Katherine Willis Pershey has never slept with the mailman or kissed an ex-boyfriend. Good thing, since she’s married. But simply not committing adultery does not give you the keys to “happily ever after,” as Pershey has come to find out in her own marriage and in her work as a pastor. What is this sacred covenant that binds one person to another, and what elements of faith and fidelity sustain it? In Very Married: Field Notes on Love and Fidelity, Pershey opens the book on all things marital. With equal parts humor and intelligence, Pershey speaks frankly about the challenges and consolations of modern marriage. As she shares her own tales of bliss and blunder, temptation and deliverance, Pershey invites readers to commit once again to the joyful and difficult work of cherishing another person. For better or worse. For life.
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...<p>“<i>Very Married</i> is, without question, the very best book on marriage I have ever read—and I have read many.”—<i>from the foreword</i></p>Eugene H. Peterson, Reviews
<p>“The book we have all been waiting for: hopeful, inclusive, practical, theological, honest talk about the complex sacrament of marriage.”</p>Sarah Bessey, Reviews
<p>“I’ve read my fair share of marriage books, but few are as deft in their storytelling or as honest in their reflection as <i>Very Married</i>. Pershey has written an extraordinary book.”</p>Seth Haines, Reviews
<p>“Witty, engaging, honest, thoughtful, funny, wise, nuanced, gracious. I could go on. I will read this book more than once. I will give it to many friends.”</p>Amy Julia Becker, Reviews
<p>“What Pershey has accomplished here is mysterious and sublime. Prepare to fall in love with marriage all over again, or perhaps, even, for the first time.”</p>Kelly Flanagan, Reviews
<p>“Marriage is beautiful and brutal. Marriage is brutiful. Katherine tells the truth about marriage. I am so grateful for Katherine’s wise, brave voice and her important work in the world.”</p>Glennon Doyle Melton, Reviews
<p>“Without question, this is the most authentic, most engaging, most truthful book I’ve ever read about love and marriage. I intend to borrow shamelessly from this book for future premarital counseling and wedding meditations.”</p>Keith Graber Miller, Reviews
<p>In her second book, pastor and writer Pershey (<i>Any Day a Beautiful Change</i>) weaves together personal stories of the triumphs and tribulations of her own marriage, theological reflections on this ancient institution, and practical advice for both newlyweds and not-so-newlyweds alike. Witty, candid, and heartfelt, this book covers topics such as maintaining a healthy sex life and dealing with in-laws with a refreshing energy. Pershey’s love and respect, for both her husband and the covenant of marriage, is evident on every page. However, she does not shy away from discussing the sometimes heart-wrenching, sometimes dull daily labor that marriage requires. With poignant and relatable honesty, she confesses to difficult times with her faith and fidelity: an almost-affair, her struggles with codependency and her husband’s alcoholism, and her marriage’s rough first few years. This is a book that celebrates the hard work of marriage and that makes readers believe marriages “can be saved, and that marriage as an institution can be redeemed.” It is a book that is sure to become part of the premarital counseling canon, passed among friends, and opened whenever “for better or for worse” is put to the test.</p>Reviews
<p>“A lively, thoughtful, and thought-provoking read from beginning to end. . . . Exceptionally well-written, organized, and presented, making it very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections.”</p>Reviews