READING HUB WRITE-UP

Practical Guidelines for Choosing and Becoming Marriage Material

Choosing a marriage partner is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. Yet many people enter relationships without fully understanding the qualities that contribute to a healthy and successful marriage.

This practical guide equips readers with tools for evaluating prospective marriage partners while developing the personal qualities that make them marriage material. Through practical examples, fictional stories, biblical insights, reflection and assessment tools and personal development practices, readers will explore the habits, attitudes and behaviours that contribute to strong and lasting marriages.

Whether you are single, dating, courting or preparing for marriage, this guide provides practical principles for making wiser relationship decisions and becoming the kind of person who is ready for lifelong commitment.

5 Practical Parts | 135+ Articles | 30+ Development Practices as You Wait | 15+ Reflection and Assessment Tools

Introduction

Begin your journey toward choosing and becoming marriage material. Learn how to use this guide, complete the baseline assessments and establish a clear understanding of the personal qualities and habits that contribute to healthy and successful marriages.

5 Articles | 3 Reflection and Assessment Tools

Articles

• Preface
• Disclaimer for Fiction
• How to Use This Guide

Part 1. Effective Communication

Learn how communication influences your ability to choose a suitable marriage partner and become a better partner yourself. Explore practical examples, biblical insights, evaluation tools and personal development practices that will help you communicate with greater clarity, understanding and emotional maturity.

24 Articles | 3 Reflection and Assessment Tools

Articles

• Introducing the Chapter on Effective Communication
• What Is Effective Communication?
• How Effective Communication Works in Our Marriage
• How Miscommunication Ended Patricia and Edwin's Love Story – A Fictional Story
• Solomon, the Shulammite and Effective Communication
• How to Evaluate a Prospective Partner's Ability to Communicate Effectively
• Effective Communication Reflection Scorecard
• How to Use This Scorecard
• Effective Communication Assessment Form
• Effective Communication Assessment Results
• Developing Effective Communication Habits as You Wait

Part 2. Responsibility and Accountability

Discover why responsibility and accountability are essential qualities of marriage material. Learn how to evaluate these qualities in a prospective partner while developing habits that demonstrate reliability, ownership, trustworthiness and personal growth.

24 Articles | 3 Reflection and Assessment Tools

Articles

• Introducing the Chapter on Responsibility and Accountability
• What Is Responsibility and Accountability?
• How Responsibility and Accountability Work in Our Marriage
• How William's Lack of Accountability Strained His Relationship with Dorothy – A Fictional Story
• Boaz and Ruth's Responsibility and Accountability
• How to Evaluate a Prospective Partner's Sense of Responsibility and Accountability
• Responsibility and Accountability Reflection Scorecard
• How to Use This Scorecard
• Responsibility and Accountability Assessment Form
• Responsibility and Accountability Assessment Results
• Developing Personal Responsibility and Accountability as You Wait

Part 3. Financial Discipline

Explore the role of financial discipline in marriage readiness. Learn how to assess financial habits, attitudes and stewardship in a prospective partner while developing the financial behaviours needed to build a stable and sustainable future together.

26 Articles | 3 Reflection and Assessment Tools

Articles

• Introducing the Chapter on Financial Discipline
• What Is Financial Discipline?
• How Financial Discipline Works in Our Marriage
• When Bernard's Financial Instability Shattered Martha's Job Credibility – A Fictional Story
• Joseph and the Grain Project That Secured a Nation's Survival
• How to Evaluate a Prospective Partner's Financial Readiness
• Financial Discipline Reflection Scorecard
• How to Use This Scorecard
• Financial Discipline Assessment Form
• Financial Discipline Assessment Results
• Developing Financial Readiness as You Wait

Part 4. Teamwork Mindset

Marriage requires two people who can work together toward shared goals. Learn how to evaluate a prospective partner's willingness to cooperate, support others and share responsibilities while cultivating the teamwork mindset needed for a successful marriage.

26 Articles | 3 Reflection and Assessment Tools

Articles

• Introducing the Chapter on Teamwork Mindset
• What Is a Teamwork Mindset?
• How a Teamwork Mindset Works in Our Marriage
• How Nelson's Lack of Teamwork Put Juliet's Job at Risk – A Fictional Story
• How Teamwork Boosted Priscilla and Aquila's Marriage, Business and Ministry
• How to Evaluate a Prospective Partner's Teamwork and Partnership Mindset
• Teamwork Mindset Reflection Scorecard
• How to Use This Scorecard
• Teamwork Mindset Assessment Form
• Teamwork Mindset Assessment Results
• Developing a Teamwork Mindset as You Wait

Part 5. Personal Character

Character often determines the long-term success or failure of a marriage. Learn how to identify the qualities that distinguish marriage material, evaluate character in a prospective partner and develop the integrity, humility, consistency and self-discipline needed for lasting commitment.

26 Articles | 3 Reflection and Assessment Tools

Articles

• Introducing the Chapter on Personal Character
• What Is Personal Character?
• How Personal Character Works in Our Marriage
• How Gloria's Conduct in Youth Ministry Revealed Her Character to Martin – A Fictional Story
• Personal Character: The Story of Boaz and Ruth
• How to Evaluate a Prospective Partner's Character
• Personal Character Reflection Scorecard
• How to Use This Scorecard
• Personal Character Assessment Form
• Personal Character Assessment Results
• Developing Personal Character Before Marriage as You Wait

Conclusion

Review the major lessons from this guide and evaluate your progress toward choosing and becoming marriage material. Complete the final assessments, identify priority areas for growth and develop a practical action plan for continued preparation for marriage.

4 Articles | 3 Reflection and Assessment Tools

Articles

• Bringing It All Together
• Final Reflections on Practical Readiness
• My Practical Readiness Journey Review
• Practical Readiness Commitment Form
• My Practical Readiness Summary
• My Practical Readiness Action Plan