by Kurt & Brenda Warner

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (June 30, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414334060
ISBN-13: 978-1414334066

Description ( Publisher Website)
Kurt Warner is the two-time NFL MVP–winning quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals. Brenda Warner is an ex-Marine turned stay-at-home mom who collects coats for low-income kids and rocks babies to sleep at a hospital for chronically-ill infants. Together they’re the parents of seven, going into their 12th year of marriage, and founders of a foundation that helps disadvantaged children and families. Their formula for success? They put First Things First—family, faith, and giving to others—it’s their family motto, and it drives everything they do. First Things First is an honest, insightful, and entertaining look at life inside the Warner household. Kurt and Brenda speak candidly about their marriage, the values they are working to instill in their kids, things they’ve done right, mistakes they’ve made, the importance of giving back, and the legacy they hope to leave behind. Includes a 16-page full-color photo insert.

Back Cover
If you think you know everything there is to know about Kurt and Brenda Warner, think again.

For instance, did you know . . .
• Kurt has to pay his own son to toss the football with him in the backyard?
• before she met Kurt, Brenda spent several years in the United States Marine Corps, working in Intelligence?
• none of the Warner kids really wanted to go see their dad play in Super Bowl XLIII?
• the last time Kurt saw his Super Bowl ring was when the cleaning lady pulled it out from under the living room couch along with a stack of Legos, a handful of Cheerios, and a half-used stick of Brenda’s deodorant?

First Things First is an intimate, no-holds-barred look at life inside the crazed and chaotic Warner household. Speaking from a his-and-hers perspective, Kurt and Brenda talk candidly about their marriage, the values they are working to instill in their kids, things they’ve done right, mistakes they’ve made along the way, the importance of giving back, and the lasting legacy they hope to leave behind.

Author Bio
Kurt and Brenda Warner met when she was a divorced mother of two, living on food stamps and putting herself through nursing school, and he was a college student. Kurt and Brenda married in 1997 and Kurt adopted Brenda's two children. Since then, they have added 5 more children to their family. After graduating from Northern Iowa in 1994, Kurt was signed by the Green Bay Packers, but was cut during training camp. He returned to Northern Iowa to work as an assistant football coach, working the night shift at a local Hy–Vee grocery store to support Brenda and her two kids, until he was signed by the St. Louis Rams in 1998. Kurt went on to lead the Rams in two Super Bowls, winning two NFL MVP awards (in 1999 and 2000). In 2008, Kurt joined the Arizona Cardinals, and led the franchise to their first playoff appearance in 10 years, and their first Super Bowl appearance. Kurt and Brenda are strong Christians, and the founders of First Things First, a foundation that promotes Christian values, helping the less fortunate, and encouraging others to put faith and family first. They live in Phoenix, Arizona.

Discussion Questions

Read The First Chapter

Review
I wasn't sure what to expect when I requested a copy of this book to review. I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised. I was sort of expecting a celebrity marriage advice book and that's not what this book is at all.

In fact, you'll be surprised at how much the Warner's family resembles your own. They have a blended family that includes a special-needs child and just so happens to have a Superbowl MVP dad. They have built their family on conservative family values - hardwork, love & respect for others and an unshakeable belief that Jesus is the answer. While this book is an entertaining read, it also gives you some ideas on how to instill these same values in your family.

Kurt and Brenda Warner have managed to provide a fairly normal, warm, loving family for their 7 children. At the same time they have managed to create a happy, healthy marriage in spite of all the challenges they face. In this book they demonstrate how staying with certain rules and principles makes it work. By providing you with examples and funny stories of how they've managed to keep their children close to each other and eliminate sibling rivalry.

This is just a wonderful book for anyone who's married with children, or who is starting a family. And if the person you buy this book for happens to be an NFL fan...even better!





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