The Zimzum of Love

A New Way of Understanding Marriage

By: Rob Bell, Kristen Bell

Narrated by: Rob Bell, Kristen Bell

Length: 2 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

As he revolutionized traditional teaching on hell in the phenomenal New York Times best seller Love Wins, Rob Bell now transforms how we understand and practice marriage in The Zimzum of Love, co-written with his wife, Kristen.

Despite the divorce statistics, people are still committing to each other, instinctively believing and hoping that theirs is a sacred union that will last forever. Yet when these couples encounter problems, they often lack the resources that keep them connected to this greater mystery surrounding marriage.

Rob and Kristin Bell introduce a startling new way of looking at marriage, The Zimzum of Love. Zimzum is a Hebrew term where God, in order to have a relationship with the world, contracts, creating space for the creation to exist. In marriage, zimzum is the dynamic energy field between two partners, in which each person contracts to allow the other to flourish. Mastering this field, this give and take of energy, is the secret to what makes marriage flourish.

Rob and Kristin Bell are brutally honest about their own struggles, their ups and downs, as together they pass along what matters most for couples. In this wise book, they explore the secret of what makes a happy union - probing the mystery at the heart of the extraordinary emotional connection that binds two people. With his down-to-earth charm, a dose of whimsy, and memorable stories, Rob, writing with his wife Kristen, changes how we consider marriage, providing insight that can help all of us create satisfying and sacred unions of our own.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2014 Rob Bell (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers

The best book on marriage, yet.

Rob and Kristen have done a beautiful thing by creating this book. And listening to them on audible is like having them in your living room. It's so honest and personal, done with all earnestness, yet with just the right blend of humor. Listen together. It'll change your marriage. It'll change those around you, too.

Simple, common sense but a different twist

I've read/listened to 50+ books on marriage, love, relationships, pyschology, and spirituality. This book uses an approach that feels unique combining many deeper concepts into a central theme of the power of the space in which a married couple lives, grows, transforms or even dies. Good read and a good audio production thereof.

Bright New Perspective

First, the style this was written in is wonderful! He reads then she reads. Loved that! Second, thank you for this work. It gave me a whole new perspective on the true exclusivity and sacredness of my relationship.

Practical and Beautiful

Rob and Kristen Bell do a phenomenal job of presenting the conversation about what it means to be husband and wife. This idea Of Zimzum is certainly one that should be deeper examined and made aware of in the heart of every marriage.

Incredible!

For years I struggled with understanding this feeling I would get in a relationship and to explain it to my significant other just made me look needy and insecure. The words I used in my many attempts to explain this feeling of insignificance compacted by a feeling that the relationship had no momentum always came across to the other as request to be something "more" or "less" than who he was. But that's not at all what I truly felt about the other nor required from anyone, however I could not put my finger on the actually issue at hand - until this book.

Even now I find it difficult to totally explain, but realize now there is no need for me to explain. I just need to know, and that I do!

Thank you Rob & Kristen Bell!

Trina

Nice work!

Good read. Easy listen. If you're a fan of Rob & his early works, you'll enjoy this book.

I cried a bit.

Thank you both for this beautiful depiction of love.I am experiencing this for the first time at 34 and it's magical ♡

Marriage and cake too

Concise. To the point. embodies everything I believe about marriage and have never Had reciprocated or been able to reciprocate and 32 years combined two separate marriages. An instruction manual. Bottom line, it takes two.

Borrowed research from a privileged perspective

Interesting narration with both reading the story. Nothing intrinsically new, a fun word to discuss the research done by John and Julie Gottman and Sue Johnson (to name a few). It was not apparent through the audiobook that these were referenced or appropriately credited. It often come off as a humble brag of their struggles and lacked authenticity and connection with the general experiences of most Americans. Often culturally blind and dismissive, this book vastly misses the mark in providing a quick guide to relationships that is both approachable and authentic.

Loved it! lots of application

overall content was insight-FULL and easy to understand. some of their personal stories seemed bit pretentious (Changing their kid's diaper in the Rose Garden...really!?)