Time would not permit any of us to be absolutely prepared for marriage, let alone try to prepare someone else! If you were to try, you would not lack for reading material. Just go to any library and search under “Marriage” to see for yourself. If you did read all there is to read, would it match with the truth of Scripture? Please don’t misunderstand. There are many good books and resources available on the topic of marriage. Some are listed in the resources section of this Guide. They have been listed to encourage you to review some of them and to incorporate these into your counseling meetings when appropriate. But they should never be a substitute for what we know to be true. 2 Timothy 3:16,17: Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work. With this in mind, the following might prove helpful as you begin the Pre-Marriage Counseling process.

A. Commit to read through the Bible in a year.

B. Do a personal study of Genesis 2 & 3, Ephesians 5, and I Corinthians 7.

C. Each day for 31 days read and meditate on one chapter of Proverbs. Pay particular attention to those verses about relationships and money.

D. Read and complete the book, “Preparing for Your Marriage” by William J. McRae.