Practical advice is something missing in our society full of self-help gurus who spout mumbo-jumbo that can be more harmful than helpful. Patrice Lewis’s Simplicity Primer (WND Books, 2011) is filled with common sense advice for those who truly want to live a simpler, more meaningful life. The book contains “365 ideas for making life more livable.”

While Lewis tackles topics from personal health to rearing children, her section entitled “Getting Along” resonated most with me because of her tips on relationships, especially marriage. Between divorce statistics and a society that elevates selfishness over selflessness, a happy marriage has become an elusive unicorn hiding in the enchanted forest of love. But here’s what I learned from Lewis: It may not always be easy, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Some of the chapter titles in the section on relationships include “Love and Learn,” “Don’t Badmouth Your Spouse,” “Choose Wisely, Treat Kindly,” “Don’t Nag,” and “Men Aren’t Mind Readers.” These chapters and more contain biblically based wisdom.

The other areas of your life don’t have to be complicated either. If you are looking for common sense suggestions to make your life less stressful, I recommend reading The Simplicity Primer.