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NOTE-1 The NSW Christadelphian Support Group have a page on their web site giving a synopsis of some books which we may have in our library but have not been reviewed.
Click HERE to browse their 'Book Recommendation' page.

NOTE-2 The NSW Christadelphian Support Group also have a page on their web site which allows "Leaflets" to be downloaded in PDF format. The "Leaflets" are support articles similar to "Art of Caring", "Coping with Loss" etc.
Click HERE to browse their 'Leaflets' page.

To go back to this page close ('X' button on top right of your browser) the NSW page.

Our best and most useful resource is of course our Bible that gives us the principles of daily living and a guide to serving our heavenly father.

A number of other books have been written to assist families and individuals who are struggling with daily life or their spiritual life. In each newsletter we will name a couple of books that you may find useful on a wide range of subjects. We should read these prayerfully and open our hearts to the love and guidance of our lord.

1. Choosing to Love by Sis Olive Dawes
This is a well written book that challenges our choice to partner from a scriptural point of view. It focuses us on the importance of our priority to our relationship with our heavenly Father and how we can walk with our partner in God's love to the Kingdom. It deals with a number of practical issues along the way and constantly refers us back to the scriptures.

2. Christian Counselling  by Gary R Collins
This is a comprehensive guide to dealing with a range of family issues. All subjects are dealt with from a Christian perspective and scripturally based.

3. I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris
What is your motivation in relationships, pleasing yourself, or serving others?
Do you give yourself away physically, or emotionally in ways you will regret when you are married?
Does your current relationship hinder you from serving God as a single person?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you need to read this book It will give you a whole new perspective on going-out or dating and will seriously challenge the way you see the opposite sex.

These are some of the areas that Josh Harris covers in his book:
  Smart Love Beyond what feels good, back to what is good 
  The seven habits of highly defective dating
  Five attitude changes to help you avoid defective dating
  The true definition of love
  How to keep impatience from robbing you of the gift of singleness
  How to get on the road to purity
  How Jesus can redeem your past
  Four important steps for getting on track with God's plan
  How to fight the pollutants of lust, infatuation and self-pity
  Making the most of your singleness
  How to have a biblical and realistic vision of marriage
  Principles that can guide you from friendship to matrimony

Before you write this book off as a kill-joy, you should give it a chance to speak for itself.
Yes, it introduces a revolutionary concept.
Yes, it will challenge you.
But it can improve our relationship with God.

Another good aspect of the book is that the author is the same age as the group he addresses in this book.

4. Boy Meets Girl by Joshua Harris
In “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” Joshua Harris basically advices avoiding romantic involvement with the opposite sex until you are ready for marriage. But what do you do when that time arrives? In “Boy Meets Girl” he explores and faces all the issues that surround the emotional roller coaster ride from courtship to marriage.
This excellent sequel covers issues such as:- choosing a life-long partner, conducting a courtship and engagement, suppressing the sex-drive and maintaining purity. It also has sections on dealing with past sexual sin and embracing the God-given role of manhood or woman-hood in your relationship.
Are you currently in a long-term relationship? Are you in a relationship that is leading to marriage? In one of the final chapters the author poses ten questions under the title, Are You Ready for Forever? Answer these questions honestly. How does your relationship rate?
1. Is your relationship centred on God and His glory?
2. Are you growing in friendship, communication, spiritual fellowship and romance?
3. Are you clear on your biblical roles as man and woman?
4. Are other people supportive of your relationship?
5. Is sexual drive playing too big (or too small) a part in your relationship?
6. Do you have a track record of solving problems biblically?
7. Are you heading in the same direction in life?
8. Have you taken into account any cultural differences you may have?
9. Do either of you have complicating entanglements from past relationships?
10. Do you want to marry this person?

Whether single or married this book lays down scriptural principles that would enrich any relationship. It is good reading and comes highly recommended. 
(Available from Word and Koorong Bookshops)

5. Boundaries Before Marriage
“Boundaries before Marriage” is another in the “Boundaries” series of books written by Christian psychologists Dr Henry Cloud and Dr John Townsend. This book covers eighteen key principles regarding relationships prior to marriage.
The authors deal with love, romance and the boundaries and responsibilities that should exist in these relationships. The book is divided into four sections covering:
1. You and your boundaries
2. Whom should I date?
3. Solving dating problems : When you're part of the problem
4. Solving dating problems : When your date is the problem
They deal with issues in a positive manner, from choosing a partner to breaking up, respect for each other and many helpful dos and don'ts. Their advice is always scripture based, and very relevant and practical. It would also apply to any relationship, romantic or otherwise. Respect for both yourself and the other person is the key.
All the “Boundaries” books are excellent and very easy to read. There are many other titles also available through the Care Group Library.

6. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens

It's fast and furious. It's quick and constant. It's an ever-changing challenge. It's the thrill of riding the teenage roller coaster.
Yet many have been there before and now step back in time to help those who are presently faced with it.
Sean Covey is one of those people as he writes 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens'. Although aimed at teenagers, this compilation of assistance is suitable for pre and/or post teenagers.
He touches on many, if not all, the challenges of the teenage years, and pulls a wide variety of threads in order to weave his ideas together.
For a teenager who is striving to amend their lives for the better, they need help. The problems and solutions addressed in this work aid in encouraging the teenager to daily renew their awareness for the purpose of living.
To strengthen or maintain the teenager's present life in Christ, as well as facing pressures elsewhere, the words of this book break the ice and are excellent to start re-building the teenager from the inside out.
Coloured with cartoons, compiled with clever ideas, flowing with fantastic ideas, iced with incredible stories of teens all over the world and extra special surprises, this collection can be taken slowly so as to enhance absorption.
After all, we are only made to handle one day at a time.

Amelia MacKay

7. Strike the Original Match

This is a biblical book on marriage that lives up to the author's claims of being “realistic, believable, positive, non-technical, and free from perfectionist demands”. 
Here are some of his ideas: 
When looking to make the most of your marriage by following God's instructions, you will find the person to change is you.
A harmonious marriage requires the continual destruction of myths. A major myth of marriage is that it is a blissful, easygoing, relaxing cloud that floats from one restful day to the next … on the contrary, a marriage that works requires a constant willingness to surrender rights, incredible unselfishness, and the ability to flex.
Genesis 2 is the primary reference to understanding God's viewpoint on marriage. There you will find the four 'musts' for a marriage severance, permanence, unity and intimacy.
It is the author's unshakable belief that the Bible shows us there is no marital problem so great that God cannot solve it; that nothing is impossible with God. But this is how the author eventually comes to write the chapter on divorce, “And so, instead of dodging divorce and acting like it's not there, I've decided to write a chapter that faces it squarely. Even though I would much prefer not to, I haven't that option.” I felt entirely satisfied with the way he approached this controversial subject.

Chapter ten is my favourite - Commitment is the Key and here are selections from it.
Remember those words you promised before God… a vow is a vow.
These are the principles that enhance commitment
     1. Christian marriages have conflicts, but they are not beyond solution.
     2. Working through it is harder than walking out, but it is God's way.
     3. Being committed to one's mate is not a matter of demanding rights, but releasing
         rights.
     4. The Christian's ultimate goal in life is not to be happy, but to glorify God (Based
         on 1 Cor. 6 v19-20)

I have taken the heading for Chapter Eleven to heart - Don't Just Get Older, Get Better! But the author's words that have already made the most impact on me are - 
“As I glorify Him, He sees to it that other essential needs are met or my need for them diminishes. Believe me, this concept will change your entire perspective on yourself, your life and your marriage.”

Although this book was written for those of us who have been married for a while, his arguments for the biblical basis of marriage are for everyone.

Sr Maree Thornewell

8. The Power of a Praying Wife
The introduction claims “… the power of a praying wife is not a means of gaining control over your husband, so don't get your hopes up! It's laying down all claim to power in and of yourself, and relying on God's power to transform you, your husband, your circumstances, and your marriage.”

This book is not the “light weight” approach I expected but a Bible based guide for wives committed to their marriage. As the author says, “As a praying wife, I couldn't go to God and expect answers to prayer if I harboured unforgiveness, bitterness or resentment. I had first to pray 'Change me, Lord'.”

There are 30 chapters beginning with the longest chapter called His Wife and followed by 29 chapters covering a variety of aspects of a husband's life. The chapters all follow the same format a discussion of the chapter topic, a formalised prayer (often with a space to insert your husband's name), and a section called POWER TOOLS which lists supporting Bible passages.
You are encouraged to try and pray for your husband every day for a month using each one of the 30 areas of prayer focus in the book, to ask God to pour out His blessings and to fill you both with His love, and to try seeing your husband through God's eyes. 

I was impressed with the author's utter conviction and faith, her reverence for Almighty God and His word and a willingness to surrender her life and seek God's will in the details of everyday life.
I have not been disciplined enough to carry out her suggestion to pray in such a formalised way every day for a month, but I have noticed that applying the principle of looking at life through God's eyes has already brought an increased sense of peace and harmony to my life.
.
Sr Maree Thornewell