Velvet Steel by John Piper

May 15th, 2009

Piper, John. Velvet Steel: The Joy of Being Married to You. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2009. 80 pp. $14.99.

Introduction

Velvet Steel is an appendix of sorts to John Piper’s book This Momentary Marriage (review forthcoming).  In Velvet Steel, Piper gives a taste of what he was discussing in This Momenary Marriage. Here we see what true love looks like through the artistic writing of poetry. 

Overview

Taken from longer poems, we get a glimpse of the life and marriage of John and Noel Piper.  From the night before their wedding to his recent battle with cancer, John Piper writes as only he can.

We read of his reaction to Noel’s cutting her hair as well as his braiding of his daughter’s hair.  We read quite a bit about their different anniversaries and how they have celebrated Valentine’s Day in years past.  He celebrates their becoming parents and grandparents.  The title of the book comes from a poem entitled How Firm You Deal.  Another aspect to John’s poetry is a look at his wife through various men and women in the Bible.

Recommendation

This is an interesting book as we not only get a look inside the marriage of the Piper’s, but we also truly get a taste of what a God-centered marriage looks like.  Granted, we are not all poets, but Piper offers a wonderful edition to be read and enjoyed.  As I said earlier, this is more like an appendix to This Momentary Marriage, but can stand alone as a gift book to a young couple celebrating their first anniversary or preparing for marriage.  This is a worthwhile book to read either by yourself or with your beloved and then give away to others.