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Felices por siempre: 30 lecturas devocionales para parejas
Más difícil de lo que se imagina. Mejor que un cuento de hadas, el matrimonio entre pecadores tiene problemas inevitables. Si has estado casado por más de una semana o dos, sabrás que la difícil realidad de la vida puede afectar en un tiempo de prueba. Tal vez, has tenido la etapa del "erase una vez", pero llegado el momento te das cuenta de que el matrimonio, en este mundo no es todavía un "felices por siempre". Queremos ayudar, creemos que Dios diseñó el matrimonio no como una prueba para superar sino como un puntero y catalizador hacia un gozo mayor. Dios no creó el matrimonio para ser el final de la historia, sino para ser el comienzo, para ayudarte y prepararte para un "felices por siempre" cuando vemos juntos al gran novio cara a cara. Los treinta devocionales para leer en Felices por siempre, han sido diseñados para formar, desafiar e inspirar la visión del matrimonio para ti y tu esposa(o) o novia(o).
Harder than you imagined. Better than a fairy tale. Marriage between sinners has its inevitable messes. If you’ve been married longer than a week or two, you know how the hard realities of life in a fallen age can come crashing in. Perhaps you had a season of “once upon a time,” but soon enough you realized that this marriage, in this world, is not yet your “happily ever after.” We want to help. We believe that God designed marriage not as a trial to be endured, but as a pointer to and catalyst for your greatest joy. God didn’t design marriage to be your storybook ending, but a fresh beginning, to help get you ready for the true “happily ever after” when together we see our great Bridegroom face to face. The thirty devotional readings in Happily Ever After have been assembled to shape, challenge, and inspire you and your spouse’s (or fiancé’s) vision of marriage.
Harder than you imagined. Better than a fairy tale. Marriage between sinners has its inevitable messes. If you’ve been married longer than a week or two, you know how the hard realities of life in a fallen age can come crashing in. Perhaps you had a season of “once upon a time,” but soon enough you realized that this marriage, in this world, is not yet your “happily ever after.” We want to help. We believe that God designed marriage not as a trial to be endured, but as a pointer to and catalyst for your greatest joy. God didn’t design marriage to be your storybook ending, but a fresh beginning, to help get you ready for the true “happily ever after” when together we see our great Bridegroom face to face. The thirty devotional readings in Happily Ever After have been assembled to shape, challenge, and inspire you and your spouse’s (or fiancé’s) vision of marriage.
144 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2016
71 people are currently reading
453 people want to read
About the author
John Piper
609 books4,593 followersJohn Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as senior pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
He grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and studied at Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary (B.D.), and the University of Munich (D.theol.). For six years, he taught Biblical Studies at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 1980 accepted the call to serve as pastor at Bethlehem.
John is the author of more than 50 books and more than 30 years of his preaching and teaching is available free at desiringGod.org. John and his wife, Noel, have four sons, one daughter, and twelve grandchildren.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
He grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and studied at Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary (B.D.), and the University of Munich (D.theol.). For six years, he taught Biblical Studies at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 1980 accepted the call to serve as pastor at Bethlehem.
John is the author of more than 50 books and more than 30 years of his preaching and teaching is available free at desiringGod.org. John and his wife, Noel, have four sons, one daughter, and twelve grandchildren.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 19, 2021
Piper, John. Chan, Francis., et al. Happily Ever After: Finding Grace in the Messes of Marriage. Desiring God: Minneapolis, MN. 2017.
This was better than I expected it to be. Some of the authors listed made me nervous. Even better, I didn’t see any manipulating of the Trinity to justify certain views on marriage. Not a bad start. The chapters by Piper, Segal, and the Reoaches were generally good. I skipped the ones by Doug Wilson, as no one has any business reading anything by him (unless you are refuting his theology). The chapters by Francis Chan were uniformly terrible. Let’s start there.
Chan begins well by saying “The goal of marriage is not marriage” (Chan 1). That’s true. It’s a mystery revealing Christ and His Bride. That is not what Chan is getting at. He doesn’t mention Ephesians 5 at all. Rather, he berates couples for being self-centered rather than being radical on the mission field. Seriously. Such couples who are improving their marriage “become virtually worthless for kingdom purposes.” Side note: there really isn’t much difference between Roman Catholic monasticism and Francis Chan’s anabaptist worldview on this point, save that Rome is more theologically robust.
Nancy Demoss Woglemuth has some good meditations on how the serpent makes us selfish towards our spouse (Woglemuth 10).
