The Art Of Being A Wife

She makes it sound so intriguing – the art of being a wife. I received this book as a wedding gift & it was truly one of the most influential things I read in my early marriage. Barbara Rainey is such a well-known Christian figure, I honestly expected something a little too intense for my taste. However, I was pleasantly surprised with a refreshing, feminine, artistic read unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.

“Letter’s To My Daughters – The Art Of Being A Wife” initially avoided collecting dust on the bookshelf like many of my other novels simply by being beautiful. The book is the perfect size & satisfying to hold, has a cute little book-marking string inside, & is full of delicately feminine designs, illustrations & colors.

When I cracked open the cover, I discovered a collection of true treasures: letters to her daughters. In response to questions her daughters have asked her over the years about marriage, she writes detailed, heartfelt advice to them about what they can do to make a difference with their attitudes & actions.

Although I do love lists, sometimes I have difficulty with life application when given a “to-do list” to fix my problems. The most unique thing I noticed in Barbara’s masterpiece is that she does not give a list of instructions on how to be a good wife. If she had, I would so easily have forgotten the second I put the book down! Instead… using comparisons such as dancing, art, gardening, & cooking… she flows the letters together to create this beautiful picture of what a godly marriage should be that I will never forget.

My heart is incredibly thankful that I had these letters full of wisdom in the first few months of my marriage. That was a very difficult time for me, and I devoured the God-given wisdom that Barbara had to offer as it overflowed in each & every page.

“Someone said that music is the language of heaven. In marriage, we can experience a taste of those heavenly sounds when we come to places of acceptance & forgiveness & safety & peace with one another. There is no one else on earth with whom I experience such relational intimacy, & that is a taste of heaven itself.”