Author Jill Savage offers some practical ideas for how parents can make their family's home a safer and healthier place for their children.
Focus on the Family staff members Roger Ingolia and his wife, Diane, share their experiences with mentoring younger couples and encourage listeners to consider how they can help engaged or newlywed couples lay a firm foundation for a long, happy marriage.
Some Focus on the Family listeners describe how their lives have been positively impacted by an influential teacher during their childhood.
This weekend: How to know if your family is overdosing on digital media, what kindergarten can teach you about home organization, and cultivating selflessness in marriage. Listen in for all this and more!
Pastor Ray Johnston and his wife, Carol, describe how they are striving to pass on a healthy family legacy to their children and grandchildren by modeling a thriving marriage. The couple also outlines seven ways listeners can find hope in God for the challenges they're facing in their own marriage and family. (Part 1 of 2)
Pastor Ray Johnston and his wife, Carol, describe how they are striving to pass on a healthy family legacy to their children and grandchildren by modeling a thriving marriage. The couple also outlines seven ways listeners can find hope in God for the challenges they're facing in their own marriage and family. (Part 2 of 2)
Pastor Brady Boyd warns of the relational dangers of excessive busyness as he describes how being driven by numerous ministry duties almost cost him his marriage and family.
John Stonestreet, Executive Director of the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, examines the deterioration of morals in the culture and encourages Christians to better understand biblical truth and model it to a desperate world. (Part 1 of 2)
John Stonestreet, Executive Director of the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, examines the deterioration of morals in the culture and encourages Christians to better understand biblical truth and model it to a desperate world. (Part 2 of 2)
Focus on the Family President Jim Daly and his wife, Jean, offer advice and encouragement to couples as they describe how they worked through their differences in the early years of their marriage. They also offer insights from their new couples devotional, The Best Year of Your Marriage.
Psychologist and best-selling author Dr. Kevin Leman outlines five key ways parents can improve the relational dynamics in their family. (Part 1 of 2)
Psychologist and best-selling author Dr. Kevin Leman outlines five key ways parents can improve the relational dynamics in their family. (Part 2 of 2)
Be inspired to help others as you hear stories from some Focus on the Family listeners who reflect on a time in their lives when someone went out of the way to provide a miracle in their moment of need.
Join us as Focus on the Family president Jim Daly shares insights from his book The Good Dad and discusses the importance of being a responsible father. (Part 1 of 2)
Join us as Focus on the Family president Jim Daly shares insights from his book The Good Dad and discusses the importance of being a responsible father. (Part 2 of 2)
Merry Christmas from Focus on the Family! As you’re celebrating with loved ones, hear treasured stories of Christian authors and broadcast guests reflecting on their favourite Christmas memory. (Part 1 of 2)
Merry Christmas from Focus on the Family! As you’re celebrating with loved ones, hear treasured stories of Christian authors and broadcast guests reflecting on their favourite Christmas memory. (Part 2 of 2)
Author Jill Savage offers some practical ideas for how parents can make their family's home a safer and healthier place for their children.
Glenn Stanton, Focus on the Family's director of family formation studies, discusses the benefits of marriage and describes the negative consequences of couples living together before getting married – not only for couples who engage in that practice and their children, but for society as a whole.
Lysa TerKeurst shares from her new book, The Best Yes, on how women can learn to say no, stress less, and make wise decisions in the midst of endless demands. (Part 1 of 2)
Lysa TerKeurst shares from her new book, The Best Yes, on how women can learn to say no, stress less, and make wise decisions in the midst of endless demands. (Part 2 of 2)
Author and speaker Bo Stern candidly discusses the challenges her family's experienced as a result of her husband's fight against ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), and offers encouragement to those facing similar battles. (Part 1 of 2)
Author and speaker Bo Stern candidly discusses the challenges her family's experienced as a result of her husband's fight against ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), and offers encouragement to those facing similar battles. (Part 2 of 2)
Offering his expert advice on money management, radio host Dave Ramsey explains how couples can avoid conflict by negotiating a budget, and how they can teach their children wise financial principles. (Part 1 of 2)
Offering his expert advice on money management, radio host Dave Ramsey explains how couples can avoid conflict by negotiating a budget, and how they can teach their children wise financial principles. (Part 2 of 2)
Film producer Brian Ivie and Focus on the Family's Kelly Rosati discuss the upcoming movie The Drop Box, a moving documentary about a South Korean pastor who has rescued hundreds of abandoned babies, many of whom have disabilities.
Psychologist Dr. Kevin Leman explains how birth order affects your relationship with your spouse, and offers advice on managing challenges in your marriage that stem from your placement in your family of origin.
Author Shelly Beach describes how she was a bitter, controlling wife and mother, how her past was impacting her relationships with family and friends, and how she ultimately found the healing she needed to move on with her life.
Author Gary Thomas explains how many Christians have come to associate pleasure with the evils of this world and reminds us that God actually created pleasure because He enjoys giving us good things. Gary encourages Christian families to make their homes a place of joy, especially for the children of the family. (Part 1 of 2)
Author Gary Thomas explains how many Christians have come to associate pleasure with the evils of this world and reminds us that God actually created pleasure because He enjoys giving us good things. Gary encourages Christian families to make their homes a place of joy, especially for the children of the family. (Part 2 of 2)
Popular speaker and author Luci Swindoll encourages listeners to find joy in life as she shares humorous memories from her childhood and illustrates how her family experiences inspired her to develop a zest for living abundantly and a deep thirst for wisdom. (Part 1 of 2)
Popular speaker and author Luci Swindoll encourages listeners to find joy in life as she shares humorous memories from her childhood and illustrates how her family experiences inspired her to develop a zest for living abundantly and a deep thirst for wisdom. (Part 2 of 2)
Author Kathi Lipp offers suggestions to moms for planning summer activities the whole family will enjoy.
Dr. Kara Powell offers parents help from her book The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family: Over 100 Practical and Tested Ideas to Build Lasting Faith in Kids. (Part 1 of 2)
Dr. Kara Powell offers parents help from her book The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family: Over 100 Practical and Tested Ideas to Build Lasting Faith in Kids. (Part 2 of 2)
Author and speaker Lindsey O'Connor discusses the traumatic struggles she and her family endured when she suffered a near-death experience resulting from post-birth complications and a lengthy coma. (Part 1 of 2)
Author and speaker Lindsey O'Connor discusses the traumatic struggles she and her family endured when she suffered a near-death experience resulting from post-birth complications and a lengthy coma. (Part 2 of 2)
Pastor Kevin Harney and his wife, Sherry, offer practical suggestions for sharing the Gospel with neighbours, friends and extended family.
Speaker Keith Becker describes how the tragic loss of his younger brother in a drunk-driving accident ultimately helped to bring about healing and restoration to their family.
Author and speaker Gil Mertz and Focus on the Family counsellor Daniel Huerta discuss the importance of finding inner peace by forgiving others – particularly family members – for past abuse and neglect.
In a discussion based on Focus on the Family's That the World May Know video series, Bible teacher Ray Vander Laan offers fascinating historical and spiritual insights from biblical history. (Part 1 of 2)
In a discussion based on Focus on the Family's That the World May Know video series, Bible teacher Ray Vander Laan offers fascinating historical and spiritual insights from biblical history. (Part 2 of 2)
Author and speaker Ron Deal offers couples in blended families advice on how they can assess the strengths of their marriage and improve on areas of weakness in light of the particular challenges they face in parenting stepchildren. (Part 1 of 2)
Author and speaker Ron Deal offers couples in blended families advice on how they can assess the strengths of their marriage and improve on areas of weakness in light of the particular challenges they face in parenting stepchildren. (Part 2 of 2)
Mike and Kristin Berry tell their inspiring story of adopting eight children and encourage listeners to consider how they might make a positive difference in the life of an orphan or an adoptive family.
Author Kathi Lipp offers practical suggestions for planning your family's Christmas celebration so that it can be budget-friendly, stress-free and Christ-centered.
Diane Doering and Kay Owen-Larson offer practical suggestions for how your family can help alleviate the loneliness experienced by many residents of elderly care facilities, and share the love of Christ with senior citizens who are often overlooked and forgotten about by society.
Dr. John Townsend offers advice on dealing with family members and friends who feel they deserve special privileges and treatment. He also explains how parents can avoid instilling a sense of entitlement in their children.
Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley answer listener questions on how to successfully navigate family relationships during the holidays, and help couples work as a team to balance chores, budgets and family demands.
Author Liz Curtis Higgs helps listeners reflect on Christmas by looking at it through the eyes of three women in the New Testament, offering a fresh perspective on how Jesus' coming to earth impacted those around him, and can impact your family this Christmas, too.
Author and speaker Bo Stern candidly discusses the challenges her family's experienced as a result of her husband's fight against ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), and offers encouragement to those facing similar battles. (Part 1 of 2)
Author and speaker Bo Stern candidly discusses the challenges her family's experienced as a result of her husband's fight against ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), and offers encouragement to those facing similar battles. (Part 2 of 2)
Brian and Cherie Lowe offer encouragement and advice for living with financial freedom in a discussion based on Cherie's book, Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. (Part 1 of 2)
Brian and Cherie Lowe offer encouragement and advice for living with financial freedom in a discussion based on Cherie's book, Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. (Part 2 of 2)
Author Kathi Lipp explains how too much clutter can cause family stress and conflict, and offers practical strategies to get rid of what you don't need so that you can have the space and resources to serve God as He intended.
Bestselling author Gary Chapman describes how you can build a strong, loving family in a discussion based on his book The Family You've Always Wanted: Five Ways You Can Make It Happen. (Part 1 of 2)
Bestselling author Gary Chapman describes how you can build a strong, loving family in a discussion based on his book The Family You've Always Wanted: Five Ways You Can Make It Happen. (Part 2 of 2)
Rob Parsons of Care for the Family shares some of the valuable and important lessons he's learned about marriage, parenting and ministering to families around the world. (Part 1 of 2)
Rob Parsons of Care for the Family shares some of the valuable and important lessons he's learned about marriage, parenting and ministering to families around the world. (Part 2 of 2)
Pastor Caleb Kaltenbach shares his story of growing up with gay parents and the hatred his family experienced from Christians. He admonishes followers of Christ to learn how to love those in the LGBT community without compromising Biblical truth. (Part 1 of 2)
Pastor Caleb Kaltenbach shares his story of growing up with gay parents and the hatred his family experienced from Christians. He admonishes followers of Christ to learn how to love those in the LGBT community without compromising Biblical truth. (Part 2 of 2)
Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley offer helpful suggestions for organizing your family’s summer schedule so you can avoid the common pitfalls of last minute planning and unmet expectations.
Author and speaker Steve Farrar discusses the importance of a husband's commitment to Jesus Christ, his role as the family leader and his responsibility to love and cherish his wife. (Part 1 of 2)
Author and speaker Steve Farrar discusses the importance of a husband's commitment to Jesus Christ, his role as the family leader and his responsibility to love and cherish his wife. (Part 2 of 2)
Plugged In editor Paul Asay offers practical guidance for navigating your family safely through today's vast assortment of entertainment choices.
Popular blogger Sarah Mae offers encouragement to moms in a discussion based on her book Longing for Paris: One Woman's Search for Joy, Beauty and Adventure – Right Where She Is. Focus on the Family broadcast producer Eva Daniel joins the conversation.
In a discussion based on his new book, Marriage Done Right, Focus on the Family President Jim Daly outlines what God's design for marriage is and why that design works better than the alternatives offered by our culture. (Part 1 of 2)
In a discussion based on his new book, Marriage Done Right, Focus on the Family President Jim Daly outlines what God's design for marriage is and why that design works better than the alternatives offered by our culture. (Part 2 of 2)
Ken Davis shares humorous illustrations and heartfelt stories to remind dads why it's important to spend time with their kids, speak with kind words and live a life committed to Jesus Christ. (Part 1 of 2)
In a follow-up to our program titled "Fun Ways to Instill Virtues in Your Children," Courtney DeFeo returns to offer additional suggestions for easy, practical methods parents can use to teach biblically-based values to their children. (Part 1 of 2)
In a follow-up to our program titled "Fun Ways to Instill Virtues in Your Children," Courtney DeFeo returns to offer additional suggestions for easy, practical methods parents can use to teach biblically-based values to their children. (Part 2 of 2)
Actors Kirk Cameron and his wife, Chelsea, describe how ministry and family commitments had a detrimental effect on their marriage until they renewed their commitment to make their relationship one of their highest priorities. They encourage couples to do the same by taking active steps to guard against the pressure and demands of other responsibilities.
Margot Starbuck and David King offer advice to parents from their book, Overplayed: A Parent’s Guide to Sanity in the World of Youth Sports. (Part 1 of 2)
Margot Starbuck and David King offer advice to parents from their book, Overplayed: A Parent’s Guide to Sanity in the World of Youth Sports. (Part 2 of 2)
Jim Daly and John Fuller present recordings of phone calls from listeners who contacted Focus on the Family to share their Thanksgiving stories and to express their gratitude for loved ones, God's provision and our nation.
As they examine the subversion of authentic masculinity in today's culture, Focus on the Family's Jim Daly and Greg Smalley describe how men can strengthen their family by reclaiming their authentic, God-designed roles as husbands and fathers.
Counselor and author Tim Sanford offers encouragement and advice to parents of preschoolers who feel a great deal of pressure and stress about ensuring their child's future success. Focus on the Family broadcast producer Eva Daniel joins the conversation and shares her own insights as a parent in the midst of the preschool years.
In a follow-up to our recent broadcast "Practical Advice for Parenting Strong-Willed Children", educator Cynthia Tobias returns to offer additional parenting wisdom for single parents, blended families and grandparents, as well as help for navigating the strong-willed teenager.
Popular speaker and author Bill Butterworth offers Biblically-based encouragement for how you can leave a legacy of love for your family.
Author Kathi Lipp explains how too much clutter can cause family stress and conflict, and offers practical strategies to get rid of what you don't need so that you can have the space and resources to serve God as He intended.
Jay and Katherine Wolf describe how God's grace has sustained their marriage and family since Katherine suffered a massive, debilitating brainstem stroke in 2008.
NFL chaplain Jonathan Evans and his wife, Kanika, offer parents practical ideas for effectively leading family devotions.
In a discussion based on her book Just Too Busy, Joanne Kraft describes the benefits her family experienced in taking a year off from outside activities so that they could slow their pace of life and have more time together. She challenges parents to consider how they, too, can counter the demands of a hectic schedule.
Bo Mitchell and his wife, Gari, discuss his involvement in a business scandal that led to him serving 11 months in prison for bank fraud. The couple describes how God used this situation to transform and heal their family. (Part 1 of 2)
Bo Mitchell and his wife, Gari, discuss his involvement in a business scandal that led to him serving 11 months in prison for bank fraud. The couple describes how God used this situation to transform and heal their family. (Part 2 of 2)
Adventures in Odyssey, Focus on the Family's award-winning radio drama for kids, celebrates its 30th anniversary with a special airing of the episode "Something Significant," with its theme of playing your part in God's story.
In this recorded presentation, pastor and comedian Dennis Swanberg encourages listeners to understand and display the love languages of their family, and concludes his talk with words of affirmation for his own mother.
Pastor Ted Cunningham offers practical suggestions for making family mealtimes more meaningful in a discussion based on his book Come to the Family Table: Slowing Down to Enjoy Food, Each Other and Jesus.
Child psychology professor Joshua Straub and his wife, Christi, offer parents helpful insights from his book, Safe House: How Emotional Safety is the Key to Raising Kids Who Live, Love and Lead Well. (Part 1 of 2)
Child psychology professor Joshua Straub and his wife, Christi, offer parents helpful insights from his book, Safe House: How Emotional Safety is the Key to Raising Kids Who Live, Love and Lead Well. (Part 2 of 2)
Pastor Ted Cunningham offers wisdom to newlyweds about the importance of separating emotionally, relationally, and financially from their family of origin in order to form a strong bond with their new spouse.
Korie Robertson, of A&E's TV show "Duck Dynasty," shares her heart for raising kids with strong, godly character as well as some fun family stories of the Robertson clan.
Popular sportscaster Ernie Johnson Jr. shares a look at his remarkable career and his family life, highlighting how his Christian faith has helped him overcome difficult challenges to live a life that is inspirational to others. (Part 1 of 2)
Popular sportscaster Ernie Johnson Jr. shares a look at his remarkable career and his family life, highlighting how his Christian faith has helped him overcome difficult challenges to live a life that is inspirational to others. (Part 2 of 2)
Focus on the Family President Jim Daly and his wife, Jean, discuss the cultural pressure moms and dads feel to be perfect parents with perfect children, and explain how imperfect families can actually be healthy families when grace is freely given and received. Dr. Meg Meeker sits in as host. (Part 1 of 2)
Focus on the Family President Jim Daly and his wife, Jean, discuss the cultural pressure moms and dads feel to be perfect parents with perfect children, and explain how imperfect families can actually be healthy families when grace is freely given and received. Dr. Meg Meeker sits in as host. (Part 2 of 2)
Comedian Kenn Kington celebrates funny family moments as he shares memorable experiences he's had with his wife and children.
Family physician Dr. Walt Larimore and his wife, Barb, discuss how God designed the unique differences between men and women for our benefit, and how understanding and appreciating those differences can improve your marriage.
Hobby Lobby Founder and CEO David Green talks about his humble beginnings as a preacher's son whose family scraped by with hand-me-down-clothing and little food on the table. He shares lessons he learned from his generous, loving parents and discusses the importance of investing in God's work.
Tom and Dena Yohe discuss the struggles they experienced with their troubled teen daughter Renee, who suffered from depression, substance abuse and self-injury. The couple talks about the difficult path to their family's healing and recovery, and offers hope to other parents of wayward teens. (Part 1 of 2)
Tom and Dena Yohe discuss the struggles they experienced with their troubled teen daughter Renee, who suffered from depression, substance abuse and self-injury. The couple talks about the difficult path to their family's healing and recovery, and offers hope to other parents of wayward teens. (Part 2 of 2)
Alli Worthington describes how, as a wife and mother to five boys, she's found practical ways to alleviate the pressure of busyness and avoid an overloaded family schedule in a discussion based on her book Breaking Busy: How to Find Peace and Purpose in a World of Crazy.
Leslie Leyland Fields offers unique and encouraging spiritual insights from her family's involvement in commercial salmon fishing in a discussion based on her recent book, Crossing the Waters: Following Jesus Through the Storms, the Fish, the Doubt and the Seas. (Part 1 of 2)
Leslie Leyland Fields offers unique and encouraging spiritual insights from her family's involvement in commercial salmon fishing in a discussion based on her recent book, Crossing the Waters: Following Jesus Through the Storms, the Fish, the Doubt and the Seas. (Part 2 of 2)
Dickson Mully's family was living in an African desert, with hundreds of children to feed, and no clean water. On today's broadcast, he tells his inspiring story of miraculously discovering water some 10 feet underground – an amazing find that would help transform thousands of lives.
