Through Good Times and Bad: Prayers for a Lifetime Together

Robert M. Hamma and Kathryn A. Schneider believe the faith of pure romance and the sacred reality of matrimony calls a couple to recognize the spiritual dimension of their lives together. Through Good Times and Bad helps spouses recognize God not only in their words of love, but in routine, and not always peaceful, interaction.

Hamma and Schneider, who have been married for 15 years, insist nothing is more important in marriage than the gift of self. Through Good Times and Bad, developed from the ebb and flow of their life together, helps couples appreciate the various ways to give and receive love.

Hamma and Schneider offer reflections on how to maintain true and lasting intimacy, including the difficult task required of all loving partners: striking that delicate balance between security and freedom, holding on and letting go. Filled with simple prayers, Through Good Times and Bad consists of thoughtful exercises couples can use either alone or together to think deeper about their relationship. The prayers address a wide variety of experiences within marriage, from the joy of making love to problems with money. Hamma and Schneider remind couples that prayer can help them see things differently, revealing realities that lie below the surface and serving as a sounding board for things that would otherwise go unsaid or unnoticed.

Through Good Times and Bad gives the bride and groom, whether in their first or fiftieth year together, the encouragement necessary to thrive within the context of their own religious tradition or personal search, and to intensify the spiritual dimension of their marriage.

Robert Hamma and Kathryn Schneider view the world the same way--through the prism of their faith. Married for 15 years, Hamma and Schneider say a spiritual dimension to a marriage "gives couples a foundation for being committed to one another . . . and the strength to work out differences, to talk about areas where they do not see eye to eye." Through Good Times and Bad, their first book together, serves as a guide for couples who want to improve already strong relationships through a deep spiritual understanding of each other. Prayer gives a marriage support and structure, creating a bond that offers a "deep, unspoken rootedness" to keep couples connected.

Through Good Times and Bad shows the value of shared faith, the common ground and good will it creates between spouses, the capacity for healing when necessary, the joy in happier times. Spirituality makes the roller-coaster of "for better or worse" a steadier ride, helping relationships thrive through the good times and endure the bad.

Hamma, who received a master's in theology from the University of Notre Dame and a masters in divinity from Immaculate Conception Seminary, currently serves as the editorial director of Ave Maria Press and its newly-established imprint SORIN BOOKS. He has written seven books, including Landscapes of the Soul and Lets Say Grace. Schneider, who received a masters of divinity from the University of Notre Dame, is the executive director of St. Margarets House, a day center for women and children in need. She also directs the University of Notre Dames Lay Ministry Formation Program. Hamma and Schneider have co-written numerous articles on family life. Through Good Times and Bad is their first collaborative book. They live with their three children in Granger, Ind.