Er statt ich

by April Cassidy

What happens when a woman becomes the wife God desires her to be?

In today's world, women are often rewarded for having type A personalities. Driven, demanding women achieve higher positions, better salaries, and praise for their ambition. They learn to be confident, take-charge leaders who can handle anything on their own. Yet when it comes to their marriages, those same traits can backfire. After all, no one goes into marriage hoping for a promotion. What is a wife to do?

April Cassidy knows this struggle firsthand. She thought she was a great Christian wife and begged God to make her passive husband into a more loving, involved, godly leader. Instead, God opened her eyes to changes that she needed to make, such as laying down her desire for control and offering genuine, unconditional respect--not just love--to her husband. The Peaceful Wife focuses on Cassidy's experience and its life-changing properties, providing a template for others to follow.

Cassidy's conclusions may be as shocking to readers as they were to her, but she backs up her own tale with stories from her blog readers, and also includes recommendations for further study. She walks through baby steps on how to change, addressing questions such as:

- What is respect?
- How can you show respect?
- How is being respectful different from being loving?

In the end, The Peaceful Wife is a powerful path to God's design for women to live in full submission to Christ as Lord.

Genres: Marriage, Christian, Christianity, Nonfiction, Self Help, Christian Non Fiction, Relationships

314 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 27, 2016

About the author

My English teachers in high school encouraged me to be a writer. I prayed about being a missionary. My father just wanted me to get a degree that would help me make a decent living. I eventually settled on pharmacy school - thinking I could help a lot of people that way and provide a good living for myself.

Now - decades later - God has given me an opportunity to use the writing skills He gave me and my story as a wife and believer in Christ to reach women around the world for the Gospel. What an honor and a privilege to be here. I pray that God might richly bless you as you read about my struggles to understand what it means to be a godly woman and wife. God has done an incredible work in my life already - and I still have much to learn. What a blessing to share that with you and to be with you on this journey of discovery in Christ.

Reviews

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. My only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that sometimes it seemed a bit repetitive, but honestly, wow. What a godly book on being a wife. So biblical, grounded in honouring Christ, and respecting yourself.
Such a good book

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

April Cassidy has written a book that I think is completely invaluable to every woman who is married. With practical wisdom, "The Peaceful Wife" guides women in Biblical submission to their husbands. She also talks about how to respect your husband. She gets at the heart of respect, the motives and how sin can take root if wrong motives pop up, hasty words are spoken or how we have the ability to uplift our husbands. I also love how she talks about issues of intimacy when things are not where they used to be and how to move back into communication

This book is filled with great practical advice that is based on scripture that any woman can benefit from, but especially those who are married. I really enjoyed this book for its practical and biblical sound advice. I loved how honest and transparent April is with her own personal struggles. She made it very relatable and it made it so much easier to allow these truths to sink in. With that said, she also shows the deeper story is submission and authority to Christ, which I think is the real story when it comes to submission in our homes with our husbands. If our husbands are under the headship of Christ, then it's easier to respect them, communicate with them and everything else falls into place. This book is great all around! I loved it!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein unerwartet gutes Buch zur biblischen Unterordnung der Frau. Die Autorin zeigt super auf, wie Gott sich Ehe gedacht hat, welche Rolle die Frau dabei hat und auch welchen Segen es bringt, wenn die Frau sich gottesfürchtig unterordnet. Dabei verliert sie nie den Fokus auf Gott, dem wir uns letztlich unterordnen, der für uns sorgt und dem wir vertrauen können.

Dabei ist das Buch sehr praktisch, und zeigt wie Frauen ihre Männer respektieren können. Durch Worte, Taten, Gedanken und Reaktionen. Mit vielen Beispielen. Also bitte nicht vom weniger schönen Cover abschrecken lassen.

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only reason I did not finish this book is that it came into my life about 20 years too late. It would have been invaluable to me when I was struggling with false expectations early in my marriage. Cassidy describes me to a tee in her introductory chapter: a woman determined to fix her husband and her marriage, never seeing her own pride and selfishness, making everyone miserable in her attempt. I'm thankful God brought me to a much healthier place!

