The Complete Husband

a practical guide to biblical husbanding

Lou Priolo

Calvary Press Publishing

P.O. Box 805

Amityville, NY 11701

U.S.A

1 (800) 789–8175 / www.calvarypress.com

ISBN 1–879737–35–3

©1999 Calvary Press

All rights reserved under International and Pan–American Copyright Conventions.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including informational storage and retrieval systems without the expressed permission from the publisher in writing, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or critical reviews.

For information address the publishers—

Calvary Press Publishing P.O. Box 805 Amityville, NY 11701

Unless otherwise noted, the Bible quotations contained in this manual are from the New American Standard Bible,© by the Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission Verses marked CCNT are taken from the Christian Counselor’s New Testament.

Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Verses marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible. Verses marked NIV are taken from the New International Version of the Bible.

Book & Cover Design: Anthony Rotolo

Dedication

To Kimberly Diane:

Thank you sweetheart, for being the most wonderful “helper suitable” a man could ever hope to have, and for loving me in spite of my feeble attempts to be the husband you deserve:

“Like a lily among the thorns, so is my darling among the maidens” (Song 2:2).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. I Wish She Came with an Owner’s Manual

2. Back to School for the Rest of My Life!

3. So, What’s There to Talk About?

4. A Crash Course in Biblical Communication

5. How to Love Your Wife (part one)

6. How to Love Your Wife (part two)

7. How to Fight Back Without Getting Even

8. Pleasing Possibilities

9. “Honey, You Need a Bath”

10. Sexual Relations in Marriage

11. Protecting Your Wife from Danger

12. How Much is She Worth to You?

13. “Me, a Spiritual Leader?”

14. Hang in There

Appendices

Acknowledgments

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to certain individuals whose assistance in various ways has made this publication possible.

To Jay Adams, Jay Younts, John McConahy, George Scipione, Bob Carroll and Milton Hodges for their counsel and assistance with content. To David & Linda Petro for their encouragement and generosity. To Patricia Kirkus and Ingrid Davis who assisted with typing. To my proofreaders Jack Stillman and “Fern”. To Michael Rotolo who thought up the book’s title. And to Kim Priolo who spent countless hours driving the family car here, there and you so that her not-so-complete husband could spend his time working on The Complete Husband manuscript.