Former Major League Baseball pitcher Brian Holman gives an inspiring message about going back to the basics of the Christian faith and trusting in God's promises, which helped sustain him when his family was faced with a series of devastating losses and medical challenges.
In this prerecorded call-in broadcast, our Focus on the Family listeners share touching stories of things for which they are grateful.
Dr. Joneal Kirby and several Focus on the Family female staff members discuss the life-changing benefits a young Christian woman can experience when she is mentored and discipled by an older woman of faith.
Author and speaker Elisa Morgan shares her dramatic testimony of growing up in a broken, dysfunctional family, and how that has damaged her own family today. She offers hope as she tells how God can comfort us in our anguish and redeem our brokenness.
Mark and Susan Merrill of Family First suggest some fun and creative ways a husband and wife can strengthen their marriage amidst the demands of a busy schedule.
In celebration of Christmas, Phil and Kay Robertson of the hit reality TV show Duck Dynasty share heartwarming and funny holiday stories from their famous family, and their faith in Jesus who is the true reason for the season.
March for Life President Jeanne Mancini and Focus on the Family Vice President Kelly Rosati share their passion for fighting to preserve the sanctity of human life in our culture, and inform listeners about the upcoming 2018 March for Life and Evangelicals for Life conference in our nation's capitol.
Jase and Missy Robertson, stars of the reality TV series Duck Dynasty, discuss their faith and family, with a focus on the medical journey of their daughter, Mia, who was born with a cleft palate, a serious condition requiring multiple cranial and facial surgeries. (Part 1 of 2)
Jase and Missy Robertson, stars of the reality TV series Duck Dynasty, discuss their faith and family, with a focus on the medical journey of their daughter, Mia, who was born with a cleft palate, a serious condition requiring multiple cranial and facial surgeries. (Part 2 of 2)
Joshua Becker discusses the benefits a family can experience if they reduce the amount of "stuff" they have and simplify their lives. He addresses parents in particular, explaining how they can set healthy boundaries on how much stuff their kids have, and establish new habits regarding the possession of toys, clothes, artwork, gifts and more.
Dr. Mike Bechtle offers insights on common barriers to communication within the family and how those obstacles can be removed in a discussion based on his book Dealing With the Elephant in the Room: Moving From Tough Conversations to Healthy Communication. (Part 1 of 2)
Dr. Mike Bechtle offers insights on common barriers to communication within the family and how those obstacles can be removed in a discussion based on his book Dealing With the Elephant in the Room: Moving From Tough Conversations to Healthy Communication. (Part 2 of 2)
Author and speaker Kathi Lipp offers parents practical suggestions for developing a stronger relationship with their children in a discussion based on her book The Mom Project: 21 Days to a More Connected Family.
With humor and candor, speaker Ken Davis shares some of the life lessons he's learned and encourages listeners to live their lives to the fullest through exercise, good nutrition and enjoying their family. (Part 1 of 2)
With humour and candor, speaker Ken Davis shares some of the life lessons he's learned and encourages listeners to live their lives to the fullest through exercise, good nutrition and enjoying their family. (Part 2 of 2)
Gary Morland, author of A Family Shaped by Grace, describes how God's incredible grace saved him from alcoholism and redeemed his family.
Sarah Mackenzie, author of The Read-Aloud Family, explains how parents can strengthen their relationships with their children by reading books together as a family.
Twin brothers David Benham and Jason Benham share an incredible story about family and faith as they describe how their dream of playing professional baseball came true with their father's love, prayers and guidance.
Based on her book Sharing God's Big Love With Little Lives, Jean Thomason discusses the importance of "imprinting" God's love and promises on young children, and why parents need to be very intentional about modeling faith and worship in their families.
Boundless host Lisa Anderson discusses the frustration and loneliness many single adults experience, and the comfort and contentment that can be found in a relationship with God. She also encourages singles to find community with other singles, and challenges married couples to engage with and include singles in family activities.
Ron and Opal Erickson discuss the marital struggles they experienced as the result of an affair, and describe how God repaired their marriage. They also talk about their music ministry and their efforts to help heal troubled marriages as a Hope Restored host couple.
Dr. David Ireland offers parents practical advice for fostering their kids' spiritual development in a discussion based on his book Raising a Child Who Prays: Teaching Your Family the Power of Prayer.
Mac Owen and his wife, Mary, discuss their turbulent past marked by his hard core drug addiction, and how they came to experience God's grace and healing, which has not only restored their lives but has led to a recovery ministry for addicts and their family members. (Part 1 of 2)
Mac Owen and his wife, Mary, discuss their turbulent past marked by his hard core drug addiction, and how they came to experience God's grace and healing, which has not only restored their lives but has led to a recovery ministry for addicts and their family members. (Part 2 of 2)
Based on his extensive research, Dr. Mark Regnerus sheds light on the reasons behind the prevailing attitudes about sexual behavior, marriage and family in our culture, and how that behavior has specifically impacted men and women.
Some of Focus on the Family's most popular broadcast guests share their favorite Christmas memories. (Part 1 of 2)
Some of Focus on the Family's most popular broadcast guests share their favorite Christmas memories. (Part 2 of 2)
Popular Christian vocalist Larnelle Harris reflects on his five-decade music career, sharing the valuable life lessons he's learned about putting his family first, allowing God to redeem a troubled past, recognizing those who've sacrificed for his benefit, and faithfully adhering to biblical principles amidst all the opportunities that have come his way.
With humour and candour, speaker Ken Davis shares some of the life lessons he's learned and encourages listeners to live their lives to the fullest through exercise, good nutrition and enjoying their family. (Part 1 of 2)
With humour and candour, speaker Ken Davis shares some of the life lessons he's learned and encourages listeners to live their lives to the fullest through exercise, good nutrition and enjoying their family. (Part 2 of 2)
On this Focus on the Family broadcast, author Jodie Berndt offers encouragement to parents who worry about their adult child and guidance for how they can entrust their child to God through prayer.
Lamar Tyler and his wife, Ronnie, co-founders of the global ministry Black and Married With Kids, discuss the importance of promoting a positive, Biblical view of marriage and family, both in the African-American community and the culture at large.
Adolph Coors explains how growing up in the Coors Brewing family taught him that wealth could never protect him from misfortune. After his father was murdered, Adolph spent years searching for meaning in life, which he eventually found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. (Part 1 of 2)
Adolph Coors explains how growing up in the Coors Brewing family taught him that wealth could never protect him from misfortune. After his father was murdered, Adolph spent years searching for meaning in life, which he eventually found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. (Part 2 of 2)
Glen and Ellen Schuknecht describe how grandparents can pass on a legacy of faith to their grandchildren in a discussion based on the Schuknechts' book A Spiritual Heritage: Connecting Kids and Grandkids to God and Family.
Author Deb DeArmond and family therapist Jenny Coffey offer practical, Biblically-based advice for navigating the challenges of in-law relationships, particularly that between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Our guests cover topics such as creating healthy boundaries with your in-laws, promoting mutual respect, and establishing realistic expectations.
Blogger Erin Odom describes how God faithfully provided for her family's needs during a season of financial hardship, offering encouragement and advice to listeners experiencing similar struggles in a discussion based on her book More Than Just Making It: Hope for the Heart of the Financially Frustrated.
Jim Daly and John Fuller share a retrospective look at Focus on the Family's May 4th "Alive From New York" event celebrating the sanctity of human life and discuss the public reaction to the event.
Terry Looper, a corporate CEO in the energy industry, tells how he was once a highly-driven entrepreneur who valued success and money over his family and health. He describes what it took for him to change his priorities and give his life to God, and he shares his four-step strategy for seeking God’s will before making any decision.
Katharine Hill, Director of Care for the Family in England, offers couples helpful reminders for cultivating a thriving marriage in a discussion based on her book If You Forget Everything Else, Remember This: Building a Great Marriage. (Part 1 of 2)
Katharine Hill, Director of Care for the Family in England, offers couples helpful reminders for cultivating a thriving marriage in a discussion based on her book If You Forget Everything Else, Remember This: Building a Great Marriage. (Part 2 of 2)
We all endure suffering, crisis, and loss in some capacity, but how do we handle it? Based upon his extensive experience as a grief and trauma counselor, Dr. H. Norman Wright describes how to navigate the unexpected and painful crises of life we will all experience. With personal stories of his own loss and heartfelt compassion, he offers practical advice about how to walk through your grief and find the path to healing.
We all endure suffering, crisis, and loss in some capacity, but how do we handle it? Based upon his extensive experience as a grief and trauma counselor, Dr. H. Norman Wright describes how to navigate the unexpected and painful crises of life we will all experience. With personal stories of his own loss and heartfelt compassion, he offers practical advice about how to walk through your grief and find the path to healing.
As they discuss their personal journeys in caring for aging family members, Michele Howe and Lisa Anderson offer insights on many aspects of caregiving, including the difficulties of role-reversal in caring for an aging parent, differing expectations among siblings, the impact on marriage and the single person, the importance of community, and more. (Part 1 of 2)
As they discuss their personal journeys in caring for aging family members, Michele Howe and Lisa Anderson offer insights on many aspects of caregiving, including the difficulties of role-reversal in caring for an aging parent, differing expectations among siblings, the impact on marriage and the single person, the importance of community, and more. (Part 2 of 2)
Dr. Kara Powell offers parents insights and practical help found in her book Growing With: Every Parent's Guide to Helping Teenagers and Young Adults Thrive in Their Faith, Family, and Future. (Part 1 of 2)
Dr. Kara Powell offers parents insights and practical help found in her book Growing With: Every Parent's Guide to Helping Teenagers and Young Adults Thrive in Their Faith, Family, and Future. (Part 2 of 2)
Rob Rienow and his wife, Amy, offer practical tips for how moms and dads can develop on a long-term view of their parenting as a means of not only impacting their children today, but future generations as well.
Focus on the Family Vice President of Parenting and Youth Danny Huerta and popular author Jessie Minassian offer parents practical advice for teaching their kids about sex, puberty, and the many changes they’ll experience during their teen years. (Part 1 of 2) Parental guidance is advised.
Focus on the Family Vice President of Parenting and Youth Danny Huerta and popular author Jessie Minassian offer parents practical advice for teaching their kids about sex, puberty, and the many changes they'll experience during their teen years. (Part 2 of 2) Parental guidance is advised.
Educator and author Cynthia Tobias explains how various learning styles affect us both at home and at work, and illustrates how our friends and family may perceive the world very differently than we do. She explains how recognizing those perceptions can help us improve our relationships. (Part 1 of 2)
Educator and author Cynthia Tobias explains how various learning styles affect us both at home and at work, and illustrates how our friends and family may perceive the world very differently than we do. She explains how recognizing those perceptions can help us improve our relationships. (Part 2 of 2)
Focus on the Family President Jim Daly describes how God carried him through the valleys of his turbulent childhood, healing his heart and strengthening his faith. He also discusses how the display of God's love and grace is the most effective way for impacting our culture.
Tilly Dillehay candidly shares how her past struggles with envy had a detrimental effect on her family relationships, and describes how God's grace transformed her heart. She offers practical suggestions for overcoming envy in a discussion based on her book, Seeing Green: Don't Let Envy Color Your Joy.
In a discussion based on her book Mending Broken Branches, Elizabeth Oates describes the negative impact that previous generations of your family can have on you, sharing about her own dysfunctional past that's marked by divorce, neglect, and addiction. She suggests practical ways you can reclaim your family tree to become the spouse and/or parent God wants you to be.
Pastor Ted Cunningham shares one of his own personal challenges – becoming a better listener. He explains the obstacles we face when it comes to listening well, and offers ideas for overcoming those obstacles in order to hear what our friends and family are trying to tell us.
Best-selling author Tricia Goyer discusses the challenge she issued her family to go a full year without any kind of negative talk, highlighting the valuable lessons they learned and suggesting practical ways you can cultivate a more grateful attitude.
Focus on the Family listeners share touching memories – both poignant and heartwarming – of Christmastime. (Part 1 of 2)
Focus on the Family listeners share touching memories – both poignant and heartwarming – of Christmastime. (Part 2 of 2)
Adolph Coors explains how growing up in the Coors Brewing family taught him that wealth could never protect him from misfortune. After his father was murdered, Adolph spent years searching for meaning in life, which he eventually found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. (Part 1 of 2)
Adolph Coors explains how growing up in the Coors Brewing family taught him that wealth could never protect him from misfortune. After his father was murdered, Adolph spent years searching for meaning in life, which he eventually found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. (Part 2 of 2)
Lindsay Pepin Ophus, her mother, Scarlet, and her aunt Bethany share their inspiring story of how God brought about redemption in their family when Lindsay became pregnant as a teenager. Our guests describe how God's grace turned distress into hope when Bethany was moved to adopt her niece's baby. (Part 1 of 2)
Lindsay Pepin Ophus, her mother, Scarlet, and her aunt Bethany share their inspiring story of how God brought about redemption in their family when Lindsay became pregnant as a teenager. Our guests describe how God's grace turned distress into hope when Bethany was moved to adopt her niece's baby. (Part 2 of 2)
Using home improvement as a fun and easy-to-remember metaphor, Drs. Gary Chapman and Shannon Warden offer insights for creating a family blueprint that will help build up faith and godly character in a discussion based on their book The DIY Guide to Building a Family That Lasts: 12 Tools for Improving Your Home Life. (Part 1 of 2)
Using home improvement as a fun and easy-to-remember metaphor, Drs. Gary Chapman and Shannon Warden offer insights for creating a family blueprint that will help build up faith and godly character in a discussion based on their book The DIY Guide to Building a Family That Lasts: 12 Tools for Improving Your Home Life. (Part 2 of 2)
Best-selling author Dr. Kathy Koch outlines a practical four-step process to help families stay sane and thrive during this season of sheltering-at-home during the coronavirus pandemic.
As we're forced to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic, we're spending more time online, and our work, school, and family life have blended together in an unprecedented way. Today, author Arlene Pellicane offers guidance for managing our digital habits in a healthy manner so that we go online with purpose and unplug regularly to build real, solid relationships with those around us.
The Coronavirus pandemic has had a hard-hitting impact on millions of Americans and their family budgets. On this broadcast, finance expert Michelle Singletary offers practical advice for the wise management of money during this crisis and encourages listeners to trust in God for His provision.
Mary Beth Lagerborg and Mimi Wilson, co-authors of the best-selling book Once-a-Month Cooking, discuss the resurgence of making meals at home that's been brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic. They encourage listeners to make the most of this opportunity to make mealtime more meaningful for their family, offering many practical suggestions for doing so.
As many summer activities – from swim lessons to summer camps – may be delayed or canceled because of the Coronavirus pandemic, moms may feel overwhelmed and intimidated at the thought of coming up with fun and meaningful things for their kids to do. On this broadcast, Krystle Porter and Tara Davis offer moms encouragement and practical ideas for addressing the challenges of family time and creating at-home activities for kids.
Danny Huerta, Vice President of Focus on the Family's Parenting and Youth department, offers insights from his counseling experience, research, and Biblical knowledge to outline the parenting strategies that have proven to be the most effective, including steadfast love and boundaries, respect, grace, adaptability, and more. (Part 1 of 2)
Danny Huerta, Vice President of Focus on the Family's Parenting and Youth department, offers insights from his counseling experience, research, and Biblical knowledge to outline the parenting strategies that have proven to be the most effective, including steadfast love and boundaries, respect, grace, adaptability, and more. (Part 2 of 2)
Kristi Clover offers moms encouragement as she shares practical guidance for finding joy through home organization and efficiency in a discussion based on her book M.O.M.: Master Organizer of Mayhem.
Lee Strobel explains the importance of praying for the salvation of your loved ones and persevering in prayer for even the most unlikely converts among your friends and family.
Jerrad Lopes offers his insights on God's purpose and plan for a father's spiritual leadership of his family and encourages dads to embrace God's grace for their imperfections and to rely on His guidance for fulfilling their role as a leader.
On this classic program, a favorite among Focus on the Family listeners, Mike Adkins tells the humorous and poignant story of his efforts to befriend and share the Gospel with his neighbor Norman, a social misfit who was mocked by virtually everybody in their small town. You’ll hear how God not only changed Norman, but also changed Mike!
On this classic program, a favorite among Focus on the Family listeners, Mike Adkins tells the humorous and poignant story of his efforts to befriend and share the Gospel with his neighbor Norman, a social misfit who was mocked by virtually everybody in their small town. You’ll hear how God not only changed Norman, but also changed Mike!
Offering encouragement to couples whose children are facing a crisis, author Elisa Morgan and her husband, Evan, describe how God and their faith have sustained them through the trials that have plagued their 40-year marriage, including their daughter's teen pregnancy and their son's drug addiction.
Lt. Colonel Don Coble was once a hardened military man who tried to escape his inner misery through overwork and alcoholism, and in the process made life agonizing for his family. Today, he offers encouragement as he describes how God changed his heart and transformed him into a new creation.
Becky Kiser and Jean Daly offer practical suggestions for filling your family’s holiday season with peace, joy, faith and fun.
Author and blogger Jessica Smartt offers suggestions for capturing special moments with your family that you will cherish remembering for years to come.
Liz Curtis Higgs offers a fresh perspective on the Christmas story as she examines it through the lens of three women in Jesus' life, revealing how Jesus' coming to Earth impacted those around Him and can impact your family this Christmas, too.
Lindsay Pepin Ophus, her mother, Scarlet, and her aunt Bethany share their inspiring story of how God brought about redemption in their family when Lindsay became pregnant as a teenager. Our guests describe how God's grace turned distress into hope when Bethany was moved to adopt her niece's baby. (Part 1 of 2)
Lindsay Pepin Ophus, her mother, Scarlet, and her aunt Bethany share their inspiring story of how God brought about redemption in their family when Lindsay became pregnant as a teenager. Our guests describe how God's grace turned distress into hope when Bethany was moved to adopt her niece's baby. (Part 2 of 2)
Have you ever wondered what heaven will be like? What if you could get a glimpse? Pastor John Burke relates stories from people of all walks of life who have had near-death experiences. You’ll find hope and comfort in their reports of a beautiful, light-filled place with streams, trees, flowers, mountains, and land, reunions with family and friends, and encountering Jesus. While earth is a mere a shadow of what’s to come, we can imagine heaven and hold onto the hope of eternal life that God promises us.