[Jalynn Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

About the Book:
In today's world, women are often rewarded for having type A personalities. Driven, demanding women achieve higher positions, better salaries, and praise for their ambition. They learn to be confident, take-charge leaders who can handle anything on their own. Yet when it comes to their marriages, those same traits can backfire. After all, no one goes into marriage hoping for a promotion. What is a wife to do?

April Cassidy knows this struggle firsthand. She thought she was a great Christian wife and begged God to make her passive husband into a more loving, involved, godly leader. Instead, God opened her eyes to changes that she needed to make, such as laying down her desire for control and offering genuine, unconditional respect--not just love--to her husband. The Peaceful Wife focuses on Cassidy's experience and its life-changing properties, providing a template for others to follow.

Cassidy's conclusions may be as shocking to readers as they were to her, but she backs up her own tale with stories from her blog readers, and also includes recommendations for further study. She walks through baby steps on how to change, addressing questions such as:

- What is respect?
- How can you show respect?
- How is being respectful different from being loving?

In the end, The Peaceful Wife is a powerful path to God's design for women to live in full submission to Christ as Lord.

My Review:
I gravitated towards this book when I seen it come up for review. I was a wild girl to say the least when my now husband found me. I had a stubborn streak and a mouth to match. There was nothing and I mean nothing that you could say that would change my mind or my heart. I was always right about everything and there was nothing anyone could do to detour me from it. My sweet husband had his work cut out for him. What I didn't realize was that God was getting ready to change me. And God really had His work cut out for Him. I blamed Him for a lot of hurts that come my way so much so that I stayed mad at Him for years and refused to speak to Him, again.

He has done a lot of changing in me---in my heart and my mind. I am way more submissive now than I have ever been. To the point that my husband would say too much sometimes. Let me say that when you change your focus to a more Christ centered focused you will do what ever it takes to please God. Disappointing Him further was something I have worked years to change within myself and because of that I depended on Him even more than I ever had.

The Peaceful Wife is one woman's journey to a life of selflessness. A life of handing everything over to God more. So much so that her life changed as a result. And I here to tell you that yours will too! God is a Father that demands respect and He doesn't take too kindly to pride. If you have even a smidgen of pride in your heart, He is determined to rid you from it. The Peaceful Wife is a great book to find out how to start on a journey of this magnitude on your own with God steering the ship!

**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author.

[Penny Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad that I was chosen to read and review this book. I wish that I had it 23 years ago when I met my husband. Although we had gone through pre marital counseling through the church it still didn't prepare us enough. Every bride is focused on the wedding and her fairytale but we really need to be focused on God and how he is number one. This book was eye opening. I know after reading this book that I have the most patient loving husband in the world. I was shocked to realize just like the author that I had been doing everything wrong when it came to being the godly wife we are all to be. It was very easy for me to relate to the author. As a RN I was in charge at work and at home not realizing this was not the way it was supposed to be in God's eyes. This book puts everything into perspective. We need to have God first and things will work out the way he has planned for us not what we have planned. I loved how to says " silence doesn't always mean agreement". She recommends that we all start a journal. She states that at first it can be painful to put into words how disrespectful we have been to our husbands. We may not even realize we are hurting them. When we marry we become one and need to work together. Loved the reference to pairs figure skating and how the man does the lifts and the women is graceful and elegant. If things were reversed it would be a disaster! "Equal value Equal importance" Another powerful quote that will have you reading over and over again is found on page 97. " I can respectfully share my desires, ideas, needs, emotions, concerns, and wisdom with my husband: then I have the freedom and the power to trust God to work through my husband's leadership to do what is ultimately best for me, our family and God's Kingdom".
Another very important part of this book warns women about dangerous situations and how to seek help. We are not doormats or punching bags! This book distinguishes the two and how to get help if needed. Thank you so much for this book April Cassidy I know it will help and save many marriages.
I recieved this book from The BookClub Network for an honest opinion.

