Created to Be His Help Meet: Discover How God Can Make Your Marriage Glorious (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Somewhere over the passing years and changing culture, women have lost their way. This book is written to lead them back home. Regardless of how you began your marriage or how dark and lonely the path that has brought you to where you are now, I want you to know that it is possible today to have a marriage so good and so fulfilling that it can only be explained as a miracle.

Follow Debi Pearl as she takes the wisdom and experience of her own marriage and confirms it with the wisdom of scripture and learn how to be the "help meet" that God created you to be. You will learn to appreciate God's gift of a husband with a thankful heart that produces joy and wisdom in you and your home. Gain a better understanding of who your husband is and how your response to him can make or break your marriage. See the Bible's perspective of obedience and authority and understand how you are joint heirs to the promises of God.

The miracle of a wonderful marriage is like the miracle of birth, God allows you to be an essential contributor to the miracle. Read, enjoy and be blessed as over 330,000 other women already have.

About the Author

Introducing Michael and Debi Pearl

Michael and Debi Pearl have been married since 1971. They have 5 children and 15 grandchildren. Between them they have authored 14 books and 8 booklets which combined have sold millions. Much of what they write deals with marriage, child training, and homeschooling.

One of their recent books, Good and Evil (Bible stories in Marvel comic format), has been published into 25 languages with another 60 translations soon to be ready for press. The Pearl's also publish a 32 page bi-monthly magazine with a subscription of over 100,000. Needless to say they are prolific writers and public speakers.

On another note, Michael is an inductee into the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame and holds several world titles, including Gold Cup winner of 2008-9, long distance thrower of the year with a record all time high of hitting a four inch target at 63 feet, and he is the undisputed best tomahawk thrower of 2009, holding the world title.

When he is not teaching the Bible or speaking to audiences on how to have a good marriage and obedient children he is teaching kids how to stick a bull's eye with a knife or hawk.

Debi Pearl and husband Michael have 5 children and 15 grandchildren. Between them they have author 14 books and 8 booklets which combined have sold millions. Learn more about them and sign up for the No Greater Joy bi-monthly magazine at NoGreaterJoy.org.

Debi Pearl grew up during the 1960s at the height of the hippie revolution and the Jesus Movement. The forced draft due to the Vietnam War brought a sense of eternity to the youth, provoking them to seriously consider their souls. It was a time of a great move of the Spirit of God. As a teenager, dressed in tie-dye tee shirt and long drooping peasant skirt, she stood on the highways and byways sharing the gospel and seeing miracle after miracle of God's amazing grace. She married her life mate, Michael Pearl, in 1971.

Product Details

• Paperback: 297 pages
• Publisher: No Greater Joy Ministries (December 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892112604
• ISBN-13: 978-1892112606
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (283 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,096 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #3 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Christian Living > Women's Issues
  #11 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Christian Living > Relationships > Marriage
  #17 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Relationships > Marriage

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

351 of 444 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't let this be your only source of advice, March 12, 2006

By	Piedmont Lady (Winston-Salem, NC) - See all my reviews

I am a Christian wife and mother. I have enjoyed some of the Pearls' writings in the past and I was actually perplexed when I read this book. The overall tone of the book is that nearly all the problems in marriage are caused by some fault in the woman, and if she would just get her act together and do x, y, and z then the marriage would be glorious. Wow - unfortunately, there are no cookie cutter marriages whose problems can all be solved by Debi's book.

Many readers claim this book is great because it is based on the bible, but Mrs. Pearl offers no exegesis on the subject of marriage. For her to claim that her book reveals "God's plan for a heavenly marriage" (p. 15) is misleading. Just because she sprinkled in multiple bible verses and bible stories does not mean Debi has clearly described God's plan for wives.

There are times where the author's biblical illustration completely goes against what the scripture is teaching. One example is in chapter 19 (which deals with the topic of being chaste) where Debi blames Bathsheba for the adulterous affair with David. She claims if Bathsheba had just been more discreet, she could have prevented the calamity that followed. This is not what the bible teaches about that story. Scripture says David was the one who sought her out and initiated the affair. In Second Samuel, God sent the prophet Nathan to rebuke David for his lust and the adultery. It is quite clear in that passage that God put the responsibility on David. I have never heard any pastor implicate Bathsheba when teaching about that story.

This book is supposed to be based in biblical principles but much of the advice comes from Debi's personal opinion. Here are just a few examples. She writes in chapter 17 that women should not have close friendships with other women and should only share their feelings with their husbands. She goes on to say that the time we spend at church and prayer meeting is all the time we need to spend with other women. Debi then claims that female friendships are in danger of turning into something 'abnormal' and 'sick'. I assume she's talking about lesbianism? That's taking quite a leap. In Chapter 21 she discourages women from taking their children to the doctor or getting vaccinations. Again, not scriptural and based on her personal beliefs in herbal remedies.

