There are many books available today on marriage and on how to be the husband or wife that God has called you to be. I’ve read a number of them and, perhaps, so have you. But Martha’s book is different from many of them.

Welcome to Mondays @ Soul Survival. Each week I feature a book that I consider a valuable resource. This week’s selection is one that has helped many women get a more biblically balanced view of our role, our responsibilities, and our blessings.

 

The Excellent Wife: A Biblical Perspective by Martha Peace.

 

So, how is Martha’s book different? First of all, it’s not new. In fact, in my opinion, it’s a classic when it comes to biblical books on the wife’s role in marriage. It was first published in 1995. Martha wrote it because, as a biblical counselor seeking to help other women, she needed solid material to use in her counseling and, at that time, there was little available.

In the years since, it has been used by countless women and countless counselors, including myself. I have read and re-read it. I’ve taught it in the classroom and I’ve used it over and over in my counseling ministry. I’ve shared it with young women and with seasoned veterans to marriage. I’ve found it to be the most comprehensive, biblical book there is. My copy is highlighted, dog-eared, and full of notes on every blank space.

 

 

Just Another Book about Submission?

 

Someone out there is thinking … “Oh no, another book about submission!”

Submission is in there because it’s part of how God has called us to live, but so is how to make a biblical appeal and how to lovingly confront your husband when he’s sinning, along with when to go to your church, and when to call the authorities because of abuse.

But the bulk of the book is about how to live out biblical womanhood on a practical, day by day basis, bringing glory to God in the process.

In the first section, Martha covers God’s protective authority, His provision for wives, His pattern for relationships, His purpose for marriage, and the wife’s role.

In the second section, she covers the heart and how it can be focused on false gods instead of Christ, also, the home, the God-kind of love, respect, intimacy, and submission.

In the third section, she explains how submission is the basis for God’s protection and lists His resources for a woman’s protection. She, also, talks about the key to our motivation, the control of the tongue, and the importance of a quiet and gentle spirit.

And in the last section, Martha talks about some of our struggles: impatience, anxiety, and a lack of oneness.

If you haven’t read The Excellent Wife, whether your marriage is solid or you know you need help, it would be a great resource. Or if you minister to women who are struggling in their marriages, you may want to read it and add it to your library.

Blessings,
Donna

Quotations taken from:
Peace, Martha. The Excellent Wife. Focus Publishing.

 

You can get a copy of The Excellent Wife: A Biblical Perspective or shop for other resources here.