[Jill Odens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will make you think. (A good thing)

[Kristin Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Control and aggression kill romance for both men and women. Passivity also kills romance on either side of marriage.” If this is true, what solution is there for having a happy, balanced marriage? This book sets out to answer that question using the Bible and practical, real-life examples.

“The Peaceful Wife,” by April Cassidy is much more than a collection of blog entries from her popular blog, peacefulwife.com. Instead it is a well thought out book that is extremely balanced and biblical in its approach to a god centered marriage. She does some very difficult things in this book effortlessly. April explains submission in a way that will help every wife to understand the beauty of what submission actually means, and also shares what things are inappropriate within a marriage for men and women. Although this book is written primarily to wives, I feel like there is definitely helpful information in this book for both men and women. The author of this book has taken all of her personal research and experience regarding learning how to be a godly wife, and loving compiled it into one book. Have you ever wondered why your husband shuts down in a seemingly random way? This book is for you.

One of the things I appreciated the most about this book is that it also warns women in dangerous situations to seek help, and never once equates submission with abuse, but distinguishes the two very carefully. This will be my go to book for future counseling sessions with wives. I wish I would have had a book like this when I first got married. Thank you, April. It is clear that you poured your heart and soul out in this book for our benefit.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Peaceful Wife by April Cassidy is a heartfelt book written with love for guidance on how we as Christian wives should love and submit to our husbands. Submission is such a taboo word in our society, but the author explains the roles God had for us wives since creation. Men and women are made differently so we as wives act very differently from our husbands. The author also points out that respect is very important to our men. There is a lot of wisdom and useful information throughout this book as well as the author’s personal story and other women’s examples. This book would make a great gift for brides to be, marriage counselors, and all women who are married who want to be a peaceful wife and the best helpmate she can be to her husband. This is one that I will refer back to often and give to my daughters to read. I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

[Joan Baze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

I have read a lot of books on having a good marriage, but this book is the only book I read that actually tells you how to succeed! I would definetly recommend this book to anyone wanting a good marriage.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because I knew the author's husband when I was in college, and I was pleased to see that they are involved in this ministry. While I think this book targets all women, it would be most beneficial for women who have strong, Type A personalities and who may be married to men who are not natural leaders. The opposite is true for me; my husband spent over 20 years in army leadership, so he has a strong Type A personality and lovingly leads our home. While we've had two or three moments in our marriage (almost 18 years) where Biblical submission was an issue, honestly, most days there are no issues in this area. He's happy to lead and I'm content to assist and partner. But having said all of that, despite the fact that I'm not the target audience for most of this book, I still got a lot out of it and really enjoyed it--that speaks volumes about the quality of this book. In fact, the book was a nice check-up for me, and I found that the tips that April gives throughout the book are exactly the way my home is set up--and these are the very reasons why my marriage is (just as the title says) a peaceful one (and very happy)! I would recommend this book to women who feel alone as mothers or leaders in the home or to women who may not feel that their husbands are true equals/partners. Also, I have not read Emerson Eggerichs's books, but I have heard him speak on the radio several times, and I found his material to be excellent and very Biblical. His books provided some of the inspiration for this book.

[Katie Macdonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended to me by my pastor. The writing isn’t the best, but I suppose it’s written in the context of a Titus 2:3-5 relationship and isn’t supposed to be more than that. What I found exceptionally helpful in this book, however, were the lists of things like typical expectations wives might have for their relationship with their husband, what men generally find disrespectful, self-evaluation lists, etc., as well as real-life stories from other Christian wives, giving examples from their own lives and how the changes they made in their behavior had a real impact on their marriages. The book is so worth it for these things alone! Of course, your particular husband may feel more or less strongly about certain items on these lists, so I do think it’s worthwhile to go through them with him if you’re married, but I would highly recommend this book to any of my friends, especially if they are married or thinking about marriage. Such clear and bold practical theology is rare these days, especially surrounding this topic! I now have a much better idea of what it means for wives to respect their husbands, and it has already helped me to make improvements in my own marriage :)

[Sara Hollar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I definitely needed this message, but I felt the way it was delivered left a lot to be desired. Like the author, I was a strong willed, controlling, "helpful" wife married to a passive, relatively unplugged husband. This book speaks very clearly to that wife. It is encouraging and convicting.

The "issues" that the author brings up between her and her husband were just not relatable or helpful. She didn't like his cologne or she thought he should get the car checked out at a certain time. If those are the kind of light hearted issues you face in your marriage, then you will identify with her. However I, as I believe many other wives, really struggle with my husband in deeper ways. Lack of spiritual leadership, guidance, washing in the water of the Word, emotional connection, parenting differences. These deeper issues are vital and a huge part of why wives are hurting and disrespectful.

This book is still good and worthwhile, but I feel like she missed an opportunity to really speak to the heart of many wives in a meaningful way. It was disappointing.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Kregel Book Tours in exchange for an honest book review.]

There are some matters that women can talk to about women and it comes off far better than when it comes the topic of a sermon by a man being preached at women. Such is the case with this particular book, which is written by a driven woman, probably somewhere between thirty and forty, who works part time and raises her kids while supporting a much more low-key husband whom the author confesses to have considered passive. At its core, this is a countercultural book that seeks to weave the narrow path between two extremes, making it clear that for a healthy marriage the respect of a wife for her husband is essential, even when husbands are not always able to articulate how much the contempt of their wives hurts them both inside as well as in their reputation among peers, but at the same time repeatedly making it clear that an abusive spouse with serious habitual sin, including abuse and adultery, is not to be tolerated. This book is written for the woman who has unfulfilled expectations of a decent man and whose nagging and carping ruin good communication and lead to emotional estrangement and cycles of silence and rhetorical violence [1]. The author is a blogger from South Carolina who was inspired to adopt a biblical attitude of wifely respect and submission to her husband after reading Love & Respect [2], a change in attitude that turned her marriage around and made it much warmer, and the book contains some of the testimonials of those who read the book while it was in blog form on her website. Although the author solicits comments from her husband and other male readers, of whom she probably does not expect very many for this book, this is a book written largely “for women only,” or at least for women mostly, and leaves discussion on how men are supposed to love women to sermonizing by other men, for the most part.

In terms of its contents, the book consists of thirteen chapters that deal with the application of the Bible’s commands for wives to respect their husbands as to the Lord. Included among the discussion of respect, the Lordship of Christ, God’s design for marriage, recognizing disrespect, acknowledging sin, learning the language and applying the concepts of respect, communicating desires respectfully, and respecting husbands during conflicts, the author, and more rarely her husband, share personal stories about themselves and from readers, most of whose names have been removed to keep them from being recognized. The author discusses a wide variety of practical ways that capable women, the intended reading audience of this book, can learn to respect and honor their parents without being doormats. It is by no means an easy or straightforward matter to respect people when we do not believe that they deserve or have earned that respect, but at the same time marriage is the sort of covenant that makes that respect on the part of the woman part of the consideration owed. As might be expected, the author spends a lot of time talking about matters of physical and emotional intimacy and the communication that allows both parties to express their desires and show sensitivity to the other, and she uses a great deal of humor to make her points, and also to make them more palatable to a contemporary audience that may not be immediately interested in living the biblical mandate for marriage, and who may believe that God’s commands are out of date or simply passé, no longer applicable to believers.

It is clear from reading this book that Mrs. Cassidy has done a great deal of research as well as thoughtful reflection about her own attitudes and behaviors. There are no doubt many women like her who are capable and immensely talented, but whose difficulties in showing respect to husbands, sometimes because of dysfunctional family backgrounds that provided no positive model of marriage to follow, and sometimes because they view themselves as the critics and cattle prods of their husbands rather than their husbands’ partners and public relations mavens, are a major part of the contemporary divorce epidemic among Christians as well as within the larger general population as a whole. In many cases, the withholding of respect for husbands leads husbands to withhold love and intimacy because they cannot trust their wives to be sensitive and understanding to their vulnerabilities and concerns, and that sabotages everything that both husband and wife want. The author is clearly well read, and comments thoughtfully on many of the books that she read when she had her moment of epiphany about the way that her behavior for years had hurt her husband because she was entirely aware of just how disrespectful she was acting towards him. It is likely that many people have the same issues, and since what comes from a peer is far less threatening than what comes from an awkward fellow like myself, this is a book that I wholeheartedly recommend for women, especially those who are concerned about the emotional distance and immense silence and passivity of their husbands, whose silence in many cases stings from the hurts of the continual dripping of nagging and inconsiderate wives.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

[2] https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

[Amy M Nunnemaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

My small group did this book. Unfortunately, most of the ladies in my small group had very different marriages than the author talked about and most of us were having difficulty with that. Our group leader reached out to the author to ask about some of our specific situations and what the author thought. The author was so kind and loving and replied with a very specific email that singled out each lady’s unique marriage issues and offered some loving advice and encouragement. Some of us may not have seen ourselves very much in the pages, but we all finished the book with some new things to think about and some encouragement that was very much needed. Thank you so much!

[Lexi Zuo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish I could give this book 10 stars! This may honestly be the best marriage book I’ve ever read! It was so practical and so convicting. I read it slowly and truly savored the scriptures and advice. It’s already born so much fruit in my marriage. Highly recommend for wives wanting to grow in respecting their husbands!!

[Nicole Bluto · Rating 5 out of 5]

April takes the concepts from the book Love and Respect and focuses on what wives should know and do in order to become peaceful wives. She is living out the Titus 2 command to teach younger women what is good… with great beauty biblical advice and stories from her life and others who are actively trying to have better marriages that honor God. I really appreciated her wisdom.

[Lynette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book to open your eyes to ways you might be dinning and disrespecting your husband without even realizing it. Convicting to me and encouraging me to reach for God to be a better woman and wife for Jesus.

[Cristina]

I mah mi leider nümm az Datum bsinne - aber mau schetzigswiis im Novämber 2021. I ha d Täg mau "eifach so" iigä, wüu woni mi mit dr Debora ha troffe, scho ha aagfange läse, aber gloub no nid fertig bi gsi.

[Amy Cosentino · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book on biblical marriage, probably the most powerful I’ve ever read! I am grateful for the advice in this book, and already feel my heart and my marriage more aligned with Scripture. Thank you, Jesus!

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book may not be for everyone, but for me...it has a lot of GREAT insight. Take the pearls of wisdom you want and leave the rest but I think it's a great book.

[Tricia Lavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every wife should read this!!

[Cassie_Reads_Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful guide for all wives and those soon to be married.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is hands down the best book on marriage I’ve ever read. And I’ve read….a few 🫣

[Kathleen E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monday, February 8, 2016
The Peaceful Wife: Living in Submission to Christ as Lord by April Cassidy, © 2016

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

"I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea." (Isaiah 48:17-18)

April Cassidy brings an insight into being the woman God intends for you to be ~ wholly dependent upon Him for all avenues of our life.

Book Releases Today - Celebrate With Me!
"I am a wife who loves God wholeheartedly and who wants to relate my personal, life-changing experience with Jesus Christ and the Bible." ~ April Cassidy

April's contacts:
The Peaceful Wife, Peaceful Single Girl, Twitter, Facebook: Peaceful Wife Blog

My Review:
What is missing in my want-to and my doing? How many times have I said or done something that was not my intent to come across that way; even I am surprised? My tone of voice, my impatient humph or eye-rolling? Am I listening?

I begin reading, and... there it is! Do all as onto the Lord. Of course, I know that ~ am I too comfortable at home? Do I treat others better and those next to me poorly? Not all the time, but I do ~ am I preoccupied, doing what "I" do? One example is bringing my husband to a celebration meal during the holidays with people he did not know well. Getting home and mentioning a conversation, he did not know it was directed to him and had not heard until about mid-way in the conversation. May I be more attentive and inclusive, more aware to all I am missing and not seeing. To be more observant.

Communication is key. To share your hearts, your relationship with Christ will come through your actions. I liked how April shows both sides ~ love for the wife and respect for the husband, in the Lord's design. She begins by sharing her early perception of her marriage and how it was misunderstood. Her husband worked long hours ~ his job, sending out his resumé for work related to his training, and remodeling their older home. April had injured her back and was unable to do what she had fully been doing. She took his exhaustion as ignoring, while he felt he was caring for her, providing and accomplishments for them, being careful of her physical state.

April talks of unmet expectations ~ unspoken how she thought it would be. Responsibility changed their focal from their dating days. I would say this book is like a friend sharing common feelings and how to apply God's Word in misconceptions and to relearn God's principles of freedom and peace that come by following His Word. Through examples, the outlook of her husband's response to respect and her filling from identifying and receiving being loved are expressed.

Not dwelling on changing the other person, but focusing on our following the Lord changes us resulting in a difference in how we treat the other person. The focus is off ourselves, and pleasing in submission to the Lord and His guidance. Value beyond "my way."

Here is what is covered in the chapter contents: 1. Our Story; 2. Finding the Missing Piece of the Puzzle; 3. Let's Be Honest; 4. The Absolute Lordship of Christ; 5. God's Beautiful Design; 6. Recognizing Disrespect; 7. Acknowledging Our Sin; 8. My Husband Shares His Heart; 9. Learning the Language of Respect; 10. A Smorgasbord of Respect; 11. Communicating Our Desires Respectfully; 12. Respecting Our Husbands During Conflict; 13. Sharing the Journey. Appendix: Reaching a Husband Who Doesn't Know Christ; Notes; For Further Study; About the Author.

Gratitude for not having to seek out our own path! God's wisdom far outreaches ours. I looked forward to reading April's book. She was given permission to share the outlook from other women from interaction on her online blog. No matter your age or length of marriage, God desires His design for our lives. An engaged couple would benefit from this book. These subjects might not be brought up during excitement of marrying each other and expecting your relationship not to change from your dating experience together.

author April Cassidy: "I write about being a surrendered wife, Christian marriages, Godly submission, femininity, helpmeet, and modesty."

***Thank you to Kregel Tour for inviting me to be part of reviewing The Peaceful Wife and sending me a print copy of the book. This review was written in my own words. No other compensation was received.***

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Submission, that controversial subject that is either "all or nothing" it seems. Certainly not something we modern women care to discuss very often. But undeniably so, it is in God's Word and all things God ordains have a place and a purpose in our lives. Primarily this book is about submission to God as our Lord and complete surrender to Him as we learn and follow His ways.

In her book, April begins by telling her story. How she met, married and after many years learned what it meant to respect her husband. April's marriage began blissful, but quickly took a turn downhill after she suffered a back injury. Her go-get-it personality, combined with her husband's more passive one, made it difficult for her to recognizer her place in the relationship. No one had pointed out the importance respect plays in a man's life. She shares how God brought her attention to this area of her life, the affect her disrespect was having on her marriage, as well as, the joy and freedom learning to follow God's commands brought.

We live in a society in which God's chain of command is obscured. We have the feminist movement claiming men and women are equal, and so demanding an equal position in the chain of command. We have men usurping and misusing their power of authority and undermining or even abusing women. Hence a constant struggle for power, rights, equality; while submission, love and respect get thrown out the window.

April gently reminds us of God's chain of command: Christ, husband, wife, children. She explains how this chain of command works, and that instead of binding us, it frees us, when practiced correctly. God commands husbands to love their wives, and wives to respect their husbands. Those two qualities enhance a marriage, instead of degrading it. Showing proper respect for our husbands builds them up, encourages them, and motivates them to become the men God desires them to be.

There were a few things that really stood out to me in this book.
One of them was that when God's design for married gets distorted, it affects our children and can even cause gender confusion. This may seem far fetched to some, but I can understand how that may very well be the case, and today's society pretty much affirms it.
The other thing that stood out to me was the chapter on submission. April handled it firmly but delicately. It is the best I have read in a long time, and the easiest to understand.
In no way, form, or fashion does April endorse or promote husband domination, abuse, or misconstrue God's view of marriage. She repeatedly advises women in any type of abusive relationships, who may have spouses under drug or alcohol influence, reputation, or a mental health condition to seek godly counsel.

Personally, I was impressed with this book. I think any woman seeking to honor God in her marriage would benefit from it. As with anything you read, it should be taken with a grain of salt and backed up with Scripture. This is not a popular topic in today's day and age, but God's Word never changes, and He is the ultimate authority. When we seek him with out while hearts, we will find him, if we are willing to open our eyes and hearts to truth.

I received this book courtesy of Kregel and The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to review this book positively.

[Nyla Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Peaceful Wife: Living in Submission to Christ as Lord, written by author April Cassidy is a very insightful book. Author Cassidy is a Christian, wife, mother, part-time pharmacist, and Christian marriage blogger. In this biblically based book she writes about marriage, being a strong willed woman and wife, and of her experiences as a wife and mother. Her story tells how she changed herself and ultimately her marriage as she worked to have the type of marriage God has shown us through His Word that we should have. The author stresses respect and submission for a peaceful, loving marriage. It is essential that wives respect their husbands and submit to them. To some this might sound old fashioned but it is Biblical. Strong willed woman (including myself) sometimes forget that we need to stand back, behind our husbands instead of getting in their way. We need to be their support and encouragement not their critics. She uses personal examples of how women and men view the same situation differently. Sometimes what seems an innocent comment can be very disrespectful and hurtful. Husbands and wives should be united especially in front of their children as well as others. They should show respect to each other in public as well as their homes. God commands not suggests that husbands love and honor their wives. He also commands wives to respect and submit to their husbands. Many times wives put their husbands down thinking they are helping or solving a potential problem only causing a crack in a solid marriage. The author uses personal examples from her life on how she was doing this and not realizing what damage it was doing to her marriage. Disrespecting a husband creates a block to love and is harmful to the entire family. The author teaches about Biblical submission for the wife, a topic many steer away from because they do not want to submit. This book is biblically based and will step on the toes of many strong willed wives. It will also help them tremendously and bring peace into many homes.

Marriage doesn't come with a "how to" guide, but we do need help at times. Marriage takes work and we need to apply what God says about it. After God, a husband is to be the wife's priority followed by their children. Sometimes the demands of daily life want to push our priorities around. We forget that it is little things that can add up into a big problem. The insights in this book are different than those from premarital counseling. This is written by a strong willed woman that has been there and learned from her mistakes. She knows the struggles and how to come out on top. It is not a wife taming book by any means. It is a book to learn more about having God in your marriage and life. Living all of your life as He has commanded. It is a book on love, respect, honor, and submission.

I really enjoyed this thoughtful, insightful book. It provides new ideas on marriage, respect, and what submission really is. This would be a great Christian gift for a bride-to-be. I would recommend it and rated it 5 out of 5 stars. A copy was provided of this book for my honest review by The Book Club Network.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Peaceful Wife: Living in Submission to Christ as Lord was written by April Cassidy, a wife, mother, part time pharmacist and Christian marriage blogger. The book is a story of her experiences with changing herself and her marriage as she works toward having a marriage as God intended. Cassidy stresses the importance of respecting your husband and allowing, even encouraging, him to be the leader of the house. Husbands and wives should both give love and respect as well as receive it though marriage. God commands husbands to love and honor their wives and wives to respect and submit to their husbands. When a wife shows this to her husband, he will eventually tend to love, serve and honor her more. The author does a great job of teaching wives how to respect their husband, whether they be Christian or not. The author also talks about Biblical submission for the wife. The book has a lot of lists and suggestions based on Bible verses to learn from and put into everyday practice for marriage and Christian life.

