"Marriage takes a lot of hard work, from both individuals. It takes more than physical attraction, money and children to make marriage work."
 |
God, Did You Send This Mate to Me? by Cynthia Marie Bolton Trafford Publishing
book review by P. Hooper
According to Bolton, “Over the years, people have lost the true value of marriage.” After years of observing other people’s marriages, Bolton has decided to write a book in an attempt to help people “look deeper into what you are about to enter into or perhaps what you’ve already entered.” Bolton hopes to encourage young, single people to make wiser choices in their marriage partners, so that they will enter into the sacred covenant of marriage with the right attitude. Too many young people, she says, get married for the wrong reasons, which has contributed to the high divorce rate. Claiming that she was inspired by the Spirit of God, Bolton hands out advice about such topics as commitment, compromise, choosing a mate, and the true reason to get married. She doesn’t leave married couples out, though. One of her last chapters is entitled, “The Combination to a Successful Marriage,” and it discusses such issues as understanding oneself before marriage and honesty. The conversational tone of this book makes it easy to read and understand. Also, it is filled with common sense advice that people would be wise to take. For example, she advises couples to seek counseling prior to marriage so that they can really understand each other and the commitment they are about to make. Though Bolton mentions God throughout, her advice can help religious and non-religious people alike. Bolton also peppers the book with many interesting anecdotes about couples that keep the book from becoming too preachy.