Marriage Minded: 10 Ways to Know If You've Found the One

by Nick Hurst, Chelsea Hurst (Reader), Jefferson and Alyssa Bethke (Contributor)

Read by the authors. How did you know you were right for each other? How did you know it was the right time to get married? What should we be doing as a couple to make sure our marriage starts out well? These questions are among many that Chelsea and Nick Hurst have received since nearly 2.4 million people followed their love story, engagement, and marriage on their YouTube channel. Now they're ready to dive deeper into the guidance they received, the lessons they learned, and the questions they asked themselves and others as they navigated the biggest decision of their lives. Written from both Chelsea's and Nick's refreshingly honest perspectives, Marriage Minded is perfect for couples who are dating seriously or considering the big step of engagement. In these pages, Nick and Chelsea . . . Share critical questions you should ask yourselves and each other before saying "I do"Offer practical ways to better understand each other and your differences to build a solid and trusting relationshipShare ways to find hope and help for healing from past mistakes as you plan for your future togetherPresent a clear view of what godly marriage is and the importance of putting Jesus at the center before you're married Chelsea and Nick are a breath of fresh air as they share what they wish they had known before walking into marriage. Allow their relationship and personal experiences to be an encouragement to you as you build your life together. Reflection questions and exercises are included in the audiobook companion PDF download.

Genres: Marriage, Self Help, Nonfiction, Christian, Relationships

1 pages, Audio CD

Published January 4, 2023

Reviews

[Joanne | wellreadcoffeeaddict · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know the title says '10 ways to you if you've found the one', but this book really is more about how to know if you're actually ready for a serious relationship + commitment. Don't go into this expecting clear cut signs that tell you whether or not the person you're with now is who God chose for you.

What I'm trying to say is that you should go into this book first and foremost to learn if you yourself are prepared for marriage. And THEN secondly, consider if the person you are with is someone you can commit a lifetime together with.

This isn't a marriage counselling/advice book, nor does it sell itself to be that way. Marriage-Minded covers topics Nick & Chelsea have learned are important for a marriage to succeed and thrive. Older or married couples might not get much out of this, but for those in new relationships or are thinking ahead to engagement, I highly recommend this one! Faith-based and easy to read Christian nonfiction.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, first off I want to say that if I were younger and starting out in my first major relationship, this would be a more helpful book to me than now, as a much older person who has been through quite a bit in my past relationships. I would give it four stars if I were just starting out. As it is now, with some experience under my belt, slightly less helpful, more basic, BUT we always need to refresh the basics, so I not only am glad that I listened to this, it will be one I re-listen to later on to make sure I'm not straying from the basics.

This did hit me a few times over the head with a rolled up newspaper, which is not a bad thing. We all need wake-up calls and I need them more than most I feel sometimes. (I'm not saying this book was mean or anything, just that I have told God in the past that I don't listen very well and when He is saying something important that I need to listen to and obey, He needs to use a rolled up newspaper upside my head so I know I have to pay attention. He used this book a few times to do that. I appreciate that He cares enough to do that for me.)

Final verdict? Good book that was God-centered on asking yourself the right questions to make sure you are following His will re: a help-meet and lifetime partner. I wish I had had this book when I was first starting out. It would have been very helpful. Live and learn I suppose, but better to learn without having to go through the mistakes.

Each person in the couple narrated the book, with varying degrees of success. I could hear one voice better than the other, so was messing with the volume a bit which was a tad annoying.

3, worth the time to listen to/read, stars.

My thanks to libro.fm and Zondervan for an ALC of this book to listen to and review.

[Matt Mehlberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title is not quite what it seems. This book lays out 10 topics to prayerfully consider either before a dating relationship or while in it to really get you thinking with a Christ Centered approach towards the relationship. I would highly recommend this as a prep book for those that are single and looking to date, as well as a joint book to read together for those that are already in a relationship to really establish Godly principles and mindsets.

[Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend for people who date to marry, young couples considering marriage, young engaged couples and probably even young married couples. I have never related to a book so much let alone been so excited to share about it with my fiance. It tackled a lot if not all the things we have struggled with during this season of our relationship and from the perspective of someone who knows or remembers what it is like to be a young couple trying to figure things out. Honestly this would be a great book to read with your significant other along with marriage counseling if you choose to do so.

[Linda Galella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friendly, welcoming and non judgmental while bringing forth the biblical principles for marriage, husband and wife, Nick & Chelsea Hurst, share the story of their friendship, dating, engagement and marriage in their book, “Marriage Minded”.

This is a volume geared towards young adults. Late high school thru the thirties would seem to be the proper audience and unmarried, looking, dating, or engaged. Newly married would benefit from some of the stories and asides but mostly the is a preparation for marriage book.

Nick & Chelsea are honest about their personal trials and encourage readers to make progress not perfection. They include: pre-marital sex, pornography, money, children, communication, trust and more. The information isn’t textbook style or erudite but like a your friends sharing what they experienced with a bit of statistics and a lot of scripture.

