Display Search Bar

5 Minutes for Mom

Main navigation

5 Minutes for Books–Intimate Marriage and Confident Parenting

by

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I have been a fan of Jim Burns’ Homeword broadcasts for almost a year now, listening to his interviews and book coverage via my ipod. Many of the books that I have featured in this column are as a result of hearing about them on his show. One of his oft-repeated pieces of advice is to read one marriage book and one parenting book every year to build a better family. I just read one of each, both authored by him–drawing on his years of ministry, but more importantly his thirty years of marriage and over twenty years of parenting three daughters. These books are obviously quite different in content, however both feature Burns’ A.W.E. principle, which involves showering those you love with affection, warmth and encouragement. Both are written in a friendly conversational style, complete with illustrations from Burns’ own life and as well as experiences of others he has known or counseled. Following each chapter are questions to help the reader put the principles to work at home. Those in Confident Parenting ask What’s the Point? helps the reader figure out the Purpose, and then make a Plan. After each chapter in Creating an Intimate Marriage you answer Questions for Me, Questions for Us, and complete some Heart-to-Heart Homeconf-parenting.gifwork.

Confident Parenting is a wonderful book if you want to be the transitional generation of parenting–not only so that you can parent better than yours did, but so that your children will fare better as well. Burns wrote this book in response to the struggles he has observed in the areas of discipline and boundary setting, and challenges the reader to choose the pain of discipline over the pain of regret. That part really hit home with me. The last part of the book invites the reader to make their own family plan by examining their purpose and goals (spiritual, relational, physical, emotional and mental). He sums up his approach in the introduction to this exercise:

This book was designed to help you formulate your own parenting plan. I am not big on giving people a “cookie cutter” approach to parenting. Each family is different and each child within a family is different (page 180).

In Creating an Intimate Marriage (also available in Hardcover) Jim Burns asserts that marriage is hard. Add children, jobs, and ministry into the mix, and it takes work to keep it running smoothly and to avoid giving our spouse what he calls our “emotional scraps.” Two chapteintimate-marriage.jpgrs are devoted to communication, and the information about effective listening and problem solving are worth the price of the book. This is a book that could be used by those whose marriage is already in trouble, taken as preventative advice by those just starting off, or reading it in an effort to improve on areas that have slipped. If you are willing to make a few changes, this book will help you to draw closer to your husband, giving him more of what he might need from you, as well as getting more of what you need in return.

Both books also are available in an audio CD version, recorded by Jim Burns himself. I think that listening would be a great way to go through the book together, discussing it as you go along.

Find out more about both books at Bethany House’s site:

Creating an Intimate Marriage: table of contents, download, streaming audio
Confident Parenting: excerpt, download, streaming audio

The publisher has donated one copy of each book and one copy of each CD that can ship to the U.S. or Canada, for a total of four winners. Please leave a comment if you are interested, indicating the order of any preference you might have (book or CD or marriage or parenting subject).

The winners from our Bible Study giveaway are

Java with the Judges—CPA Mom (42)
Proverbs and Daddy’s Girls—Monkey Giggles (11), Angela (53), Crystal D (23)
Completely His book and study—Bonnie (13)

The winners of Meghan Rose On Stage! —Shauna (31), Mama Zen(19), Lori (20), Andrea (25), JewelsHud(46)

The Other Mother — Mama Zen(34), Angela (83)

Reader Interactions


Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

82 Comments

  4. I would like the book form of the parenting book as my first choice and the CD version as my second choice.
    Thank you!
    These sound like excellent books.

    Reply

  8. I just celebrated my 3 year wedding anniversary and would love to have the Creating an Intimate Marriage book- book form first, CD form second. Since I don’t have any children yet, it wouldn’t be fair for me to get the parenting book- though I would hang on to it for the future! Thanks for offering this great giveaway!

    Reply

  9. 1. Confident Parenting Book
    2. Creating an Intimate Marriage CD
    3. Confident Parenting CD
    4. Creating an Intimate Marriage Book

    Please enter me in your giveaway. Thanks a bunch!

