I Can't Save Your Marriage, but You Can!: Why Marriages Collapse and How to Move Forward and Restore Your Marriage. Ten Real Life Counseling Sessions Included!

By Norman Bishop

The success of your marriage and your family doesn’t depend on God, your pastor, or this book; it depends on you. If your marriage fails, it’s because of you. Don’t blame your spouse. Don’t blame your children. Don’t blame your job or your church. Blame yourself.

In I Can’t Save Your Marriage, but You Can, author Pastor Norman Bishop offers a guide to help you refresh your marriage. It will also benefit those planning to get married to understand their roles as a husband and as a wife according to the word of God. Each chapter covers a specific point to let you rise above marriage challenges and marriage disappointments.

Filled with real-life and relatable situations, Bishop transparently shares his marriage journey, the challenges of a forty-year marriage, and tells how he hasn’t lost the passion and love for his wife. He offers a host of spiritual and practical principles to save marriages and make marriages stronger.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664282407

Norman Bishop

Norman Bishop has been a marriage advisor and marriage counselor for forty years. He earned a master’s degree from Liberty University in pastoral counseling and has trained church leaders from his home church and church leaders from twenty-five other churches. Bishop serves as an assistant pastor and as an elder to give guidance to those with questions or personal conflicts. He and his wife have been married forty years and have three adult children.

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-8241-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-8242-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-8240-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022919984

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/02/2022

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version® Copyright © 1982

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Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living

Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale

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Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are from the Good News

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Scripture taken from the Wycliffe Bible, copyright © 2001 Terence P. Noble.

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1     A Solid Foundation

Chapter 2     Reasons for getting married

Chapter 3     Are you a good listener?

Chapter 4     The Joy of Teamwork

Chapter 5     Decide to Be a Submitted Partner

Chapter 6     Marriage Maintenance

Chapter 7     The Husband Role to his Wife

Chapter 8     The Wife Role to Her Husband

Chapter 9     A Deal Breaker

Chapter 10   The Needs of the Wife

Chapter 11   The Needs of the Husband

Chapter 12   Raising Godly Children

Chapter 13   There is Hope for you!

Chapter 14   Pre-Marriage Counseling Sessions

Chapter 15   Marriage Counseling Sessions

Chapter 16   Conclusion

About Norman Bishop

Dedication

I am grateful to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for taking me on this journey called life. Through all the trials and tests, You have never abandoned me. I honor You for allowing me to be transparent and for the wisdom you have given me to author this book.

I dedicate this book to my wife, Rochelle, who has been steadfast in her love for her husband. I also dedicate this book to our three, adult children, Andrea, Maurice, and Marcus. This book could not have been written without you! You guys make me so proud! I dedicate this book to my dad who demonstrated how a man ought to be and live. I honor my late mother for her courage and love towards me. It was a joy to take care of my mother. Finally, I honor my sister, Gwen Jackson, for our strong bond, and to my brother-n-law Arthur Jackson Sr.

Acknowledgements

I had three pastors in my life, and I want to acknowledge all three. The Bible says to much is given; much will be required. Luke 12:48. I have been given much by the late Pastor Benjamin Smith, Dr. Wesley Pinnock, and Bishop Eric Lambert. These men of God instilled in me a strong commitment to Christ, a strong commitment to prayer, a strong commitment to family, and a strong commitment to serve. I honor them today for their godly example not only to me but to the Body of Christ.

Preface

Norman Bishop was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pa. His parents separated early in life, and his mother spent five years in a mental facility. Because of that, Norman lived with his beloved Grand mother, Alma Bishop, for five years along with his sister, Gwen. As a teenager, Norman attended a boarding school where he saw firsthand the regular use of drugs and alcohol and was amazed seeing a student shooting up as a ninth grader. There were fights every day. What saved Norman through this torture, he could play basketball very well. Norman made the varsity team as a freshman and average twenty-five points on the junior varsity basketball team. The local newspaper mentioned him for his outstanding games. After high school, he attended Tuskegee University. Norman was shocked when he realized he could not do the work. He was not prepared for college work, and it showed in his GPA of 1.7. Because of his low-grade point average, he was not eligible to play varsity basketball. Norman was on probation with the intent to dismiss if he did not improve his average. More than any, Norman did not want to come back to Philly a failure! He worked extremely hard and push his GPA to 2.5. As a freshman, Norman was close to two Christians, Mike and Allen, and he wasn’t a Christian. They let him in their circle and accepted Norman with all his rough habits. They lived in Atlanta, Ga. They would see the Atlanta Hawks play. Mike’s Father was a pastor, so Norman had to attend Sunday services. Since Norman stayed for free and ate all that southern food, church on Sunday was no big deal. Norman made it through his first year, barely!

It was good being back home for the summer. Norman worked through the summer and enjoyed playing basketball and tennis. One night he was taking a friend to the Philadelphia 76er’s game. As he was walking, still on his block, a guy pulled a gun on him and said, Give me your coat! His leather coat was brand new, and he did not want to give it to him. Norman wanted to take his gun. Perhaps, it wasn’t real, he thought. However, he decided my life was more valuable than the coat, so he slowly begin to take off his coat. Suddenly, two cop cars pulled on my block and raided a house near where they were. The guy threw the gun in the bushes and took off, and Norman was in shock. What just happened? He could have shot and killed Norman. It was right there on his block that a scripture came to his mind. It said, what shall it profit a man if he gains