Both Nick & Chelsea speak individually in clearly noted sections as well as providing window boxes for information they think is highly important. At the end of this tiny volume there is a two page “Notes” section that is a collection of 13 resources used throughout the book. The various scripture references are not included.

In the marriage category, this is an unusual book in that it’s focus is truly for the time BEFORE getting married and even as far as if you should marry a particular person. It would make a good resource for older teens, college and career age students, couples considering marriage, church libraries and certainly engaged couples📚

[Kenzie Dunsmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got so much out of this book and it has already sparked some fruitful conversations with my significant other. It made me realize a lot of the ways in which I could be better for my partner in order for a marriage to thrive. It is causing us to look dig deeper into why we respond or act the way we do sometimes, what actions potentially hurt each other, how marriage should be used to further God's goals, not ours, and so much more. If a kingdom marriage is what you desire, this book has a lot of great guidelines on some of the more important things you should look out for in a potential spouse. I believe this book would be beneficial to younger people who are desiring a relationship and could open their eyes to things that have not considered beyond their years as they get more seriously involved in the dating world. I love how the couple incorporated and based their statements off of scripture and pointed to God through everything discussed. Be intentional and in the right mind space to receive critique and this book will be beneficial to you and leave an impact on you and your relationship. Nothing is easy, it wasn't meant to be. This book provides comfort in knowing that every couple faces hardships and has to work through all of these difficult things together. By extending grace, compassion, empathy, understanding, patience, humility, etc, it is possible for God to work through you both as you work towards marriage together, are already married, or seeking a relationship.

[Adrianna Alewine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick read. As a 26 year old woman in a serious relationship, I picked this up at the library in hopes of receiving wisdom from an experienced couple. While the authors acknowledged very early on in the book that they were young, I didn’t realize just how young. This is not to say that younger people are incapable of providing wisdom. However, it was not exactly what I was looking for. The overall voice of the book felt juvenile and most of the previous life experiences being cited were from teenage years. This is not meant to be an attack- if you’re reaching late 20s/early 30s, this might just not be the right book for you. I think if I were to have read this in my early 20s I would’ve appreciated it more.

[Zachary Lenhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐ Favorite Points / Standout Ideas

* “Readiness over romance” — It pushes you to ask: Am I ready for marriage?, not just Are they the one?
* Ask hard questions early — Avoids drifting into commitment without clarity
* You don’t marry potential—you marry patterns (huge in family + habits)
* Spiritual alignment isn’t optional — it determines long-term direction
* Unresolved issues don’t disappear in marriage—they amplify
* Communication tone matters more than you think (small habits become big issues)
* Peace > pressure — Don’t force a relationship just because it’s “good on paper”

[Rachelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marriage Minded... a bit preachy, and more like a memoir/ autobiography, but this religious themed book does touch on many solid moments of advice relating to marriage in a Christian way. Definitely meant for those just entering marriage, in the dating market, or single and hoping to find their future mate. A little inexperienced, but sweet in sharing their methodology to success. Authors are definitely wise beyond their age.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this is written by a young married couple, they still provide such practical insight on marriage. Their main focus isn't to preach to the folks who have been married for decades, but to reach a crowd of individuals who is still searching for their spouse. I appreciated their honesty in each chapter, and they made such good points and gave tips about communication that can be carried into other relationships as well.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives biblically sound guidance for those considering marriage. It presents 10 questions to ponder and discuss with your significant other to help you assess whether you should enter into marriage or part ways. I really enjoyed reading this book and I think it would be wise for any dating couple to read it and complete the exercises in preparation for a happy life together!

[Brianna Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book with solid insight. It was a quick read that I found to be applicable to people who are single (like me), but as offering helpful prompts and advice that would be beneficial to people who are currently in a dating or engaged relationship. (I would recommend this book, specifically if you are a Christian who views dating as a step towards marriage)

[Jezzeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Consider whether you can communicate with your partner, whether pride gets in the way, whether you can trust your partner, how you and your partner view money, the stance on sex and purity, whether you and your partner can enjoy a life together, how you and your partner handle secrets, emotional health, and whether you and your partner are spiritually matched

[Sara Cumberland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book with lots of truth! I read it as a 28 year old who has been mentoring the target audience for a few years, so I can’t say anything was ground breaking for me… but it is one of the first I will recommend to young couples just starting to pray over marriage!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I think that this was a good book with good advice. I feel like a lot of it is very general Christian advice but overall was still good to go through and read and see practical examples that are lived out.

[Joelle Wildman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very quick read focusing on 10 questions if/when considering marriage- all important, logical questions to ponder, but nothing profound, and more of a memoir from a fairly newly-wed couple.

[Shawn Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best fit for me personally, geared more to the involved and active Christian. Presented more as the relationship story for an early married couple. A few on-liners gems that could hold value.

[Emily Miedema · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me: 3.75⭐️s
Jake: 3.5⭐️s

The conversations elicited by this book were meaningful. However, the content (other than the reflection questions) didn’t include any ground-breaking realizations or convictions.