We’ve been given the opportunity to give away three copies of a new book by Gary Chapman and Harold Myra, titled Married, And Still Loving It, available January 5th, 2016. It’s a book about real couples who have been married for decades that have discovered how to make their marriage work for a lifetime. It’s sure to be a great resource for those just starting out, and an encouragement for those who are farther along on their marriage journey.
Here’s the premise for the book:
Long marriages are a gift… but they aren’t always easy
You know yourselves better. You’ve learned to cherish the small things. You’re past keeping up with the Joneses.
And yet, anxieties over grown children, worries about money and health, and feelings of disappointment can challenge even the best marriages.
In Married and Still Loving It, renowned relationship expert Gary Chapman and Harold Myra, longtime CEO of Christianity Today International, offer wise counsel and practical insight on making your marriage thrive during these years. Real couples share honestly about their joys and struggles, including Jerry and Dianna Jenkins and Ken and Joni Eareckson Tada, who talk movingly about their marital journeys.
Married and Still Loving It feels like a gathering of kindred spirits. It will inspire and equip you to embrace the adventures yet ahead, hand in hand with the one you love.
In order to enter our contest…
First, read the following interview Mr. Chapman and Mr. Myra were privileged to have with a very famous couple. They have the longest, happiest marriage ever–and they’re sharing their secrets with us…
A North Pole Christmas interview by Gary Chapman and Harold Myra:
SANTA’S AMAZING MARRIAGE
–the jolly saint reveals his secrets
Recently, while writing our new book, Married, and Still Loving It, a brainstorm hit…or, you might say, sugar plums danced in our heads. We were interviewing long-married couples but thought of Saint Nick. “He’s the one with a really long marriage!”
What, we wondered, was going on with him and Mrs. Claus? We decided to find out, but North Pole communications can be crackly…and noisy from all those toy-making elves. But we were lucky—we caught Santa in a jolly mood in his home, beside Mrs. Claus sipping hot chocolate by a cozy fire.
“Ho, ho, ho!” he exclaimed. “It’s about time someone asked me about love and marriage.”
“Really? What do they usually ask about?”
“Whether being naughty or nice really counts.”
“Does it?”
“Of course!” he boomed merrily.
We grinned. “So what can you tell us about love and marriage?”
Santa sipped his hot chocolate. “Maybe you won’t want to hear our old-fashioned ideas.”
“But that’s why we’re calling. You’ve been married a long, long time, and we want to know what makes you so merry.”
Read the full interview with Santa at: http://kirkcameron.com/santas-amazing-marriage then come back here for a chance to win a copy of Married, and Still Loving It!
Second, simply comment to this post with your idea of what makes a marriage successful. Deadline to enter is December 20th at midnight. Winners will be chosen and announced on December 21st. Books will be sent to the winners directly from the publisher once available
We love giveaways, and a Christmas giveaway is even better! Share this with your friends…
Don’t miss this special interview with the longest married couple of all time, plus a giveaway. http://bit.ly/1U8nFcm
The Romantic Vineyard 
Santa is right on when he says marriage isn’t easy…each of us keeps evolving into someone else as we grow…Jerry and I have been married 60 years and he is not the man I married…not worse, just different…we find we have to get reacquainted as decades pass…and the only way we can do this is through constant communication on a feeling level…not settling for a ” facts only” type of communication. Santa also got it right when he advised us to listen…because we have been together so long, we have a tendency to only listen with one ear, sometimes missing important clues to what is going on with each other…How very blessed we are to still have each other…A love like ours can’t be taken for granted, it still needs to be nourished every single day.
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I’m so glad you’ve taken the time to comment Shirley. I pray our marriage lasts as well as yours has. What a gift you’ve nourished and treasures all these years, and now it’s providing riches to others. I’m grateful I’m one of the recipients. Love you and Jerry so much!
Debi
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We have been married 41 years. What makes it work? adapting together through the many changes one goes through, as you move through the stages of first married, then the babies, then the pre-teen and teen parenting, the adult ‘parenting’ when they are on their own. So many different seasons. Then we moved into the health issues that were up and down. It is a give and take and learn together time. Now we are heading to the retirement stage.
Another new learning curve.
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I believe something that “has been said…” and I hung up a mini poster of this saying on our fridge. Marriage is 20 % communication and 80% forgiveness. The one reason I believe our relationship will last is because we never stay angry for an entire day…usually less than an hour! Talk, Talk, Talk, Forgive more than 70 x 7. That’s what will make it work. Without this, it won’t work well.
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My husband and I discussed recently that what makes a marriage successful is never forgetting that we are people who are always growing and changing. We must be intentional about pursuing and constantly seeking each other’s heart. If we do this, growing apart won’t be an issue because we will be keeping up with each other in “real time” so to speak. We will remain in tune with each other’s heart. That is our goal in our marriage.
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Congratulations, tchambers10! You’re one of our winners in the book giveaway. Please email us your mailing address so the publisher can send you your free copy once it’s published on January 5, 2016. theromanticvineyard@gmail.com
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I have been married for 22 years. My husband and I have been through some difficult to overcome trials. I believe a successful marriage involves two imperfect people not giving up on each other, and a decision to continually try to improve the relationship. At least I hope we are on the right track!
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Michelle, What wonderful advice. You’re definitely on the right track!! Thanks for sharing.
Debi
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We were just talking about this the other day after I read an article about marriage that was listing essential & non-essential things for your upcoming wedding. Premarital counseling was listed as non-essential, but having a great calligrapher was essential. True story.
Anyway, having been married nearly 35 years ourselves we decided that the first thing needed for a successful marriage is the attitude that you’re in it forever. Communicating that you’re going to work out or through whatever the Lord sends your way in the coming years without defaulting to quitting.
Good communication and a willingness to extend forgiveness have already been mentioned by others as they are critical in any relationship, but especially in an intimate one.
I also think that understanding the basic need to be loved is important. I mean cherished through and through by another human. When you really understand that your spouse needs to be cherished for being the unique individual that they are and that you’re the only one that gets to do that, it can be an awesome responsibility and opportunity for fostering success in marriage.
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I first wanted to say selflessness, but really, it’s more than that. Though I’m not really sure how to put it.
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There are a lot of things that make a marriage successful – commitment to God, thinking the best about each other, making your spouse your priority, time together and a sense of humor all come to mind.
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Congratulations, Bonnie! You’re one of our winners in the book giveaway. Please email us your mailing address so the publisher can send you your free copy once it’s published on January 5, 2016. theromanticvineyard@gmail.com
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Woo Hoo! Thanks.
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You’re welcome! 🙂
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Your book looks very interesting. Life together is always a problem and it’s great to hear what other couples say about their life 😉
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