——***NEWS RELEASE***
Matters of the Heart
Whether It Becomes Better or Gets Progressively Worse, Marriage Can Affect Heart Health
Dr. Paul and Terrie Chappell Reveal Biblical Truths About Marriage in Newly Released, Travel-Themed Book, ‘Are We There Yet?’
LOS ANGELES—A new study has discovered—perhaps not surprisingly—that people in marriages that get happier over time have healthier hearts, too, according to a report in TIME that detailed a 16-year study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
The research found that those in marriages that become more positive have lower cholesterol and a healthier weight than people in marriages that stay the same. Both are preferable to marriages that got worse over time, where couples were more likely to develop high blood pressure.
The study is no shock to authors Dr. Paul and Terrie Chappell, authors of a new travel-themed guide for marriage called “Are We There Yet? Marriage—a Perfect Journey for Imperfect Couples,” released just last week.
“All too often, we talk with couples who have been married 15, 25, 30 years, but rather than developing as a couple, they have stagnated,” Dr. Chappell said. “Instead of getting further along, they’ve fallen into ruts of hurtful relational habits. Rather than growing closer to one another, they become distant or even hostile. How does this happen? Actually, a better question is, how can we keep this from happening to us?
“Marriage is an ongoing process of learning to understand and love your spouse as you draw closer to one another over the years,” he continued. “Yes, there are bumps in the road and detours along the way. But overall, marriage really is an awesome journey. None of us have ‘arrived,’ but when you take two people who are committed to the Lord and to one another and surrendered to follow what God says about marriage, there’s no telling where that marriage can go.”
The Chappells write in “Are We There Yet?” that many people say “I do” with the assumption that marriage itself is a destination. But along the way, couples discover that, as wonderful as marriage may be, it is more of a journey than it is a destination. The Chappells’ new book focuses on the truth that a God-centered marriage can be a fulfilling destination rather than a frustration-filled trip.
Whether newlyweds or married for decades, husbands and wives will find truth in “Are We There Yet?” to help them clarify their destination, communicate their needs, grow as a couple and even shed some baggage along the way. With chapter titles such as “Paying with Foreign Currency,” “It’s a Two-Lane Highway,” “Roadblocks” and “Booking a Room,” “Are We There Yet?” explores topics from needs and communication to conflict and intimacy.
Read more about “Are We There Yet?” and the Chappells here. For more information on Dr. Paul Chappell and Lancaster Baptist Church, visit paulchappell.com or www.lancasterbaptist.org, or connect via social media on Facebook, Twitter or the church’s YouTube or Vimeo.
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