Empty: A Couple’s Study of Marriage

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post; however, my opinions are entirely my own and based on a personal reading of the book. I am an affiliate of Amazon.com, and will receive a small commission if the links on this page are used to make a purchase.

A Compassionate Look At Marriage

Empty: A Couple’s Study of Marriage by Mike & Kim Marquez is a compassionate look at relationships. Written from their own experience brokenness and failure, and search for a more intimate marriage, the book was written from the Biblical perspective that God created us to love us individually, and have a personal relationship with us.

Writers Mike and Kim each relate their own story of how they drifted apart in their relationship. His work hours, her care and homeschooling of their four children, and daily responsibilities all made it almost impossible to schedule time together. Empty is the story of how they each looked to God to fill them with His love, so they in turn could love one another.

As you experience a return to your first love, we pray that your hearts will be filled to overflowing and you can fill each other’s cup instead of constantly finding yourself empty and dry.

Empty is also a Bible Study – a study of God’s love and redemption, and His pursuit of us through His son Jesus Christ. Through examination of the Exodus from Egypt, the story of Abraham and Sarah, and other stories from scripture, the study compares God’s pursuit of us (individually) to a husband’s pursuit of his bride throughout their marriage.

Empty also looks at a few touchy subjects, such as marital roles and submission. It does so gently, with a balanced view of scripture, and without condemnation.

Finding The Time

I know from experience that as a parent of a young child (or children) it is difficult to find a quiet time to read. Unless you are a morning person (I’m not) and can get up before the kids wake up, or find the energy to read (and retain information) after you’ve tucked them into bed, studying for a long period of time can be an impossible dream. The Marquez’ are sympathetic to this and have written their study to be read over a period of time, and have included the applicable scripture verses in the body of the book.

This book was written to be used as an intimate, chapter by chapter personal journey through your marriage for each couple to take together.

Each chapter can stand alone, but builds on the previous one. There are no fill-in-the-blank questions to answer. The study can be done as an individual, as a couple, or in a group (although they caution not to get too personal in a group setting).

Invest In Yourself and Your Marriage

We learn that it is better to be independent, rather than deal with the disappointment and hurt we receive from others.

Whether you are disappointed by God or another person – when your expectations are not met – it is easy to become more self-involved and self-reliant. To find your own ways to cope and handle life’s responsibilities. The reality is that life is hard, and relationships are hard. This book may help you navigate through the hurt and disappointment to discover more intimate and joyful relationships.

I would highly recommend Empty: A Couple’s Study of Marriage to those who are married and those who would like to be married in the future (it’s always good to get an idea of what you are in for)! The concepts in the book are very practical, and can also be applied (to a certain extent) to relationships with children, friends, and co-workers.

It has been a wonderful for me – I’ve learned some new things and gained a different perspective on some issues in my life and relationships. It’s also reminded me of a concept that I already knew, that can be difficult to remember in the day-to-day routine: God loves me and pursues me individually, and I need to keep heart open to Him!

Purchase Information

Empty: A Couple’s Study of Marriage is available as an ebook on Amazon.com for $5.99 (at the time of this post). After purchase, you can download it to your Kindle or to the Kindle Cloud Reader on your computer (available as a free download on Amazon).