Marriage Hanging By A String: Tiny Changes, Exceptional Results: Easy, Proven Ways to Build a Strong and Happy Christian Marriage

By Josephine V. Corriette RN

God instituted marriage to make life happy and fulfilling for both husband and wife. Getting married is easy; staying married can be a big challenge. How can you keep your marriage exciting, loving, and thriving amid the barrage of conflicts, demands, and monotony of everyday life?

Whether your marriage is hanging by a string, struggling, mediocre, or excellent, this book will help you build a stronger and happier marriage. You’ll also discover the secrets of transforming your relationship. This inspirational and practical book is packed with tips and wisdom to help develop the loving, supportive, healthy, and happy marriage you envision.

Josephine V. Corriette’s easy, proven, and practical approach to giving and receiving love and respect will assist you in encountering deeper and richer levels of intimacy and satisfaction with your companion- starting today.

Read this book, and you’ll be prepared for the unforeseen challenges of marriage.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798385000937

Josephine V. Corriette RN

Josephine V. Corriette, RN earned degrees in nursing and psychology from the University of the Virgin Islands and the University of Central Florida. She has over 40 years of experience as a loving wife, mother, and Registered Nurse within several specialties. In addition, she has successfully counseled couples whose marriages were hanging by strings. When not traveling, she enjoys sewing, interior decorating, crossword puzzles, reading, studying the Bible, and spending time with her husband, son, daughter, grandson, other family members, and friends. She is also the author of With Outstretched Arms- A 40-Day Inspirational Devotional for Health Care Workers and Caregivers and Hope for Troublous Times- A 40 Day Journey of Courage, Stamina, and Resilience which have a broad base of worldwide readers.

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Copyright © 2023 Josephine V. Corriette, RN.

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Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from

the Holy Bible, King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New

International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica,

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ISBN: 979-8-3850-0092-0 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-0093-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023911221

WestBow Press rev. date: 08/16/2023

CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1     Thou Art Fair, My Love

Chapter 2     Love Sweet Love

Chapter 3     The Virtuous Wife

Chapter 4     Husbands Love Your Wives

Chapter 5     Wives Respect and Honor Your Husband

Chapter 6     Intimacy

Chapter 7     Walk in Love and Light

Chapter 8     The Language of Love, Forgiveness

Chapter 9     Yield Not to Temptation

Chapter 10   When Tempted, Be Strong and Courageous

Chapter 11   Failed Marriages Restored

Chapter 12   Love Triangle, Infidelity

Chapter 13   Learn How to Love

Chapter 14   One Flesh

Chapter 15   Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

Chapter 16   Face Troubles Head-On

Chapter 17   Be Truthful

Chapter 18   Wait on the Lord, Do Not Be in a Hurry

Chapter 19   God’s Mercy Brings Hope

Chapter 20   Do Not Play Around with Sin

Chapter 21   Cast All Your Cares on the Lord

Chapter 22   Why Worry When You Can Pray

Chapter 23   God’s Love Never Fails

Chapter 24   Guard Your Heart

Chapter 25   Health and Wealth

Chapter 26   Flee Sexual Immorality and Submit to God

Chapter 27   Fear Not

Chapter 28   Joy Stealer

Chapter 29   Be Thankful

Chapter 30   Be Prepared for the Bridegroom

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PREFACE

The secret to a relationship that dares to foster love, forgiveness, and open communication goes beyond the expectancy of the world’s systems. The language of love and respect attacks the accepted norm for marriage and aligns itself with God’s Word.

Presenting this book on marriage raises the bar from just getting by or surviving another day and helps you to believe that your union could reach the depths and heights you envision.

In Marriage Hanging by a String, I will have you, with the help of the Lord, laughing your way to health, a promising future, and a thrilling romance. I have shared my passion for helping couples experiencing issues common in marriage, which also motivated and inspired me to write this book. It has been a two-year journey of praying, listening, and recognizing the importance of obeying the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. This unique journey also entailed research, interviews, observations, and many hours of writing, compounded by my extensive experience as a wife and Registered Nurse to ascertain that everything written would bless the readers.

