Love Works

Philip Wagner, Holly Wagner

Description

You already know that women and men are different . . . and those differences can make your marriage tricky--and some days, seemingly impossible! So what's the secret? To realize a healthy, passionate and life-giving relationship for the long haul you need . . .love. Not the fairy tale kind of love that lives "happily ever after" once a single measly dragon has been slain. (There's always more than one dragon in real life anyway, right?) The secret is a love that does the work of loving--day in and day out, never giving up or backing down.In Love Works, Holly and Philip Wagner pull back the curtain on their nearly 30-year partnership and invite you to take an honest look at your own relationship. With humor and transparency they demonstrate how you can create an extraordinary and fulfilling relationship --the kind of real and remarkable everyday love that stands the test of time.You will find that your dream marriage ... is truly a labor of love.

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 08 avril 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781441227027
• Langue: English

Extrait

PRAISE FOR love works
This is one of the finest relationship books that I have read in a long time. Holly and Philip Wagner are a delightfully authentic couple who made me laugh, think, rethink and put into practice their excellent ideas. Their writing and communication style is fresh, spontaneous and extremely practical. I highly recommend this book.
Dr. Jim Burns, Ph.D.
President of HomeWord, Author, Creating an Intimate Marriage and Closer: Devotions to Draw Couples Closer Together
I am so excited that you have this book in your hands. Philip and Holly are not only one of the best teaching couples on relationships, but they also work hard to live out the principles outlined in this book. You will find practical tools to help you go higher in every level of your relationships, and you will laugh as you learn from their own journey. I highly welcome and recommend this great book.
Christine and Nick Caine
Author, Speakers and Founders of A21
Real, raw and straight shootin’! Holly and Philip do not hold back! What a great book to teach from. I plan on using this at our church and, if I can remember to do so, I’ll give proper credit to the authors . . . lol!
Ted Cunningham
Coauthor, From Anger to Intimacy , As Long as We Both Shall Live and The Language of Sex
Philip and Holly Wagner have a teaching style unlike any other—they live and teach out of a dynamic relationship with both God and each other. Philip and Holly are dear friends of ours, and their perspective on healthy relationships and maintaining a fun, God-centered marriage is refreshing. Their humorous writing style and passion for people will captivate your mind and challenge your heart as we all seek for God’s leading in this important area of life.
Brian and Bobbie Houston
Senior Pastors, Hillsong Church, Australia
We all want it—the fairytale ending “they lived happily ever after”—yet most of us don’t know how to get it. Philip and Holly Wagner know how to help. Their honest and humorous approach to the desire of all our hearts is a practical and personal how-to that we all desperately need.
Robert and Debbie Morris
Senior Pastor and Executive Pastor, Gateway Church, Dallas, Texas Bestselling Author, The Blessed Life
Relationships can be a tangled web of heartache if not navigated with precaution and care. From the nerve-wracking first date to the covenanted walk down the aisle, men and women have to take time to lean in, listen carefully, learn and make wise decisions. Pastors Phillip and Holly have given the body of Christ a gift—not just with this book but also with their lives. Their own marriage has mentored and encouraged many others—including my own. What they have penned in these pages is a must-read for everyone who wants to reap a maximum harvest in his or her relationship.
Priscilla Shirer
Bible Teacher and Author
I have been teaching the differences between men and women since the 1970s. This book is so refreshing in how it honors those differences. Thank you, Holly and Philip, for being real and sharing your life on every page.
Gary Smalley
Bestselling Author, From Anger to Intimacy, As Long as We Both Shall Live and The Language of Sex
When we dream of the perfect relationship, we often imagine the trust, excitement and security of a lifelong commitment. In reality, we know that a truly successful relationship takes work, dedication and a willingness to humble ourselves and learn. In this book, our good friends Philip and Holly Wagner spotlight the journey that successful relationships must experience—a journey that they have been travelling themselves for more than 25 years. Whether you are single, dating or have been married for decades, throughout these pages you will encounter more than relational advice or quick fixes. Instead, you will discover the scriptural truths that will help reawaken you to God’s desire for your life and your relationship.
Ed and Lisa Young
Pastor and Ministry Leader, Fellowship Church, Grapevine, Texas Co-authors, The Creative Marriage and The Marriage Mirror

