Beyond Ordinary (book review)

Provided to me as a complimentary copy by Tyndale, Beyond Ordinary is the honest portrayal of a young marriage gone awry.  The starry-eyed couple soon finds love jaded in light of ministry, marriage, and parenting demands.  In their book, the husband and wife share each of their stories one by one, providing an up close and personal look at the slippery slope of a marriage crumbling from within.  The heart-wrenching transparency of a personal story gives this book a unique edge in a glutted marriage book market.

The authors contend that an ordinary marriage is one where conflict is unresolved and true intimacy is avoided.  Thus, their plea throughout the book is for marriages that are more than mediocre, that require extraordinary investment.  This slant is the book's recurring theme and is a valid perspective.  In a world where status quo marriages often result in divorce and/or extramarital affairs, couples must realize that a successful marriage takes work and investment.  The authors are to be commended in their willingness to share their story as a cautionary tale to others.