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Praying Through the Deeper Issues of Marriage

©2007 by Stormie Omartian. Published by Harvest House Publishers

Whenever I see a book title like this one, the credibility of its author is paramount in my mind; I want to know if she has lived what she is talking about. Any skepticism I may have had disappeared quickly as I read the introduction.

Stormie Omartian has struggled her entire life to be whole, as many attest they have to do if they were raised in…what’s that nice word—oh yes, dysfunctional—homes. That euphemistic word hardly seems to describe the torturous conditions in which some children are forced to live. A domineering, angry, physically and verbally abusive mother, coupled with an apathetic “see no evil” father resulted in Omartian growing up with fear, anxiety, depression, hopelessness and loneliness—which she carried into her marriage.

The introduction alone of Praying Through the Deeper Issues of Marriage is jam-packed with information, including a list of “Sixteen Ways to Destroy Your Marriage.” Every chapter thereafter addresses these “deeper issues”—issues like communication, anger, forgiveness, depression, finances, addictions—and even how to cope if infidelity shakes the foundation of your marriage. Omartian devotes an entire chapter to a dynamic I have witnessed in many marriages over the years: that of focusing more on children than on a spouse.

Helpful lists are peppered throughout each chapter. For example, in the chapter on forgiveness, the author gives a list of “Seven Things That Are True About Forgiving,” as well as “What Happens When You Don’t Forgive.” Each point is backed up with Scripture, and chapters conclude with prayers both for the reader and the reader’s spouse.

The sound of Omartian’s faith is illustrated in this statement: “The bottom line in saving, improving and enriching your marriage is that you have to be willing to have a repentant heart”—a heart that is willing to see one’s own mistakes, a heart that is ever ready to forgive, a heart that knows only God can bring about true transformation in a person’s marriage.

PATTY KENNEDY is assistant web content editor for the national Women’s Ministries Department. She also writes book and music reviews for Pages and Tunes, a free e-newsletter provided by the national Women’s Ministries Department.

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