Piper’s chapters on sex are good for the most part, if prone to overstatement (which might be a summary of Piper’s whole ministry). He says “Sex belongs to Christians” (Piper 17). Well, only if the pleasures of sex were meant in the garden for covenant believers and that’s true by extension today. Otherwise, Piper is very close to saying the only legitimate marriages are Christian marriages.
Josh Squires chapter on intimacy being more than just sex is good, but reads like a manual: First, I engage in spiritual intimacy, then recreational intimacy, eventually to sexual intimacy. I understand the different love languages thing, but it comes off as wooden.
The chapters on submission (Tate 35 passim) were good if only in that they didn’t involve the Trinity.
Chan’s other chapter is as bad as his first one, if not worse. He tells believers not to get entangled in civilian pursuits (Chan 59). He butchers that verse since it is talking about the pastorate, not the laity. He mocks the “happy family lounging inside” while a “full-scale war” unfolds a few blocks away. He fails to understand that we can “work quietly with our hands and live a quiet life” while praying for those under attack. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. This is the danger to which Anabaptist Evangelicalism leads. It’s legalism.
This is a decent book for married couples. Ignore the chapters by Chan and Wilson and this book moves from 3 stars to 4 stars.
This was better than I expected it to be. Some of the authors listed made me nervous. Even better, I didn’t see any manipulating of the Trinity to justify certain views on marriage. Not a bad start. The chapters by Piper, Segal, and the Reoaches were generally good. I skipped the ones by Doug Wilson, as no one has any business reading anything by him (unless you are refuting his theology). The chapters by Francis Chan were uniformly terrible. Let’s start there.
Chan begins well by saying “The goal of marriage is not marriage” (Chan 1). That’s true. It’s a mystery revealing Christ and His Bride. That is not what Chan is getting at. He doesn’t mention Ephesians 5 at all. Rather, he berates couples for being self-centered rather than being radical on the mission field. Seriously. Such couples who are improving their marriage “become virtually worthless for kingdom purposes.” Side note: there really isn’t much difference between Roman Catholic monasticism and Francis Chan’s anabaptist worldview on this point, save that Rome is more theologically robust.
Nancy Demoss Woglemuth has some good meditations on how the serpent makes us selfish towards our spouse (Woglemuth 10).
Piper’s chapters on sex are good for the most part, if prone to overstatement (which might be a summary of Piper’s whole ministry). He says “Sex belongs to Christians” (Piper 17). Well, only if the pleasures of sex were meant in the garden for covenant believers and that’s true by extension today. Otherwise, Piper is very close to saying the only legitimate marriages are Christian marriages.
Josh Squires chapter on intimacy being more than just sex is good, but reads like a manual: First, I engage in spiritual intimacy, then recreational intimacy, eventually to sexual intimacy. I understand the different love languages thing, but it comes off as wooden.
The chapters on submission (Tate 35 passim) were good if only in that they didn’t involve the Trinity.
Chan’s other chapter is as bad as his first one, if not worse. He tells believers not to get entangled in civilian pursuits (Chan 59). He butchers that verse since it is talking about the pastorate, not the laity. He mocks the “happy family lounging inside” while a “full-scale war” unfolds a few blocks away. He fails to understand that we can “work quietly with our hands and live a quiet life” while praying for those under attack. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. This is the danger to which Anabaptist Evangelicalism leads. It’s legalism.
This is a decent book for married couples. Ignore the chapters by Chan and Wilson and this book moves from 3 stars to 4 stars.
October 13, 2019
Read this with my fiance and really enjoyed it. It covers the basics of marriage advice and theology. Lots of good reminders for us and it made us talk about different things that we hadn't thought of talking about.
February 28, 2020
Lots of good stuff.
December 28, 2021
Some very helpful and Biblically founded tips and advice regarding marriage. Short chapters from some great theologians experienced in marriage. Easy to read and 'digest'.
January 23, 2023
rounded up to 3 stars. I liked this, but I've read other titles I liked better.
June 7, 2020
What a great reminder of how God designed marriage. There were several perspectives I’d not heard before on various aspects of a marriage; great food for thought. This would be a good resource for newlyweds, but it was a very helpful resource for myself even 7 years into marriage.
July 26, 2020
30 short chapters. Some good stuff, excellent reminders and points to consider and pray and put in to practice.
January 1, 2018
My husband bought this as a kind of first anniversary present and I would highly recommend it to any couple however long you've been married. The chapters are very short and cover a wide variety of topics. I was a little skeptical about some of the chapter headings BUT it has been the springboard to some truly deep and thoughtful discussions between us which we wouldn't otherwise have had. It's helped us to understand each other better and more importantly this book has been with us through some tough times this year helping us to keep perspective and fix our eyes on the right things.
