Lets hear it.

I'm getting engaged this weekend to a wonderful amazing woman.  I love her in a way more profound than I've ever otherwise felt, and know in my heart that God made her for me, and I for her.

I came to faith in my early adult life (age 23, I'm 35 now), but I've never been a big church goer.  I was raised Catholic.  My girlfriend is young (22) but strong in her faith, and her parents had their marriage saved by turning to God.  They are wonderful and very spiritual people.  Her dad is a great guy, and I want him to know that his daughter will be going into a home with a husband strong in Christ.

Any book suggestions available on Audible would be appreciated, I've got several credits built up.  And general advice and wisdom as well, of course, would be greatly appreciated.

Happy wife, happy life. It may sound dumb but it really is true.

you're 35 she's 22?  OKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK.

In addition to the book suggestions you'll get, I highly recommend checking out the books available from Focus on the Family and getting involved in a local BSF non-denominational Bible studiy for great growth as an adult. Check out BSF International
They have men's and women's groups and focus on application of the Bible to life. In the class I attend, there are guys from over 100 different area churches who come together to study the Bible in small groups. My wife's class has about the same broad collection of people. It has really enhanced our marriage and parenting.

Keep the Ten Commandments and you should be fine.

The Five Love Languages - Free Audiobook w/ Trial - audible.com?
Adwww.audible.com/FreeTrial?

A Good Start. Figure out what hers is and learn to speak it.

Don't ask here.

That's my advice.

LOL, well I didn't post in GD.

I know, I know.  

It works.  She's got a great head on her shoulders.  There are some things she doesn't know shit about yet, but nothing that matters really.  Shes my person.

But also have her read it, and require that she speak your love languages too. It's a two way street.

I bet she is 'your person' if she's 22 and you're 35..

Here are a few...

Sacred marriage by Thomas

How we love by Yerkovich

Love and Respect by Eggerich

The DNA of Relationships By Smalley

Proverbs 31, Ephesians 5.

+1  

My only concern being a 35 year old myself, would be a 22 year old hasn't sown her wild oats yet. If she's a Christian, this may not be much of a concern. Always be honest and study the word. You'll be alright OP.

I would read the Word.  Then I would read it again....and again and again.  Read it together-talk about it....then read it some more. Fill your life with the Bible....let it speak to you and your life.

Follow the example of Christ.

Cultivate KINDNESS and Gentleness.  Become the Fruit of the Spirit.  

Love your wife by submitting and sacrificing your entire life for her. Submission is not a dirty word.....It is not a "rank" structure. It means YOU both protect each others vulnerable areas in life with BOTH of you under the Lordship of Christ.

Marriage is hard.  It's even harder when Jesus is not Lord of your life.

My experience as well.  Other quick points: Man and woman are made for each other.  She is your helper.  She must be obedient to you, and you must love her more than yourself.  Be open to life.  Your job is to make sure she and your kids get to heaven.

My wife says, "Lead her and serve her."

As one poster suggested, Love and Respect by Eggriches +1!

The Five Love Languages +1!

I would also add, His Needs, Her Needs by Willard Harley Jr.

But above all of these take the time to read the Bible together, study, pray and get involoved with a good solid Bible teaching church! My wife and I use separate devotionals but we gather around Our Daily Bread. It is free and it is good, simple, easy to read format. For my personal time I use two. In the morning I use the devotionals that are delivered to my e-mail from Institute for Creation Research (ICR). It is free and they can also mail it to you. It is called Days of Praise. In the evening I use the updated version of My Upmost For His Highest by Oswald Chamber. Again though, I cannot stress it enough...It NEVER should replace the Bible itself.

Congratulations. 

I would read Ephesians 5.  It specifically talks about the man and woman's role in marriage.

There's also some good stuff starting late in Ephesians 4 about how we should live in general. It's a way under-appreciated section of the Bible.

