delinquent, defective, and dependent people, not for a lifetime but merely for a time. For many marriages, this definition is all too true. But it doesn¿t have to describe any couple¿s marriage. It is true that the institution of marriage has fallen on hard times in the 21st century¿divorce rates continue to soar, men and women are testing the marriage waters by living together first, to say nothing about society¿s attempts to demystify marriage. The truth is that marriage is a divinely designed institution, and if marriage is to thrive in an increasingly hostile culture, then we must first consult the architect of marriage who is God. This book is therefor meant to prepare couples for marriage and revitalize marriages that are in doldrums.