Love at Last Sight: Thirty Days to Grow and Deepen Your Closest Relationships [Hardcover]

Kerry Shook (Author), Chris Shook (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 10, 2010

Everything you’ve been taught about relationships is wrong.

The movies and TV make it look easy. Matchmaking Web sites have it down to a science. Two people connect—love at first sight—and the relationship is magical from then on. But the truth is, strong, deep relationships that last a lifetime aren’t based on the mysterious chemistry of two personalities. Real love in relationships—friends, married couples, siblings, parents—isn’t a magic act. It’s a journey. A great relationship grows from an investment of time and effort.
 
Kerry and Chris Shook know that deep relationships aren’t built on initial attractions, but on last things—the experience you shared the last time you were with someone . . . the words you spoke with her last week . . . the effort you made for him the last time you were together. And Love at Last Sight offers a one-month relationship plan that will improve your most important bonds, including a weekly focus and daily readings that guide you through the process. By learning to be  present in the moment, acting intentionally, risking awkwardness, and learning to let go, you’ll discover wisdom from the Bible that contradicts what popular culture would have you believe.
 
Meaningful relationships depend on seeing other people as they are, so that the last time your eyes meet on this earth, your relationship will be closer and deeper than ever before. Love at Last Sight is the last book you’ll need to get your dearest relationships right.

Another life-changing book from Kerry and Chris Shook
Authors of the best-selling One Month to Live
 
Your closest relationships will naturally drift apart over time.   And chances are, right now, one or more of your most important relationships is less than what you wish it could be.
 
Now you can change everything and take steps to reconnect with the people who really matter—and we don’t mean by connecting on Facebook! This thirty-day program guides you step-by-step to deeper, more satisfying relationships by developing four forgotten but powerful relational arts for  changing, improving, and repairing the relationships you care about most:
 
            Week 1 – The Art of Being All There
            Week 2 – The Art of Acting Intentionally
            Week 3 – The Art of Risking Awkwardness
            Week 4 – The Art of Letting Go
 
Learn the secrets that will lead you to healthy relationships with the most important people in your life—starting today!

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Love at Last Sight

“I love Kerry and Chris. And I love this book. One of my deep desires is to invest the best part of me in those who are closest to me. This book will give you the inspiration and practical tools you need to do just that.”
—Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church and author of Primal, Wild Goose Chase, and In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

“People are created for connection and community. We’re each designed with a desire for knowledge and intimacy. But it doesn’t just happen. It takes intentionality and a willingness to work. In Love at Last Sight, my good friends Kerry and Chris Shook reveal some practical and powerful steps that will help you cultivate your relationships. Whether you’re seeking to strengthen your friendships or looking for ways to enrich your marriage, the tools in this book will help you experience the most out of every significant relationship in your life.”
—Ed Young, pastor of Fellowship Church and author of The Creative Marriage

“Healthy relationships are essential for life, marriage, and family. Love at Last Sight provides counsel for developing a love that lasts and creating a legacy for generations to come.”
—Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church

“Love at Last Sight sheds new light on taking care of your relationships today. We have so many tools to help us communicate, yet so many relationships are in shambles. Chris and Kerry Shook give sound advice for putting those we love first and practical tips to make our love last.”
—Craig Groeschel, pastor of LifeChurch.tv and author of The Christian Atheist

 
Praise for One Month to Live

“If you want new urgency, fresh purpose, and a sharper focus for your life, then this book is for you. Read it and your future may be changed forever!”
—Lee Strobel, author of The Case for the Real Jesus

“One Month to Live by Kerry and Chris Shook will add value to the life of every person who reads it. The questions asked and the ‘Make It Count Moments’ in the book will stir your soul and inspire you to begin, today, to make the rest of your life more meaningful. What Kerry and Chris present in One Month to Live could be life altering.”
—Ken Blanchard, author of The One Minute Manager and Know Can Do!

“Regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, One Month to Live will challenge you to passionately live the life you were made for and leave an eternal legacy.”
—Bill Hybels, best-selling author and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church

About the Author

KERRY SHOOK and his wife, CHRIS SHOOK, founded Woodlands Church in The Woodlands, Texas, in 1993. Since then, the church has grown to an attendance of over 18,000 and is counted among the fastest-growing churches in America. Authors of the New York Times best-seller One Month to Live, the Shooks have been featured on Fox News, NBC, ABC and PBS. Kerry and Chris have been married for over twenty-five years, and are the parents of four children.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press; 1 edition (August 10, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400073804
• ISBN-13: 978-1400073801
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (112 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #171,983 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kerry Shook
Senior Pastor, Woodlands Church
Author of New York Times Best-Seller One Month to Live - Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life

Kerry Shook is one of today's most gifted communicators offering a clear, contemporary and creative teaching style. He is the senior pastor of Woodlands Church, one of the fastest-growing churches in America.

Kerry and his wife, Chris, founded Woodlands Church, formerly Fellowship of The Woodlands, in l993; and since then, the church has grown to 17,000 in average attendance each weekend. Now Woodlands Church is one church in many locations with its Fellowship campus in The Woodlands outside of Houston and satellite campuses online, in the Humble/Kingwood/Atascocita area, Tomball and its newest location in Katy.

