YOUNG LOVE

Thursday, July 21, 2011

YOUNG AND IN LOVE
Challenging the Unnecessary Delay of Marriage
By Ted Cunningham

OVERVIEW: Pastor Ted Cunningham reveals the secrets to creating a healthy, successful, and lifelong relationship in early adulthood. He explains where the arguments against young marriage often go wrong. Then he offers wisdom on how to know if you are making the right choice and helps you understand what it takes to be ready for marriage.And along the way, he shows you that, far from kissing dating good-bye, the answer to staying pure might be to prepare for marriage. Because it's often easier to say, "Let's wait," when "I do" isn't far away.

AUTHOR: Pastor Ted Cunningham founded Woodland Hills Family Church in Branson, Missouri, where he lives with his wife and two children. A graduate of Liberty University and Dallas Theological Seminary, he has coauthored several books with Dr. Gary Smalley, including The Language of Sex and Great Parents, Lousy Lovers.

MY REVIEW: I agree with Dr. Gary Smalley who said, "Young and in Love is a wake-up call for every generation to honor marriage. This book will inspire you to get married, stay married, and enjoy life together. If you have been raised to fear love or marriage, then read this book for a whole new picture of what marriage should be."  When I first read that Cunningham was encouraging young marriage I thought the reference was to those still in their teens. My wife and I got married when she was 21 and I was 23. That is young but we never considered it young for marriage. But of course that was in 1958. Today men and women are waiting until much later to get married and that is what this book is all about. This is a great book and I recommend it with enthusiasm. That doesn't mean that I agree with everything that Cunningham has to say on this subject. For example he believes that maturity, not age, is the better basis for marriage. And I agree with that also. But he is more ready than I am  to believe that those coming to him wanting to get married and saying they are mature—really are mature. Maybe I am pessimistic when I feel that our culture today doesn't produce a whole host of mature people. But of course, the bottom line is, the two people getting married will have to make this decision. 

Dr. Tim Clinton, president of the American Association of Christian Counselors wrote: "The most important decision you will make apart from your relationship with God is who you marry. I love Ted Cunningham's passion for marriage and making sure that young people are choosing to marry—but also choosing wisely. He is an emerging and strong voice encouraging the church to fight for marriage in the next generation." I strongly agree with this.

(I was provided a copy of this book by The B & B Media Group, Inc. for this review.)