Monday, January 7, 2013

Review: Grow Your Marriage by Leaps and Boundaries


Is your marriage out of bounds?
The art of creating life-long marriages is disappearing at an alarming pace, largely because couples do not fully understand where (or how) to “draw the line” in a way that strengthens the relationship. These lines drawn are the boundaries that, when created the right way, show each spouse they are more important to the other than anything or anyone else. Grow Your Marriage by Leaps and Boundaries provides the tools for you to effectively create boundaries with technology, words, and body language.”

Cook’s new book will inspire readers to evaluate how they prioritize their marriage, and to make changes when needed. A common theme is that the boundaries are most useful when decided upon by the couple themselves; dialogues are provided to help readers create, maintain, and negotiate boundaries with their spouse and others.

“None of us are perfect, but our marriages can be perfect for us,” says Cook. “Sometimes we underestimate the power of a positive marriage, and outsource our best selves to those things that are least important.”

Sometimes I think I get in a reading rut where I'm reading a lot of the same kinds of books.  I think it's good to shake things up a bit and read outside my usual genres.  This is the second self help type book I've read in the last month and it has felt good to entertain new ideas and take in some good advice on things that are important.

In this book, author Jerry Cook discusses boundaries that we can set in marriages that will help strengthen and unite couples.  While I was reading this book I can't tell you how many times I thought that I could have used this information 18 years ago!  My husband and I have been married almost 19 years now and I'm pretty sure we hashed out boundaries the hard way over the years.  But now, all these years later, I think they are well established and we are doing well.  I shared with my husband lots of the information I was reading which lead to some good discussions (and some laughing). 

I'm a girl that believes in marriage and family.  My husband and my children are my everything.  I believe in loyalty and fidelity.  It takes hard work to create understanding and develop a marriage that works.  Communication is key to that and I think this book does an excellent job of providing helpful ideas and ways to communicate with your spouse so that you can find what works for you.

I especially appreciated that the author didn't push one idea or theory as the right cure for everyone.  He repeatedly expresses that every marriage is different and people are different so we need to find what works for us.  Everyone's boundaries are going to be different.  He just lays out some areas that are critical to communicate boundaries in and offers helps and ideas in how to accomplish this.

This book is backed by religious ideas and scriptural references.

My thanks to Dr. Jerry Cook for allowing me to read and review his book.  I think it takes courage to put bits of yourself out there for people to read and perhaps disagree or find fault with.  I know the world could use all the positive help it can get and I appreciate anyone who cares enough to offer up their knowledge to benefit others.


About Jerry Cook:
 Jerry graduated with his doctorate in family and human development from Utah State University, and now serves as an associate professor of family and consumer sciences at California State University-Sacramento. Growing up on a farm in southeastern Washington state, and losing his mother to cancer at a young age, his passion is to help others recognize the basic skills that help families thrive. Jerry and his wife, Sarah, have been married for 19 years, are parents of three children, and co-authored The Parent’s Guide to Raising CEO Kids. Jerry has been interviewed by Fox 40 (TV, Sacramento), the Sacramento Bee (newspaper), and Sacramento Smiles (radio program).

Author blog www.DrJerryLCook.com



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