If your family's struggling with the economic impact of the pandemic, author Deborah Pegues offers practical help, giving sound advice for lowering debt, saving strategically, spending wisely, and trusting God with your finances.
Kourtney Rea Chapman and her father, Kevin Rea, describe how their family was transformed following an encounter she had with God while on her way to an abortion clinic after her life had been turned upside down by an unplanned pregnancy.
Peter and Suzanne Guy share their inspirational story about refusing to lose hope for their baby girl in spite of an adverse prenatal diagnosis which led their doctors to recommend abortion. Today, Rachel is a healthy, young woman, and she joins the conversation, discussing her and her family's active involvement in the pro-life movement.
On this classic program, a favorite among Focus on the Family listeners, Mike Adkins tells the humorous and poignant story of his efforts to befriend and share the Gospel with his neighbor Norman, a social misfit who was mocked by virtually everybody in their small town. You’ll hear how God not only changed Norman, but also changed Mike!
On this classic program, a favourite among Focus on the Family listeners, Mike Adkins tells the humourous and poignant story of his efforts to befriend and share the Gospel with his neighbor Norman, a social misfit who was mocked by virtually everybody in their small town. You’ll hear how God not only changed Norman, but also changed Mike!
Duck Dynasty star and author Phil Robertson discusses his colorful past as a (self-described) "scumbag" and "beer joint" owner who sought out worldly pleasures at the expense of his young family, and describes how his relationship with Jesus Christ has transformed his life.
Author Becky Kiser offers practical guidance for making special days – including holidays, birthdays, and summer vacation – more meaningful and enjoyable for your family. Jim Daly's wife, Jean, joins the conversation to share her suggestions.
Author and speaker Ron Deal offers couples in blended families advice on how they can assess the strengths of their marriage and improve on areas of weakness in light of the particular challenges they face in parenting stepchildren. (Part 1 of 2)
Author and speaker Ron Deal offers couples in blended families advice on how they can assess the strengths of their marriage and improve on areas of weakness in light of the particular challenges they face in parenting stepchildren. (Part 2 of 2)
Kay Wyma urges us to shift our focus and be overwhelmed by God’s truth instead of our urge to perform. She shares powerful stories illustrating her own family’s struggles with feeling overwhelmed, and reminds us that we can only find our worth and identity in Jesus Christ. (Part 1 of 2)
Kay Wyma urges us to shift our focus and be overwhelmed by God’s truth instead of our urge to perform. She shares powerful stories illustrating her own family’s struggles with feeling overwhelmed, and reminds us that we can only find our worth and identity in Jesus Christ. (Part 2 of 2)
In this conversation, Stephen Arterburn helps listeners to better understand and assist loved ones in their healing from depression, reminding them that anyone can suffer from it, and for a variety of reasons. He encourages family members and friends to be present for their loved one, gently nudging them toward healthy decisions and, if necessary, professional help.
Brett and Jodi Bainter’s lives changed in an instant, when their son Jake was injured by a riding lawnmower. In their inspirational story, the Bainters share about the strength and redemption offered through Christ in times of great difficulty.
In this interview, Greta Eskridge will inspire parents to get their kids outside their daily routines and experience the thrill of adventure as a family.
One moment of perspective changed Kay Wyma's entire mindset. Kay decided to spend the next 30 days using moments like that to intentionally pursue peace—through focusing on thankfulness, kindness, and mercy. What transpired was more powerful than Kay had ever imagined, and at the end of the “peace project,” her faith and family life were stronger than ever.
Dr. Gregory Jantz discusses various forms of common addictions, such as opioids, eating disorders, sexual or relationship addictions, and technology. He talks about some of the dynamics of addiction in the Christian community, such as shame, accountability and the importance of receiving God’s love and forgiveness. He also tackles the tough questions about intervention for family members who refuse to seek help. (Part 1 of 2)
Dr. Gregory Jantz discusses various forms of common addictions, such as opioids, eating disorders, sexual or relationship addictions, and technology. He talks about some of the dynamics of addiction in the Christian community, such as shame, accountability and the importance of receiving God’s love and forgiveness. He also tackles the tough questions about intervention for family members who refuse to seek help. (Part 2 of 2)
In a discussion based on her book In This House, We Will Giggle, Courtney DeFeo offers practical suggestions for fun and effective ways parents can instill important values in their children, such as forgiveness, perseverance, respect, humility, and more. (Part 1 of 2)
In a discussion based on her book In This House, We Will Giggle, Courtney DeFeo offers practical suggestions for fun and effective ways parents can instill important values in their children, such as forgiveness, perseverance, respect, humility, and more. (Part 2 of 2)
In a discussion based on his book Simple Habits for Effective Parenting, Dr. Randy Schroeder offers moms and dads practical guidance for leading their children in a loving, confident manner by building on the foundational family principles of relationship, routines, responsibilities, and rules.
Happiness can be fleeting, but joy is rooted in faith and our confidence in Jesus. Dr. Marcus Warner and Chris Coursey share the ABC (and D!) habits of raising joy-filled kids—attunement, building “bounce”, correcting with care, and developing disciplines relationally. By diving into each habit, they share how to strengthen your joy-bond with your child, even if you are a “low-joy” person. You’ll learn how to build and cultivate joy in your family.
Kevin Thompson offers insight on how you can inspire your family to be courageous during these uncertain times by trusting in God and choosing love, truth, and relationship over safety, appearances, and material possessions.
Kathi Lipp describes how a close call with a house fire inspired her to plan and prepare for difficult situations of all kinds. She offers practical steps your family can take toward emergency preparedness as a supplement to depending on God and abiding in His peace in the midst of life's storms.
Mac Owen and his wife, Mary, discuss their turbulent past marked by his hard core drug addiction, and how they came to experience God's grace and healing, which has not only restored their lives but has led to a recovery ministry for addicts and their family members. (Part 1 of 2)
Mac Owen and his wife, Mary, discuss their turbulent past marked by his hard core drug addiction, and how they came to experience God's grace and healing, which has not only restored their lives but has led to a recovery ministry for addicts and their family members. (Part 2 of 2)
The best thing you can do for your marriage is to get emotionally healthy! On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott examine the three hallmarks of emotional health—discovering your profound significance to God and your identity in Christ, being vulnerable and unswervingly authentic, and giving yourself through love, grace, and empathy. By being aware of and intentionally seeking these three aspects, you can approach your relationships from a healthy benchmark.
Author Jen Babakhan offers encouragement to stay-at-home moms and women who are considering leaving the workplace to take on this role as she shares lessons she's learned from her own transition which have shown her why this is one of the best decisions her family has made.
Trillia Newbell and Dr. Danny Huerta discuss the value of our celebrating racial and cultural diversity as an expression of God's calling upon us to share His message of love and reconciliation through Christ to people of every nation, tribe, and language, and offer parents practical guidance for celebrating as a family.
Dr. Scott James offers a three-step approach for how families can integrate biblical truth and faith with their health and well-being. He also offers some general health tips and encouragement for those struggling with fear in the face of trying circumstances.
Grandparents are an integral part of the family, passing along wisdom, faith, and love. While many of the "rules" of grandparenting are timeless, some of the games have changed. Chrys Howard and Shellie Tomlinson will help you better understand the unique role you have in supporting your adult children and influencing your grandchildren.
Author and speaker Steve Farrar discusses the importance of a husband's commitment to Jesus Christ, his role as the family leader and his responsibility to love and cherish his wife. (Part 1 of 2)
Offering his expert advice on money management, radio host Dave Ramsey explains how couples can avoid conflict by negotiating a budget, and how they can teach their children wise financial principles. (Part 1 of 2)
Offering his expert advice on money management, radio host Dave Ramsey explains how couples can avoid conflict by negotiating a budget, and how they can teach their children wise financial principles. (Part 2 of 2)
Pastor Ted Cunningham shares the importance of seeing all human beings as image-bearers of God. He’ll challenge you to encourage your friends and family by “calling out” their positive attributes, and shares humorous examples from his own family. He recommends writing “honor” lists and giving them to family and friends, especially as a birthday gift.
Sandra Peoples paints a picture of what life looks like for many special needs families and how the church can better reach out and minister to these families.
Lynsi Snyder is the owner and president of the In-N-Out Burger company. She grew up in a loving, Christian family and had a special bond with her father. His struggles with drugs and alcohol addiction ultimately took his life when she was 17 years old. This tragedy created a huge hole in her heart for love and affirmation. Despite knowing the Lord, Lynsi has married 4 times and divorced 3 times. When Lynsi felt trapped in a pit of despair, God met her there and lavished her with love and acceptance, restoring her sense of identity in Jesus Christ. That was when she met Sean, and they based their marriage upon a foundation of prayer. (Part 1 of 2)
Lynsi Snyder is the owner and president of the In-N-Out Burger company. She grew up in a loving, Christian family and had a special bond with her father. His struggles with drugs and alcohol addiction ultimately took his life when she was 17 years old. This tragedy created a huge hole in her heart for love and affirmation. Despite knowing the Lord, Lynsi has married 4 times and divorced 3 times. When Lynsi felt trapped in a pit of despair, God met her there and lavished her with love and acceptance, restoring her sense of identity in Jesus Christ. That was when she met Sean, and they based their marriage upon a foundation of prayer. (Part 2 of 2)
Dr. Chapman helps parents understand their child’s primary and secondary love language to keep their son or daughter’s “love tank” filled and to strengthen the parent-child bond. Jean Daly joins the discussion to share personal examples from the Daly family. (Part 1 of 2)
Dr. Chapman helps parents understand their child’s primary and secondary love language to keep their son or daughter’s “love tank” filled and to strengthen the parent-child bond. Jean Daly joins the discussion to share personal examples from the Daly family. (Part 2 of 2)
Levi & Jennie Lusko share the tragic story of the unexpected death of their 5-year-old daughter, Lenya, and how God worked through their family in the aftermath. The Luskos maintained their ministry obligations, sharing the Gospel at their church after Lenya’s death, which led many to the Lord. (Part 1 of 2)
Counsellor Debra Fileta answers some general questions on mental and emotional health, covering topics like toxic people, codependency, anxiety and depression, and getting professional help. This insightful conversation will encourage you as you assess your own health and relationships.
Susan Birdseye shares her dramatic story of learning about her husband’s affair after 17 years of an apparently happy marriage. She describes the devastating effects of her husband’s decisions on her family and her struggles navigating her eventual separation and divorce. Susan also shares some of the challenges she is facing now as a single parent. (Part 1 of 2)
Susan Birdseye shares her dramatic story of learning about her husband’s affair after 17 years of an apparently happy marriage. She describes the devastating effects of her husband’s decisions on her family and her struggles navigating her eventual separation and divorce. Susan also shares some of the challenges she is facing now as a single parent. (Part 2 of 2)
In this broadcast, Psychologist Dr. Ron Welch and his wife, Jan, describe how too much control can damage a marriage and family. Their message illustrates how placing your partner's feelings before your own can help you avoid tremendous heartache in your relationship.
Jeff and Sarah Walton have faced a series of crises that have severely impacted their marriage and family. Financial issues and mental and physical ailments have challenged the Walton family for an extensive duration of time, yet they remain faithful. In this broadcast, the Walton’s compare their journey to the Old Testament book of Job, outlining key passages about staying faithful to God despite unexplained suffering.
In this inspiring conversation, Gary Thomas describes the joy-filled pursuit of growing in the virtues and becoming more like Christ. Tune in to hear how foundational virtues like humility, surrender, and detachment can shape your family and relationships.
Lauren Reitsema experienced divorce first-hand when her parents separated after almost 20 years of marriage. Drawing from her own experience, Lauren will help parents and stepparents uncover common points of grief and loss for children after divorce. And, she’ll offer helpful advice for building a stronger blended family.
Jim Burns encourages you to slow down and enjoy life more, focusing on Christ, your family, and other important relationships. Jim and his wife, Cathy, have both had bouts with cancer, but they have made it a priority in their lives to maintain joy and have fun, taking time to reflect on God’s beauty and to build a lasting legacy.
As the daughter of Jewish holocaust survivors, Lily Isaacs was not interested in religion. But a tragedy in her husband’s family brought Lily to her knees in a little country church, and she discovered that Jesus Christ was her Messiah, much to the dismay of her parents. Hear how Lily coped with her parents’ rejection while rising in the music world as the matriarch of the multi-award winning group THE ISAACS.
Julie Hornok discusses the tendencies of someone who has been diagnosed, dealing with grief and feelings of disappointment as a parent, and eventually realizing the hope that is found in Christ’s purpose for you and your child. Julie encourages parents to seek support for both themselves and their children, surrender their plans for their family, and believe that God has given their child a beautiful purpose.
Brian and Cherie Lowe offer encouragement and advice for living with financial freedom in a discussion based on Cherie's book, Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. (Part 1 of 2)
Brian and Cherie Lowe offer encouragement and advice for living with financial freedom in a discussion based on Cherie's book, Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. (Part 2 of 2)
Levi & Jennie Lusko share the tragic story of the unexpected death of their 5-year-old daughter, Lenya, and how God worked through their family in the aftermath. The Luskos maintained their ministry obligations, sharing the Gospel at their church after Lenya’s death, which led many to the Lord. (Part 1 of 2)
Levi & Jennie Lusko share the tragic story of the unexpected death of their 5-year-old daughter, Lenya, and how God worked through their family in the aftermath. The Luskos maintained their ministry obligations, sharing the Gospel at their church after Lenya’s death, which led many to the Lord. (Part 2 of 2)
Ron Deal describes some of the unique challenges that couples experience through remarriage and the formation of a stepfamily. He discusses the importance of drawing a “family map,” to identify the complex web of relationships with kids, stepkids, ex-spouses and their partners, and extended family. (Part 1 of 2)
Ron Deal describes some of the unique challenges that couples experience through remarriage and the formation of a stepfamily. He discusses the importance of drawing a “family map,” to identify the complex web of relationships with kids, stepkids, ex-spouses and their partners, and extended family. (Part 2 of 2)
Crystal Evans Hurst shares fun stories about her family to make a serious point: only God has the right perspective on our life, especially when times are hard. We need to understand how being a child of God also makes us His responsibility, and what that really means in daily life. (Part 1 of 2)
Crystal Evans Hurst shares fun stories about her family to make a serious point: only God has the right perspective on our life, especially when times are hard. We need to understand how being a child of God also makes us His responsibility, and what that really means in daily life. (Part 2 of 2)
Dr. Randy Schroeder returns once more to Focus on the Family to discuss habits you can integrate into your marriage! Jim talks to Randy about pursuing the daily essentials of affection in your marriage, promoting emotional closeness, and leaving and cleaving properly. (Part 1 of 2)
Pastor Dan Seaborn shares heartfelt family stories to illustrate the importance of passing along our faith to the next generation. He encourages parents to teach their children Godly principles through modeling, good communication, and generational influence. (Part 1 of 2)
Pastor Dan Seaborn shares heartfelt family stories to illustrate the importance of passing along our faith to the next generation. He encourages parents to teach their children Godly principles through modeling, good communication, and generational influence. (Part 2 of 2)
Danny Ray and Kimberly Thompson have a passion to help marriages thrive. The Thompsons offer practical marital advice about “embracing the mess” of life, how a “reset button” can change your communication and create a legacy relationship for your kids and family.
Brant Hansen makes brilliant observations about what women need men to be - and six key decisions men can make to set themselves apart. Alluding to the creation story, Brant encourages men to be “Keepers of the Garden” – secure, confident protectors chasing after Christ. (Part 1 of 2)
Brant Hansen makes brilliant observations about what women need men to be - and six key decisions men can make to set themselves apart. Alluding to the creation story, Brant encourages men to be “Keepers of the Garden” – secure, confident protectors chasing after Christ. (Part 2 of 2)
Growing up, Greg’s life revolved around his violent, alcoholic mother and equally dysfunctional extended family, and he felt shame about who he was beginning at a young age. Eventually, the Lord intervened in his life. He went on to found Dare 2 Share, a ministry that helps the Church activate Christian teens to share the gospel within their sphere of influence. (Part 1 of 2)
Growing up, Greg’s life revolved around his violent, alcoholic mother and equally dysfunctional extended family, and he felt shame about who he was beginning at a young age. Eventually, the Lord intervened in his life. He went on to found Dare 2 Share, a ministry that helps the Church activate Christian teens to share the gospel within their sphere of influence. (Part 2 of 2)
When the Christmas season rolls around, we often place expectations that it will be “the best Christmas ever,” but we end up disappointed, stressed out and exhausted. Josh and Christi Straub urge us all to remember the true meaning of the Advent season, offering ways to sidestep the stress by being fully present with family and reflecting on the joy of the season.
Dr. Chapman helps parents understand their child’s primary and secondary love language to keep their son or daughter’s “love tank” filled and to strengthen the parent-child bond. Jean Daly joins the discussion to share personal examples from the Daly family. (Part 1 of 2)
Dr. Chapman helps parents understand their child’s primary and secondary love language to keep their son or daughter’s “love tank” filled and to strengthen the parent-child bond. Jean Daly joins the discussion to share personal examples from the Daly family. (Part 1 of 2)
Gather ‘round the fireplace with the Robertson clan from A&E’s Duck Dynasty while they share their favorite family Christmas stories. On this one day Focus on the Family broadcast, you’ll hear Phil, Kay, their four sons and wives, Phil’s long-lost daughter, and Uncle Si as they reminisce and recall Robertson family Christmas memories. From duck hunting gone awry to silly Christmas antics, you’ll feel right at home!
Katharine Hill offers practical advice and encouragement to parents of young children. She recommends stop trying to a “superhero” parent and don’t compare your family to others. (Part 1 of 2)
Katharine Hill offers practical advice and encouragement to parents of young children. She recommends stop trying to a “superhero” parent and don’t compare your family to others. (Part 2 of 2)
Katharine Hill, Director of Care for the Family in England, offers couples helpful reminders for cultivating a thriving marriage in a discussion based on her book If You Forget Everything Else, Remember This: Building a Great Marriage. (Part 1 of 2)
Katharine Hill, Director of Care for the Family in England, offers couples helpful reminders for cultivating a thriving marriage in a discussion based on her book If You Forget Everything Else, Remember This: Building a Great Marriage. (Part 2 of 2)
Dr. Tim Muehlhoff returns to Focus on the Family to share how God provides us with miracles in our everyday lives. He proves that through science, communication, and even war, God’s sovereign hand is on us at all times, and His grace abounds. (Part 1 of 2)
Dr. Tim Muehlhoff returns to Focus on the Family to share how God provides us with miracles in our everyday lives. He proves that through science, communication, and even war, God’s sovereign hand is on us at all times, and His grace abounds. (Part 2 of 2)
Grammy award-winning artist TobyMac shares about faith, family, and music, as he encourages you to trust Christ in all circumstances. Toby shares about the tragic loss of his oldest son and the dark valley his family has walked through while holding onto their hope in God.