© 2014 Holly and Philip Wagner
Published by Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287 www.revellbooks.com
Revell edition published 2014
ISBN 978-1-4412-2702-7
Previously published by Regal Books
Ebook edition originally created 2014
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved worldwide.
Other versions used are:
NKJV —Scripture taken from the New King James Version . Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
ESV— Scripture taken from the English Standard Version, Copyright © 2001. The ESV and English Standard Version are trademarks of Good News Publishers.
AMP— Scripture taken from The Amplified Bible , Old Testament copyright © 1965, 1987 by the Zondervan Corporation. The Amplified New Testament copyright © 1958, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
NLT —Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
KJV —Scripture taken from the King James Version. Authorized King James Version.
THE MESSAGE — Scripture taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson, 1993, 1994, 1995. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
TNIV —Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, Today’s New International Version ® .
TNIV ® —Scripture taken from Today’s New International Version . Copyright © 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society ® . Used by permission of International Bible Society ® . All rights requested worldwide.
GNT —Scripture taken from the Good News Translation , Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
Previously published as GodChicks and the Men They Love.
Dedicated to all of you who are committed to doing the work required to have an amazing relationship.
Contents
Introduction: Thoughts from Holly
Introduction: Thoughts from Philip

1. Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall (Holly)
2. Frog Kissing and Princess Rescuing (Philip)
3. I Wish I May, I Wish I Might, Have a Great Marriage by Midnight (Holly)
4. The E5 Solution (Philip)
5. Irreconcilable Differences (Holly)
6. You Had Me at Hello (Philip)
7. Sleeping with the Enemy (Holly)
8. The Big Three: Faith, Finance and Forgiveness (Philip)
9. Shift Happens (Holly)
10. Give Me Five! (Philip)
11. S-E-X Is Not a Four-Letter Word (Philip+Holly)

Endnotes
Thanks to ...
I don’t think I actually “fell in love” with Philip.
It was more like growing in love.
I just remember my heart beating harder when I was with him.
I remember wanting to spend every moment with him.
I remember loving him as I played his newly recorded album (on LP and cassette, not CD—we are old).
I remember being inspired by his relationship with God. His faith seemed so easy and so real.
I loved (and still love) listening to him teach. He made (and still makes) the Bible seem practical and relevant.
I loved (and still love) how compassionate, patient and non-judgmental he was (and still is) with people.
I loved (and still love) how he made (and still makes) me laugh. No one makes me laugh the way he does. Of course, no one makes me as mad as he does either!
I know Philip far better now than I did when we first began our journey together. And I love him more. He and I have learned how to value and honor each other. We have gotten better and better at communicating in a way that builds each other up. We have learned how to appreciate the areas in which we are different. We have learned patience. We have realized that together we are stronger than we would be alone.
Those things said, there have been moments along our journey when my husband has driven me nuts, when I have questioned my choice of husband.
“Remind me that divorce is expensive and that murder is against the law,” is a plea I made to a friend a number of years ago. I laugh about that comment now, but back then I wasn’t kidding! At that time, our marriage wasn’t fun, maintaining it was so much work, and Philip didn’t “understand me”!
Perhaps you have felt this way at times. You vaguely remember those lovin’ feelings—you’re just not having them now.
Well, take heart. You are not alone.
Or maybe you are single, and you don’t really want to be.
Maybe your friends are getting married, and you are debating whether or not you should just settle for someone. You are wondering if there is someone out there for you.
Well, yes—there is.
But you might just have to do some work.
On you.
And on what you are looking for. Yeah, there are still great men and women out there. But there are some you shouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole. Hopefully this book can help you tell the difference between them.
Our modern society encourages our need for independence and individualism, and at the same time it recognizes the hunger in all of us for real relationships. But you will not have the relationship of your dreams if you focus on yourself and your needs. Recently, a person sitting next to me on an airplane asked me what I thought the biggest problem in marriage was. Hands down, I responded, it is selfishness. I want what I want, and I want it now. I want to be loved without ever really doing the work of loving.
After almost 30 y