Additionally, I have shared new and exciting ways to communicate with your spouse to strengthen your marital bond and help you enjoy a happy and life-long marriage. You will learn many simple, practical principles from God’s Word to elevate your relationship higher than you could ever imagine.

May God continue to bless and prosper all the readers of this inspirational book. Likewise, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you celebrate His goodness and the sanctity of marriage.

You are in my thoughts and prayers! God’s richest blessings to you and your spouse!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I must thank God for His many blessings and for inspiring and directing me in writing this book. God is good; He loves me more than I can ever imagine. His love is steadfast and eternal.

To my late mother, Edith, a Proverbs 31 woman, I thank her for being a stellar example of a virtuous wife and a wonderful mother. To my husband, Vansley, a treasure from God, hand-picked just for me, thank you for praying and keeping me grounded and for your unselfish love and devotion, thus allowing me the opportunity to spend many hours writing. To my lovely children, Allison and Benjamin, for their continuous love and support. To Donovan, my grandson, you are a gift from God; thank you for providing so much fun and joy to our home and lives; you are a gem.

Additionally, I want to thank my siblings: Eyon, Millicent, Spencer, and Doreen, and my late sister, Enola, for their love and support throughout the years. Finally, to my church family, married couples both far and near, and my late parents, you have also inspired the writing of this book, Marriage Hanging by a String.

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CHAPTER 1

Thou Art Fair, My Love

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Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes. Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also, our bed is green.

-Songs of Solomon 1:15-16 KJV

The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

-1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

The bridegroom praises his bride in Song of Solomon 4:1 NKJV, "Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes behind your veil." Everything about his bride was lovely and comely- from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. The admiration was palpable. How about you and your spouse? Do you feel and sense the deep love you have for each other?

God made everything beautiful in its time. He made the trees, animals, birds, and bees, and yes, He made man, His crown creation in His image and likeness. Genesis 1:27 KJV proclaims, So God created man in his image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

When God bent down and formed Adam out of the dust of the ground, he was without breath. So the Almighty God blew air through Adam’s nostrils, and he became a living soul capable of making decisions. Genesis 2:7 KJV emphatically states, And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.

The Lord gave Adam the task of naming all the animals. However, after he named all the animals and their partners, there was none suitable for him, so God performed a miracle. He gently and lovingly put Adam into a deep sleep, removed one of his ribs, and formed a beautiful woman. God performed the first surgery. Genesis 2:21-23 KJV declares, And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man.

BEAUTY AND GRACE

When Adam awoke, God presented Eve, a specimen of beauty and grace. The first glimpse of his bride may have sent shivers down his spine. Wow! And perhaps he also whispered in her ears, you are so gorgeous; you make my knees weak; you complete me! I love you.

Adam and Eve had a mutual attraction and genuine love for each other. It is important to be attracted to your mate, just like the first couple, Adam and Eve. This physical and mental attraction could enhance your marital relationship. I have heard many young single women exclaim that they would never date or marry a man who is not physically attractive; the men likewise express the same rhetoric but less frequently.

MUTUAL ATTRACTION

There should be a mutual attraction or chemistry between husband and wife. However, according to the world’s definition, many unattractive couples have successful marriages. These couples discover beauty in their partners in other ways, such as inner attractiveness, kindness, and faithfulness.

God made all things beautiful; therefore, we should find beauty in each other. The Apostle Peter, a devoted husband, admonishes wives in 1 Peter 3: 4 NKJV, Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

1 Samuel 16:7 KJV purports, Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. Therefore look beyond the exterior and get to know your spouse, and you may discover a rare gem.

SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE

In the same way, God sanctified the marriage of Adam and Eve, He can do the