Brant Hansen makes brilliant observations about what women need men to be - and six key decisions men can make to set themselves apart. Alluding to the creation story, Brant encourages men to be “Keepers of the Garden” – secure, confident protectors chasing after Christ. (Part 1 of 2)
Brant Hansen makes brilliant observations about what women need men to be - and six key decisions men can make to set themselves apart. Alluding to the creation story, Brant encourages men to be “Keepers of the Garden” – secure, confident protectors chasing after Christ. (Part 2 of 2)
Elisa Morgan shares stories of brokenness from her own family to assure other wives and mothers that God uses tragedy to create beauty here on earth. (Part 1 of 2)
Elisa Morgan shares stories of brokenness from her own family to assure other wives and mothers that God uses tragedy to create beauty here on earth. (Part 2 of 2)
As an empty nester himself, Jim Burns returns to Focus on the Family to give you help as you enter this new stage of life. He provides hope for your marriage, your friendships, and your future as you seek to pursue the next calling God has on your life! (Part 1 of 2)
As an empty nester himself, Jim Burns returns to Focus on the Family to give you help as you enter this new stage of life. He provides hope for your marriage, your friendships, and your future as you seek to pursue the next calling God has on your life! (Part 2 of 2)
Sally Clarkson describes many of the overwhelming “storms” or challenges that wives and mothers face in life. She was surprised and angry at God by unexpected troubles in her marriage and family, yet over time began to realize these storms were a training ground for her faith.
Infidelity is one of the greatest challenges a married couple will ever face. A barrage of questions need to be answered: from living arrangements, to types of counseling, and what to say to your family and others. In this transparent message, Mark and Jill Savage explain how they navigated these issues, and the biblical principles they employed that allowed God to heal their relationship.
Screens…they’re everywhere! In fact, you’re using one right now. Here’s an important question: are the screens that you’re using improving your connections with other people? Or are you becoming more isolated? What about the screens that your children use? Join us to hear Jonathan McKee’s perspective on how to trim down the screen usage that is distracting us from better things, like spending time with our family and the Lord.
Sometimes we have to get out of the way and allow God to intervene in a situation. Author Sharon Jaynes has seen this truth played out in many ways, especially in her parents’ tempestuous relationship, which went from rocky to restored. Tune in for an inspiring message that illustrates God’s power to work in our lives.
When addiction steps in, your family may be turned upside down. In this compelling interview, Victor Torres shares his dramatic story of growing up on the streets of New York City as a gang member and a heroin addict and how God intervened to change his life. He’ll identify some signs of substance abuse and offer some first steps toward hope and healing for your addicted loved one.
Mark Gregston, grandfather of four, encourages you to be intentional in the lives of your teen grandchildren. Through storytelling, humor, time, and love, you can be a special influence on your grandkids and build a legacy of hope in your family.
By helping a child realize their identity and worth in Christ, you can have a lasting impact on them! On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Peter Mutabazi shares his journey from street kid to foster dad. As a young kid on the streets of Kampala, Uganda, Peter’s life changed when one man showed compassion and kindness. Now he’s giving back, opening his home to children in foster care. Learn how you can come alongside kids in need by showing them God’s love, grace, and mercy.
Dr. Gary Chapman shares about creating a nurturing environment in your family. He will unpack five important traits: families serving together, the husbands and wives relating intimately on a physical and emotional level, parents guiding, children obeying and honoring parents, and finally, husbands loving and leading. You’ll be inspired to help your family thrive. (Part 1 of 2)
Dr. Gary Chapman shares about creating a nurturing environment in your family. He will unpack five important traits: families serving together, the husbands and wives relating intimately on a physical and emotional level, parents guiding, children obeying and honoring parents, and finally, husbands loving and leading. You’ll be inspired to help your family thrive. (Part 2 of 2)
Lynsi Snyder is the owner and president of the In-N-Out Burger company. She grew up in a loving, Christian family and had a special bond with her father. His struggles with drugs and alcohol addiction ultimately took his life when she was 17 years old. This tragedy created a huge hole in her heart for love and affirmation. Despite knowing the Lord, Lynsi has married 4 times and divorced 3 times. When Lynsi felt trapped in a pit of despair, God met her there and lavished her with love and acceptance, restoring her sense of identity in Jesus Christ. That was when she met Sean, and they based their marriage upon a foundation of prayer. (Part 1 of 2)
Lynsi Snyder is the owner and president of the In-N-Out Burger company. She grew up in a loving, Christian family and had a special bond with her father. His struggles with drugs and alcohol addiction ultimately took his life when she was 17 years old. This tragedy created a huge hole in her heart for love and affirmation. Despite knowing the Lord, Lynsi has married 4 times and divorced 3 times. When Lynsi felt trapped in a pit of despair, God met her there and lavished her with love and acceptance, restoring her sense of identity in Jesus Christ. That was when she met Sean, and they based their marriage upon a foundation of prayer. (Part 1 of 2)
How you handle conflict can make or break any relationship, especially a marriage. Family coaches Dave and Ann Wilson offer a clear, biblical plan to help you engage in constructive conflict, to prevent resentment from damaging your marriage.
Successful NFL quarterback Kirk Cousins shares his family story and his journey in football, as well as about the importance of discipleship and evangelism in impacting the culture.
Foster parents are often called “heroes” for bringing needy children into their home, but Jillana Goble argues that they are normal people who simply obeyed God’s call to care for orphans and widows. Joined by Jean Daly, sharing from their own experiences, they describe some of the common challenges of foster parenting, such as feeling overwhelmed, not knowing how past trauma affects behaviors today, loving children and giving them back to their bio parents, dealing with extra stress in your marriage and family and being stretched out of your comfort zone. (Part 1 of 2)
Foster parents are often called “heroes” for bringing needy children into their home, but Jillana Goble argues that they are normal people who simply obeyed God’s call to care for orphans and widows. Joined by Jean Daly, sharing from their own experiences, they describe some of the common challenges of foster parenting, such as feeling overwhelmed, not knowing how past trauma affects behaviors today, loving children and giving them back to their bio parents, dealing with extra stress in your marriage and family and being stretched out of your comfort zone. (Part 2 of 2)
You want your children to do good in the world, serve others, and love the Lord, but children aren’t born with the desire to do good to everyone around them, so that desire really needs to be instilled. On this two-day “Focus on the Family,” broadcast, Dr. Kathy Koch examines the importance of character in your child’s life and ways you can nurture and develop it. She’ll reveal your child’s core needs and some solid strategies for teaching character.
Part I of II
You want your children to do good in the world, serve others, and love the Lord, but children aren’t born with the desire to do good to everyone around them, so that desire really needs to be instilled. On this two-day “Focus on the Family,” broadcast, Dr. Kathy Koch examines the importance of character in your child’s life and ways you can nurture and develop it. She’ll reveal your child’s core needs and some solid strategies for teaching character.
Part II of II
As your family gathers to celebrate holidays and beautiful traditions, you may be facing some conflict and drama. On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Dr. Mike Bechtle helps you learn to navigate difficult conversations and stressful conditions with friends and family so you can enjoy those get-togethers and special times. You’ll learn some practical ways to cope and get along better within appropriate boundaries.
Like most parents of children born after 2010, Molly DeFrank embraced the new digital technologies of smart phones and tablets for her kids. But she grew increasingly alarmed as she observed detrimental effects of “zombified kids,” emotional outbursts, loss of other interests, etc. And she discovered alarming research that the average child spends more than 7 hours per day on a screen for entertainment purposes! As a result, Molly realized she and other parents needed to take control of the technology impact upon her children and instituted a 2-week digital fast – no phones, no tablets, no computer games, no TV, etc. Within few days, Molly’s kids were transformed and found plenty of other creative activities to explore. Molly recommends a “U-N-D-O” strategy for families — “Unplug” from digital tech, “Notice” your kids (and their interests), “Develop” screen-free alternatives, and “Open” the books (eg… rediscover the joy of reading). Molly is not anti-tech; she simply wants to equip families to put technology in its proper place as a tool for our families.
As a husband or wife, you have a unique opportunity to show love and grace to your spouse. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Brad and Marilyn Rhoads openly share their terrible first year of marriage and how God intervened to introduce the concept of grace in their relationship. You’ll better understand how marriage is a picture of the gospel and learn ways to honor your spouse in a more grace-filled, loving manner.
As a husband or wife, you have a unique opportunity to show love and grace to your spouse. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Brad and Marilyn Rhoads openly share their terrible first year of marriage and how God intervened to introduce the concept of grace in their relationship. You’ll better understand how marriage is a picture of the gospel and learn ways to honor your spouse in a more grace-filled, loving manner.
Living far away from a populated area sounds like a dream. And while it may be a simpler way of life, it’s a lot of work. On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, author and homesteader Kathi Lipp offers insightful ideas on homesteading. Her practical tips include creative cooking, gardening, and getting through harsh weather. Even if you live in a busy city, you can simplify and use your resources intentionally.
Your child longs to find their place in the world—what they’re good at, where they shine, where they belong. On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, mom of three Lucille Williams equips you with ways you can nurture your child’s strengths and help them learn to overcome their weaknesses. She shares her own story of struggle and challenges as she discovered her own abilities. By building a strong identity in Christ, you can develop strategies to highlight their talents.
If you’re a single parent, you’ve got the job of two people and doing all you can to keep your family afloat! On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Pam Farrel, raised by a single mom, and PeggySue Wells, a single mom of seven, offer guidance to single moms and dads as they navigate life with their children. They examine some of the best decisions a single mom can make—things like choosing to thrive, creating a nurturing home, introducing your child to Jesus, and learning to respond to situations in healthy ways. It’s an encouraging conversation for the single parent!
If you’re a single parent, you’ve got the job of two people and doing all you can to keep your family afloat! On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Pam Farrel, raised by a single mom, and PeggySue Wells, a single mom of seven, offer guidance to single moms and dads as they navigate life with their children. They examine some of the best decisions a single mom can make—things like choosing to thrive, creating a nurturing home, introducing your child to Jesus, and learning to respond to situations in healthy ways. It’s an encouraging conversation for the single parent! (Part 2 of 2)
Research increasingly shows that our culture is in the midst of a mental health epidemic, especially among children and youth — persistent feelings of sadness & hopelessness, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts. But Danny believes parents can offset these issues by routinely initiating conversations with your children to assess their mental and emotional well-being. Also, establishing a solid spiritual environment in your home will help improve mental health. Danny recommends parents use “feeling charts” and “thought bubbles” to help children see how their thoughts & emotions are connected, and how to choose more healthy/godly perspectives.
Over the years, Dr. Gary Chapman has delivered life-changing relationship advice to couples and families. On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Dr. Chapman reflects on the lessons God has taught him throughout his life—through his parents, his wife, and his children. He recalls how he identified the Five Love Languages and offers some solid insight on marriage and parenting. As he reflects on his personal journey, you’ll be encouraged to do the same!
Remarriage and stepfamily life is often fraught with more challenges than anyone can foresee. Sabrina & Robbie McDonald remarried after the deaths of their previous spouses and assumed they would have an ideal stepfamily. But even their wedding was difficult, because so many people were grieving over that previous loss. Sabrina described her courtship to Robbie and getting approval from her former mother-in-law. Then she described the early conflict Robbie had with Sabrina’s son, Benjamin, who was struggling with the idea of having a stranger give him discipline. Sabrina concluded by explaining why stepfamilies need to be a “sanctuary for sadness.”
Remarriage often requires many adjustments, like learning new love languages and dealing with the grief of your spouse’s previous marriage. Sabrina described how stepfamilies are made up of strangers who somehow have learn to live together. She shared a poignant story about her son, Ben, asking who she loved more — Ben or her new husband, Robbie. Stepparents often struggle to find their place in a stepfamily; Sabrina recommends stepparents focus on pleasing God more than anyone else, and she shared her best & worst experiences as a stepmom.
Joy is a necessary ingredient for healthy relationships. On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Chris Coursey helps you better understand the role of joy in your marriage, your parenting, and your friendships. He’ll explore the joy center in your brain, so you can know how it works and how to keep it from turning off. As joy overflows into your relationships, you’ll be able to connect with others in healthy, thriving ways.
Duck Dynasty’s Phil and Al Robertson lived portions of their lives in direct rebellion against God, until they were redeemed by the work of the Holy Spirit. They share their moving testimonies and the simple truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which has led to an incredible family legacy. In this discussion with Jim Daly, you’ll be inspired by their story and emboldened to share your Christian faith.
What we consume entertainment-wise shapes who we are and what we believe. On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Adam Holz and Paul Asay from Focus on the Family’s Plugged In team equips you to guide your family to make healthy media choices. They explain what the Bible says about entertainment and how to engage with and teach your kids discernment when it comes to what they are watching and playing. It’sa great conversation you won’t want to miss!
Driving is such a great illustration for life! We encounter people and circumstances that force us to make quick decisions all while trying to protect our family and ourselves. And we have to stay in the right lane to get to where we are headed.
On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, pastor Kevin Thompson helps you learn how to navigate the roads of life—circumstances, situations relationships—by staying in your lane. By examining what belongs to us, what belongs to others, and what belongs to God, you’ll get a strong grasp on boundaries and how to apply them in your life.
Pastor Sean and Lanette Reed describe their marital journey and God’s faithfulness. Although many wondered if their relationship would survive, the Reeds were proactive about creating a long-term plan and a godly legacy for future generations of their family.
Pastor Sean and Lanette Reed describe their marital journey and God’s faithfulness. Although many wondered if their relationship would survive, the Reeds were proactive about creating a long-term plan and a godly legacy for future generations of their family.
As a mom, you have a powerful influence in your daughter’s life. The relationship with her takes intentionality and care. On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, mom and author Kari Kampakis offers insight on the world of the teen girl and ways you can step in, offer guidance, and cultivate her identity in Christ. You’ll learn how to become her coach and consultant as she moves into adulthood.
Explaining your beliefs can sometimes be a challenge, especially when opponents say God and science don’t mix. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Lee Strobel demonstrates how many scholars and academics now say science actually points to the existence of a divine Creator. He explores the question of why suffering occurs, even though we have a caring, personal heavenly Father. He will provide you with solid evidence of God’s existence and help you better understand why you can trust and believe in the Creator of the universe.
Explaining your beliefs can sometimes be a challenge, especially when opponents say God and science don’t mix. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Lee Strobel demonstrates how many scholars and academics now say science actually points to the existence of a divine Creator. He explores the question of why suffering occurs, even though we have a caring, personal heavenly Father. He will provide you with solid evidence of God’s existence and help you better understand why you can trust and believe in the Creator of the universe.
When your home is neat and tidy, there’s a sense of relief and peace…and more than likely joy! On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, homeschooling mom of five Kristi Clover shares quick and simple tips to bring joy into your home by getting more organized. From clearing the clutter to choosing your top priorities, you’ll learn some techniques to make housework easy and fun for the whole family!
A winsome mother-daughter team share how an unplanned pregnancy rocked their world, the confusion that resulted, and how the daughter found strength through biblical counselling at a local pregnancy resource center. Ultimately, the baby was adopted by an extended family member and is growing up delighted to have an ‘extra’ mom.
Their family journey was difficult, but they were never without hope. Music artists Rebecca St. James, and Joel and Luke Smallbone from the band, For King & Country. They’ll share how God provided for them in their time of need through family prayer and the support of other believers. It’s an inspiring story of faith, pointing to their new movie, Unsung Hero, releasing in theatres on April 26.
When it comes to instilling character in our kids, the most important aspect we can teach and model for them is resilience. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Dr. Kathy Koch explores ways you can help your child face challenges with courage, confidence, and conviction. You’ll get a solid idea of what it looks like to bounce back from struggles and difficulties, as well as some tools to help you develop and nurture a spirit of resilience in your home.
When it comes to instilling character in our kids, the most important aspect we can teach and model for them is resilience. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Dr. Kathy Koch explores ways you can help your child face challenges with courage, confidence, and conviction. You’ll get a solid idea of what it looks like to bounce back from struggles and difficulties, as well as some tools to help you develop and nurture a spirit of resilience in your home.
A lot of families enjoy teasing each other. But parents need to be aware of the risks because children can easily confuse teasing with criticism. Or teasing behavior may actually mask underlying motives of wanting attention, selfishness, or a power-play to make someone feel less valuable. Playful teasing may be okay as long as it’s balanced with genuine love, humility, and lots of encouragement.
Clean comedian Jeremy Nunes pokes fun at his “freakish height” (he’s 6’6”), becoming a small town mayor by accident, and the joys of being with his extended family. He also riffs on marriage, parenting, and the power of prayer
Solid communication habits are important in every marriage, but the way a husband speaks to his wife can have a strong impact on the relationship. On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Ryan Frederick helps you as a husband learn how to better love your wife in the way you speak with her. From seemingly small efforts like thinking before you respond and asking insightful questions to building a shared language, you’ll pick up some great tips on how to better communicate for a stronger bond with your wife.
You can’t change your husband, but you can influence him. In this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Jim Daly and John Fuller talk with Gary Thomas over his book, Loving him Well. They discuss the challenges that come when you’re married to a man who seems unwilling to change. They discuss the importance of understanding who you are in Christ, how to act in a way where positive change in your spouse is possible, how to ask the “magic question” how to deal with functional fixedness, and how understanding the differences between the male and female brain leads to greater intimacy.
After a successful football career in the NFL, Benjamin Waston has turned his attention to celebrating fatherhood by encouraging first-time dads to be the man their wife and children need them to be. Benjamin speaks into the crisis of fatherlessness and the necessity for men to step up and take responsibility. A father’s role is a cornerstone in the family, and men must be ready to be physically and emotionally present. Benjamin walks through practical steps that dads can follow during the pregnancy all the way to raising newborns. Parenting kids is a full-time commitment and can be chaotic at times, but Benjamin reminds us that all children are a gift from God.
With social media and “mom influencers” giving tips on how to feed your children, keep the home clean, be a fun mom, and sustain a relationship with your spouse and with God, motherhood today seems to have a lot of pressure attached to it. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, mom of five boys Alli Worthington, offers help and hope to you as a mom, encouraging you to focus on the majors and to enjoy your children in the stages they are in. She covers things like mom guilt, anger, feeling inadequate, and keeping the spark in your marriage. It’s an uplifting look at motherhood!
With social media and “mom influencers” giving tips on how to feed your children, keep the home clean, be a fun mom, and sustain a relationship with your spouse and with God, motherhood today seems to have a lot of pressure attached to it. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, mom of five boys Alli Worthington, offers help and hope to you as a mom, encouraging you to focus on the majors and to enjoy your children in the stages they are in. She covers things like mom guilt, anger, feeling inadequate, and keeping the spark in your marriage. It’s an uplifting look at motherhood!
The new Possum Trot movie shares the true story of a community that adopted 77 children out of the foster care system. In this interview, we will explore that story, as well as encourage others to get involved in helping children in foster care.
Screen time is a battle all parents face. While technology is a great tool, it’s usually a distraction. But we live in a tech-driven world, and we need to learn to how to balance appropriate tech use with healthy boundaries. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Arlene Pellicane looks at some ways you can draw boundaries around your family’s tech use. She also identifies five healthy habits to cultivate in your child when it comes to relationships. You’ll gain some solid insight about technology and digital devices along with some practical tools for connecting with your children in the midst of their tech-driven world.
Screen time is a battle all parents face. While technology is a great tool, it’s usually a distraction. But we live in a tech-driven world, and we need to learn to how to balance appropriate tech use with healthy boundaries. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Arlene Pellicane looks at some ways you can draw boundaries around your family’s tech use. She also identifies five healthy habits to cultivate in your child when it comes to relationships. You’ll gain some solid insight about technology and digital devices along with some practical tools for connecting with your children in the midst of their tech-driven world.
Justin Earley, a dad of four boys, shares practical ideas for parents, helping you to build good spiritual habits in your families and raise children with a strong faith in Christ. In the midst of chaos in his own busy family, Justin saw the need to make changes in his parenting to form good habits – from waking in the morning to mealtimes to bedtime routines at night. He offers advice on screentime and emphasizes regular Bible reading and prayer time in the home.
Parenting can be a fun adventure but it’s also inconvenient at times. Moms & dads need to prioritize what’s most important for their family and be intentional about nurturing the God-given character traits in their children – things like joy, creativity, playfulness, curiosity, and more. Family life can also be messy, and that’s a good thing where you work through issues and problems together and grow in the process.
Every marriage goes through some predictable and unavoidable transitions like “baby makes three” and then the “the empty nest”. Other transitions also come along that will significantly impact your time, energy, and your relationship with your spouse. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Bill and Pam Farrel help you learn how to handle these transitions and offer ways you can approach them to strengthen your marriage. They offer some tools to help you identify those transitions and come out stronger on the other side!
Every marriage goes through some predictable and unavoidable transitions like “baby makes three” and then the “the empty nest”. Other transitions also come along that will significantly impact your time, energy, and your relationship with your spouse. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Bill and Pam Farrel help you learn how to handle these transitions and offer ways you can approach them to strengthen your marriage. They offer some tools to help you identify those transitions and come out stronger on the other side!
Susan Yates is a grandmother who wanted her grandchildren to love God and love each other. How can you love someone well if you don’t know them? Thus, 'Cousin Camp' was born - growing every year from just five grandkids to 21! Yates has a gift for creating fun, faith-filled family events. She seeks to help others build intentional gatherings with their own unique family.
Trauma affects so many people, but even through the heavy things we deal with, God is with us. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Dr. Gregory Jantz describes trauma, its aftermath and ripple effects, and ways to overcome it! From changing your eating and sleeping habits to learning how to reset your brain to pursuing healthy relationships, especially with God, you’ll learn how you can work through and triumph over the traumatic events in your life
Trauma affects so many people, but even through the heavy things we deal with, God is with us. On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Dr. Gregory Jantz describes trauma, its aftermath and ripple effects, and ways to overcome it! From changing your eating and sleeping habits to learning how to reset your brain to pursuing healthy relationships, especially with God, you’ll learn how you can work through and triumph over the traumatic events in your life
As a parent, you want to nurture your child’s spiritual development, and that can be intimidating! On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, mom of four Janel Breitenstein [BRITE-en-stine], identifies some spiritual life skills your child needs to become a disciple who is “on fire” for Jesus. She explores concepts like prayer, studying God’s Word, worship, self-control, service, and resilience. You’ll get an idea of some solid spiritual foundations and ways you can nurture those in your child’s life.
As a parent, you want to nurture your child’s spiritual development, and that can be intimidating! On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, mom of four Janel Breitenstein [BRITE-en-stine], identifies some spiritual life skills your child needs to become a disciple who is “on fire” for Jesus. She explores concepts like prayer, studying God’s Word, worship, self-control, service, and resilience. You’ll get an idea of some solid spiritual foundations and ways you can nurture those in your child’s life.
Connecting with another person is a unique and special blessing. And when you come to know that person and rely on them, you place trust in them. So what do you do when that trust is shattered? On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Lysa TerKeurst shares her personal stories of her divorce and friendships lost due to broken trust. She’ll help you learn how to have healthy and godly perspectives about trust and relationships so you can get on a path toward healing.
Connecting with another person is a unique and special blessing. And when you come to know that person and rely on them, you place trust in them. So what do you do when that trust is shattered? On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Lysa TerKeurst shares her personal stories of her divorce and friendships lost due to broken trust. She’ll help you learn how to have healthy and godly perspectives about trust and relationships so you can get on a path toward healing.
Family advocate Katharine Hill makes a strong case for the importance of resisting our modern world’s “busy is better” mindset. She will encourage you to embrace the qualities of a lion, calm yet incredibly powerful, rather than being trapped in the role of a scurrying ant.
Adoption brings unique joys and challenges. Parents and children often experience emotional distress, trauma, and disappointment. You can’t compensate for what your children have lost. But through the lens of the Five Love Languages, adoptive mom and counselor Dr. Laurel Shaler wants to help you experience love and support for your family. She highlights specific ways that she loves her children – and how you can too!
Comedian Kenn Kington celebrates funny family moments as he shares memorable experiences he's had with his wife and children.
You may wonder if your teen will ever grow up! On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Dr. Ken Wilgus and mom Jessica Pfeiffer discuss the idea of planned emancipation—a system of freedoms and responsibilities aimed at successfully launching your teen into adulthood. You’ll learn some ways to navigate common issues like school and grades, screens and social media, and friendships and dating so that those teenage years don’t have to be stressful and chaotic.
You may wonder if your teen will ever grow up! On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Dr. Ken Wilgus and mom Jessica Pfeiffer discuss the idea of planned emancipation—a system of freedoms and responsibilities aimed at successfully launching your teen into adulthood. You’ll learn some ways to navigate common issues like school and grades, screens and social media, and friendships and dating so that those teenage years don’t have to be stressful and chaotic.
If you’re a single parent, you’ve got the job of two people and doing all you can to keep your family afloat! On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Pam Farrel, raised by a single mom, and PeggySue Wells, a single mom of seven, offer guidance to single moms and dads as they navigate life with their children. They examine some of the best decisions a single mom can make—things like choosing to thrive, creating a nurturing home, introducing your child to Jesus, and learning to respond to situations in healthy ways. It’s an encouraging conversation for the single parent!
If you’re a single parent, you’ve got the job of two people and doing all you can to keep your family afloat! On this two-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Pam Farrel, raised by a single mom, and PeggySue Wells, a single mom of seven, offer guidance to single moms and dads as they navigate life with their children. They examine some of the best decisions a single mom can make—things like choosing to thrive, creating a nurturing home, introducing your child to Jesus, and learning to respond to situations in healthy ways. It’s an encouraging conversation for the single parent!
Over time, every family can fall into a rut. We lose track of all of the things we said we would do with our kids. But it’s never too late to start! Chris and Jenni Graebe give practical advice and heart-felt stories about their own journey establishing rhythms with their five children. They examine how adventure, serving, speaking life, slowing down, and staying in awe will help you grow closer together and closer to God.
Ryan and Lana Rush share practical ways parents can create meaningful mealtimes with their children, to nourish them physically and spiritually. Mealtimes give Christians an opportunity to not only build up their own family, but also to invite others to the table who are outside of their typical circle and show them the love of Christ.
Sometimes it can be quite the challenge to keep your kids engaged during family devotions. And the last thing you want is for your kids to think that God’s Word is boring! Mr. Tim Shoemaker shares how he revitalized his devotional time with his sons. You’ll learn how to share important life and spiritual applications through some “kinda dangerous” object lessons. We hope all parents listening will be encouraged to pass down their faith to the next generation.
As a parent, you have great influence with your children, especially when it comes to teaching the truths of the Bible. Mom and counselor Kristen Hatton gives you some tools to establish a gospel foundation for your family in preparation for the teen years. She will help you better learn how to spiritually invest into your kids so they can begin to stand on their own as they launch into adulthood.
Trillia Newbell passionately equips parents to celebrate Black History Month with their children around the dinner table and teach them the power of the gospel to create racial reconciliation.
Dr. Gary Chapman wants to help you have a loving, stable, vibrant family! He describes five biblical characteristics that create a healthy family environment, like an attitude of service, and shares inspirational stories from his own family that you will enjoy.
Dr. Gary Chapman wants to help you have a loving, stable, vibrant family! He describes five biblical characteristics that create a healthy family environment, like an attitude of service, and shares inspirational stories from his own family that you will enjoy.
David and Krista share candidly about Krista’s 10-year battle with an eating disorder which challenged their marriage, family, ministry and faith. Finally, through counseling and intensive Bible study, the Dunhams found freedom and healing.
David and Krista share candidly about Krista’s 10-year battle with an eating disorder which challenged their marriage, family, ministry and faith. Finally, through counseling and intensive Bible study, the Dunhams found freedom and healing.
Pastors are often the busiest and most overworked members of the Christian community — and they need our support! Pastor Dave Stone understand these struggles first hand, and his new calling is to encourage and support these ministry leaders with the new Pastor to Pastor podcast from Focus on the Family!
If you have unhealthy patterns in your family – passed down through generations – it can feel impossible to break the cycle. Melanie Shankle shares how childhood trauma and a “mean girl” mom affected her life, marriage, and motherhood, bringing a message of hope and healing in Jesus Christ.
If you have unhealthy patterns in your family – passed down through generations – it can feel impossible to break the cycle. Melanie Shankle shares how childhood trauma and a “mean girl” mom affected her life, marriage, and motherhood, bringing a message of hope and healing in Jesus Christ.
Our culture pushes us to seek significance at careers, making money, power, etc — all away from our family. In this interview, Josh and Christi Straub emphasize the importance of being “famous at home.” On day one, they discuss putting your spouse first, the need to reconnect, and working on your spouse’s heart. On day two, Josh and Christi encourage moms and dads to become better parents by entering their child’s world, choosing humility and asking forgiveness, learning how to express emotions in healthy ways, and the importance of establishing family rhythms.
Our culture pushes us to seek significance at careers, making money, power, etc — all away from our family. In this interview, Josh and Christi Straub emphasize the importance of being “famous at home.” On day one, they discuss putting your spouse first, the need to reconnect, and working on your spouse’s heart. On day two, Josh and Christi encourage moms and dads to become better parents by entering their child’s world, choosing humility and asking forgiveness, learning how to express emotions in healthy ways, and the importance of establishing family rhythms.
Bob and Wendy Griffith share their inspiring story of how God led them to foster three children and eventually add four children to their family permanently. They discuss the “power of one yes,” sharing how God multiplied their faithfulness within their church to see many other families get involved in foster care – and its lasting impact on the community. They’ll explain how everyone can be involved in blessing these children and foster care families by offering support.
Sarah Mackenzie, author of The Read-Aloud Family, explains how parents can strengthen their relationships with their children by reading books together as a family.
Tatum Green and Annie F. Downs describe the heartbreaking loss of Tatum’s 2nd child, TJ, who only lived for 56 days. In addition to navigating her own grief, Tatum had the extra challenge of helping her 2-year-old son Sam deal with the loss of his baby brother. A powerful program about trusting God and finding joy even in devastating grief.
Tensions abound for the Parker Family. An announcement from Wooton sparks interest from a mysterious blogger. And, Connie navigates the emotional twists created by a distant family member.
Theme: God's design for family
Jack and Joanne Allen throw Eugene Meltsner and Katrina Shanks a Valentine's Day engagement party. Eugene wants to give Katrina a ring, but Katrina's father gives her a family heirloom ring the same day.
Theme: Commitment
It's a time of surprises as Wooton becomes the celebrity guest at Comic-Connellsville - and encounters an unexpected visitor. Whit finds himself in conflict with Ms Adelaide over the upcoming "Let's Get Together Festival" in Odyssey.
Theme: God's design for family
Eugene and Katrina wrestle with a decision that will take them into uncharted territory at home. Meanwhile, being the center of attention at Comic-Connellsville puts Wooton in touch with fans and an art collector who wants all of Wooton's work.
Theme: God's design for family
Who knew that a comic-book convention, a poster, and a pastoral visit could cause so much drama in Odyssey? Wooton’s got his hands full with a notorious blogger after announcing the creation of a new comic book idea—and he has to deal with a wayward cousin. Whit refuses to join in a local festival and finds himself in a citywide tug-of-war between conviction and compromise. And the unexpected return of various relatives and former adversaries triggers complications for Connie, Eugene, and the rest of the Odyssey gang. It’s the perfect blend of excitement, comedy, and important life-lessons in this special 14-episode collection!
Theme: God's design for family
Mysteries are solved and new ones begin as Connie discovers what's inside the old trunk and Detective Polehaus investigates the vandalism to Whit's End.
Theme: God's design for family
Who knew that a comic-book convention, a poster, and a pastoral visit could cause so much drama in Odyssey? Wooton’s got his hands full with a notorious blogger after announcing the creation of a new comic book idea—and he has to deal with a wayward cousin. Whit refuses to join in a local festival and finds himself in a citywide tug-of-war between conviction and compromise. And the unexpected return of various relatives and former adversaries triggers complications for Connie, Eugene, and the rest of the Odyssey gang. It’s the perfect blend of excitement, comedy, and important life-lessons in this special 14-episode collection!
Theme: God's design for family
Who knew that a comic-book convention, a poster, and a pastoral visit could cause so much drama in Odyssey? Wooton’s got his hands full with a notorious blogger after announcing the creation of a new comic book idea—and he has to deal with a wayward cousin. Whit refuses to join in a local festival and finds himself in a citywide tug-of-war between conviction and compromise. And the unexpected return of various relatives and former adversaries triggers complications for Connie, Eugene, and the rest of the Odyssey gang. It’s the perfect blend of excitement, comedy, and important life-lessons in this special 14-episode collection!
Theme: God's design for family
The Parker family kids are convinced that they are too grown-up for a babysitter. A parents' night out, a nanny named Maria, and the neighbor's dog Bruno may be their opportunity to prove themselves.
Theme: Responsibility
The Parker's grandma comes for a Christmas visit, in the middle of an elaborate celebration cooked up by Eugene and Connie. The Parker family parents wonder if it's possible to have a Christmas without stress.
Theme: The true meaning of Christmas
After nearly being mauled by the junk in his own garage, David Parker declares that his family is going to have a yard sale. Will the entire Parker family survive parting with their treasures?
Theme: Storing up treasures in heaven
Camilla Parker desperately wants a pet, but her family seems to suffer from the “Parker Family Pet Curse.” To prove her responsibility, Camilla takes care of a baby blue jay.
Theme: Responsibility
The Parker family is in for a bumpy ride. It all starts when their grandmother comes to tell them that their Aunt Rosalita has decided to elope next week – in Odyssey, at their house!
Theme: The importance of family
For a historical exhibit, the Washington family must live as people on the frontier did.
Theme: Appreciating what you have
Grady's father, Carson McKay, returns to Odyssey after a long absence. The whole family must decide whether or not to trust him.
Theme: Forgiveness, salvation
Grady's father, Carson McKay, returns to Odyssey after a long absence. The whole family must decide whether or not to trust him.
Theme: Forgiveness, salvation
The Washingtons get stuck sitting with the Rathbones at a fancy restaurant.
Theme: Spending time with family
With her mom busy and her dad no longer at home, Mandy looks to the Washingtons for emotional support.
Theme: The importance of family; reaching out to others
The Washingtons can't find time for family devotions, and Eugene's new service organization has him running in circles!
Theme: Being too busy
Aubrey Shepard prepares to leave home for college, but her little sister, Bethany, doesn't want her to go.
Theme: Love of a family
At home alone on Christmas Eve, Whit remembers holidays past that were difficult--but still made for treasured family memories.
Theme: Selflessness
The Washington family considers moving across town so that Ed can be closer to work.
Theme: Sacrifice
Bernard Walton accompanies Wooton Bassett to Alaska for an unusual family reunion.
Theme: Grace
When Liz Horton's entire family abruptly goes missing, it's up to the kids of Odyssey (and a few of their friends) to solve the case.
Theme: Accepting help from others
The Washington family wins an all-expenses-paid vacation to nearby Tin Flat. But when they show up, the town is deserted.
Theme: Fitting in
Ed Washington thinks about quitting his high-paying job to work at Whit's End. His family considers the sacrifices they'll have to make.
Theme: Sacrifice; making tough choices
When Nathaniel Graham's family suddenly becomes very rich, he notices that the kids start to treat him differently.
Theme: How you treat others
The Mulligan family and their animals are threatened when heavy rains wash away a levy upriver from their farm.
Theme: Trust; Faith
The Mulligan family takes in a teenager with an attitude--a relative named Nick.
Theme: Foster parenting; Sibling rivalry
Connie tells the romantic story of Ruth, who risks all to stay committed to her family.
Theme: Bible history: Ruth; loyalty.
Connie tells the romantic story of Ruth, who risks all to stay committed to her family.
Theme: Bible history: Ruth; loyalty.
A stranger tells Jack the story of the Ross family, and their courageous run for freedom to escape slavery.
Theme: God in history; the sanctity of life.
A stranger tells Jack the story of the Ross family, and their courageous run for freedom to escape slavery.
Theme: God in history; the sanctity of life.
A stranger tells Jack the story of the Ross family, and their courageous run for freedom to escape slavery.
Theme: God in history; the sanctity of life.
The death of Connie's grandmother causes her family to ponder what death means for a Christian. Connie's father ponders what death means for a non-Christian.
Theme: Dealing with the death of a loved one.
Because George Barclay's demanding schedule is exhausting him, Jimmy and Donna are determined to make sure he takes a day off.
Theme: Family togetherness; dealing with stress.
Eugene and Bernard's cross-country journey gets waylaid in the middle of Iowa. There Bernard and Eugene meet Graham, a kid who desperately wants to leave his small-town life.
Theme: Family relationships.
In Hollywood, Bernard and Eugene meet the Smith-Hammer family. Bernard tells a little girl about Jesus, and Eugene is cast to star in a movie.
Theme: Trusting God in all situations; salvation.
In Hollywood, Bernard and Eugene meet the Smith-Hammer family. Bernard tells a little girl about Jesus, and Eugene is cast to star in a movie.
Theme: Trusting God in all situations; salvation.
The Barclays win a contest for an all-expenses paid vacation to Hawaii, but the Rathbones are coming along!
Theme: Family togetherness.
The Barclays win a contest for an all-expenses paid vacation to Hawaii, but the Rathbones are coming along!
Theme: Family togetherness.
The Barclays win a contest for an all-expenses paid vacation to Hawaii, but the Rathbones are coming along!
Theme: Family togetherness.
To win a contest, the Rathbones go on a frantic quest to become a perfect family.
Theme: The importance of strong families.
When Whit's grandson, Monty, arrives for a summer in Odyssey, the family finds they are in for more trouble--and more healing--than they expected.
Theme: Discipline; family conflict.
When Whit's grandson, Monty, arrives for a summer in Odyssey, the family finds they are in for more trouble--and more healing--than they expected.
Theme: Discipline; family conflict.
The Barclay family of four takes off for a Florida vacation, but they get stranded when the family car breaks down.
Theme: Family togetherness
The Barclay family of four takes off for a Florida vacation, but they get stranded when the family car breaks down.
Theme: Family togetherness
The Kirban family is new to Odyssey, and rumors about them abound. In spite of young Lucy Cunningham's caution, a curious boy named Jack Davis is determined to reveal the truth.
Theme: The dangers of gossip.
Whit finds himself overcommitted on Christmas eve, and the Barclay family wakes up to a surprise on Christmas morning.
Theme: The peace of God; the reason for the season.
The Barclays take the best vacation they've ever had – without leaving Odyssey!
Theme: Family togetherness.
The Barclay family's Christmas celebration is disrupted by the arrival of three unexpected "guests" in their back shed.
Theme: Charity; sacrifice.
While on a ski vacation with her family, Donna gets a crush on her ski instructor.
Theme: Family relations and togetherness.
The Barclay family's Thanksgiving holiday takes an unexpected turn when the flu hits their home, and Donna and Jimmy decide to fix dinner all by themselves.
Theme: Thanksgiving; being thankful.
Eugene makes an amazing discovery while walking through an old cemetery--the tombstone of his long-lost father.
Theme: The importance family heritage.
George Barclay considers a job change that would move the family away from Odyssey.
Theme: Knowing God's will.
The Barclay family decides to try sacrificing their television viewing for a month.
Theme: Sacrifice.
Eugene moves in with an unlikely roommate--window washer Bernard Walton!
Theme: Family relationships; getting along with others.
Eugene joins Bernard Walton for a family reunion--and uncovers a dark secret about his grandfather Meltsner's past.
Theme: Forgiveness
Philip Glossman arrives in Odyssey, hoping to build a highway through Tom Riley's land.
Theme: The importance of family memories; God's protection.
The Barclay family holds a yard sale to tidy up their cluttered attic.
Theme: Setting proper priorities.
The Barclay family is thrown into turmoil when George gets laid off from his job.
Theme: Seeking God first; trusting in His protection and provision.
The grand opening of the Timothy Center retreat facilities is full of unexpected surprises, especially when the Shepard family arrives and daughter Aubrey immediately runs away.
Theme: God's leading
Who knew that a comic-book convention, a poster, and a pastoral visit could cause so much drama in Odyssey? Wooton’s got his hands full with a notorious blogger after announcing the creation of a new comic book idea—and he has to deal with a wayward cousin. Whit refuses to join in a local festival and finds himself in a citywide tug-of-war between conviction and compromise. And the unexpected return of various relatives and former adversaries triggers complications for Connie, Eugene, and the rest of the Odyssey gang. It’s the perfect blend of excitement, comedy, and important life-lessons in this special 14-episode collection!
Theme: God's design for family
Who knew that a comic-book convention, a poster, and a pastoral visit could cause so much drama in Odyssey? Wooton’s got his hands full with a notorious blogger after announcing the creation of a new comic book idea—and he has to deal with a wayward cousin. Whit refuses to join in a local festival and finds himself in a citywide tug-of-war between conviction and compromise. And the unexpected return of various relatives and former adversaries triggers complications for Connie, Eugene, and the rest of the Odyssey gang. It’s the perfect blend of excitement, comedy, and important life-lessons in this special 14-episode collection!
Theme: God's design for family
Who knew that a comic-book convention, a poster, and a pastoral visit could cause so much drama in Odyssey? Wooton’s got his hands full with a notorious blogger after announcing the creation of a new comic book idea—and he has to deal with a wayward cousin. Whit refuses to join in a local festival and finds himself in a citywide tug-of-war between conviction and compromise. And the unexpected return of various relatives and former adversaries triggers complications for Connie, Eugene, and the rest of the Odyssey gang. It’s the perfect blend of excitement, comedy, and important life-lessons in this special 14-episode collection!
Theme: God's design for family
When Nathaniel Graham's family suddenly becomes very rich, he notices that the kids start to treat him differently.
Theme:
Who knew that a comic-book convention, a poster, and a pastoral visit could cause so much drama in Odyssey? Wooton’s got his hands full with a notorious blogger after announcing the creation of a new comic book idea—and he has to deal with a wayward cousin. Whit refuses to join in a local festival and finds himself in a citywide tug-of-war between conviction and compromise. And the unexpected return of various relatives and former adversaries triggers complications for Connie, Eugene, and the rest of the Odyssey gang. It’s the perfect blend of excitement, comedy, and important life-lessons in this special 14-episode collection!
Theme: God's design for family
Who knew that a comic-book convention, a poster, and a pastoral visit could cause so much drama in Odyssey? Wooton’s got his hands full with a notorious blogger after announcing the creation of a new comic book idea—and he has to deal with a wayward cousin. Whit refuses to join in a local festival and finds himself in a citywide tug-of-war between conviction and compromise. And the unexpected return of various relatives and former adversaries triggers complications for Connie, Eugene, and the rest of the Odyssey gang. It’s the perfect blend of excitement, comedy, and important life-lessons in this special 14-episode collection!
Theme: God's design for family
Who knew that a comic-book convention, a poster, and a pastoral visit could cause so much drama in Odyssey? Wooton’s got his hands full with a notorious blogger after announcing the creation of a new comic book idea—and he has to deal with a wayward cousin. Whit refuses to join in a local festival and finds himself in a citywide tug-of-war between conviction and compromise. And the unexpected return of various relatives and former adversaries triggers complications for Connie, Eugene, and the rest of the Odyssey gang. It’s the perfect blend of excitement, comedy, and important life-lessons in this special 14-episode collection!
Theme: God's design for family
Who knew that a comic-book convention, a poster, and a pastoral visit could cause so much drama in Odyssey? Wooton’s got his hands full with a notorious blogger after announcing the creation of a new comic book idea—and he has to deal with a wayward cousin. Whit refuses to join in a local festival and finds himself in a citywide tug-of-war between conviction and compromise. And the unexpected return of various relatives and former adversaries triggers complications for Connie, Eugene, and the rest of the Odyssey gang. It’s the perfect blend of excitement, comedy, and important life-lessons in this special 14-episode collection!
Theme: God's design for family
When Buck comes over for dinner with the Parkers, Olivia and Camilla are determined to show him the perfect family. Meanwhile, Penny realizes that she and Wooton may be spiritually incompatible.
Theme:
Wooton travels to Pittsburgh with his new fiancée Penny to meet her family. While there, Wooton discovers that his future in-laws have serious concerns about the upcoming wedding.
Theme: Words From the Wise
When Eva Parker reveals that she doesn't know how to ride a bike, the whole family pitches in to help her overcome her anxiety. Meanwhile, Olivia and Matthew must face fears of their own.
Theme: Cycle of Fear
Whit takes a much-needed prayer retreat to the mountains and lands in the middle of a decades-old family feud.
Theme: The value of Scripture reading
The Myers family come to Odyssey with a secret: Father and husband Ernie Myers is in jail.
Theme: Having a parent in prison.
After skipping a fishing trip with his dad, Jason gets caught up in a mystery involving a music box, a few books, and a father’s inheritance.
Theme: Family relationships
When school is cancelled, Buddy goes sledding with the Parker family. On the way to the park and back, he faces a series of menacing obstacles and fights with a new nemesis while trying to retrieve a coat for the maiden Olivia.
Theme: Crushes
Wooton and Penny find a digital camera at the bottom of Trickle Lake and determine to find its owner. However, the camera’s owner may have a strange connection to Wooton himself. Meanwhile, Buck laments his lack of family connections so Eugene takes him on a road trip to find more about his history.
Theme: Family
When the Parker children forget to bring some food inside from a family picnic, David makes it his mission to teach them about initiative. The methods he uses to get the message to his kids become more and more extreme.
Theme: Initiative
Mold forces the Parker family out of their house. Until it’s fixed, Matthew stays with Grandma Lucia while Olivia and Camilla stay with the Bassett family. What seems like a dream come true for the kids eventually turns into a mission to save their family.
Theme: Family Togetherness
A mysterious package arrives at the Meltsner home containing clues about Buck’s checkered family past while a hope chest at Jason’s antique shop may be the target of an old nemesis.
Theme: Family
The conclusion of Buck and Mr. Skint’s sordid tangle of cons finally leads Buck to learn the truth about his family, both past and present.
Theme: The Danger of Lies
Connie, Jason, Jillian, and Detective Polehaus continue their investigation of the suspicious groom and discover that his – and the whole family’s – past is more complicated than they could have imagined.
Theme: Forgiveness
Jules’s rollercoaster of a musical career hits a seeming high-point, but her friends and family back in Odyssey must deal with the ramifications of her new-found fame.
Theme: Behavior and Character, Identity
Olivia’s battles with doubts reach a climax as her family, friends, and even a Russian philosopher fight for her heart and soul.
Theme: Belief, Faith
Buck Oliver receives an anonymous message that leads him back to his hometown of Harlanville – and the forgotten story of his father’s death.
Theme: Family Togetherness, Relationships
Buck and Jules learn more of Buck’s family history from a long-lost friend while Eugene and Katrina consider Buck’s future in their family.
Theme: Family Togetherness, Relationships
Buck’s place in Odyssey and with the Meltsners is put to the test through unlikely friends and foes.
Theme: Family Togetherness, Relationships
While Wooton is out of town, Penny Bassett attends a charity art auction with surprising guests—Wooton's estranged mother and father.
Theme: Connecting with Family, Grace, Honesty, Strong convictions
While floating above the bedlam as she and her wounded family are rushed to the hospital after a bad car accident, young Mia has an important question to answer: Will she or won't she … stay? (PG-13) Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
Does family still matter in today's society?
Disneynature shuffles along with a family of Alaskan grizzlies. Bear hugs all around!
What if Elvis Presley's twin brother had lived … and been secretly adopted by a minister's family? The Identical ponders that oddly provocative question. (PG) Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
A white grandfather (Kevin Costner) squares off against his granddaughter's black grandmother (Octavia Spencer) in a dramatic dramedy about race, identity, love, family, addiction and redemption. (PG-13) Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
This historical docudrama chronicles the real-life story of an aging Jewish-Austrian woman's efforts to reclaim her family's famous "Lady in Gold" painting stolen by the Nazis during World War II. (PG-13) Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
Toula and her big fat Greek family are just as bold and brassy as you remember, just as warm and welcoming. (PG-13) Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
You can't help but feel at least a bit connected to little Yarny and his soft, colorful and, happily, family-friendly scrapbook of memories tale. (E) Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
The Peanuts Movie is the perfect representation of some 50 years of Charles Schulz comic strips, condensed into a single feel-good family flick. (G) Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
Toula and her big fat Greek family are just as bold and brassy as you remember, just as warm and welcoming. (PG-13) Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
This effort from Lady Antebellum singer Hillary Scott could hardly be more focused on Jesus if it tried. Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
Praiseworthy shoutouts to God, Marriage, family and church compete with more problematic content on this rising country band's latest effort. Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
Even in films like this one that are otherwise chockfull of uplifting, pro-family messages, parents have to stay vigilant to the very end. (PG) Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
For 50 years the crew of the Enterprise have been boldly beaming us up into their final frontier. But is the latest #Star Trek Beyond a family friendly journey? (PG-13) Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
Lion is a gripping, moving, inspiring film about family and adoption that's high in heart and relatively low in content. (PG-13) Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
Aesthetically, Doctor Strange is a good movie, one of the strongest in the Marvel canon thus far. But is it a good movie? A movie suitable for you or your family? That depends. (PG-13) Read our full review on Plugged In Online.
Gifted delivers a heartstring-plucking message about our need to love and be loved. It proudly proclaims the self-sacrificial, life-changing joys of family (with only a handful of content concerns to navigate). Read the Review
Bill Farrel is an international speaker and co-author of the best-selling books The Marriage Code, The First Five Years, and Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti. He holds a Masters of Divinity in Practical Theology with an emphasis on counseling, and is a former small group pastor at Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, Calif. Bill and his wife, Pam, have three children and several grandchildren. Learn more about Bill and his work at love-wise.com.
Pam Farrel is an engaging and energetic leader who has impacted women’s lives with her experience as an international speaker, women’s ministry director, radio co-host, newspaper columnist, pastor’s wife, youth leader and mentor. One of her unique abilities is to write and teach alongside her husband, Bill. Together they have authored many marriage and family books, including the best-selling Red Hot Monogamy. Learn more about Pam and her work at love-wise.com.
Dr. Tony Evans is founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, founder and president of The Urban Alternative teaching ministry, and former chaplain of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. His radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard on nearly 1,000 US radio outlets daily and in more than 130 countries. His latest book is Kingdom Focus: Rethinking Today in Light of Eternity, published by Focus on the Family. For more information, visit TonyEvans.org.
Roger Ingolia is a managing supervisor of Focus on the Family's custodial staff while his wife, Diane, manages the ministry's Guest Relations Department. The Ingolias met at a bible study in college and have been married for 37 years. For 35 of those years, they have worked together as pre-marital, marriage and parenting coaches. The couple has two grown children and four grandchildren.
Dr. Juli Slattery is a clinical psychologist, author and the co-founder of Authentic Intimacy, a ministry dedicated to reclaiming God’s design for sexuality. In addition to speaking, she hosts the weekly podcast Java with Juli. In 2020, Juli launched Sexual Discipleship®, an online platform to equip Christian leaders for gospel-centered conversations about sexual issues. Juli served at Focus on the Family from 2008 to 2012 as a writer, teacher and co-host of the Focus on the Family Broadcast. She’s the author of 12 books, including God, Sex, & Your Marriage; Rethinking Sexuality; and Sex & the Single Girl. She and her husband live in Akron, Ohio, and have three grown sons.
Dr. Jared Pingleton is an author, clinical psychologist, minister, and current Director of Focus on the Family's Counseling Department. Prior to coming to Focus, he founded and directed The Relationship Center in Missouri. Jared and his wife, Linda, have four sons.
Jim Daly is an author and broadcaster, president of Focus on the Family and host of its daily radio broadcast, which is heard by more than 6.6 million listeners a week and has been honored as Program of the Year by the National Religious Broadcasters.
Under his leadership, the ministry has reinvigorated its traditional focus on helping couples build strong marriages and raise healthy, resilient kids. In just the last 12 months, with the help of Focus on the Family, 610,000 couples have built stronger marriages and 697,000 moms and dads built stronger, healthier, and more God-honoring families.
Daly and his wife, Jean, have two sons and live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
John Fuller is vice president of the Audio division and co-host of the daily "Focus on the Family" radio program. He speaks and writes about family, faith, media and business. John and his wife, Dena, reside in Colorado Springs, Colo., and have six children.
Dr. Tony Evans is founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, founder and president of The Urban Alternative teaching ministry, and former chaplain of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. His radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard on nearly 1,000 US radio outlets daily and in more than 130 countries. His latest book is Kingdom Focus: Rethinking Today in Light of Eternity, published by Focus on the Family. For more information, visit TonyEvans.org.
Kathi Lipp is the author of many books including Ready for Anything: Preparing Your Heart and Home for Any Crisis Big or Small, Clutter Free, Hot Mama: 12 Secrets to a Sizzling Hot Marriage, The Get Yourself Organized Project, The Husband Project and You Don’t Have to Try So Hard. She is a frequent guest on radio and TV, and host of the podcast Clutter Free Academy. Kathi and her husband, Roger, are the parents of four young adults in Somerset, Calif. Learn more about Kathi by visiting her website, www.kathilipp.com. You can read more from Kathi on her blog.
Alex McFarland is a Christian apologist and evangelist who has spoken at hundreds of churches, college campuses and events throughout the United States and abroad. He is a nationally-recognized culture and religion expert who has been interviewed by numerous major media outlets. Alex has published more than 150 articles and authored 16 books including the best-selling The 10 Most Common Objections to Christianity – and How to Answer Them. He is the nationally-syndicated radio host of Exploring the World which airs Monday-Friday on the American Family Radio network. Alex and his wife, Angie, reside in North Carolina. Learn more about Alex by visiting his website, www.alexmcfarland.com.
Lynne Thompson is a public speaker and a writer who has published more than 300 magazine articles. She is also author of "The Official Soccer Mom Devotional" and a contributing author to several books including "Chicken Soup to Inspire a Woman's Soul" and "Stories from a Soldier's Heart." Lynne is regularly featured on Focus on the Family's Weekend Magazine broadcast as "The Soccer Mom." She and her husband, Pete, reside in California with their two kids.
Dr. Jared Pingleton is a clinical psychologist, author and minister. He is also the Director of Focus on the Family's Counseling Department. Prior to coming to Focus, Dr. Pingleton founded and directed The Relationship Center in Missouri. He and his wife, Linda, have four sons.
Dr. Don Graber retired in 2013 following a professional career that spanned more than 35 years. He worked as a psychiatrist in private practice, as a staff psychiatrist and as the medical director of a psychiatric hospital. Dr. Graber continues to serve in his field as a member of Focus on the Family's Physicians Resource Council.
Dr. Ricardo Whyte is the Director of Chemical Dependency Services at Loma Linda Behavioral Medicine Center of Loma Linda University. He also serves as the Medical Director of the Outpatient Psychiatry Service of the Loma Linda University Psychiatry Department at the Behavioral Health Institute, and on Focus on the Family's Physicians Resource Council. Dr. Whyte and his wife, Florence, have one child, a daughter named Alexi.
A nationally-recognized family physician practicing for over 35 years, Dr. Walt Larimore currently sees occupational health patients at UC Health in Colorado Springs, Colo., and holds an adjunct clinical academic appointment at the In His Image Family Medicine Residency Program in Tulsa, Okla. He is an award-winning medical journalist and a best-selling author of more than 30 books on the topics of health, marriage, faith, and more. Formerly, Dr. Larimore served as Focus on the Family’s Vice President of Medical Outreach and Focus’ Physician in Residence. He and his wife, Barb, have two grown children and two grandchildren. Learn more about Dr. Larimore by visiting his website, www.drwalt.com.
John Stonestreet is President of The Chuck Colson Center which seeks to build and resource a movement of Christians committed to living and defending the Christian worldview. The Center was begun by Chuck Colson in 1991 as a radio broadcast called BreakPoint, of which John now serves as co-host. John is a popular public speaker and the co-author of four books including A Practical Guide to Culture and Restoring All Things. He and his wife, Sarah, have three daughters and recently welcomed a baby boy in to their family.
Gary Thomas is an international speaker and best-selling, award-winning author whose books include Married Sex, Sacred Marriage and Sacred Parenting. He has also written numerous articles for several prominent national magazines. Gary and his wife, Lisa, live in Colorado and have three grown children. You can learn more about Gary by visiting his website, www.garythomas.com.
Ted Cunningham is the founding pastor of Woodland Hills Family Church in Branson, Missouri. He and his wife, Amy, have been married for over 20 years and have two children, Corynn and Carson. Ted is the author of Fun Loving You, Trophy Child, and Young and In Love, and coauthor of four books with Dr. Gary Smalley including The Language of Sex and From Anger to Intimacy. Ted’s most recent release is A Love That Laughs. He is a comedian on the Date Night Comedy Tour and a frequent conference speaker at churches and events across the nation. Ted is a graduate of Liberty University and Dallas Theological Seminary. Learn more about Ted by visiting his church’s website.
Ron Deal is one of the most widely read and viewed experts on blended families in the nation. He directs the blended family ministry at FamilyLife and is the author of more than a dozen books and resources including the best-selling The Smart Stepfamily and Building Love Together in Blended Families: The 5 Love Languages® and Becoming Stepfamily Smart with Dr. Gary Chapman. Ron is a licensed marriage and family therapist, a popular conference speaker, and the host of the podcast FamilyLife Blended . His work has been referenced by numerous major media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. Ron and his wife, Nan, have three sons and live in Little Rock, Arkansas. Learn more about Ron at his website, rondeal.org.
Dr. Kevin Leman is an internationally known family psychologist and an award-winning, New York Times best-selling author. He is also a popular public speaker and media personality who has made countless guest appearances on numerous radio and TV programs. Dr. Leman has written more than 50 books including The Birth Order Book, Have a New Kid by Friday and Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours. He and his wife, Sande, reside in Tucson, Ariz., and have five children and several grandchildren. Learn more about Dr. Leman by visiting his websites, drleman.com and birthorderguy.com.
Dr. Greg Smalley serves as the vice president of Marriage at Focus on the Family. In this role, he develops and oversees initiatives that prepare individuals for marriage, strengthen and nurture existing marriages and help couples in marital crises. Prior to joining Focus, Smalley worked for the Center for Relationship Enrichment at John Brown University and as president of the National Institute of Marriage. He is the author of 20 books including Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage and Fight Your Way to a Better Marriage, and he is the co-author of The DNA of Relationships for Couples.
Erin Smalley serves as the strategic spokesperson for Focus on the Family’s marriage ministry, where she develops content for the marriage ministry. Erin is also a licensed professional counselor with a private practice (Smalley Marriage), as well as an author and conference speaker.
Suzanne Hadley Gosselin is a regular writer and editor for Focus on the Family and former editor of Clubhouse Jr. magazine. She has written books for Zondervan, Harvest House, and Tyndale, and is the author of Expectant Parents: Preparing Together for the Journey of Parenthood. Suzanne is also the co-author of Grit and Grace: Devotions for Warrior Moms. She lives in California with her husband, Kevin, a pastor, and four young children. Learn more about Suzanne at her website, suzannegosselin.com.
Patsy Clairmont is a popular public speaker who, for the past 40 years, has addressed millions of women around North America, encouraging them in their faith through laughter, tears and hope. She is also a best-selling author of more than 35 books including You Are More Than You Know: Face Your Fears, Grow Stronger. Patsy’s writing career began with God Uses Cracked Pots, published by Focus on the Family. Patsy and her husband, Les, have been married for over 50 years, and live in Franklin, Tenn. Learn more about Patsy by visiting her website, www.patsyclairmont.com.
Lisa Anderson is Focus on the Family’s Director of Young Adults, and the manager of Boundless, Focus’ ministry for helping 20- and 30-somethings grow up, own their faith, date with purpose and prepare for marriage and family. She hosts The Boundless Show, a national radio program and weekly podcast, where she leads discussions on timely issues and interviews authors, artists and other newsmakers. Lisa is the author of The Dating Manifesto: A Drama-Free Plan for Pursuing Marriage With Purpose. She grew up in San Jose, California, is a graduate of Trinity International University in Chicago, and worked in media relations for much of her career before joining Boundless.
Dr. Kathy Koch is the founder and president of Celebrate Kids, Inc., an organization dedicated to helping parents and educators understand and meet the needs of today’s children, and a co-founder of Ignite the Family: A Movement of Awakened Parents. She is also an international speaker and the author of several books including Screens and Teens, No More Perfect Kids and How Am I Smart? Dr. Koch earned her Ph.D. in reading and educational psychology from Purdue University. She resides in Ft. Worth, TX. Learn more about Dr. Koch at www.celebratekids.com.
Glenn T. Stanton is the director for Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs and a research fellow at the Institute of Marriage and Family in Ottawa. He debates and lectures extensively on the issues of gender, sexuality, marriage and parenting at universities and churches around the country. He served the George W. Bush administration for many years as a consultant on increasing fatherhood involvement in the Head Start program. Stanton is the author of five books and a contributor to nine others, including "Why Marriage Matters: Reasons to Believe in Marriage in Postmodern Society", "My Crazy, Imperfect Christian Family" and "Marriage on Trial: The Case Against Same-Sex Marriage and Parenting", which was featured on C-SPAN BookTV. His latest book, "The Ring Makes All the Difference", explains the latest research findings, as well as biblical wisdom, on why cohabitation is not a smart idea for couples and their children. Stanton's previous book, "Secure Daughters, Confident Sons: How Parents Guide Their Children Into Authentic Masculinity and Femininity", explored how mothers and fathers raise girls and boys to be strong, healthy women and men. Stanton and his wife have five endlessly growing and amazing children, and they live in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Lysa TerKeurst is the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and the #1 New York Times best-selling author of Forgiving What You Can’t Forget, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, and Uninvited. She writes from her gray farm table and lives with her family in North Carolina. Connect with her at LysaTerKeurst.com or on Twitter @LysaTerKeurst.
Joanna Brown is the Senior Communications Coordinator for the Media & Public Relations team at Focus on the Family. She has worked for Focus since 2006 and has previously served in the broadcasting and administration areas of the ministry. Joanna and her husband, Doug, reside in Colorado Springs, Colo., and have three daughters.
John Rosemond is a family psychologist who currently devotes much of his time to public speaking and writing. He has authored 17 books including A Family of Value, The Six-Point Plan for Raising Happy, Healthy Children and Because I Said So! Rosemond also writes a nationally syndicated parenting column that appears in about 250 newspapers nationwide. He and his wife, Willie, reside in North Carolina and have two grown children and seven grandchildren.
Brian Ivie is the award-winning director of The Drop Box and co-founder of Kindred Image, an organization committed to raising awareness of the life-saving work of Pastor Lee Jong-rak at Jusarang Community Church in Seoul, South Korea. Brian served as a second unit director on Focus on the Family’s first documentary film, Irreplaceable. He is also a published film critic and recreational songwriter.
Kelly Rosati is the Focus on the Family Vice President of Advocacy for Children, where she serves as the ministry spokesperson on child advocacy issues. She oversees efforts that include the Adoption and Orphan Care Initiative, Option Ultrasound and community care outreach. Prior to joining Focus, Kelly served as the executive director of Hawaii Family Forum where she advocated for Hawaii's children and families in the legislature and media. She is a frequent public speaker on the topics of the sanctity of human life and adoption and orphan care, and has been featured in various media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The Denver Post and New York Daily News. Kelly and her husband have four children.
Carol Boley is a writer and speaker who's been involved in women's ministry for more than 35 years. She leads seminars and workshops specializing in family-related topics including stepfamilies, multi-generational living and raising bright children. Carol has contributed her writing to publications like Guideposts, Better Family Living, Moody Monthly, Navy Times and Arizona Magazine. Her first book, co-autored with Kathi Lipp, is called But I'm Not a Wicked Stepmother! Carol and her husband, Jim, have three grown daughters. Learn more about Carol by visiting her website: www.carolboley.com.
Roma Downey is an actress, a producer, and the president of LightWorkers Media, the faith and family division of MGM Studios. One of Roma’s most widely-known roles was her portrayal of the character Monica in the popular CBS television series, Touched by an Angel, a performance that earned her Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominations. She also played Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the 2013 hit TV miniseries The Bible, which she co-produced with her husband, Mark Burnett. Roma has authored several books, the most recent of which, Box of Butterflies, was a New York Times best-seller. Learn more about Roma by visiting her bio page at IMDb.com.
Dave Carder served as Pastor of Counseling Ministries at First Evangelical Free Church in Fullerton, California for 32 years. He holds graduate degrees in biblical literature and in marital and family therapy and is a clinical member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. Dave has authored several books including Anatomy of an Affair; Torn Asunder, and Unlocking Your Family Patterns. He and his wife, Ronnie, have four adult children and many grandchildren. Learn more about Dave by visiting his website: davecarder.com.
Sharen Ford is a nationally-recognized child welfare consultant and the retired Manager for Permanency Services for the Colorado Department of Human Services in the Division of Child Welfare Services. She retired with 30 years of comprehensive work history with the department. She oversaw six programmatic areas including the Foster Care and Adoption Program and supervised a team of professional staff. Dr. Ford is the former President of the National Association of State Adoption Programs (NASAP) and the Association of Administrators for the Interstate Compact on Adoption Medical Assistance (AAICAMA). She currently serves as the Director for Foster Care and Adoption at Focus on the Family and is as committed as ever to raising awareness regarding the need for every child to have a quality family.
Phil Callaway is a best-selling author, a syndicated columnist, and a popular speaker. He hosts a daily radio feature called Laugh Again which airs across North America, the United Kingdom, and Africa. Phil has written more than 25 books including Laugh Like a Kid Again and Under Par: Celebrating Life’s Great Moments On and Off the Golf Course. His humorous stories on family life have been featured in hundreds of magazines around the world. Phil and his wife, Ramona, reside in Alberta, Canada. They have three grown children and ten grandchildren. Learn more about Phil by visiting his website, philcallaway.com.
Dennis Mansfield is an author, a conference speaker and a business coach. He has written or co-written four books: Beautiful Nate, Finding Malone, Do or Die Time and Benghazi and Beyond. Dennis helped lead the fight for traditional family values for almost two decades while working in association with Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council and the Promise Keepers movement. He and his wife, Susan, reside in Idaho and have three children and two grandchildren. Learn more about Dennis by visiting his website Dennismansfield.com.
Kara Powell, PhD, is the Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) and a faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary. Named by Christianity Today as one of “50 Women to Watch,” Kara serves as a Youth and Family Strategist for Orange, and also speaks regularly at parenting and leadership conferences. Kara is the author or co-author of a number of books including Growing Young, The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family, Sticky Faith Curriculum, Can I Ask That?, Deep Justice Journeys, Essential Leadership, Deep Justiceina Broken World, Deep Ministry in a Shallow World, and the Good Sex Youth Ministry Curriculum.
Ray Vander Laan is the founder of That the World May Know Ministries and the creator and host of Focus on the Family’s widely-acclaimed That the World May Know resource series. Through his work, Ray has brought the ancient world of the Bible to life, offering powerful insights into God’s Word and its relevance for believers today. Now, Ray is taking his teachings even further with the new RVL Discipleship: The Study — a dynamic, in-depth video course designed to help Christians deepen their faith and walk the path of true discipleship. Whether for personal growth, family discipleship, or church small groups, this study challenges participants to understand the Bible in its historical context, drawing powerful connections to modern-day faith. Ray serves as a religion instructor at Holland Christian Schools in Holland, Mich., and is an ordained minister with the Christian Reformed Church. He and his wife, Esther, are blessed with four grown children and many grandchildren.
Becky Johnson is a writer, speaker and blogger. Becky and her daughter, Rachel Randolph, are the authors of Nourished: A Search for Health, Happiness and a Full Night's Sleep.
Rachel Randolph is a writer, speaker and blogger. Rachel and her mother, Becky Johnson, are the authors of Nourished: A Search for Health, Happiness and a Full Night's Sleep.
Rob Parsons is an international speaker and best-selling author. He is the founder and chairman of Care for the Family, a charity which aims to strengthen family life and help those hurting because of family difficulties, primarily in the United Kingdom. Rob has spoken to over a million people at live events on family issues and at Christian and corporate events around the world. He has written several best-selling books, including The Sixty Minute … series on marriage, parenting and family life. Rob is married to Dianne, lives in Cardiff in South Wales, and has two adult children, and five grandchildren.
Eva Daniel likes coffee, (and others like her better after she’s had a few cups!), she and her husband, Jacob, have two awesome boys, and a rambunctious puppy--which means everything in her house is either broken or smelly. Eva loves the great outdoors, and also the great indoors (as long as it involves shopping), has an affinity for fancy coffee, donuts, running, Taylor Swift, red lipstick, cooking, reading, the show Fixer Upper and traveling. She loves Jesus and believes the best way to engage others with truth is by first showing love. One of Eva's biggest passions is finding, developing great stories as a Senior Producer for the daily Focus on the Family radio program. She also serves as co-host for the Life at the Speed of Kids podcast.
Dr. John Trent is the president of Strong Families, an organization committed to strengthening family relationships. He is also a conference speaker and an award-winning, best-selling author whose recent books include Breaking the Cycle of Divorce, Heartshift and Leading from Your Strengths. Dr. Trent holds a Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Counseling from North Central Texas Federation of Colleges and Universities. He and his wife, Cindy, have two daughters. Learn more about Dr. Trent by visiting www.strongfamilies.com, and check out his recently revised book The Language of Love by visiting encouragingwords.com.
A sought after national and international speaker, Donna has addressed audiences in 16 states and on four continents. She's the author of four books including Seek: A Woman's Guide to Meeting God and Taming Your Family Zoo. Donna's been featured in Parents and Better Homes and Gardens magazines and has been on numerous radio and television shows. She and her husband, JP, reside in southern California and have three young adult children. Learn more about Donna by visiting her website Donnajones.org.
Eugene Cho is the founder and lead pastor of Quest Church in Seattle. He is also the founder of One Day's Wages, a grassroots movement dedicated to alleviating global poverty. Eugene recently released his first book, Overrated: Are We More in Love With the Idea of Changing the World Than Actually Changing It? He and his wife, Minhee, have three children.
Scott Stanley, Ph.D., is a research professor and co-director of the Center for Marital and Family Studies at the University of Denver. He has authored/co-authored many books including Fighting for Your Marriage, The Power of Commitment and A Lasting Promise. To learn more about Dr. Stanley, visit his blog: www.slidingvsdeciding.com.
Darryl Strawberry is a former Major League Baseball player who helped lead the New York Mets and New York Yankees to World Series championships in the 1980s and 1990s. He was an eight-time All Star player and was inducted into the Mets' Hall of Fame in 2010. Darryl is now an ordained minister and the co-founder of Strawberry Ministries, along with his wife, Tracy. The couple has also co-authored a book titled The Imperfect Marriage: Help for Those Who Think It's Over.
Mark Gungor is one of the most sought-after speakers on marriage and family, with thousands of people attending his seminars and keynote speeches each year. He is the senior pastor of Celebration Church, a multi-site church with five campuses across Wisconsin. Mark is also the CEO of Laugh Your Way America and author of the best-selling book Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage. He and his wife, Debbie, have two grown children and six grandchildren. Learn more about Mark by visiting his website, www.markgungor.com.
Kay Wills Wyma is an author, blogger, video podcaster and mother of five. She regularly speaks, contributes and is a guest on local, national and international platforms having appeared on the TODAY Show, CNN, The New York Times, Focus on the Family, Hallmark Home & Family, and more. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, she held positions at the White House, the Staubach Company, and Bank of America. Kay lives in the Dallas area with her husband, Jon, and their family. Check out Kay’s website here.
Dr. John Townsend is a clinical psychologist, a marriage and family therapist, a popular public speaker and the co-founder of Cloud-Townsend Resources. He is also the author or co-author of numerous books including God Will Make a Way, How People Grow and Who's Pushing Your Buttons? Dr. Townsend holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Biola University. He resides in Southern California with his wife and sons. Learn how you can earn a graduate degree in Dr. Townsend's methodology at The Townsend Institute.
Courtney DeFeo is a blogger, a public speaker, and the author of In This House, We Will Giggle: Making Virtues, Love & Laughter a Daily Part of Your Family Life. After leaving a career in the corporate sector in 2011, she founded Lil Light O’ Mine with a mission to empower moms and change children’s lives through innovation in the home. Lil Light O’ Mine offers moms resources that teach kids biblically-based values while adding decorative beauty and style to the home. Courtney and her husband, Ron, have two young daughters and reside in Dallas. Learn more about Courtney by visiting her website, www.courtneydefeo.com.
Created for ages 8-12 and enjoyed by the whole family, Adventures in Odyssey® award-winning audio dramas teach lasting truths and bring biblical principles to life, with just the right balance of fun, faith and imagination. Learn more by visiting the official Adventures in Odyssey website, www.whitsend.org.
Through her blog Queen of Free, Cherie Lowe offers practical strategies for saving money and pursuing a debt-free life. She encourages her readers with her inspirational story of how her family managed to pay off a debt of more than $127,000. Cherie's story has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, and she makes a weekly appearance as a savings expert on an NBC Television news affiliate in Indianapolis. Cherie is author of the book Slaying the Debt Dragon. She and her husband, Brian, have two daughters.
Al Robertson is the eldest son of Phil Robertson, the founder of the successful Duck Commander brand of duck-hunting merchandise and the head of the Robertson family who is featured on the highly popular A&E reality television show Duck Dynasty. Al helped his father build the foundation of the family business and recently returned to it after serving in full-time ministry for more than 25 years. Al made his first appearance on Duck Dynasty during the show's fourth season premiere and has become known as the "Beardless Brother" of the family, whose men are known for their long beards. Al and his wife, Lisa, have two grown daughters and six grandchildren. Learn more about Al and Lisa at their website, alandlisarobertson.com.
