Offering advice on “how to experience healing in all your relationships,” this entry in Chapman’s highly successful ‘Love Languages’ series also features the perspective of counsellor Jennifer Thomas. Expressing regret, accepting responsibility, making restitution, genuinely repenting and requesting forgiveness are fundamental aspects of healing covered.

• Emerson Eggerichs: Cracking the Communication Code – Love for Her, Respect for Him, Thomas Nelson, 2007

Endorsed by Focus on the Family, this book promotes the concept that men and women “speak two different languages    . . . she listens to hear the language of love and he listens to hear the language of respect.” While this may be overly simplistic, Eggerichs touches on many critical issues within marriage. It is hard to imagine that any marriage would not greatly benefit from his insights. Since his Love and Respect was first published in 2004, many testify that this core teaching has enabled breakthroughs in their marriages.

• Ellie Kay: The Debt Diet, Bethany House, 2005

In any family marriage, finances can be a major stress. Long-term chronic debt can become a deeply discouraging burden on any relationship. Billed as “an easy to follow plan to shed debt and trim spending,” and using weight-loss metaphors  (e.g. ‘fiscal fitness workout’) throughout, the book offers practical, good hearted encouragement – with exercises, worksheets and age-appropriate perspectives.

• Elsa Kok Colopy: The Single Mom’s Guide to Finding Joy in the Chaos, Revell, 2006

This book honours largely unrecognized heroes: single parents. Colopy has been there. A single mom for 12 years, she has walked her talk. This book conveys real understanding, and points to additional resources – which makes it truly applicable to anyone in the single parenting crunch.

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Leman’s approach to single parenting is different from Colopy’s. He is an internationally known psychologist, and appears on The View and Oprah. His approach is more systematic than Colopy’s, and perhaps more detached. Nonetheless, his depth as a therapist shines, offering wise sayings and a hopeful perspective.

• Hayley DiMarco  & Michael DiMarco: Marriable – Taking the Desperate Out of Dating, Revell, 2005

Picking up this paperback, one immediately is drawn to  its unique and  very engaging graphic look and feel, with sidebars and full colour on most pages. Chapter titles tease – for example: ‘How being friends is a waste of time’;  ‘I’m dating Jesus,” and other excuses why you’re not dating’; and ‘Female porn: the seedy underbelly of chick flicks and romance novels.’ This book is ideal for those who have been made cynical by failed relationships. Humour and practical insight abound.

• Milan & Kay Yerovich: How We Love – a Revolutionary Approach to Deeper Connections in Marriage, WaterBrook, 2006

This book accurately nails the role early life experiences play in adult relationships – none of which are more important than marriage. It is a book which can address truly dysfunctional marriages, and speaks to those who may be fast losing hope. It gives real answers to some of the repetitive and destructive patterns of relating which we can slowly slip into.      

- Peter Biggs

May 2007