52 Things Husbands Need from Their Wives: What Wives Can Do to Build a Stronger Marriage

by Jay Payleitner

Overview

“I don’t always understand what he needs or wants from me.” Most wives want a heart-to-heart connection with their husbands. But men often communicate their needs in ways that seem strange to women. How to bridge the gap?

Straight from a veteran dad and husband come these insightful, unexpected, and occasionally offbeat ideas. Bestselling author Jay Payleitner digs deep to give practical insight into how a woman can

• see the ways her husband does want to connect…which may be different than what she expects
• encourage him—not overwhelm him—with her words
• understand why sex is such a big deal
• make space for him to step up and participate in family life
• be alert to his “hero moments” and respect and appreciate him

A husband does want to be close to his wife. Here are great steps to strengthening a marriage by making room for that closeness to happen.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780736954853
Publisher:	Harvest House Publishers
Publication date:	08/01/2013
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.46(d)

About the Author

Jay Payleitner is one of the top freelance Christian radio producers in the United States. He has worked on Josh McDowell Radio, Today's Father, Jesus Freaks Radio for the Voice of the Martyrs, Project Angel Tree with Chuck Colson, and many others. He’s also a popular speaker on parenting and marriage and the author of dozen-plus books, including the bestselling 52 Things Kids Need from a Dad, 52 Things Wives Need from a Husband, and 52 Things Sons Need from Their Dad; he also created “The Dad Manifesto.” Jay has also served as an AWANA director, a wrestling coach, and the executive director of the Illinois Fatherhood Initiative; he now partners with the National Center for Fathering, whose efforts he fosters and promotes. He and his wife, Rita, live near Chicago, where they’ve raised five great kids and loved on ten foster babies.

Table of Contents

Asking You to Trust Me 9

A Husband Needs His Wife…

1 To Slide Over Next to Him 11

2 To Know His Likes 13

3 To Expect Some Flaws 15

4 To Condone His Man Cave 19

5 To Hold Down the Fort 23

6 To Be Careful About Scheduling Expectations 27

7 To Be Captivating 31

8 To Let Him Be More Than a Babysitter 33

9 To Love On Him 37

10 To Just Stop It, for Goodness' Sake 41

11 To Be a Great Present-Opener 45

12 To Keep Doing What You're Doing 49

13 To Give Him Time to Decompress After Work 53

14 To Be Flattered When You're on His Mind 57

15 To Keep the Light On for Him 61

16 To Cry and Laugh Together with Him 65

17 To Forgive Him, Especially If He Won't Forgive Himself 69

18 To Not Join In on the Husband-Bashing 73

19 To Redeem Those Love Coupons Promptly 75

20 To Put In Your 10,000 Hours 79

21 To Rescue Him from Himself 83

22 To Survive Your Mother-In-Law 87

23 To Recommend Some Amusing Outings Once in a While 91

24 To Make Marriage Sexy Again 95

25 To Be Last at the Cross and First at the Tomb 99

26 To Make the Bed (or Not) 103

27 To Follow Her Heart When It Comes to Careers and Kids 107

28 To Realize You Can't Nag Him into the Kingdom 111

29 To Learn the Lessons of the Nap 115

30 To Keep Him in the Loop 119

31 To Hit Bottom with Him 121

32 To Fight Fair 125

33 To Laugh at Marriage 129

34 To Ask the Right Question at the Right Time 133

35 To Do This 135

36 To Expect They Will Track with Each Other 78 Percent of the Time 139

37 To Be Courageous 143

38 To Appoint Him as Project Co-Manager 145

39 To Realize That His Anger Is Not Really Directed at You 149

40 To Chase Her Dreams 151

41 To Applaud His Tenacious Focus on the Task at Hand 155

42 To Understand the Slippery Slope 159

43 To Buy Two Jars of Peanut Butter 163

44 To Read the Verses That Come Before and After Ephesians 5:22 165

45 To Forgive Him at the First Hint of an Apology 169

46 To Know a Few Other Secrets That Didn't Qualify for an Entire Chapter 173

47 To Get on the Same Page 177

48 To See the Seasons 181

49 To Play Hard-to-Get 185

50 To Treasure the Traditional Roles 189

51 To Give Him Credit 191

52 To Trust Love 193

Notes 197

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“My husband and I were on the 15-year plan…taking almost 15 years before we began to understand one another. I wouldn’t recommend that plan for anyone. Instead I would wholeheartedly recommend Jay Payleitner’s book 52 Things Husbands Need from Their Wives. Wives—read it, apply it, and begin today to understand the man in your life.”
—Kendra Smiley, speaker and author of Do Your Kids a Favor…Love Your Spouse and other books