In addition to the 5 Love Languages, also the 4 Seasons of Marriage also by Chapman.  When any friends are getting married, we give them a copy of each book.  The Love and Respect is a good book also.  When you stop speaking your mate's Love Language, you'll start going through the cold winter season in your marriage. But if you both know and understand that it won't ALWAYS be feel good, nothing can stop us, and make a pact to always stick it out no matter what.   Which of course is the vow you take, it's just too many people don't really want to stick to it.

Go through pre-marriage counseling either at her church or find another one that suits you both. As others have stated, start attending church every week and read your bible. Surround yourself with other Christian friends (I'm not saying you shouldn't have non-Christian friends but it really helps to have some good friends who are good Christians). Not explicitly about being a husband but Every Man, God's Man is pretty good. Keep up the desire to be the best Christian husband that you can be. Pray about it.

Premarriage counseling for sure.

Get some books for the two of you to go through together.

Find a hobby or something you can enjoy together besides sitting in front of the tv. We recently started cooking (really cooking) together and enjoy it.

Joint checking account etc. EVERYTHING is shared and done together. Make a budget together etc. Ask for her input in any decisions you make and discuss.

You might have some disagreements about some things when you first get settled because of the age difference. I'm not saying she's immature, but just because you've done the whole adult thing longer and might see some things differently.

Our first baby is due any day. A lot of people say it, but we really couldn't be happier.   Good luck!

Wives are instructed to submit/obey their husband, but that is closely followed by the admonition that men are to love their wives as Christ loved the church.  Of the two, I believe that places a far greater burden on the husband to care for, love, protect, and help his wife through life than the wife has.  If you truly love someone like that, you would never ask your wife to do anything demeaning, hurtful, or that would not be in her best interest.  The entire focus of your life would be to help her through life any way you can.

It has been working for me for over 20 years so far.   Like an earlier posting says, happy wife, happy life.

This is simple but effective advice!

We are 25 & 26 and have been married 6 years. We're both strong Christians as well, going to a good church and getting in a group of young marrieds/newlyweds (if they have it there) help a lot!

The Love & Respect series is good, forgot the author.

There are three types of intimacy, and all 3 are required for the best marriage you can have.

Emotional intimacy - always listen, actively work at it, echo back what you thought you heard her say for confirmation as needed.  ETA  She should be your best friend.  Friendships take effort, make sure she stays your best friend.

Spiritual intimacy - pray together often, and not "for the starving children in African" but for the needs of your heart.  You can lie to yourself, but you can't lie to God.  Get spiritually naked together, hiding nothing before God, because He already knows what's really going on.

Physical intimacy - All I have to say about this is I hope your are both equal in your desire for each other, and remain so.  If you are not, you will have problems.  

There is also some good reading material recommended above.

I'd recommend buying two copies of The Five Love Languages, a blue highlighter and a pink highlighter (or pick your own colors).  You take one book and one color, she takes the other.  Read one chapter a week, highlight parts that are important to you.  Then swap books, read what the other has highlighted, and set aside a time to talk about it.  Return the books to each other, and repeat till you run out of chapters.

Find a church where the Bible is taught, and Jesus Christ is recognized as Lord, and where He is loved.  I avoid High Churches because I believe that formality is a barrier to intimacy, and God wants us to be intimate with him.

Best wishes to you both, may you lead holy lives, lifting one another up before the Lord.

Two become one. If she isn't your best friend, then there is always a layer of separation.

Love God
Never fall out of love at the same time.

Find a parish near you running That Man Is You. Start attending and following the program.  Nothing but positive feedback from men and their wives.

Statistically speaking, especially for kids, that's been shown to be true. Dad goes to church, everybody goes. Dad doesn't go, eventually nobody goes.

Paul's words (the whole thing, not the bit feminists like to clip) are useful to, at least to my wife and I, for figuring out what your "job" is. We Catholics don't refer to marriage as a "vocation" for nothin'

My best friend, he in fact introduces me as his favorite brother and his now grown kids refer to me as uncle, married his wife when she was 16 and he was 29 or 30.  They had to get her parents permission of course but being from a small town of a two or three hundred people they knew my friend and his family well.

And now 35 years later they are still together and still very much in love.  

Such an age difference is unusual but means absolutely nothing to the right couple.