It is also outrageous that in chapter 16 Debi advises women whose husbands have sexually handled their children to take the kids to visit him while he is in prison. She claims the children will heal better to see their dad in prison for the crime. I think many people would question the wisdom behind that advice.

In chapter 7, she tells a story about how she didn't know how much money Michael made when they got married, she didn't even know how much they had to spend on the honeymoon and that it wasn't her place to question him about how money was spent. It wasn't clear to me whether or not she was trying to say that women should have no part in financial matters - she never comes right out and says that. But, it seems to be implied.

There are a few helpful, practical ideas in this book and a few morsels of truth (the reminder to honor and respect our husbands is good), but there's not much beyond that. The harsh language the author uses is not encouraging to Christian women. Instead, it will leave many of them with a weight of unwarranted guilt and shame.

There is a reason we are told in the book of Proverbs that those seeking counsel should look to a 'multitude' of counselors. If you read this book, do not let it be your sole source for counsel on marriage and being a wife. Also read other reputable Christian authors on the subject. A couple of good books I suggest are, by Gary Chapman:'On the Marriage You Always Wanted.' And by John Piper: 'What is the Difference? Manhood and Womanhood Defined According to the Bible.'

65 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Words cannot exlain the frustration caused me by this as a husband..., July 30, 2008

By	H0bbes (USA) - See all my reviews

...by the dishonesty and desperate underhandedness and unscriptural methods of the author/publisher.
My wife read this book with my [at the time] approval, as well as by the recommendations of several other individuals. I seriously started wondering what was wrong with her, and if I was doing something wrong. I read it for myself, and I must say, I am SO GLAD that I do NOT treat my wife the way this book says she should have to tolerate. I LOVE my wife, not ABUSE her. This book describes an unscriptural marriage that I am glad I do not have. My wife is one of the sweetest, most loving and submissive ladies I know. Sure, she's not perfect, and neither am I. I have times where I don't portray love the way I should, and she the same. That does not give either of us scriptural license to abuse or patronize each other. It also does not mean she should degrade herself to make me happy. Only a true selfish, self-centered JERK of a so-called man [male is a better choice of words- not "man"] would treat his wife this way.
Also, these people have BLATANTLY asked people to write good reviews, just to get their rating back up. They have threatened legal action on anyone that reports this also. What kind of Christians do that? I'm glad I am one already, because it's "Christians" like this that would not make me want to be one, and are an embarrassment to the honest ones.

45 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Very Authoritative Convincing Teaching, but Biblical...? Sadly, No. , July 21, 2008

By	M. Aley (Alaska) - See all my reviews

Is this book written well---in a way that grabs the readers attention and holds it? Yes. Does this book have gems of wisdom in it's pages? Absolutely. Is this book founded on a solid base of Scripture?

NO.

This book does apply a fringe-group's *interpretation* of Scripture, but that's different from being solidly based on Scripture.

Does applying the principles in this book make marriages happier? You bet it does, for many marriages! But not for the right reasons. Marriages are made happier because, for example, the wife no longer questions anything her husband does----OF COURSE it takes out a lot of conflict, no suprises there. But that's a much different thing than saying the marriage is *healthier.*

A healthy marriage is made up of two full adults who learn to work and walk together as they follow Christ. It's like a team of oxen pulling under the yoke of Christ, together, just like the picture given to us at the end of Genesis chapter 1. The Pearls, however, set up a one-line system---the man goes the direction he sees fit, the woman follows the man. Eve stands behind Adam in their version of Genesis 1...

There are so many problems with this book that it's hard to even start, but the most troubling ones to me are the many authoritative teachings about the way God designed men and women...because most of those authoritative teachings are NOT in Scripture at all.

I would recommend that readers proceed with caution. Just because a book sounds good, and just because it "works" (ie, less conflict, happier husband), doesn't make it God's way.

For example, my toddler would be a lot happier if I gave him whatever he wanted whenever he wanted it...but that wouldn't make the relationship a healthy one. The same goes with a relationship between two adults.


YES, honor the man you married. Love him. Have fun and smile. Enjoy your sex life. Those are all *good* things and those are all things that Debi teaches.

It's the rest of the stuff in this book... some of it is honestly dangerous, VERY dangerous, for women in abusive situations. So much pressure is put on the woman...if the relationship is good, it's because she's doing things right, and if the relationship is bad, it's all her fault. All the pressure for having a happy marriage is squarely laid right on her back.

For the woman in an abusive home, this is about the *worst* thing she can hear (that's what her abuser tells her all the time, and now Debi's words are telling her that God sees it the same way)...along with the admonition that the woman who *trusts God* will make the mature wise decision to STAY in an abusive situation.

There are so many things in this book that are just so sad. The negative aspects outweigh the good and make me grieve for all the women under the weight of these false teachings.