March 1, 2019
Good little book of thoughts/devotions for married couples. Some of the sections were not condensed very well - they tried to squeeze too much info into two pages and either didn’t have enough context or didn’t go deep enough. But they touched on some real issues that you normally don’t hear discussed, and have lots of practical examples, scriptural motivation, and questions to consider.
November 7, 2017
The essays are of varying quality but most are excellent. The short chapters are perfect for small group discussion.
February 11, 2020
Are you working on or toward your marriage this Valentine’s Day? When God brought our son Linus into our lives, we knew we would have to look out for our marriage as we learn to love each other more. Published for DesiringGod by Cruciform Press, Happily Ever After is a book filled with 30 devotions for couples about finding grace in the messes of marriage.
30 Devotions
Those who read DesiringGod will find a familiar list of contributors. Marshall Segal, David Mathis, and of course, John Piper are present. You will also find Francis Chan, P. J. Tibayan, Douglas Wilson, and Don Whitney. But since this is a book for couples, women contributors are also featured and include Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth, Kim Cash Tate, and Stacy Reaoch.
These 30 devotions cover a wide range of topics. Everything from submission to sex is covered. And since this book is just over 100 pages, each devotion is less than 5 pages. They are short and simple but packed with spiritual truth.
For Couples
Each devotion typically focuses on one charter passage of Scripture. Often, practical steps or examples are included as an application. Some of the devotions read more poetically than others. But there is always a takeaway and talking points. In fact, each chapter concludes with a “Talk About It” section for discussion with your spouse.
I most appreciated Chapter 17: A Possible Marriage-Saver in Nine Steps. John Piper looks at Colossians 3:13 and tries to flesh it out in real life. It is a lesson on bearing with one another and forgiveness. I have seen the pattern play out in my marriage, and it is comforting to know that Christians can struggle in this regard. And Piper is right to point us to the Holy Spirit, patient and relentless, who does not let us go. It is a comforting word of hope and encouragement.
Finding Grace
This book is different than most marriage books. It is not presented as a guide or explainer. Rather, it is a devotional that is meant to draw couples closer together, press both into truth, and show Jesus and his bride as the meaning of marriage. It will take your eyes off of yourselves and keep them focused on Christ.
I was provided a free copy of Happily Ever After but was not required to write a positive review.
30 Devotions
Those who read DesiringGod will find a familiar list of contributors. Marshall Segal, David Mathis, and of course, John Piper are present. You will also find Francis Chan, P. J. Tibayan, Douglas Wilson, and Don Whitney. But since this is a book for couples, women contributors are also featured and include Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth, Kim Cash Tate, and Stacy Reaoch.
These 30 devotions cover a wide range of topics. Everything from submission to sex is covered. And since this book is just over 100 pages, each devotion is less than 5 pages. They are short and simple but packed with spiritual truth.
For Couples
Each devotion typically focuses on one charter passage of Scripture. Often, practical steps or examples are included as an application. Some of the devotions read more poetically than others. But there is always a takeaway and talking points. In fact, each chapter concludes with a “Talk About It” section for discussion with your spouse.
I most appreciated Chapter 17: A Possible Marriage-Saver in Nine Steps. John Piper looks at Colossians 3:13 and tries to flesh it out in real life. It is a lesson on bearing with one another and forgiveness. I have seen the pattern play out in my marriage, and it is comforting to know that Christians can struggle in this regard. And Piper is right to point us to the Holy Spirit, patient and relentless, who does not let us go. It is a comforting word of hope and encouragement.
Finding Grace
This book is different than most marriage books. It is not presented as a guide or explainer. Rather, it is a devotional that is meant to draw couples closer together, press both into truth, and show Jesus and his bride as the meaning of marriage. It will take your eyes off of yourselves and keep them focused on Christ.
I was provided a free copy of Happily Ever After but was not required to write a positive review.
February 13, 2018
Being a collection of short devotionals for couples, with various authors, giving a review is a mixed bag. Occasionally you reach in and grab your favorite candy bar. Next time, you reach in and find a Werthers Original from 1993 that's spent the last several decades under the back seat of Uncle Lester's car. In other words, some of these are really helpful insightful and useful for helping couples think biblically about marriage (i.e. husbands loving their wives sacrificially, wives submitting to their husbands, etc.). I'm biased towards John Piper's and Douglas Wilson's contributions. Other entries were just not a nice flavor, sort of like the aforementioned half-melted caramel. In other words, either not enough depth to make it worth the while, or some advice that leans a little bit too much in the direction of our egalitarian culture at large.
