Nearly half of all serious marital problems develop in the first two years of marriage; yet on the average, couples who seek counseling for the first time have already been married seven years. This five-years counseling gap allows more than enough time for the mortal wounding of a marriage.

The First Years of Forever closes the gap by providing much needed, but hard to obtain, counseling for engaged or newly married couples. It is written as a marriage handbook to be read and then referred to again and again. Dr. Ed Wheat, coauthor of the bestselling Love Life for Every Married Couple, draws on his training and experiences as a family physician and certified sex therapist to prepare couples for their lifelong journey together.

The First Years of Forever provides the practical wisdom most people have to learn the hard way--or not at all. It tells how to develop skills in communicating with each other and resolving conflicts. And most important, it demonstrates the difference Jesus Christ can make in the quality of marriage.

This best-selling book contains practical, biblically based guidelines for the engaged and newly married and is a counseling resource for pastors and other premarital counselors.