Cover Image: Enter the Ring

Enter the Ring

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Member Reviews

In "Enter the Ring," D.A. and Elicia Horton hope to encourage Christian couples to fight to preserve God-honouring marriages. Speaking from their experience working with couples and in their own marriage, the authors argue that the key to glorifying God in marriage is to be rooted in the gospel. When we focus our eyes on the person and work of Jesus, we no longer strive to fulfill our own sinful desires by manipulating or taking advantage of our spouses as we experience true grace, mercy, and love from God. Furthermore, the Hortons assert that how we live out our marriage is a living display of who God is and what He has done for us. Thus, marriage is a tool to fulfill the Great Commission as each marriage is surrounded by numerous interconnected relationships ranging from in-laws to the neighbour next door. The authors discuss common topics including communication, oneness, parenting, suffering, finances, and purity. There is also an epilogue in which the authors offer encouragement and counsel to singles who often find themselves lonely and underappreciated in many churches. The strength of the book lies in the openness of both authors as they share past failures and painful experiences such as their personal bankruptcy early in their marriage. In addition, the two authors write tandem sections in each chapter so that readers can receive both male and female viewpoints in a conversational manner.

I would gladly recommend this book to all Christian couples who aim to bring glory to God in and through their marriages. Our current culture views marriage as simply an agreement to share resources between two people with no expectations of loyalty and steadfastness. Furthermore, Satan is eager to entice us to satisfy our own sinful desires at the expense of our spouses. The Hortons encourage couples to persevere in the fight to remain faithful to God and each other as a testimony of the power that is found in the gospel. When we fight against our flesh using our own abilities or strategies, we are bound to fail miserably. Nothing other than the blood of Jesus can cleanse us of our sin and unite us to Him and to our spouses.

In compliance with Federal Trade Commission guidelines, I received a review copy from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for a book review.

Blog: https://contemplativereflections.wordpress.com/2018/01/17/book-review-enter-the-ring/

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This is an excellent marriage book, since I really appreciated how the Hortons were real about the struggles they faced and how they were able to grow because of them. They don't shy away from hard subjects, but that makes them all the better equipped to serve as mentors with this book.

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