Book excerpt: Over twenty-five percent of marriages among today’s ministry leaders face significant struggle and strain. The demands and temptations of our public and private worlds often create a tension that pushes our love relationships to the breaking point. Through honest conversations with seven couples, Jack A. Taylor reveals five quagmires that can capture the souls of dedicated leaders. Areas like Identity, Attachment, Calling, Family, and Intimacy can seem straightforward until you’re stuck in the challenges they present. When Ministry and Marriage Collide provides over fifty practical tools to help strugglers move from striving to thriving. Ideally, this work is designed to be paired with a relationship coach (see 1heartcoaching.com), but it is sufficient on its own to produce significant conversations with anyone willing to delve into the roots of their challenges. Based on crucial training from the Thriving Relationship Center, readers will discover the five stages of thriving relationship growth and six foundational pillars for healthy intimacy and communication. After the vows—in the middle of real life—investing in your most important earthly relationship is vital to avoid becoming another statistic. While the couples described here are fictional composites, the issues they deal with are anything but imaginary.