Marriage gives us a glimpse the love and pain God feels in his relationship with us. The way we treat others, comes from our soul and God counts the way we treat others, including our husbands, as the way we treat Him. Marriage is a sacred covenant designed by God. Refusing our husbands God-given leadership hurts the reputation of God's word to nonbelievers and may keep them from finding the real love and life only obtained through Jesus. Husbands are to be the wives top priority in their human life, followed by their children. Having a marriage as God intends for us, gives a good example to our children for them to take into their lives.

Marriages do not come with a manual, but this is a book that would make a great engagement gift to a Christian bride-to-be. I say Christian, as there is a lot of reference to Bible verses that would turn a non-Christian off. Marriage is about a husband and a wife becoming one person, leaving their families and making a family of their own. Love involves great cost and sacrifices and the total heart change that is required to make a successful Biblical marriage is a long process that needs to be worked on daily. To totally benefit from this book, it needs to be used over a length of time, not read and put away. It should be read slowly, sometimes even reading parts over and over, allowing time to think about it and allow God to speak to your heart.


I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.

[Deana Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wonder where this book was when I got married thirty-two years ago? Would I have actually read it and applied it to my marriage? Could I have given up my strong-willed I am in charge attitude? I know the answers to these questions and I'm thankful that I have a husband who is patient and loves me unconditionally . I was so focused on being in charge and pointing out things my husband was doing wrong, I forgot to focus on what God had designed a wife to be.

As I read this book, I kept thinking that this book is all about me once upon a time. We can sometimes get so focused on what our spouse is or is not doing, that we become the leader in the marriage and soon that causes big problems. We are to helpmates; not take on the man's role. God has specific roles for each of us, but when we step out of our roles, strife and a struggle for control ensues.

I loved the honesty and transparency the author wrote about her struggles and how she overcame them. We all sin, but the good news is that God forgives us. He wants and desires for us to have a Godly marriage. She talks about some of the causes of MARITAL POWER STRUGGLE . I could relate to each one and know I still need work in some of the areas . I was encouraged as I read the book and know that I will continue to go back through the book to reflect on His wisdom and unconditional love. "My level of respect and biblical submission toward my husband is a direct indication of my level of reverence for and submission to Jesus Christ." When I read that sentence, I stopped for a minute to really let that soak in. It is nothing to do with our husband, but rather what our character is.

"You will get the most out of this book if you can chew in it slowly and think deeply about yourself and what God is speaking to your heart , allowing Him time and freedom to highlight certain areas for you." Thank you for a book that encourages us and helps us become the wife God designed us to be. "My goal is not ultimately to please my husband ..... My goal is to bring great joy to my Lord Jesus."

I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.

[Rachel Dodson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is somewhat different than a lot of the books I have seen on being A submissive wife. A lot of books on this topic can be somewhat discouraging and unrealistic. This book however is much different. This book focuses on us as Christians first. Our responsibility is to Christ first not our husband first. This is to give us encouragement as well as the tools we need to change us from within. We can't do it on our own.


How many times have you thought "Why doesn't my husband ever listen to me?" Or "Why does he get so angry when I try to help him with something?" Are you discouraged in your marriage? This is probably the book for you.


I really did enjoy this book. April gave some insights I hadn't thought about before. For instance respect is a very big deal to most men. Respect is big but not in the way you think. They actually don't want a servant they want someone who will respect their opinion and submit to their decisions as head of household. Someone to respect them enough to let them lead. Another interesting thought is that true submission is not about our husband it starts in us. Our heart must be in tune and right with God to be truly submissive. In her book April goes into great detail about the true biblical meaning of being a submissive wife. In the book she actually argues against the common misconceptions of submission. She also gives great ideas for being the wife God would have you to be. The only real negative thing that I found was that some of her suggestions of how to respectfully talk to your husband actually came across as condescending to me. The suggestions she gave just didn't sound like a way that my husband would respond well to. This is just my personal situation and may work well for others.


I highly recommend this book to all women who are married, engaged or are thinking of getting married. Thank you to Kregel publishing and the author for the opportunity to review this book. A positive review was not required.