Kerry believes that church should be engaging and fun, calling it "The Best Hour of Your Week." He strives to eliminate the barriers of boredom, unfriendliness and fear that keep people from experiencing not just religion but a relationship with Jesus Christ. His messages are relevant, and his illustrations memorable.

Chris is the Director of Missions and Women's Ministry at Woodlands Church. Her missions' work has touched thousands of under-resourced people locally and in numerous countries around the world. Her Women's Ministry is one of the largest in the country providing fellowship, worship and Bible study opportunities to hundreds of women each week.

Kerry Shook Ministries is a worldwide television ministry that broadcasts to a local, national and international audience. Pastor Kerry and Chris can now be seen by millions in 50 states and over 200 countries worldwide.

Kerry and Chris' first book and New York Times Best-Seller, One Month to Live - Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life, was released in February 2008. The book encourages readers to face their own mortality and live life to the fullest. The OneMonthtoLive.com Web site supports total life fitness and allows people to take the 30-Day Challenge. In addition, the One Month to Live Nationwide Church Growth Campaign is designed to help pastors unleash their church's potential.

Kerry and Chris have been married twenty-five years and have four children.

For more Information:

Ministry sites: Media sites:
KerryShook.org iTunes Channel "Kerry Shook"
OneMonthtoLive.com Twitter.com/KerryShook
WoodlandsChurch.tv You Tube "KerryShookMinistries"
live.woodlandschurch.tv Facebook "WoodlandsChurch"

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Love at Last Sight: An Insightful Read, June 22, 2011

By 

Jeremy D. Hellums (San Marcos, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love at Last Sight: Thirty Days to Grow and Deepen Your Closest Relationships (Hardcover)

Love at Last Sight, by Pastor Kerry and Chris Shook, is another refreshing look on marriage. This book is divided into a four week study: The Art of Being All There, The Art of Acting Intentionally, The Art of Risking Awkwardness and The Art of Letting Go. Each of these sections is specifically written towards the topics listed.

My favorite section is the art of acting intentional. As Kari and I continue on our journey together, I have caught myself "taking it easy," and sometimes overlooking opportunities to do things for my wife. This section reminded me that it is necessary for me to continue to act intentionally.

I would recommend Love at Last Sight to married folks.

God Bless.

I received this book free from Multnomah Books as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good for beginners, not so much for the established believer., August 21, 2010

By 

N. Corzine - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love at Last Sight: Thirty Days to Grow and Deepen Your Closest Relationships (Hardcover)

Upon receiving "Love At Last Sight," I was excited to get started reading and discover what I was missing in my relationships to make them work.

For more information about the Love At Last Sight Challenge, go to [...]

For an excerpt form the first chapter of the book, please go to this site from the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group:
[...]

The book gives chapter-a-day-for-a-month advice for the important relationships in your life (i.e. Spouse, parents/kids, and close friends).

By about halfway through, I realized that, while the book is very well written, and has plenty of good points, it was not all that I anticipated it to be. The points that are made within each chapter are valid, and will work, if followed/utilized. The reason I feel that this book wasn't a GREAT book is that it told me a lot of things that I already knew about relationships to be true. That they take work. They take time. They take patience, forgiveness, and some more work.

Upon completion of the book, I am left feeling bittersweet. I believe the book is well-written, however, it just doesn't leave me feeling "full." I was looking for a deeper connection to the Bible, God's word, about relationships and how He believes them to thrive and flourish. Maybe I had the wrong expectation going into reading this book. Perhaps for new believers or followers of Christ, this book will open a lot of avenues for them to establish or pursue relationships full of love, and they will be more fulfilled in what they receive from the relationships as well. For the more established believer, I don't believe this book will live up to their expectations.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Feel-Good but Not Fulfilling, May 10, 2011

By 

C. Hays "carerocknroll" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love at Last Sight: Thirty Days to Grow and Deepen Your Closest Relationships (Hardcover)

"Everything you've been taught about relationships is wrong."

The back cover of the book already had me on my defense. I realize the authors were aiming after dramatics, but I tend to be literal, so such a blatant statement was not the way I wanted to begin this book.

Overall, I was a bit disappointed in the content of this book. Husband and wife team, Kerry & Chris Shook follow the pattern of their best-selling book, One Month to Live, in order to write this book, Love at Last Sight.

While the overall message of the book: true love takes hard work, commitment, struggle, and forgiveness and not simply "love-at-first-sight" feelings is a very crucial understanding, the format of dividing up this message into a 30-day devotional/study seemed a bit forced.

I longed for practical steps to use towards a Love at Last Sight type marriage, rather than fluffy clichés and phrases such as, "Only when you live from your heart can you truly be free" (pg. 138). I think the authors could have made their message much more effective in an article length reading, rather than trying to stretch out their teachings in a 221-page book.

In conclusion, I gave the book 3 out of 5 stars. For someone looking for some feel-good encouragement about making your marriage last, this could be a good read. As a single woman in her early 20s, while I found the book a realistic look at love, it was a bit drawn out for its content.

*I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.