    Reply

  10. I’d prefer the book, but I take long drives so the cd would be nice too. Parenting first, marriage second. 🙂 Thanks!

    Reply

  12. A girl could always use a little help to make her family better. I would choose
    1. parenting book
    2. marriage book
    3. parenting CD
    4. marriage CD
    Great giveaway!

    Reply

  13. I would love a copy of the Book on Intimate Marriage since my husband and I have been struggling with this for years!!! Thanks!

    Reply

  18. We are going to a marriage retreat in Oct. A CD on marriage would be a great way to keep us focused on our relationship.

    Reply

  19. I would love any of them but I think the parenting cd or book would be most helpful right now. Otherwise, marriage cd or book.

    Reply

  21. Tons of parenting books around this house…not so many marriage books, though.

    Definitely could use the marriage book (in either book or CD form)!

    Of course, another parenting book couldn’t hurt either.

    Reply

  25. Anything that helps us be better parents or have a better marriage is SO nice. Thanks for the giveaway. My choice would be the marriage first on CD and then the parenting on CD.

    Reply

  26. Tough choice – I’d probably opt for either the parenting book or cd, then the marriage book or cd. But any of them would be great!

    Reply

  32. I could use both books, honestly so I do not have a preference except I prefer the book to the CD. Thanks ladies!

    Reply

  33. Both of these books sound like such a winner. I would love to be entered for either. I would prefer the CD version. I do not see so well and until I get my glasses it is really a strain to read. Of course that doesn’t keep me from reading your blogs. I really like Tackle it Tuesdays.

    Reply

  35. I believe I’d enjoy either. My preferences would be:
    1. marriage book
    2. parenting book
    3. marriage cd
    4. parenting cd.

    Thanks!

    Reply

  43. I’m full of parenting books. 🙂 Please enter me in the draw for either version of the “marriage” book. Thanks.

    Reply

  45. Marriage first – Parenting second – book first – cd second. My husband and I have been blessed to be a part of the great parenting adventure. It seems during that time, we’ve put ourselves aside – and the book on an intimate marriage would be a blessing to read together to use as a tool in our marriage and strengthening our family.

    Reply

  48. I’ve been enjoying Homeword as well. Please enter me. I suppose I’d prefer the parenting resources first, but whether book or CD (for either) doesn’t matter. Thanks!

    Reply

  49. I enjoy listening to Homeword, on the radio when I can, otherwise online. My favorite recent show featured Gary Thomas (author of Sacred Influence and Sacred Marriage). I would love a chance to win either of Jim Burns’ books in either format. Thank you!

    Reply

  51. Hmmm, definitely any would be great although I think I’d prefer the marriage CD then the parenting one and then the same in book form!

    Reply

  54. Oh goodness with the choices! Let me see…Marriage CD, Parenting CD, Marriage book, Parenting book.

    I’d really love ANY of them. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    Reply

  63. What a great give-away. You guys are always coming up with very relevant info. Thanks for all you do. I’d love to win the book “Creating an Intimate Marriage”. Although either of the books in either format would be wonderful.

    Reply

  65. Both of these books sound terrific –

    1. Marriage book
    2. Parenting book
    3. Marriage cd
    4. Parenting cd

    Thanks for the opportunity to win!

    Reply

  67. Wow, it’s so hard to choose.

    My preference would be:

    Either in book form
    Either in CD form

    Thanks for a great giveaway!

    Reply

  74. I love the idea about reading one parenting and one marriage book each year!

    I’d love a book on parenting (first choice), but I’d certainly enjoy a book on marriage too. Please count me in.

    Reply

  75. Wow! The comment, “emotional scraps” – yikes. That hit right in the heart!!!
    Thanks for the opportunity to enter for the book!
    Ericka

    Reply

  76. Wow. I would love to have the Marriage book. I am truly blessed with a good marriage, but I myself need a good kick in the pants sometimes when it comes to being able to be who GOD wants me to be in that marriage.

    Thanks so much

    Reply

  79. Oh, looks like we’ve started a theme. I’m eager to read and/or win the Creating an Intimate Marriage book. Right up my alley! I’d be game for either form – book or CD. Thanks!

    Reply

  80. I would like Creating an Intimate Marriage. Book form or CD form would be fine, would prefer book. Sounds like a great book!

    Reply