Marriage Can Be Forever~~Preparation Counts!
Walking a Path to a Spiritually-Based Marriage
~ A Workbook ~ (Third Edition)
Table of Contents: Chapters
Foreword by Paul Coleman, Psy.D., Marriage Therapist
Introduction – What Is It All About?: A [Not-to-Be-Missed] Book Tour
Step 1 – Lay the Foundation: Preparing Yourself
Chapter 1 Life Partners: Preparation and Marriage
Chapter 2 A Broad View: The Purposes of Life
Chapter 3 Making Decisions: The Tool of Consultation
Step 2 – Get Yourself Ready: Starting Your Search
Chapter 4 Looking Ahead: Exploring Expectations
Chapter 5 Moving On: Learning from Relationships
Chapter 6 Your Focus: Knowing and Growing Character
Chapter 7 What You Want: A Great Marriage Partner
Chapter 8 I Like You: Being Friends
Step 3 – Walk Carefully: Being a Couple
Chapter 9 An Initial Step: Do You Want to Date?
Chapter 10 Becoming Serious: Courting One Another
Chapter 11 Promising Forever: Making Commitments
Chapter 12 A Positive Choice: Chastity Before Marriage
Chapter 13 The Goal: A Strong, Eternal Marriage
Step 4 – Explore Compatibility: Learning Together
Chapter 14 In Harmony: Compatibility and Unity
Chapter 15 Powerful Attraction: Your Love for One Another
Chapter 16 Focus on God: Your Spiritual Life Together
Chapter 17 A Big Happy Family: You Will All Verily Be Related
Chapter 18 An Even Bigger Family: Being an Intercultural Couple
Chapter 19 True Partnership: Equality in Marriage
Chapter 20 Our Interactions: Personality, Attitudes, and Behavior
Chapter 21 Minds and Hearts: Communicating with One Another
Chapter 22 Doing It Better: Improving Communication Skills
Chapter 23 Abundance of Feelings: Expressing Emotions
Chapter 24 A Personal Discussion: Intimacy and Sex
Chapter 25 Family Time: Children and Marriage
Chapter 26 On the Go: Service and Time Choices
Chapter 27 Money In and Out: Earning, Budgeting, and Spending
Chapter 28 A Blend of Lives: Creating a Home
Chapter 29 Rocks on the Path: Responding to the Tough Stuff
Step 5 – Come to Commitment: You and Your Parents
Chapter 30 Setting Priorities: Your Marriage Commitments
Chapter 31 The Choice: To Marry…or Not to Marry
Chapter 32 To Our Parents: Seeking Consent
Chapter 33 Parental Choice: Deciding Consent **Chapter for Parents**
Chapter 34 When the Answer Is “No”: Consent Denied
Step 6 – Move Forward: Wedding and Marriage
Chapter 35 It Is Almost Time: Tasks During Engagement
Chapter 36 The Big Day: Creating Your Marriage Ceremony
Chapter 37 An Adventure: The First Year Together
Endnote: It Is Just the Beginning: Marriage Can Be Forever!
Appendices
A Knowing One Another: Defining Character Qualities
B A Spiritual Selection: Bahá’í Prayers
C A Foundation for Well-Being’s Fortress: An Essay on Marriage Preparation
by David Bowers
D Spiritual Revelation: A Glimpse of the Bahá’í Faith
E Our Gratitude for Use: Permissions
F Behind the Scenes: About the Authors
G Communication: Contact and Ordering Information
Table of Contents: Worksheets
4A Your Expectations of a Spouse
4B A Vision of Your Marriage
5A Learning from Relationships
5B “Cleaning Up” Previous Relationships
5C Developing Yourself as an Excellent Spouse
6A Assessing Character Qualities
6B Character Development Plan
6C Character Modeling
7A Describe Yourself
7B Describe Your Ideal Marriage Partner
8A Appreciating Friends
8B Widening Your Circle of Friends
10A Identify Couple Learning Activities
10B Setting Courtship Goals
11A Fears About Commitment
11B Making Commitments
11C History of Long-Term Commitments
12A The Topic of Cohabitation
14A What You Each Bring to a Relationship/Marriage
14B Initial Compatibility Assessment
15A Married Couples and Love
15B Using the Love Languages
16A A Spiritual Exploration
17A Parents’ Marriage/Relationship Example
17B Learning from Parents
18A Understanding Diversity and Prejudice
18B Exploring Culture, Ethnicity, and Race in Your Relationship
19A Marital Behavior and Equality
19B Equality and Household Tasks
20A Assessing Personality, Attitudes, and Behavior
21A Assessing Consultation Skills
22A Identifying Poor Communication Habits
22B Communication Patterns and Preferences
22C Communication Guidelines
23A Expressing Your Emotions
23B Your Partner’s Emotions
24A Discussing Intimate Feelings and Sex
26A Tracking Your Time
26B How Do You Spend Your Time?
26C A Helping Hand—Being of Service
26D Making Moderate Service Choices
27A Current Financial Situation
27B Preparing a Budget
27C Distinguishing Necessities and Luxuries
28A Experiences in Sharing Living Space
30A Commitments for Your Marriage
31A Trends in Your Relationship and Current Status
36A Planning the Marriage Ceremony
37A Your Marriage Goals
