The Whole hearted Wife: 10 Keys to a More Loving Relationship

by Erin Smalley, Greg Smalley, Gary Smalley

Although it takes two to have a great marriage, an important truth for any marriage partner to realize is that he or she can really change no one other than him or herself. Nevertheless, changes in just one person can have an amazing impact on a marriage relationship!Instead of focusing on "How do I have a better marriage?" this book embraces that truth, and helps women ponder the question, "How can I be the best wife I can be?" It provides every woman with skills, information, and encouragement to make a positive difference to this and future generations, by wholeheartedly investing in her marriage and her relationship with her husband today."The Wholehearted Wife" is written by Erin and Greg Smalley, along with Gary Smalley, the creator and presenter of "Keys to a Loving Relationship," one of the best-selling video series of all time. Recognizing that most if not all married women have either experienced a time when her marriage felt lifeless--or sat with another female friend or family member who was experiencing that situation--this book is also a wonderful resource for those times.

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

251 pages, Paperback

First published June 20, 2014

Reviews

[Alyssa DeLeon · Rating 3 out of 5]

As another reviewer said, this book is good for newlyweds or just to look over. Would not be help for a struggling or stressful marriage. I was also surprised to find there were a few Scriptural things I did not agree with, things that seemed more basic. Would have liked to see more Scripture used throughout and more of a Bible base. It had good reminders but nothing most people aren’t already aware of. Would not recommend this as a small group book, which is how I went through it. But fine for individuals to look through. There will certainly be some wisdom to glean.

[Mazie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totally agree with another reviewer that this book was simplistic. I skimmed most of the last few chapters because they felt pretty basic and repetitive. That being said, I felt affirmed as a wife and in my marriage and that was worth the read for me. It’s a fine book but not life changing or super deep.

[Karina Tiggelaar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up because I like listening to the Smalley’s on the focus on the family podcast from time to time. However , this book really fell flat for me . I wish Erin would have wrote the book herself without snippets from Greg and Gary. I found their parts really ruined the book for me , especially in the chapter on sex . In my opinion, it didn’t contain anything I hadn’t read before in other Christian books on marriage .

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff. I like how practical the book is, and I love how they emphasize the wife's relationship with God being paramount. If that's in place and growing, then the wife can be empowered to love, serve, respect, and appreciate her husband from a much more healthy and secure foundation.

[Lizette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I would’ve had this book when I first got married . I read this book during a bible study group and learned so much . I loved how much I learned from it . I recommend for all married women.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written by 3 psychologist, Gary, Greg and Erin Smalley. Lots of good ideas and not demanding in its approach.

[Cynthia Graf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for the newly married woman or the woman struggling in her marriage.

[ACS Book-finder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Whole hearted Wife has been one of the most enjoyable, informational, practical, and inspirational books that I have read in quite some time. From the first point of “honoring” to the tenth point of “transforming life’s trials into blessings,” there was something in each chapter that was very helpful and applicable. I have been married for 31 years and I found several “aha” moments throughout the book. It is more than a self-help book. It is a book full of scripture-based advice and truth that points us to the Lord as the ultimate help-giver in strong relationships and marriages.

The only thing that I did struggle with a little bit was the switching back and forth between the authors. Sometimes this happened right in the middle of a chapter and for me, interrupted the flow of thoughts. I found myself stopping and having to go back and re-read quite often in order to understand who was speaking. However, this does not take away from the helpful content.

While “The Whole hearted Wife” may seem like just a book about marriage and how to make our relationship with our husbands stronger, the Smalleys write that ultimately our personal relationship with the Lord is absolutely foundational to a strong marriage – it is the cornerstone. I highly recommend this book to the newly-wed and beyond.

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided for this review by the Tyndale Blogger program. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer. No compensation was received for this review.

[Misty Nordyke · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED THIS BOOK!!!
I was just amazed with this book! The Whole Hearted Wife is an exceptional read.
I wish I would of had this book 25 years ago when I first got married!
I had a very hard time understanding my husband, how to manage conflict, and my biggest was forgiveness.

In this wonderful biblically based book the Smalley's have covered these topics and much more.
Erin, Greg, & Gary talk about topics in this book from:
How to influence your husband
Transform any marriage situation for the better
Experience the marriage you always wanted
Infuse your marriage with vitality
Rekindle your passion
Pursue dreams for you and your husband

I would recommend this book for newly weds to seasoned couples.





** I received this complimentary book from Tyndale for my honest review and opinions **

[Nina Singhapakdi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Pastor at a church I visited said that Christians should always be reading books on how to nourish Christ-centered relationships and that we should be reading marriage books before we get married... and even if we never want to! He believed that these books teach valuable relational and emotional skills for everyone, not just spouses. This book did just that for me. It taught me to better understand my personality, gave me tangible skills to use in order to manage conflict in my relationships, and taught me how to honor my friends and family. I recommend this to any Christian woman who wants to take initiative when it comes to her emotional health and wants to better honor the relationships in her life.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Talked about great ways to grow your marriage. The difference between a marriage between two Christians and a truly Christ centered marriage. How to pray for your husband and encourage his growth. How to solve conflicts and keep your heart open to your husband. Not a ton of new information because I've read similar books on marriage, but still definitely worth a read!

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad concepts, but I found this book to be a bit basic and simplistic. It would definitely not be a good book for a marriage in crisis. Possibly, it would be good for a newlywed to read in the first year of marriage, but really, there are many, much better marriage books out there.

[Jessica Wiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read for any couple

Great read. Very applicable and practical. Great resource for any Christian that is married. Highly recommend to any couple wanting to grow in marriage

[Deanna Sutter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good information. Alex and I had a lot of great discussion as a result of their thoughts.

The writing style was very distracting. Each paragraph switched voice back and forth.