However, for a mature Christian couple the good chapters provide some helpful fodder for conversation and marital "weeding". The "less good" chapters gave us something to enjoy mutual disgust, sort of like when you both have to choke down an unpleasant meal while at a dinner party...not fun in the moment, fun to reminisce about later. Fortunately, most of the devotionals are well-written, helpful, wise, and just the right length for a busy couple.
However, for a mature Christian couple the good chapters provide some helpful fodder for conversation and marital "weeding". The "less good" chapters gave us something to enjoy mutual disgust, sort of like when you both have to choke down an unpleasant meal while at a dinner party...not fun in the moment, fun to reminisce about later. Fortunately, most of the devotionals are well-written, helpful, wise, and just the right length for a busy couple.
June 12, 2020
If you adore Ephesians 5, this is your devotional. Under the premise that it is written by many authors, you will discover most of it was written by John Piper and features enough other authors to market it as a collaboration. While I have nothing against John's ideas - many of which are great, I take issue with his word choices and sentence structures which can often be confusing and required multiple reasons to obtain clarity and understanding. That said, my wife and I worked through this together and had many thoughtful conversations. Not a bad little book; not really a great one either.
September 10, 2023
I tuned in because I'm a John Piper and Donald S. Whitney fan. Most recently I had Whitney's book "Praying the Bible" impact me greatly. Because the focus is for a general Christian audience the focus of some times broad and lacks in specifics. And it's a little repetitive. Certainly something I would recommend to engaged couples, newlyweds, or married people who need the help. Certainly there are a few good reminders in there for me, but it's not a study that right now would benefit my wife and I to go through slowly together. 7 out of 10 or 3.5 Stars round down.
March 26, 2025
I don't consider this 3-star review to be too derogatory. Any collection of devotions is going to have some that stand out and some that lag behind. I thought the Squires article on intimacy was really well done, the Wilson articles were quite solid, and several of the Piper articles stood out.
I try to read a marriage book or two every year, and I would suggest this one to others, especially because I think the simplicity of each devotion and the discussion prompts make this easy to read and to go deeper in conversation. I just don't think I *really* liked it. I liked it, though.
I try to read a marriage book or two every year, and I would suggest this one to others, especially because I think the simplicity of each devotion and the discussion prompts make this easy to read and to go deeper in conversation. I just don't think I *really* liked it. I liked it, though.
November 16, 2018
This book would be super helpful for newlyweds and for experienced married couples who might be counseling newlyweds or who are stuck in the everyday. The essays are to-the-point and constructed in a way that a couple doesn’t have to read them together. The discussion questions at the end of each essay are good starting places for more in-depth conversations but can also be taken as they are and still be worthwhile.
October 27, 2018
The best marriage devotional I’ve read. The talking points at the end of each were practical, and encouraged a depth of conversation which many marriage devotionals fall tremendously short of inspiring. It benefited us.
March 10, 2020
Great 30-day devotion for couples. Some of the topics might be familiar to you, others may leave you learning something new. Either way, it's a great challenge to give yourself and your spouse, with quality content.
January 19, 2021
An excellent devotional book for married couples! It features chapters by highly respected authors that are short and sweet but very biblical. My favourite chapter was by Francis Chan- wow!! It blew my mind (in a good way!) His perspective on marriage is soooooo helpful!
November 30, 2019
A great series of marriage “devotions”/ reminders.
Particularly to not just give what you hope to receive and on being aware of the “battleground” and central mission of life.
Particularly to not just give what you hope to receive and on being aware of the “battleground” and central mission of life.
December 4, 2019
Great format to read this book as a couple and discuss. Easy to get through, great variety of topics, solid theology.
Read
January 6, 2022Short devotion that had some helpful topics covered
April 28, 2022
highly recommend it to married couples...I love giving this book as a wedding gift!
December 3, 2022
Great devotional book on marriage. Several chapters tackle "delicate" important subjects that need careful attention. Highly recommended!
March 14, 2023
hubs and I loved it
Truth truth and more truth. My husband and I both enjoyed this one very much. Definitely segued to deeper conversations.
Truth truth and more truth. My husband and I both enjoyed this one very much. Definitely segued to deeper conversations.
January 28, 2024
This collection of devotionals includes authors from across the scope of evangelical pastors and teachers. Some installments are really great, some are so-so, but all-in-all it was good.
June 5, 2025
This is a devotional book, so the topics therein could have all had more written on them. Some of the contributors were better than others, like Douglas Wilson and John Piper.
March 25, 2017
S1V1L1
May 15, 2020
¡Excelente recurso para los matrimonios! Muy recomendable!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews