Stowsentry.com - Stow resident hopes to inspire others through first book

Photo By Colin McEwenMatthew White shares his experience with his readers in his book “Married to Jesus.” The Stow resident hopes his book helps people in relationships. The book can be found at Learned Owl Book Shop in Hudson or Logos Book Store in Kent; or online at www.marriedtojesus.com.

by Colin McEwen

Reporter

Stow -- When he was a boy, Stow resident Matthew White wanted to be an Olympic gymnast. While his childhood goals fell short, his goal of helping others with a spiritual message has been a celebrated success.

White recently published a book, "Married to Jesus," and he can now share his message with a larger audience.

He said the book is about emphasizing a relationship with Jesus, on a spiritual level, before all else, and applying that relationship to marriage.

"My biggest goal is to help relationships, improve struggling marriages and strengthen healthy marriages," said White. "The Bible says the second-most important relationship is the spouse -- we are given the blueprint of how that's supposed to go."

He was inspired to write the book after dealing with personal issues, in the hopes of helping others.

"It's different if someone tells me how I ought to handle my problems, than it is if someone tells me they've been through the same problems," said the first-time author.

White said his wife, Anne, has been very supportive of him during the two years it took him to write the book -- and throughout their 11-year marriage.

"People go through 'the good, the bad and the ugly' thing," said White. "Forgiveness is the biggest component."

White draws from personal experiences, while sharing his ideas of honesty, forgiveness and being humble.

"When a marriage consists of a husband and a wife whose ultimate goal is to do whatever it takes to please God and please each other, that marriage will succeed," he writes.

He published the book himself, with the technical help of Stow resident Christi Bell.

White attends service at the Hudson Community Chapel, and the pastor of the church, Joe Coffey, wrote the forward to the book.

White also works full time for The Impact Group, an advertising agency in Hudson. He and his wife have three children, Audrey, Isaac and Ian.

After selling more than 100 books, he hopes that his message reaches many others.

"This has been really neat" said White. "There has been an amazing response."

The book can be found at Learned Owl Book Shop in Hudson or Logos Book Store in Kent; or online at www.marriedtojesus.com.

E-mail: cmcewen@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3916