“As wives, we can choose to be encouragers for our husbands just as much as we can choose to be discouragers. Jay Payleitner gives us the inside scoop on what every husband needs. His biblically based perspective and end-of-the-chapter takeaways make this book a practical relationship builder for any couple.”
—Karol Ladd, author of Positive Life Principles for Women

"Jay's giving away our secrets, and we thank him for it. This is an insightful read, directed to women but educational for all of us, and a practical, user-friendly tool for any wife wanting to better understand the creature she's joined to."
—Joe Dallas, author and speaker

“Very to the point of what a woman needs to know about her man. After reading these 52 insights, you will better understand that your spouse isn’t so weird after all.”
—Emilie Barnes, speaker, author, and founder of “More Hours In My Day”

“As military families we spend so much valuable time apart from one another. Knowing how to give my husband what he needs—together or apart—is a treasure. On behalf of all wives, thank you, Jay, for your insight and transparency on the one true gift we all can share—love.”
—Tara Crooks, cofounder of Army Wife Network, coauthor of 1001 Things to Love about Military Life

"Husbands, step up to being the spiritual leader in your homes. Start by seeking first the kingdom of God over your own kingdom, and cherishing your wife. Then give your wife a copy of this book by Jay Payleitner. I guarantee you that your marriage will be for the glory of God."
—Harry W. Schaumburg, DMin, author of Undefiled: Redemption from Sexual Sin, Restoration for Broken Relationships

“This little book is a treasure trove of wisdom and advice for any woman who wants to understand her husband better. Simple (just like your husband) in its approach, it gives an excellent snapshot of what’s inside the heart and soul of a man. I highly recommend it!”
—Rick Johnson, bestselling author of Becoming Your Spouse’s Better Half and How to Talk So Your Husband Will Listen—and Listen So Your Husband Will Talk

"Wives, you have great power to help your husband feel confident as he faces life's battles. And your encouragement can be a huge asset to him becoming a great husband and father. Jay's 52 Things Husbands Need from Their Wives will help you understand your man."
—Carey Casey, CEO of The National Center for Fathering and author of Championship Fathering

“Jay has done it again. He continues to give us unique insight into building strong family relationships.”
—Dan Seaborn, president and founder of Winning At Home, Inc.

Editorial Reviews

My husband and I were on the 15-year plan…taking almost 15 years before we began to understand one another. I wouldn’t recommend that plan for anyone. Instead I would wholeheartedly recommend Jay Payleitner’s book 52 Things Husbands Need from Their Wives. Wives—read it, apply it, and begin today to understand the man in your life.”
—Kendra Smiley, speaker and author of Do Your Kids a Favor…Love Your Spouse and other books

“As wives, we can choose to be encouragers for our husbands just as much as we can choose to be discouragers. Jay Payleitner gives us the inside scoop on what every husband needs. His biblically based perspective and end-of-the-chapter takeaways make this book a practical relationship builder for any couple.”
—Karol Ladd, author of Positive Life Principles for Women

"Jay's giving away our secrets, and we thank him for it. This is an insightful read, directed to women but educational for all of us, and a practical, user-friendly tool for any wife wanting to better understand the creature she's joined to."
—Joe Dallas, author and speaker

“Very to the point of what a woman needs to know about her man. After reading these 52 insights, you will better understand that your spouse isn’t so weird after all.”
—Emilie Barnes, speaker, author, and founder of “More Hours In My Day”

“As military families we spend so much valuable time apart from one another. Knowing how to give my husband what he needs—together or apart—is a treasure. On behalf of all wives, thank you, Jay, for your insight and transparency on the one true gift we all can share—love.”
—Tara Crooks, cofounder of Army Wife Network, coauthor of 1001 Things to Love about Military Life

"Husbands, step up to being the spiritual leader in your homes. Start by seeking first the kingdom of God over your own kingdom, and cherishing your wife. Then give your wife a copy of this book by Jay Payleitner. I guarantee you that your marriage will be for the glory of God."
—Harry W. Schaumburg, DMin, author of Undefiled: Redemption from Sexual Sin, Restoration for Broken Relationships

“This little book is a treasure trove of wisdom and advice for any woman who wants to understand her husband better. Simple (just like your husband) in its approach, it gives an excellent snapshot of what’s inside the heart and soul of a man. I highly recommend it!”
—Rick Johnson, bestselling author of Becoming Your Spouse’s Better Half and How to Talk So Your Husband Will Listen—and Listen So Your Husband Will Talk

"Wives, you have great power to help your husband feel confident as he faces life's battles. And your encouragement can be a huge asset to him becoming a great husband and father. Jay's 52 Things Husbands Need from Their Wives will help you understand your man."
—Carey Casey, CEO of The National Center for Fathering and author of Championship Fathering

From the Publisher