The Marriage Mentor: A book truly written with the husband and wife in mind

I've been working with Rhonda and Steve Stoppe on their new book, The Marriage Mentor. This is not your average marriage book! The Stoppes have written a book that can help couples in a real way. They believe that every couple should have (or be) mentors. It helps to talk to another couple who has already walked a particular stage of life and have godly examples of what marriage should be. While the Stoppes are serious about their topic, they present the material in a light-hearted and interesting way. 

In this introduction to The Marriage Mentor (Harvest House Publishers), the Stoppes explain how the book is written with each spouse in mind:

If you’re like most married couples, you are so busy you rarely read through an entire book. And let’s be honest: statistics prove that men aren’t the ones reading marriage help books. So rather than writing a book the wife has to continually nag her husband to sit down and read with her, we’ve broken the book into sections for the wife to read (written by Rhonda) and small sections for husbands to read (written by Steve). Then the two of you can watch a short video online of Steve and Rhonda discussing the main point of each chapter together. (The videos are lighthearted and fun, we promise!)

Imagine if you had a weekly appointment with an older couple who could teach you the secrets to building a happy marriage that will last a lifetime. That’s what you’ll find as you walk with us through the pages of this book. But life gets in the way, and sometimes the immediate needs will drain you and make you think, There’s always tomorrow to work on making my marriage better.

The truth is, for most couples tomorrow never comes. In over 30 years of ministry we have witnessed countless couples who intended to work on their marriages but never made the time—only to later regret the years they wasted.

On the other hand, we have also been delighted to watch numerous couples we’ve counseled flourish. We’ve seen them take the biblical principles laid out in this book seriously, and their marriages reflect joy and happiness like most couples never come to know.

If you’re looking for help for your marriage, we ask you to make a commitment now to keep working your way through this book until you reach the end.

But I’m Not a Reader

Steve and I often meet people who say, “I’d love to read your book, but I’m not a reader.” To which we reply, “You read social media all day long, so we’ve established you’re a reader.” In an attempt to engage with you as the reader, we have written this easy-to-read book that will feel much like you’re interacting with us on social media.

Every chapter is broken down into smaller parts so you don’t have to feel overwhelmed by trying to read an entire chapter in one sitting. Keep the book on your nightstand, read one or two subsections at a time, and keep moving forward at a pace that works for you as a couple. We know you’ll be glad if you do this.

Man to Man

Gentlemen, in each chapter the section for husbands to read is printed in gray so you can’t miss it. And the section is small so you can even take a picture of it with your phone and read it on break at work.

From a Husband’s Perspective

Ladies, at the close of each chapter, Steve has written a section for the wives called “From a Husband’s Perspective.” As you read what he says, you will not only glean a man’s perspective but also insights from

Steve’s many years as a pastor and biblical marriage counselor. Women tell us their husbands are loving what their wives are learning from this section. One husband said to his wife, “That is exactly how I feel. I just never knew how to put it into words.”

From a Wife’s Perspective

Following Steve’s man-to-man discussion with husbands, Rhonda will jump in and give husbands a quick insight from a wife’s perspective.

Thinking It Through and Living It Out

At the end of each chapter you will find discussion questions that will prompt healthy conversations. These will allow you as a couple to study and apply to your marriage the truths you’ve learned. These questions also work well in a group setting should you decide to lead or participate in a small group study through this book.

Marriage Mentor Videos (Free online)

Finally, at the end of each chapter you will be prompted to visit www.RhondaStoppe.com/marriage-mentor to watch a video of Steve and Rhonda discussing each chapter. The videos are short, lighthearted, and fun. So pour yourself a cup of coffee and settle in for a lively chat. You’ll feel like you’re hanging out with friends as we walk you through the biblical principles for marriage outlined in each chapter. The videos of Steve and Rhonda will also be a great resource to show to a small group should you decide to facilitate one.

Now, if you are ready, let’s begin this journey together. I expect we all will become great friends as we help you build a marriage with no regrets—and share with you way too much information about our personal lives. Enter laughing emoji here—LOL.

Visit Rhonda Stoppe’s website www.NoRegretsWoman.com for more resources on love, marriage and parenting. She is also active on YouTube (Rhonda Stoppe No Regrets Woman), Facebook (RhondaStoppeNoRegretsWoman) and on Twitter (@RhondaStoppe).