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About The Book

Transform your marriage with this revitalizing relationship guide that challenges couples to answer important questions together and grow in mutual understanding.

In our modern, fast-paced society, it is easy for couples to drift apart and suddenly find their marriages in need of serious help. If this sounds familiar, then Pastor Jeff Helton and his wife Lora have a challenge for you: sit down once a week with your spouse to answer a question together. It could be something as simple as “What makes you laugh out loud?” or as deep and challenging as “If you had one day left on earth, what would you say to your spouse?” or “Are you satisfied with our level of physical intimacy?”

The 50 Fridays Marriage Challenge is a fun book specifically designed to spark open and honest conversation between partners at any stage of married life. Each short chapter includes an engaging question, a brief message, an encouraging quote, a Bible scripture, and a prayer. The short messages bring hope to rocky marriages by providing a safe, gentle space for discussing important matters, such as communication, conflict, in-laws, finances, children, sex, and much more.

By taking the 50 Fridays Marriage Challenge, husbands and wives will find that their Friday evening talks—whether they laugh together, delve deep into the topic at hand, or plan and dream for the future—may be the only time they spend in close conversation that doesn’t involve the kids, the checking account, or who took out the trash. Spend a few precious moments together once a week with this book, and you will ultimately see your marriage transformed.

About The Authors

Photgraph © Jimmy Chaffin

Jeff Helton has spent twenty-five years as a pastor working with men, marriages, and families, and he coauthored Authentic Marriages and its companion workbook. He has earned two masters degrees from Wheaton Graduate School in New Testament theology and communication and founded WellSpring Coaching and Consulting. Jeff and his wife Lora live with their four children and their boxer Miah in Franklin, Tennessee.

Lora Helton has been married to Jeff Helton for twenty-four years and is the coauthor of Authentic Marriages and its companion workbook. She is a graduate of Taylor University in Indiana and Wheaton Graduate School, where she earned her MA in clinical psychology. She currently works part-time at WellSpring, counseling women and partnering with Jeff in their work with married and pre-married couples.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Howard Books (September 3, 2013)
  • Length: 192 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781476705019

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Raves and Reviews

"Most couples desire a loving, supportive marriage in which husband and wife are helping each other reach their potential for God. However, many couples do not have a plan for creating such a marriage. In The 50 Fridays Marriage Challenge, Jeff and Lora Helton provide a plan. I highly recommend it."

– Gary Chapman, Ph.D. author of The Five Love Languages

“The 50 Friday Marriage Challenge is a terrific adventure worth your time and focus! The Heltons have masterfully woven together fifty questions that will result in you growing closer to God and one another.”

– Dr. Dennis Rainey, Host of FamilyLife Today

"I’ve been married to my beautiful wife Sharon for thirty years. We’ve laughed, worked, played, talked, and argued our way through some pretty incredible times, and trust me, it wasn’t always easy! Marriage is hard work, but it’s the best, most rewarding work I’ve ever done—and it’s something you need to work at, too. In The 50 Fridays Marriage Challenge, Jeff and Lora will walk you and your spouse through a fantastic year-long discussion that will totally change your marriage!"

– Dave Ramsey, New York Times best-selling author and nationally syndicated radio show host

"Most men avoid ‘talk about the relationship’ conversations, fearing the inevitable feelings of inadequacy and unmet expectations. But Jeff and Lora Helton have developed fifty conversation starters that will have you relishing your time together. You’ll not only strengthen your marriage, you’ll have fun in the process!"

– Marshall Shelley, Vice President, Christianity Today

“I have had the privilege of knowing Jeff and Lora while they were on staff at our home church in Brentwood, TN. When my husband Stu and I were approaching the twenty year mark of marriage, we felt the need to recalibrate and take some time to get to know each other again. With the constant pull of his work, our kids, and my years of traveling, we had come to a place of ‘coasting.’ We didn't want to be one of those couples whose kids went off to college and they sat staring at one another not knowing who each other were anymore. Many of the suggestions in this book are questions that Jeff had us ask each other. Whether married one year, twenty years, or fifty years, we could all use a tune up. Marriage is worth it.”

– Denise Jones, Point of Grace

"Sometimes you recommend a book based just on its content. Other times you might recommend a book because of your relationship to the author. And occasionally you recommend a book based on both. I have the privilege of knowing and serving with Jeff and Lora Helton. The principles and concepts of this book are far more than content; they are the realities of married life being lived out, modeled, and shared by these two wonderful friends. The Fifty Friday's Marriage Challenge will do just that; it will challenge you to rethink, refocus, and recommit to your marriage. This is not just another book on marriage, this is a book of encouragement written by two very authentic people who are committed to helping others build better marriages."

– Rick White, Senior Pastor at The People's Church in Franklin, TN

“The 50 Fridays Marriage Challenge is a fun way to use conversation starters for husbands and wives. They open the door for meaningful discussions in a non-threatening way. Praying for and with one another is a way for your marriage to thrive and survive. Learning more about each other makes for a solid, exciting relationship. Lora and Jeff cover real issues with tried-and-true ways to have a strong, healthy marriage. We have enjoyed going through the book ourselves and look forward to sharing it with those we mentor.”

– Marsha and Jack Countryman, best-selling author and creator of God’s Promises line

“I remember the year that Jeff and Lora wrote these questions--one Friday after another, after another, after another. And I remember the change that God wrought in them--Jeff in particular--as I saw the very questions he was asking re-shape and refine his own heart. It will do the same for every couple who refuses the ‘default mode’ and chooses to take the challenge.”

– Lloyd Shadrach, Teaching Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Brentwood, TN

"The 50 Fridays Marriage Challenge is a fun and practical approach to strengthening marriages. Each challenge is thought provoking, intentional, and encourages an opportunity for true intimacy. We've personally encountered Jeff and Lora's love and counsel in our own lives. What a treasure it is to now have access to their wealth of wisdom through this book. If you're willing to take the challenge, you will definitely be inspired to pursue the marriage God intended for you to have."

– Joe Katina, The Katinas

"This book is a true gift to all of us who are seeking stronger marriages. Jeff and Lora have provided us with an incredible guide to help challenge and revitalize our relationships. My wife and I are so thankful for The 50 Fridays Marriage Challenge."

– Pete Wilson, Pastor and Author of Plan B

“This book is a true gift to all of us who are seeking stronger marriages. Jeff and Lora have provided us with an incredible guide to help challenge and revitalize our relationships. My wife and I are so thankful for The 50 Fridays Marriage Challenge."

– Pete Wilson, Pastor and Author of Plan B

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