Fully Known and Loved Anyway Intimacy in Marriage and Our Relationship with God

"It is the desire of every human heart to be loved, and yet we cannot be truly loved unless we let others know who we really are; otherwise, they love the person that we want the world to think we are. Down deep we know we are hiding our true self and, therefore, this only allows for a superficial kind of love. With that in mind, a more accurate statement would be, it is the desire of every human heart to be fully known and loved anyway. Paradoxically, it is also our greatest fear. This arises from the fact that we know ourselves best and we know that we are broken. We have all done things, which if revealed to others, would invite rejection by 'good' people." (Opening paragraph of Chapter 1)Fully Known and Loved Anyway is intended to help Christians understand the marriage metaphor that God uses to describe His relationship with His people. It also breaks down the concept of intimacy into its component pieces. By doing these two things, you are then able to see marriage from a different angle and therefore are better able to work at having a strong and fulfilling marriage. Having a more complete understanding of marriage can also foster a closer relationship with God as well.Christopher has relied heavily on the Scriptures and as a result, several of the ideas are sure to raise the ire of some. He has not gone out of his way to be provocative but has certainly not shied away from hard topics either.The book will be helpful to anyone wanting to grow in their relationship with their spouse and with God, but it will be immensely helpful to newly married or engaged couples that are still figuring out the basic principles of a good and God-honoring marriage.The book has two questions at the end of each chapter to encourage reflection and action steps. It would make a great couples devotional or it could be used as a resource for a small group or marriage counseling.