Although it takes two to have a great marriage, an important truth for any marriage partner to realize is that he or she can really change no one other than him or herself. Nevertheless, changes in just one person can have an amazing impact on a marriage relationship! Instead of focusing on “How do I have a better marriage?” this book embraces that truth, and helps women ponder the question, “How can I be the best wife I can be?” It provides every woman with skills, information, and encouragement to make a positive difference to this and future generations, by wholeheartedly investing in her marriage and her relationship with her husband today. The Wholehearted Wife is written by Erin and Greg Smalley, along with Gary Smalley, the creator and presenter of Keys to a Loving Relationship, one of the best-selling video series of all time. Recognizing that most if not all married women have either experienced a time when her marriage felt lifeless—or sat with another female friend or family member who was experiencing that situation—this book is also a wonderful resource for those times.

The Wholehearted Marriage offers practical tools for helping couples keep a passionate connection with one another and understand the role their hearts play in their lives. Drs. Smalley and Stoever maintain that circumstances, such as busy lifestyles, differences between spouses, personal baggage, the loss of a loved one, childhood trauma, etc., trigger reactions that condition us to close up our hearts for protection, blocking the flow of love. A disengaged, protected heart makes it impossible to experience an intimate, connected marriage. As a result, couples drift apart, trying to find some version of contentment, or they give up altogether and look for love somewhere else. Through their experiences in marriage counseling, Drs. Smalley and Stoever discovered that the commonly heard phrase "I don't love him/her anymore" is merely a camouflaged misunderstanding about what true love is and God's design for it. They affirm that love is more than just a feeling, and that to have true, lasting intimacy, couples need to learn to love wholeheartedly.

A woman's heart is unique in all of creation. Defining the heart as the inner fountain of passion, thought, and purpose, Laura Knutson traces the value and challenges of the heart all the way back to the Garden of Eden. The Wholehearted Woman brings a compassionate and faith-filled view of identity from the perspective of a woman's heart. A compelling picture is painted of how unique and precious each woman's heart is. Beginning with Eve, Laura takes an honest look at the brokenness of women's hearts resulting from their own choices as well as the difficulties of life and the abuse of others. And then she offers rock solid hope and vision for healing and restoration to God's original design. Sharing her own journey towards wholeheartedness and supporting her reflections with a wealth of scriptural references, The Wholehearted Woman offers us a rich handbook for understanding, embracing, and caring for our hearts.

Grief is often perceived as a dark and lonely journey; as a result, it is a topic we avoid in today’s society. Within a 20-month period, Elizabeth Berrien endured the loss of her stillborn son and the subsequent death of her husband on active duty in Afghanistan. She found herself a 27-year-old widow whose life had been shattered. In this book, she shares the experiences, the wisdom, and even the joy she gathered on her journey from grief to hope. Creative Grieving offers support and encouragement while acknowledging that there is no “right” way to grieve. Elizabeth tells you about the emotions she experienced while grieving in an ”instant gratification” society, the importance of self-nurturing, the balancing of grief and motherhood, the redefining of community and relationships, and the discovery of new passion and meaning. Her authentic account of grieving will empower you as you cope with loss. Along with Elizabeth’s personal stories are pieces of “Hip Chick Wisdom” from a community of women, “Creative Hip Chick Ideas," and a list of helpful resources. By reading Elizabeth’s story of vulnerability and courage, you will learn how to find your own creative way of moving through grief to hope—uncovering gifts along the way. www.CreativeGrieving.com and www.TheRespite.org

Raised in the High Sierras, Brenda Peterson was influenced daily by wildlife. She now explores her deep connection with animals--from watching grizzlies in Montana's Rockies to her work for the restoration of wild wolves in the West--and includes intimate stories of wild dolphins, whales, and orcas she has studied for 20 years.

You were one of the lucky ones. You found a partner or friend with whom you shared a deeply profound connection. You understood, opened fully to, served, and challenged one another. You were the heroes of each other's lives. You lived a grand adventure together. But now that your partner has died, what felt like luck may have turned to wretched despair. How do you go on? How do you live without your champion and other half? The answer is that you mourn as you loved: heroically, grandly, and fully. In this compassionate guide by one of the world's most beloved grief counselors, you'll find empathetic affirmation and advice intermingled with real-life stories from other halved soulmates. Learn to honor your loved one and your grief even as you find a path to a renewed life of purpose and joy.

An essential grief guide and recovery workbook for those who have said, "I thought I'd feel better by now." Grief does not follow a timeline or a set path. It is nonlinear and messy, doubling back on itself just when you thought you were out of the woods. Those who have experienced the loss of a loved one know this unequivocally, but Western society still seems to think that grief should only last six months to a year—tops—when in fact, grief can last throughout a person's entire life and manifest as serious mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, anger, and despair. The Long Grief Journey, co-written by a psychotherapist and a clinical psychologist who have both worked with grieving individuals for decades, is for the people who are past the acute pain and effects of a sudden loss and are now learning to live beyond that. It is for those who by all appearances seem to have "moved on." They're working, carrying out their responsibilities, showing up for important life events, yet they quietly bear the weight of their sadness and longing for their loved one. There's a name for this type of long-term, unresolved grief. In fact, there are several: complicated grief, traumatic grief, complex bereavement, prolonged grief, extended grief, abnormal grief, exaggerated grief, and pervasive grief disorder. If you feel "stuck" after experiencing the death of a loved one, even if much time has passed, this book is for you. With exercises, journal prompts, and rituals that will further help readers along their grief path, The Long Grief Journey, co-written by one of the authors of the classic grief book, I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye, is designed to educate, support, and coach you to rekindle a desire to live life fully, all while still cherishing and embracing the memories of your loved one. Named one of Choosing Therapy's "14 Best Books on Losing a Parent for 2022."