Marriage After God: Chasing Boldly After God’s Purpose for Your Life Together

by Aaron Smith, Jennifer Smith

What if God has purposed your marriage for something so much more than happily ever after? Since the very beginning, God's design for marriage is for husbands and wives to be ambassadors of holy love to a hurting world. Still, so many couples stop short at happy and wonder why they feel unsatisfied. Rather than "you and me against the world," God calls each couple to the rich and meaningful mission of "you and me for the world." Aaron and Jennifer Smith, popular marriage bloggers at HusbandRevolution.com and UnveiledWife.com, transparently share their journey from a marriage in crisis to a marriage built on Christ's redemptive love. Through fresh biblical insight and intimate stories of their own struggles and victories, this book will guide you toward a God-centered, ministry-minded, and thriving marriage. In these pages you will . . . Filled with helpful illustrations, this thorough and practical book will empower you and your spouse to dream, decide, and do as you step hand in hand into God's ultimate purpose for your marriage. Your oneness is also meant for witness. God has purposed your remarkable, romantic, and redemptive relationship to be a powerful light to a dark and hurting world. This is your invitation to marriage as God intended--a life-saving, hope-inspiring, and transforming force of God's love.

Genres: Marriage, Nonfiction, Christianity, Faith, Christian Non Fiction, Christian, Christian Living

240 pages, Hardcover

Published June 4, 2019

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Aaron Smith is a husband and father who has always had a passion for sharing the gospel with the world. After getting married in 2007 to Jennifer Smith ( Unveiled Wife ), he and his wife became missionaries in Africa. Throughout the first four and a half years of marriage he and his wife experienced many struggles but found restoration through the grace of God, and out of those trials was birthed an on-line marriage ministry (HusbandRevolution.com). His heart now is directed towards encouraging husbands in their walks with Christ and their marriage. His hope is to see a revival in the hearts of husbands around the world. He believes that if husbands would humble themselves and turn toward God that marriages would be saved and the message of Christ would be advanced greater than ever before.

Reviews

[LaToya Gay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read! Wow! It truly reminded my husband and I just how important it is to involve God in all aspects of our marriage. It also encouraged us a married couple to continue chasing after God’s purpose and future plans for our marriage. Such a wonderful read! What we read truly changed our perspective about a lot of things and gave us ideas on how to improve other areas that we unintentionally neglected.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great. It's helping my husband and I to talk about things that we may not have discussed.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard about Aaron and Jennifer Smith from their book "31 Prayers for My Future Husband." Then I started listening to their podcast "Marriage After God" and learned about their other books. I enjoy listening to them because of their humility and honesty. They are relatable as they share the truth about marriage and living lives after God. I truly appreciate their honesty about their past and their conviction about how we should live as couples who are followers of God. I read this book on my own, but plan to read it again with my husband. They provide insight and thought-provoking topics and questions in each chapter. It would be great to do as an intentional monthly devotional as a couple to give time to thoughtfully and prayerfully take action on these topics. They also write about dreaming as a couple for your marriage, which would be good to do multiple times a year, year after year. I recommend this book to couples married for any length of time who are eager to chase boldly after Gods purpose for your marriage.

[Karīna Liepiņa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ļoti patika. Iesaku kristīgiem pāriem, kuri savu laulību būvē uz bibliskiem pamatiem!❤️🙏

[Susan Still · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been inspiring and uplifting. Even though my husband and I have been married for almost 19 years, it's been a struggle. We've had more bad years than good, but as we read this book together it's given me hope. Jennifer and Aaron write in a way that is comforting and challenging (in a good way) all at the same time. It's like talking with friends instead of reading a self help book. They are willing to talk about the painful times in their marriage, so as to help other couples. They are truly fulfilling God's calling on their lives!

[Jana Taller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've only read through Chapter 2 of Marriage After God so far and I might update this or leave another review once I finish reading the book. The authors are authentic and open in sharing their marriage experience to help those who read the book whether they are single, engaged, newlyweds or have been married for a long time. Their genuine concern for current and future marriages is evident from the very beginning. In what I have read so far, I've already learned a lot and have been challenged in a good way. I've realized some things I need to work on in my personal relationship with God, my relationship with my husband and our relationship with God. Chapter 2 mentions tactics used to destroy marriages and I have dealt with or am still dealing with many of them. It is easy to give into the tactics but the authors provide ways to be aware of and overcome them. I really like the explanations provided, the questions for reflection and the steps to take. One of my favorite quotes so far is: "Your marriage itself is ministry! Even before you and your spouse do any work together to build God's kingdom outside of your relationship, the most necessary ministry you will participate in must be first experienced and fulfilled in your own marriage. You are already in ministry as you seek to bless, support, and meet the needs of one another." I'm looking forward to sharing this with my husband (who speaks another language) by talking about the content and think it will greatly benefit our marriage. I believe this book will benefit others whether they are preparing for marriage or already married due to the authors' sincerity, openness and straightforward guidance provided.

[Nathan Warsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too many marriages are individuals doing life separately and too many times this individualism leads to divorce. Marriage After God calls all married couples to really look at their marriages and decide whether their marriage is for God or for themselves. Aaron and Jennifer Smith do an amazing job of intertwining their own love story with truths from the Bible. They do not sugarcoat anything and tell couples that this is going to be easy but having a marriage after God is the only way to do marriage. This book has allowed me to take a look at how I am using the tools that God has given me and use those tools for the God's glory. I have been able to connect with my wife and connect with God in this process which has led us to give our marriage completely over to God because our marriage is God's and not our own. We are called to not only to be individual disciples for God, but married disciples as well. I look forward to what God has in store for my marriage in the coming days, weeks, months, years, and I feel prepared after reading Marriage After God. As it says in the book from Ephesians 2:10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

[Caitlyn Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much I want to say. This has been an amazing and challenging read. I love Aaron and Jennifer's openness with their struggles and the questions that are placed throughout the chapter to challenge and bring forth discussion. My husband and I have read it together and it has brought some great discussion throughout the chapters. It has helped us to understand each other better in some areas of our relationship and has also challenged us to be more open in our relationships with other believers. It made us want to build strong relationships with those in community with us. It is definitely a book we will read and come back to multiple times.

[Melyn Apple-Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book. My husband and I have been reading a chapter every night before bed. We have both been on kind of separate pages...I’m 7mo pregnant with our third and he runs his own business and it’s a busy time of year. This has allowed us to come together and get our focus back on each other and realize what a divine thing marriage is and how it affects everything and everyone around us when we are united with the same vision from God. Highly recommend for any stage of marriage because there are so many good tidbits to take away!

[Luis Garza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our culture has given us a skewed view of marriage in just about every way. It’s so easy to lose your way, but Aaron and Jennifer’s words speak the truth about marriage and all that it calls us to become. They have let God do real work in their marriage and their testimony will challenge and inspire you and your spouse to do the same. Filled with honesty and dripping with scripture, this book will wear out your highlighter and reach you deeply. A real, practical and biblical call to action in your most important ministry.

[Vincent Lesner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't finished the book officially yet, but I believe I need to write a review. This book is well written. The order of the chapters has an easy to follow structure. Also their writing style is inviting. As you read you feel that the authors are sharing the truth in love.

The content deals with real life issues, and the authors do not shy away from the rawness of their marital history. This rawness/realness gives the readers hope knowing that by Gods grace marriages can change and grow into something that is holy and pleasing to God.

This book is a good resource for married couples of all stages not just newly weds or struggling marriages. This would also be a good resource for Counseling.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marriage After God is a wonderful reminder to put God first in your marriage. We love its foundation is the Bible. One takeaway that impacted us is that our marriage serves as an example to others no matter where we are or what we are doing. Wow! This is such a great reminder!We love Jennifer and Aaron’s transparency and honesty through out the book and recommend this book for every married couple who wants to grow in God’s grace.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book. It is very easy to read and understand. The stories are very “real” and relatable. The questions that they ask are helpful. The scriptures that they share are so good. I highly recommend this book to any married couple from brand new marriages to long time marriages. It will take your marriage to a new place.

[Lizzie Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are serious about working on your marriage this is the book for you. These two separately are amazing to listen to and follow but together make an amazing read. They bring simple and practical into your marriage and show how God can show up and show off if we let him. Let this be the book you read on your own and then together. Buy it for every wedding you go to going forward as well.

[Andrew Estrada · Rating 5 out of 5]

My wife and I have a pretty good marriage, but this book is truly opening our eyes and hearts to how God is calling us to be about more than just ourselves. We read Aaron and Jennifer’s devotional books - “Husband-“ and “Wife after God.” With those, we knew we had to read this new book by them and we definitely do not regret it!

[Anthony King · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such as a amazing read for both individuals and couples. The way the authors portray their lives in such an open manor really allows readers to connect to the book on a much deeper level. I have enjoyed every single second of this book. It is full of fantastic lessons, sound biblical theology, and amazing ideas to help discover all that God has planned for your marriage!!

[Janna Cover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marriage After God has been such a helpful tool to turn my focus back toward God. I love the scripture base of this book; it is far more than just another self-help book! It has been easy to lose sight of what is important while going through the motions of a busy life, but after reading this book, I have a newfound fire inside to keep my marriage as my primary ministry to honor God and grow closer to my husband. The tips and tools included in this book make the biblical principles easy to apply.

[Kathleen Batchelder · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great tool to use to connect with your spouse. My husband and I have been married for 3 years and we have definitely gone through our trials. This book helped us to see we are not alone. We have been able to connect with each other and have gained a better communication approach to our relationship. We love the biblical truths that fill these pages and are so inspired by Aaron & Jennifer Smith.

[Brenda Kowalski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg!!!! Reading “Marriage After God” has brought such a closeness as never before with me and my husband. We communicate more and are seaming to more “on the same page” type of closeness. This book is a “MUST” if you want your marriage to be refreshed and renewed and your relationship a oneness with God 🌹

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a relationship book that uses the Bible as the main reference. When a marriage book is able to so easily take the word of God and apply it to how to strengthen your marriage and find your purpose, it is comforting. Easy read with chapter challenges for thought and reflection.

[Bia Blanchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

biblically focused and packed with scripture! Not your average self help marriage book, this book has shown us what a true marriage after God should look like. It has revolutionized our individual perceptions of marriage and helped us draw closer to God

[Chelsea Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a bit into this book now and I cannot wait to see what else it has in store for our marriage. So far I love it and I just feel like this is going to help us serve God and his Kingdom as well as each other and help our marriage become stronger! This us a must read!

[Johnny James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaron and Jennifer share real life ways have how to seek God for your Marriage. They are open and honest and share their hearts in every chapter. It is a very good book no matter what stage your marriage you are going through. God will show up and Holy Spirit will guide you as you read this book.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marriage After God is such an amazing book. Whether you are newlyweds, married for 30 years, or single and eventually want to be married, we highly recommend this book to help bring God into your life and marriage. It continually puts God at the center and shows how you and your spouse can truly become one. My wife and I enjoy this book and will read and reference it on a regular basis. "One of the greatest benefits of your marriage being your 1st ministry is that it is where you practice your ministry to the rest of the world. Your marriage is the message you are preaching to others. The way you and your spouse interact with each other reveals the gospel you believe."

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors Arron and Jennifer Smith have done an amazing job showing why marriage was created by God. They have also incorporated tools that will help you talk and understand the purpose of your marriage with your spouse.

[Tara Beatty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, as their books before, leads readers to acknowledge that our marriage is supposed to be a reflection of God’s Love. He sent His Son as a living sacrifice. This book keeps showing me to love as Christ. To pursue Christ first and show Christ’s Love in our marriage. I never want to settle. I want what God wants for my marriage. This book is solid! I highly recommend.

[Shawn Steeg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely beautiful. Aaron and Jennifer Smith use the word of our Lord to help build not just a strong marriage but a strong household for our children. They do not teach Self- glorification. They use Gods words alone. This book has helped my husband and I get past a few of the bumps we have experienced this past year together. I found them a few years ago when I had a similar problem that they had in the beginning of their marriage. I looked to them for some peace in that situation and received more love and wisdom in my life for so many more things. I highly recommend not only this book but all others they have written!

[Crystal Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a life altering, marriage changing book that gets to the core of who we are created to be, how we arrived in our current situation, and how to turn back and pursue the beauty God has in store for us. The book is a blessing to all marriages and families, anyone that wants to grow can find great biblical encouragement to heal, to grow together, and to seek after our Creator.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! It is very encouraging! Aaron and Jennifer are transparent, honest, and relatable! I love how often the quote scripture! I highly recommend this book!

[Sheila Edens-Brown]

What a wonderful book! It is a blueprint for marriage. Both my husband and I read this book together and we both benefited from it. Read it for yourself.

Sheila