Book Review: Hope for the Separated
I just finished reading “Hope for the Separated: Wounded Marriages Can Be Healed” by Gary Chapman. In the book, Gary deals with:
- Taking constructive actions while separated in regards to your own personal life, your relationship with God, and your relationship with your mate.
- Loving one another while separated through kindness, patience, and all the other attributes of charity listed in 1 Corinthians 13.
- Handling loneliness, bitterness, reconciliation, and even divorce, if it comes to that.
I liked the book for several reasons:
- It dealt with real-life problems. Often, we paint idealistic pictures of marriage that often are very far removed from where the average marriage is. I think that Gary gives alot of help to any couple who want to improve their marriage whether they are separated or not.
- It gave very practical advice. Gary takes the teachings of the Bible on love and explains how that love could look in a marriage.
- It offers hope. When there are marital problems, it might be possible for a couple to lose hope and resign themselves to divorce, because divorce is so common and seen as just a part of our society. This book encourages hope, gives reasons to be hopeful, and practical ideas for how to put your marriage back together with God’s help.
I encourage you to pick up a copy of the book. With only eleven chapters and 119 pages, it is a short book. It will be a blessing to anyone who is contemplating marriage, wants to improve their marriages, or desires to heal a wounded marriage.