Beyond the Celebration: The Essential Guide to Creating a Marriage of Mutual Respect, Lasting Love, Joy, Hilarity and Great Sex

by Jerry McColgin, Lou Rodriguez

Overview

You’ve spent months planning your wedding, now what about the rest of your life?

Marriage is one of the most important commitments into which you will ever enter. If you and your fiancé are Christ-followers, it makes sense to know what God's design for marriage looks like and to create a relationship that honors Him.

Beyond the Celebration will lead every couple through the essential steps of planning a life-long marriage. From questions to ask prior to the ceremony to life-tested techniques guiding you through the years to come, this book is the essential pre-marital guidebook.

Authors Jerry McColgin and Lou Rodriguez have worked with hundreds of couples both through pre-marital counseling and post-marital support. They’ve incorporated wisdom gained from these couples’ struggles as well as joy in their triumphs. Jerry and Lou also impart lessons from each of their thirty-plus years of marriage.

Your wedding day is just the beginning. Your marriage should get better every day from there!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781647460969
Publisher:	Author Academy Elite
Publication date:	02/29/2020
Series:	Shocking Marriage , #2
Pages:	198
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Much more than just a counselor who doles out truth, Jerry McColgin is an involved friend who winsomely speaks truth into a couple's life by gently shepherding them into a place where godly counsel, soaked in grace with a dash of humor, is given. He is a sought-out advisor by many couples regardless of their stage in life. Through his writing, podcasting, coaching and speaking he encourages couples to have the type of incredible and unique relationship that God intends them to have.

Jerry has been married to his beautiful wife Tara for almost forty years. Prior to becoming a marriage minister, he lived life as a corporate executive, an entrepreneur, a business consultant. He is the founder of Shocking Marriage Ministries, a group founded on fighting complacency and creating lasting intimacy in marriages.

"To Know Lou is to Love Lou" is a common sentiment expressed by the hundreds of couples that Lou has counseled both from a premarital perspective as well as those in crisis. His heartfelt advice and non-ceasing humor provide him with a unique perspective that has set couples out into a life-time of marital happiness. He has been in Christian ministry for 35 years as an educator, youth pastor, associate pastor and senior pastor. Lou is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. He has been married to his bride Sara for 36 years. They have 4 children and six grandchildren.

Lou is a gifted public speaker and has spoken at churches throughout the country on a variety of topics including marriage and relationships. He has hosted retreats and marriage workshops. He has been the guest on popular podcasts bringing his perspectives on effective communication within marriage.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION: THERE’S MORE TO IT THAN PLANNING A WEDDING? IX

Part I: WHAT ARE YOU GETTING INTO?

Chapter 1: GOD’S DESIGN FOR MARRIAGE - RESPECT THE INVENTOR 3

Chapter 2: BECOMING ONE FLESH - IT TAKES MORE THAN SEX 26

Chapter 3: BUT WAIT, WHAT IF…? HONESTLY, I HAVE QUESTIONS 46

Part II: THINGS TO LEARN BEFORE THE WEDDING

Chapter 4: MANAGING EXPECTATIONS - YOU LIKE TO WHAT? 69

Chapter 5: MERGING LIVES - LEARN THE WORD “OURS” 91

Part III: TIPS TO SUSTAINING A SHOCKING MARRIAGE

Chapter 6: INTIMACY - START HOT, STAY HOT 111

Chapter 7: SAFEGUARDING YOUR MARRIAGE - GUARDRAILS AREN’T JUST FOR HIGHWAYS 140

Chapter 8: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION - YOUR GREATEST TOOL 162

AFTERWORD 181

ABOUT THE AUTHORS 183

Editorial Reviews

"A resource chocked full of insights about preparing for marriage, and wisdom for staying happily married. This rich compilation of Scripture- enriched perspectives and relatable stories is written for those wanting really a great relationship." Tom Shaw, Vice President of Advancement - Tabor College

"I have known Jerry McColgin for over ten years and I am deeply impressed by his passion to promote healthy marriages. Beyond the Celebration is an invaluable tool for any pastor doing premarital counseling. It is an engaging read and the individual chapters provide an easy to use format for fruitful discussion with any couple planning to be married." Graham Richards, Senior Pastor - Thrive Christian Church

“Jerry’s wisdom and direction in our pre-marital counseling really got us started on the right foot. If you can’t meet with him personally, this book is the next best thing!” Joel & Rachel

"Pastor Lou's premarital counseling really helped prepare us for any challenge... What a blessing it is to know each other's expectations in advance, so we could face each situation in unity." Anthony & Nicole

From the Publisher