The Beautiful Wife (book, prayer journal and mentor guide)

I have been, or can be if you click on a link and make a purchase, compensated via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value for writing this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Have you ever encountered a book that challenged you in ways you didn’t imagine? For me, The Beautiful Wife is one such book.

 

I’ve spent time reading God’s Word and reflected upon it.  I’ve prayed over situations where I knew I had to relinquish control.  But, somehow, it wasn’t until I started working through this book that I became painfully aware that there were things I needed to change about me to become the wife God wants me to be for Mr. O.

 

This is not a book to give you some suggestions to bring a spark back to your marriage.  I see it as more about addressing your actions and attitudes that affect your vocation as a wife.  And, at times taking a hard look in the mirror can be both enlightening and painful.  But, the rewards can be great.

 

I must confess that I didn’t read through the book in order.  Instead, I noticed a few of the later chapters would be quite applicable to me at that moment in time.  Between time reading the book and time reading Scripture verses mentioned multiple times, I became acutely aware of ways I needed to change and not focus so much on situations I can not (and should not) control.

 

In the midst of my recent illness, I found myself in prayer over some of the things that needed changing about me.  I resolved to completely surrender it all to God and follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in how I should be living.  That nighttime prayer session went late and involved tears on my part.  But, I can say that making that commitment has had a profound effect on me and my relationships.

 

Along with The Beautiful Wife book, I was given the privilege of reviewing the Prayer Journal and Mentor’s Guide.  While I did not use it with a small group for the review, I can see what a powerful tool this could be for a group of women who are strong in their faith and want to build each other up.  I appreciate how the guide emphasizes the need to listen and also steer clear of any potential husband bashing sessions.  And, the journal is a great tool to help the reader delve further into what they read in the book.

 

About the book:

The Beautiful Wife uses these inspiring stories along with biblical principles to guide and encourage any wife looking for God’s best in her marriage. The Beautiful Wife answers serious questions women have about their roles as wives. Discussing everything from romance and money to beauty, communication, and sex, Sandy challenges women to open up and share their journeys so that together they can see God’s plan for their marriages. “It is my passion to help women discover God’s heart for their marriage, just as the other women helped me,” writes Sandy. “When women share with each other the details of their journeys with God as wives, it’s a beautiful thing indeed.” The Beautiful Wife has two companion resources – Prayer Journal and Mentor’s Guide.

 

about Sandy:

Sandy Ralya is the founder and director of Beautiful Womanhood, a marriage mentoring ministry based near Grand Rapids, Mich. Her marriage testimony was the focus of a popular three-day interview on FamilyLife Today, TV’s Walking by Faith, and Time Out for Women. Sandy is a sought-after speaker, presenting Beautiful Womanhood seminars to hundreds of women each year at MOPS groups, women’s retreats, and church leadership conferences across the country and in Canada. Sandy and her husband Tom have been married since 1980, and have a growing number of grandchildren.  www.beautifulwomanhood.com

To get more of a feel about Sandy and her ministry, take a look at the following video segments.

 

 

 

The Beautiful Wife retails for $14.99, with the cost a little less via places like (affiliate links) Amazon.  The prayer journal and mentor guide both retail for $8.99 and a small group bundle (all three titles) will retail for $99.95.

 

Disclaimer ~ I was sent copies of The Beautiful Wife book, Prayer Journal and Mentor’s Guide for the purpose of writing this review as part of The Beautiful Wife LitFuse tour.  No monetary compensation occurred and all opinions are my own.