Lasting Marriage is based on the premise that relationships need the same kind of care and maintenance we give any other valued possession, such as a motor vehicle. While we naturally assume our cars will require more, not less, care as they age, we have often not applied that same reasoning to marriage. This "manual" looks at premarital preparation, relationship maintenance, and sustaining a healthy marriage during the child-rearing years. Harvey Yoder emphasizes areas of relationship maintenance often ignored in other similar books. These include the importance of a solid support network of friends, family, and congregational family; and the need to take seriously Jesus' teaching about a joyful and simple lifestyle.

An online study guide is available for this book.