How to Speak Life to Your Husband - by Ann Wilson (Paperback)

About the Book

Discover the marriage you've always hoped for. How to Speak Life to Your Husband by bestselling author Ann Wilson--plus helpful reflections from her husband, Dave--provides the encouragement, hope, and practical tools you need to speak lovingly, truthfully, and with grace to motivate change when you feel stuck.

Book Synopsis

Discover the marriage you've always hoped for. With practical tools to help you communicate more effectively, you'll learn to speak the language of love and grace that will encourage and strengthen your husband at every turn.

Ann Wilson spent more than a decade longing for a better marriage and for her husband to be more attentive, more involved, more helpful, and just all-around better. And every chance she got, she told him so. Where she thought she was being helpful, she was instead badgering him with constant critiques until all he heard was, "Boo! Boo!" when they were together. It almost broke their marriage. But Ann discovered the power that God has given wives.

No matter how long you've been married, you don't need to spend another minute hoping and wishing for things to be different. They can! And the power is in your hands.

In this motivating, honest new book, Ann--marriage coach and bestselling author with her husband, Dave--shares how she breathed new life into her marriage by stewarding one of the most powerful gifts believers inherit from the Creator: encouragement. God has given wives a superpower to influence their husbands and homes, and you can use that power to build up and encourage your man to be a better husband, father, and man of God while still speaking truth to him. Relatable, encouraging, biblical, and funny, Ann shares stories from her own life, as well as valuable insights from Scripture, to help you:

• Address the ways you process and justify your communication patterns
• Seek spiritual and relational (re)alignment with both your husband and God
• Learn to exercise self-control and demonstrate radical grace in conversations with your husband
• Begin to cheer more than boo--in a way that isn't put on, fake, or inauthentic
• Learn to speak truth in a way your husband can really hear you
• And, ultimately, cultivate a grace-based marriage that thrives

Real people in real relationships have real problems, but with God's help, you can heal and sustain your marriage for a lifetime.

Review Quotes

Ann and Dave Wilson are the real deal. They vulnerably share the lessons they've learned from their mistakes and shortcomings to help other couples avoid heartache. Their balanced and authentic 'tell it like it is' approach to marriage helps both husbands and wives feel seen and heard, but also connected and hopeful. This is the dose of hope your marriage needs.--Debra Fileta, M.A., LPC, counselor; bestselling author

Ann and Dave Wilson have been instrumental in the success of our marriage. They've given us the tools necessary to identify, address, and overcome everyday challenges that marriage brings--with wit when it's needed most. Even more importantly, they have given us practical ways of preventing issues before they arise. The Wilsons normalize the hard parts with humor and make us realize we aren't alone, no matter what chapter we're in.--Baker and Emily Mayfield, NFL quarterback

Ann Wilson is one of my favorite people in the world, and I'm thrilled she has written this book. Her approach to this vital subject is kind yet piercing, full of strength yet full of grace and love. I know her message will be just as powerful generations from now, but I encourage you to read it now.--Shaunti Feldhahn, social researcher; bestselling author, For Women Only and For Men Only

I was a high school student at Dave and Ann Wilson's church, and I know firsthand how Ann's vulnerable storytelling gives way for others to find freedom and not make the same mistakes. Ann's storytelling is transformative. No matter what season your marriage is in, this all-encompassing guide will strengthen your heart and home. Read this book from cover to cover and discover your God-given superpowers as a wife.--Esther Fleece Allen, bestselling author, No More Faking Fine and Your New Name

Look, there's no one else like Dave and Ann Wilson. They are fun, vulnerable, bracingly honest, and even hilarious. But mostly, they are deeply insightful. Read this, share it, talk about it. This is going to help a lot of women . . . and their husbands.--Brant Hansen, radio host; bestselling author, Unoffendable and The Men We Need

Practically every woman reaches a stage in her marriage of disillusionment. Her husband isn't who she thought he was; the conflicts are deeper than she anticipated; romance is miles in the rearview mirror. This book will comfort you in knowing that you are not alone. But more than that, you will be encouraged with practical ways to change your mindset and infuse hope into your marriage. Ann Wilson is a delightful combination of an honest girlfriend, inspirational coach, and compassionate mom as she shares her own story of God's transformation in her heart and marriage.--Dr. Juli Slattery, author, Finding the Hero in Your Husband and God, Sex, and Your Marriage; president and cofounder, Authentic Intimacy

Whenever I spend time with my friends Ann and Dave, I hear two things--honesty and joy. And this book with encouragement from Ann and reflections from Dave has plenty of both. Wise and timely, and well worth reading.--Dane Ortlund, senior pastor, Naperville Presbyterian Church; author, Gentle and Lowly

Wives spend more time with their husbands than anyone else in their lives. Learning how to regulate your words to make the relationship be the most amazing it can be is an integral part of the marriage journey. Ann Wilson has taught me how to use my words as seeds and water them, as fire and stoke them, toward the growth of the marriage relationship. Our marriage is better, and I'm better as a result.--Dan Orlovsky, ESPN analyst; former professional football player