Do you want to read (or listen) to a great book on marriage? I highly recommend the book, “Vertical Marriage” by Dave and Ann Wilson. Here is why this book is so great…
1) The Hilarious and Vulnerable Stories
Honestly, I could never write a book like this because they were just too open and honest. They share intimate details about their marriage, talking about both the struggles and successes. But in the midst of this openness comes some of the most hilarious stories I have read in a long time. Even as a fiction book it would be extremely engaging, but it is even more amazing to hear these real-life stories.
The book opens with the story of celebrating their ten-year anniversary. Dave (the husband) went all out with a fancy meal and lots of charm. As the evening wrapped up, he was expecting to get “lucky.” But when he began making his “moves,” Ann blurts out, “I don’t love you anymore.” After ten years of neglect from Dave (he was a busy pastor) his bride felt unloved and was ready to end the marriage. Thankfully, this revelation caused him to repent of his neglect and spend more time focusing on his marriage.
This book is full of story after story of open, honest, and hilarious situations. Even if you care nothing about marriage, these stories alone are worth the price of the book. But if you do care about marriage, you will learn so much by reading about their life.
2) Their Marriage Seems Worse
After reading the book, one of the thoughts that came to me was, “How in the world did they make it?” Their marriage was a wreck at certain times. Dave is very funny, yet also very oblivious as a husband. Ann is very passionate and hard-headed. Even in the first year their marriage seemed doomed. Yet by some miracle, God worked through them and created something incredible!
With that in mind, it should give others hope! Yes, your marriage might be going poorly, but it is probably not as bad as their marriage. And if they made, so can you!
3) A God-Centered Vision
What I like about this book is that it focused less on “How to have a great marriage” and more on “How to let God use your marriage to make a difference in this world.” In order for this to happen, there are a lot of good suggestions on how to have a good marriage. They talk about communication, conflict, intimacy, expectations, and many other things. But the point of the book is to use all those things (and more) to let God work through your marriage.
This book is full of great advice. But even more, this book is full of a great vision to let God work through your marriage.
4) For Husbands and Wives
Most marriage books seem to be written from either a husband or wife’s perspective. This one was written by both husband and wife so it supports and challenges both spouses. This balanced approach makes it a great book for couples to go through together, because both sides will feel understood and encouraged.
Give it a try!
If you are looking for an easy read, engaging, and insightful book on marriage, then go no further than this one! I encourage every couple to read it together and discuss every chapter.
If you are a “bad” reader, the book is also available on Audible as an audiobook and is read by both authors.
If you don’t read it, get ready, because this book will be coming to Island Pond as a Sunday School class in the near future!