Book Review: DESIGNED FOR MARRIAGE

Book Review

Title: Designed for marriage

Publishers: Awesome Treasures Foundation, Lagos, 2013

Author: Olajumoke Adenowo

Reviewer: Bayo Ogunmupe

 

THIS book is a down to earth volume and practical guide to marriage. The message of this book is clear for married couples. It says that God created man with what it takes to make successful marriage vows. Moreover, Jehovah endows us with the wisdom, financial and physical resources we need. Enclosed in this book are facts and secrets that dispel the myths and equip you with the necessary sagacity for the needed changes that will cause you to optimize your conjugal paradise.

  To aspiring husbands and wives, designed for marriage answered the perplexing question – How can I know my natural mate? This book goes farther than that, it practically shows the way through scriptural, ageless and universal principles to ensure you become the one for the right partner. Thus you are able to distinguish yourself from the sea of singles awash the streets. This easy to grasp testimonial of a successful marriage partner helps you to better your own marriage and create a new enduring partnership.

  The book has 70 pages, clearly printed in ten chapters ensconced with a foreword and an introduction. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver, Proverbs 25:11.” That quotation is an apt reminder of the contents of Designed for Marriage. It was the Caribbean pastor, Myles Munroe who said, “When purpose isn’t understood, abuse is inevitable,” this book is such a compass to the fulfillment of purpose in marriage. It shows in glowing terms, Jehovah’s express intention of marriage and how it should be managed. Believe it or not, marriage is to be managed like you marriage terminal conditions of health as diabetes, AIDS or hypertension. This is because, later in the middle of the marriage, you are tired of each other; bored to death by predictability and nagging.

  Thus, marriage is a journey rather the destination, since the relationship isn’t between saints, forcing them to keep learning and adapting. Mrs. Olajumoke nshows that man has been designed by Jehovah with every power to dominate the earth, making man and woman to craft a unique partnership to fulfill God’s dominion over the earth.

  Even in this divine partnership, form follows function, the physical design of men and women being reflections of their spiritual attributes. These peculiar spiritual attributes each partner brings into the partnership ensures the success of the marriage. Hopefully, reading this book will ensure that singles desiring marriage will realize that God would not have equipped them thus without marriage in mind.

  Therefore, just by stirring up the potential for marriage in you, it becomes a matter of time before you take your place in your Jehovah ordained marriage. Thus, Designed for marriage enjoins you to make the decision that you focus on being the right partner. Then the right man or woman will find you. This book will show you the salient features in your partner and also hint you on ways to use these features to work for you. Perhaps you are guilty of neglecting your divine gifts, how do you expect to attract the proper partner and sustain the relationship? Designed for marriage will help you identify and operate your God-given equipment. From reading this volume, you will find or be found by God’s choice for you. Marriage is more than a contract, it is a covenant of destiny.

  The first quartet of chapters focus on the original design of the relationship between man (Adam) and woman (Eve), woman being created form the rib of man makes Adam to co-creator of women with God; grace as gift of God to responsible men and the eventual destiny of man.

  In the original design, men are not meant to dominate their wives, neither are women meant to dominate their husbands. The original design was that the married couple should dominate the earth by their creativity and procreation. When the bible states in Genesis 2:28” – And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth,” however, nowhere does God mention that man dominates another human being. The desire of the man to subdue his wife and the woman to manipulate her husband is as a result of the fall of man. What both sexes seek is control.

  Moreover, in chauvinistic societies of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, men exercise physical strength to subdue women. On the other hand, the women who cannot be seen to be directly in control, learn to manipulate emotionally, verbally and indirectly their husbands. But the right way is the female and the male to jointly, in agreement to dominate the earth, rather than each other. The notion that man should dominate his wife is wrong. A woman submits to her husband on the basis of love, her free will, won over by his love. She isn’t meant to be dominated, or subjugated either emotionally or physically.

  As God’s co-creator, man needed to control himself in self-discipline and control. As the source from where she was created, man should act as a father. He should be the protector of his wife and offspring. He should be a provider and the sower of the seed of munificence.

  The greatest seed a man might sow is vision. He should provide the goal, the direction and the shelter for the family.

  The second quartet of chapters concerns the role of attraction in marriage. This ensures the preservation of the human species. Then following the anointing of the husband. The woman is to nurture the family. The woman is to receive grow and preserve the seed. Thus, the final path to intimacy is obedience. You are waiting in order to prepare for the ultimate union. Worship of God and the family is the other road to salvation. I therefore commend this book onto your care as a change agent. I recommend to all in fulfillment of the destiny of procreation in lawful marriage.

  The author, Olajumoke is married to Korede Adenowo and are blessed with two sons. Olajumoke is a practicing architect and is the principal partner at AD Consulting since 1994. She is the founder and chief executive of Advantage Energy Incorporated. An alumna of Obafemi Awolowo University, the Lagos Business School and the University of Navarra, Barcelona, Spain. She founded Awesome Treasures Foundation in 1999, and with it she has been able to raise transformational leaders. Also, Olajumoke hosts a radio programme on leadership called: “Voice of Change.”