I had the chance to review Mark and Grace Driscoll’s new book, Real Marriage; The Truth About Sex, Friendship, & Life Together. I have read several other books by Mark Driscoll and listen to his sermons often so I was excited for the book to arrive. Real Marriage is a book written from both husband’s and wife’s point of view, mainly relying on Pastor Mark’s bold, cut-to-the-chase style of preaching. Grace’s voice is a very good addition as no book on marriage would be complete without the input of both parties involved.
The book is divided into three sections, Marriage, Sex, and The Last Day. Part 1, Marriage, uses the experiences in the Driscoll’s marriage and the marriages of those around them to figure out what a successful marriage consists of. The advice given is backed by scripture and relevant to the times. They believe that a strong friendship is essential to a strong marriage. There is a chapter devoted to the men to make them see what it means to be a man and godly husband, and one for the respectful wife.
I had a hard time imagining that the statistics about pornography in Part 2, Sex, could actually be true. I didn’t know that the problem was so staggering and far reaching. They go over the hang-ups of sex and questions about what is biblical allowed in a healthy marriage. There was nothing surprising there.
My favorite quote of the book comes from Part 3, The Last Day. They are talking about the last days of a marriage ending either in divorce, regret, “Or by God’s grace will the last day be a day to rejoice in a life lived together and remember the gift your spouse was to you while on earth?” I love that. It’s something for every married couple to aspire to. In this chapter you are encouraged to reverse-engineer your life and marriage to make sure that happens.
I would recommend this for singles, couples thinking about marriage, and, of course married couples. Not every section will pertain to you or your marriage but it is a good eye opener to read it all. We are made for relationships, not only in our marriages but throughout our lives. If specific info won’t help you, you will most likely be able to use it to help someone else.
I received this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."