Book Review: Love at Last Sight by Kerry and Chris Shook

The premise of Love at Last Sight: 30 Days to Grow and Deepen Your Closest Relationships is that each of our most important relationships has "the potential to be better the next time we're together than it was the previous time so that the last time we see each other on this earth we're closer than ever before."  The book provides insights and practical advice for working towards this goal in 30 easy-to-read chapters.  Husband and wife team, Kerry and Chris Shook, implore the reader to focus on three key relationships and intentionally work at a different aspect of those relationships each day for a month.  Topics covered include everything from benefiting from conflict to being an encourager.


I have to admit that I didn't actually follow the one-chapter-a-day-for-30-days plan, but rather read as much as I could whenever I had the time.  I can see how really focusing on a topic a day would be beneficial, but I also gleaned quite a bit of wisdom from reading the book a bit more haphazardly.


Day 20 had the greatest impact for me.  In this section, the Shooks shed some new light on the topic of expressing anger in relationships.  They make a case for why anger is not only NOT bad, but actually a vital component of growing relationships.  Their words on this topic really resonated with me because I tend to be the one (in my marriage, at least) with the temper.  It was reassuring to know that I can express anger without being wrong or sinful and that "anger has to come to the surface in order for a relationship to go to new depths."  I was also challenged by the practical tips they gave for expressing anger and navigating conflict.

Another portion of the book that I found thought-provoking discussed creating a vision for your relationship and intentionally working towards a common goal. This is something I long for in my marriage and I was given renewed hope through the authors' words.  One question and one command in particular stood out to me in regards to my relationship with my husband:

-"What can the two of you do together that you can’t do on your own?"

Just reading this question excites me.  Imagine what Keith and I could accomplish if we carefully and prayerfully considered our combined strengths and callings.  It may be something as simple as raising our children or something as foreign as becoming pediatricians and serving impoverished children in Mexico.  Regardless, God certainly had a plan for his kingdom when he brought the two of us together, and I want to fulfill it.

- “[be] of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one  purpose.” Philippians 2:2

As a child, I memorized Philippians 2, so this verse is not new to me.  However, I've always thought of it in the context of the church.  Reading it as a command for my marriage (or other personal relationships) is eye-opening.  I'm claiming this as the official verse for my relationship with Keith...I hope he's okay with that. : )

Disclosure: I received this book free from the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group's Blogging for Books program. The opinions I have expressed are my own.