Relationships have been, and will continue to be, a hot topic. Anyone who has been a serious relationship will know, it isn’t easy. Arguments, conflict, fights seem to unavoidable. More and more, statistics show that divorce rates are increasing year after year. With rising problems, there are plenty of relationship-help-books available on the market, even more so within the Christian market. Yet, few books, so I’ve found, offer deep and effective insights into the core problem. However, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs’ book – “Love & Respect: the love she most desires, the respect he desperately needs” offers a new, insightful, perspective on the issue at the heart of most relationships. As the title suggests, the issue? Women need love and men need respect. Eggerichs’ opening two chapters introduce Eggerichs’ journey and outlines the basic premise of this perspective. Throughout the rest of the book, Eggerich develops the practical application of this perspective in different areas.
Eggrichs’ text is well-balanced sharing insights from both the husband and wife’s perspective. The wife’s perspective, as he shares in his introduction, is drawn from his wife. As a team, they have been speakers at various relationship seminars throughout the US. The dual-perspective allows Eggrichs to give emphasis to both sides, while biased to the male perspective, and share his insights, relatively, equally between the two. It is an easy read, yet Eggerichs’ insights are challenging and thought-provoking. The book does not claim to be an overnight sensation and neither is its message. Definitely one to be re-read regularly to revisit matters that may have been over-looked.
Dr. Emerson Eggerichs was the senior pastor of East Lansing’s Trinity Church and, now, is founder and president of Love and Respect Ministries.
Emerson Eggerichs, Love and respect: the love she most desires, the respect he desperately needs (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2004)