Lisa Robertson and her husband, Al, are members of the famous Robertson family who is featured on the highly popular A&E reality television show Duck Dynasty. Lisa and Al share a speaking ministry in which they have addressed audiences at churches, marriage retreats and seminars for more than 15 years. The couple has co-authored a book titled A New Season, and they are currently working on a couple's devotional book due to be released in early 2016. Lisa has also co-authored The Women of Duck Commander along with her sisters- and mother-in-law. Al and Lisa have two grown daughters and six grandchildren. Learn more about Lisa and Al at their website, alandlisarobertson.com.
Gary Smalley (deceased) was a best-selling, award-winning author, a popular public speaker and a renowned family relationship expert. He was the founder and president of the Smalley Institute, which provides practical relationship help through conferences, resources and counseling. Gary passed away on March 6, 2016, at age 75. He is survived by his wife, Norma, their three children and several grandchildren. Learn more about Gary, his ministry and resources by visiting the Smalley Institute's website.
Jill Rigby Garner is a speaker, a columnist and an author of several books. She is also a family advocate and the founder of Manners of the Heart, an organization that seeks to transform homes, schools and communities through character education. Jill's books include Raising Respectful Children in a Disrespectful World and Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World.Jill is the mother of two grown identical twin boys, and she resides in Baton Rouge, La. Learn more about Jill by visiting her website, www.jillrigbygarner.com.
Jerry and Judy Schreur are the proud grandparents of five grandchildren and joint authors of several books, including Creative Grandparenting: How to Love and Nurture a New Generation. Jerry is a marriage and family counselor, and an educator and researcher with a Ph.D. in Family Studies and Marriage and Family Therapy. Judy is a retired professional manager, humorist and featured speaker at the "Time Out for Women" National Conference.
Steve Farrar was a popular speaker and best-selling author of over 20 books including Point Man: How a Man Can Lead His Family; Manna: When You’re Out of Options, God will Provide; True Courage; and Battle Ready. He was the founder and chairman of Men’s Leadership Ministries and conducted more than 600 men’s conferences across North America. Steve holds a doctorate from Dallas Theological Seminary and taught a weekly men’s bible study in Dallas for many years. He and his wife, Mary, have three grown children. Steve died unexpectedly in February 2022 at the age of 72. Learn more about Steve by visiting his website, www.stevefarrar.com.
Michael Anderson is a licensed psychologist with an active practice in the Twin Cities.He has worked in the field of social work and family psychology for 30 years, focusing on children, adolescents and their parents. In addition to parenting his own three children, Michael and his wife have been short term foster parents for 13 adolescents. Michael is a frequent speaker on the topics of mental health and parenting, and has consulted with school boards, teachers, coaching staffs and youth leaders in implementing the principles in his book (co-authored with Dr. Timothy Johanson), GIST: The Essence of Raising Life-Ready Kids.
Kay Yerkovich is a licensed marriage and family therapist whose specialty is treating couples using attachment theory as the foundation of her work. She is a popular speaker and lecturer in the areas of parenting and marriage relationships, and she supervises and trains other therapists. Kay and her husband, Milan, are co-authors of the books How We Love and How We Love Our Kids. The couple has four children and several grandchildren. Learn more about Kay and her work by visiting her website, www.howwelove.com.
Actress Chelsea Cameron played "Kate" in the hit TV sitcom Growing Pains, and "Hattie Durham" in three Left Behind films. She’s currently involved with her husband, Kirk, in producing inspirational entertainment for the entire family. Chelsea's unique faith-based marriage and family class, "24/7 Family," teaches, inspires and encourages women from different backgrounds to discover the secret of a healthy, happy and fruitful home.
Russ Crosson is President and CEO of Ronald Blue & Co. He has worked extensively in all areas of financial planning, specializing in comprehensive financial planning, estate planning and transgenerational family wealth management. Russ has authored four books including Your Life … Well Spent and The Truth About Money Lies. He and his wife, Julie, reside in Georgia. They have three grown sons and four grandchildren.
Joanne Kraft is a public speaker and the author of two books, The Mean Mom's Guide to Raising Great Kids and Just Too Busy – Taking Your Family on a Radical Sabbatical. Her articles have appeared in several publications including Chicken Soup for the Soul, ParentLife and Today's Christian Woman. A former 911 police dispatcher, Joanne met her husband, Paul, while dispatching him to a call. They now reside in Tennessee and have four children. Learn more about Joanne by visiting her website, www.joannekraft.com.
Tim Hawkins is a popular comedian and singer-songwriter who tours around the nation entertaining audiences with his unique blend of family-friendly humor and music. His online videos have been viewed more than 300 million times, and he has released seven DVDs including That's the Worst, Push Pull Point Pow and Insanitized. Tim and his wife, Heather, have four children and reside in Missouri. Learn more about Tim by visiting his website, www.timhawkins.net.
Robert Glover is the founder and executive director of Care for Children, an organization whose mission is to work with governments in Asia to help create a positive alternative to institutional care through local family-based care for disadvantaged children. He serves as an adviser to the Chinese government on social welfare, and under his leadership, approximately 300,000 children have been placed in loving foster care families across China. Robert was recognized for his efforts when the Shanghai government awarded him the White Magnolia Award in 2000 for outstanding services to the city.
Mary Beth Lagerborg is a personal historian, writing personal, family or organizational memoirs for her clients. She served as the Director of Media for MOPS International and helped shape more than 70 books on mothering and parenting. Mary Beth herself as authored nine books including Turquoise Summer, Dwelling and In the Wee Hours. She and Mimi Williams are co-authors of the book Once-a-Month Cooking, and co-creators of the organization Once-a-Month Cooking, which offers resources to help families eat healthier and save time and money with meal planning. Mary Beth and her husband, Alex, reside in Colorado and have three grown sons.
Lisa Harper is a respected Bible teacher and popular public speaker who addresses audiences at events and churches all over the world. She formerly served as the director of Focus on the Family's Women's Ministries and created the Renewing the Heart women's conference. Lisa holds a Masters of Theological Studies from Covenant Seminary in St. Louis. She has authored 11 books including A Perfect Mess and Believing Jesus. Learn more about Lisa by visiting her website.
Tim Sanford is a licensed professional counselor who works in Focus on the Family's counseling department and in his own private practice. He is also a pastor, a public speaker and the author of two books, Losing Control and Liking It and I Have to Be Perfect. Tim and his wife, Becky, have two grown daughters and reside in Colorado.
Juana Mikels is a public speaker and author of the book Choosing Him All Over Again: A Story of Romance and Redemption, which tells the story of her troubled marriage, separation from her husband and the eventual restoration of their relationship. Juana has a blog on which she has written posts about marriage, faith and other aspects of Christian living. She and her husband have four children, the youngest of whom, their daughter Mary, was born blind and with a cleft lip. Learn more about Juana and her family by visiting her website, www.juanamikels.com
Jonathan McKee has authored more than two dozen books including Parenting Generation Screen and The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices. He has 30 years of youth ministry experience and speaks to parents and leaders worldwide. As a member of Focus on the Family’s Plugged In team, Jonathan is regularly featured on The Plugged In Show and our Plugged In Entertainment Reviews. He and his wife, Lori, have three children and reside in Northern California. You can find helpful articles and videos of Jonathan on his website, becomingscreenwise.com.
Jay and Katherine Wolf's idyllic life as a young married couple with an infant son was tragically shattered in 2008 when Katherine suffered a massive brainstem stroke. She wasn't expected to survive, but through two years of recovery, she re-learned how to eat, speak and walk. Today, Katherine still suffers from double vision, deafness, facial paralysis and limited use of one hand. Through public speaking and their book, Hope Heals, Jay and Katherine share their compelling story of how their marriage and family have been sustained by God's grace and their faith in Him. Learn more about Jay and Katherine by visiting their website, www.hopeheals.com.
Yvette Maher is an executive pastor for New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colo., overseeing the church's community and women's ministries. She is also a popular speaker at women's events and author of the book, My Hair and God's Mercies...New Every Morning. Yvette formerly served as Senior Vice President of Family Ministries and a Senior Communications Specialist at Focus on the Family. Yvette and her husband, Tom, have three grown children and several grandchildren.
A former National Football League fullback, Jonathan Evans is now a chaplain for the Dallas Cowboys. He is also a public speaker, a mentor and the co-author (along with his father, Dr. Tony Evans) of Kingdom Family Devotional and Get in the Game. Jonathan's wife, Kanika, is a busy stay-at-home mom to the couple's four young children. She holds a bachelor's degree in health science studies from Baylor University, and a master's degree in physical therapy from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
Esther Fleece Allen is a widely recognized expert on the Millennial Generation, with her insights into the experiences and aspirations of millennials appearing in major media outlets like The Washington Post and CNN. She also served as a director of millennial relations for Focus on the Family. Esther is a popular public speaker, a professional consultant, and the author of two books titled No More Faking Fine and Your New Name. She and her husband, Joel, have two children. Learn more about Esther by visiting her website, EstherFleeceAllen.com.
Kayla Aimee is a writer with a poignant but humorous storytelling style that has established her as an influential faith and family blogger whose work has been featured on the TODAY Show, HLN and The Huffington Post, as well as several other national media outlets. As the mother of a 25 week micro preemie, Kayla is passionate about sharing stories of embracing hope in motherhood and offering support to parents. She is the author of Anchored: Finding Hope in the Unexpected, a must-read book for anyone who needs a little encouragement and laughter in their day. Kayla and her husband reside in northern Georgia with their two young children. Learn more about Kayla by visiting her website, www.kaylaaimee.com.
Dr. Mike Bechtle is a writer, public speaker and communications expert, drawing from over 40 years in ministry and corporate consulting. He has authored six books including Dealing With the Elephant in the Room and I Wish He Had Come With Instructions. Dr. Bechtle has published articles for Writer’s Digest, Entrepreneur and many other media outlets. Learn more about Dr. Bechtle by visiting his blog, www.mikebechtle.com.
As Vice President of Communications for Focus on the Family, Paul Batura is responsible for media and public relations, internal communications and community relations to the ministry's Colorado Springs neighbors. Prior to his current role, Paul served as a top writer and adviser to both Focus' founder, Dr. James Dobson, and its current president, Jim Daly. Paul is the author of five books including Good Day! The Paul Harvey Story and Mentored by the King: Arnold Palmer's Success Lessons for Golf, Business and Life. Paul and his wife, Julie, have three young sons.
Robert Hendershot has been a manufacturers' representative in the electronics industry for more than 35 years. He and his wife, Melissa, have three sons, Trevor, Taylor and Tanner. Trevor, who has Down syndrome, was hired by Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels in 2012, and then by the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks in 2013, to serve as greeter at their team stores. He has since become widely known, admired and loved by countless sports fans. The MLB Commissioner is considering a proposal to "Trevorize" every stadium by having every MLB team hire individuals with Down syndrome to work as greeters in their team stores. Robert, Trevor and their family are also forming a non-profit corporation, Angels for Higher, to help facilitate the employment of individuals with Down syndrome in sports stadiums across America.
Paul McCusker is the Peabody Award-winning writer and director of Focus On The Family Radio Theatre’s Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Freedom, along with the multiple award-winning audio dramatizations of The Chronicles of Narnia, The Screwtape Letters and others. Paul is also a writer and director for the long-running children’s audio program Adventures in Odyssey, and serves as an author and consulting editor on The Imagination Station series. Paul has written novels and non-fiction for adults, and his plays and musicals have been performed in community theaters across the country, including the Dove Award nominee A Time for Christmas. Learn more about Paul at his website, paulmccusker.com.
Leila Rae Sommerfeld's greatest passion is helping hurting women heal from the aftermath of rape and other harrowing experiences. As a rape survivor, she leads recovery classes using her award-winning book, Beyond Our Control: Restructuring Your Life After Sexual Assault. Leila has also authored a novel and had articles published in numerous magazines. She volunteers as a life coach at the Salvation Army Family Services in Portland, Oregon, where she and her husband reside. The couple has three children, seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. You can learn more about Leila at her website, www.leilarae.com.
In a career that has spanned 30 years, Steven Curtis Chapman is the most awarded artist in Christian music history with 58 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, five Grammys, an American Music Award, 48 No. 1 singles and eight RIAA-certified gold or platinum albums to his credit. He's sold nearly 11 million albums and performed on countless tours. Steven and his wife, Mary Beth, are passionate and vocal advocates for adoption. Mary Beth is the president of Show Hope, a nonprofit organization she and Steven founded which helps restore the hope of a family to orphans. Since its inception, Show Hope has helped provide forever homes through adoption aid grants for more than 5,500 orphans from around the world. Steven and Mary Beth are the parents of six children, including three girls adopted from China. Learn more about Steven at his website, and Mary Beth at hers.
Major T.J. Menn is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and he and his wife, Jenn, are both graduates of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Major Menn currently serves as an aviation officer in the Army, and Jenn operates a small counseling practice. The Menns are passionate advocates for disadvantaged children, and have welcomed 24 foster children into their home, ranging from newborns through high school-age teenagers. T.J. and Jenn are co-authors of the book, Faith to Foster. The couple currently parents six children, and their family resides in New York. Learn more about the Menns and their book by visiting www.faithtofoster.com.
Mark and Jill Savage are passionate about encouraging, educating and equipping families. After serving in church ministry for over 20 years, the Savages are now meeting the needs of families as authors and speakers. Mark is the author of I Really Messed Up: Your Next Steps to Heal Your Marriage After an Affair and co-author of two books with Jill: No More Perfect Marriages and Living With Less So Your Family Has More.Jill is the host of the No More Perfect Podcast and the author of fourteen books including: My Heart is Broken; Empty Nest, Full Life; and the best-selling No More Perfect Moms. The Savages reside in Illinois and have five children and several grandchildren. You can find them online at MarkandJill.org and nomoreperfect.jillsavage.org/
Josh is most renowned for his role as a husband and dad. Josh is a speaker, author, marriage and leadership coach, and a podcast and TV co-host. He and his wife, Christi, lead Famous at Home, a company equipping leaders and corporations in emotional intelligence and healthy family systems. Josh also speaks regularly for Joint Special Operations Command and serves military families across the country. Josh is author/ coauthor of six books including Safe House: How Emotional Safety is the Key to Raising Kids Who Live, Love, and Lead Well. He and his wife, Christi co-wrote a series of children’s book, to help parents foster emotional awareness in kids, called What Am I Feeling?; What Do I Do with Anger?; and What Do I Do with Worry?
Nina Roesner is the executive director of Greater Impact Ministries, Inc., a Christian training organization. She has more than 20 years in the communications and training industry and has coached executives, managers, individuals, wives, church staffs and pastors around the country. As a professional speaker for women’s groups and the developer of Daughters of Sarah® and The Respect Dare®, Nina has seen hundreds of marriages positively impacted by the understanding and application of the biblical concept of respect. Nina writes consistently about family life and our identity in Christ on her blog.
Korie Robertson is one of the stars of A&E's TV reality show Duck Dynasty, the wife of Duck Commander® CEO Willie Robertson, a mother of six children and a New York Times best-selling author. She oversees licensing for the family's brands and retail store, speaks around the nation and undertakes philanthropic work as a board member for several organizations. Korie's books include The Women of Duck Commander, Duck Commander Devotions for Kids and Duck Commander Happy, Happy, Happy Stories for Kids.
A nationally-recognized family physician practicing for more than 35 years, Dr. Walt Larimore spends much of his time seeing patients at Concentra Occupational Health and Urgent Care in Colorado Springs, Colo. He is an award-winning medical journalist and a best-selling author of numerous books. Formerly, Dr. Larimore served as Focus on the Family's Vice President of Medical Outreach as well as the ministry's Physician in Residence. Dr. Larimore and his wife, Barb, have co-authored a book, His Brain, Her Brain: How Divinely Designed Differences Can Strengthen Your Marriage. Learn more about Dr. Larimore by visiting his website, www.drwalt.com.
Alli Worthington is a public speaker and the author of Breaking Busy: How to Find Peace and Purpose in a World of Crazy. She is also a business coaching and consultant for individuals, small businesses and Fortune 500 companies. Alli is Executive Director of Propel Women and the co-founder of BlissDom and BlissDom Canada, the single largest international women's small business conference in the world. She and her family reside near Nashville. Learn more about Alli by visiting her website, www.alliworthington.com.
Benjamin Watson is a tight end for the New Orleans Saints. His NFL career began in 2004 when he was drafted by the New England Patriots. He received a Super Bowl ring in his rookie season and appeared in another Super Bowl in 2007. In 2010, Benjamin joined the Cleveland Browns and led the team in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He signed a three year contract with the New Orleans Saints in 2013 and joined the Ravens in 2016. Off the field, Benjamin stays busy with his foundation, One More, his growing family and the NFL Players Association, where he serves on the Executive Committee. He is also an NFL spokesman for the All Pro Dad Campaign. Benjamin has authored two books, Under Our Skin and The New Dad's Playbook. Learn more about Benjamin by visiting his website, www.thebenjaminwatson.com.
Dr. Charles Mully (sometimes spelled Mulli) is the founder and director of Mully Children's Family, a ministry that rescues and rehabilitates abandoned orphan children in Kenya and surrounding countries. His is a powerful rags-to-riches story. Born into poverty and abandoned by his parents at age 6, Charles grew up begging and stealing in order to survive. He later enjoyed great business success, starting as a casual laborer and quickly advancing through promotions and a series of jobs until he had enough money to start his own business. He eventually became a millionaire and international traveler. Charles' family lived a privileged life, but all of that changed when he felt called by God to sell everything in order to care for helpless orphan children living on the streets of Kenya. A movie about his remarkable life and ministry is being released in October, 2017. Learn more about the film Mully at mullymovie.com.
In 50 years of full-time ministry, Bob Kraning served as a speaker at conferences and marriage retreats, as an associate pastor at Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton, Calif., and as the executive director of Forest Home Christian Camps. Two days before his 87th birthday in April, 2020, Bob died at home, surrounded by his family. He and his wife, Carol, were married for 62 years, and have two grown sons, nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. Learn more about Bob’s life and legacy at this memorial website created by his family.
Dickson Mully is Director of Sustainability and Procurement for Mully Children's Family (MCF), a ministry that rescues and rehabilitates abandoned orphan children in Kenya and surrounding countries. In his role, Dickson manages 700 acres of agricultural land and the exportation of vegetables to the Netherlands in order to raise money for the 2,400 children under the care of MCF. He also manages the purchasing of food, clothing and other items for the children, and provides experienced leadership for more than a 1,000 workers in the organization's sustainability department.
Dr. Joneal Kirby is the founder and director of Heartfelt Ministries, whose mission is to encourage and facilitate multi-generational relationships among women of faith. She holds a Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy, and in 2002, established her own private practice known as The Christian Counseling Center. Joneal has written three books, numerous magazine and blog articles, and over 100 Bible studies. She teaches marriage seminars and parenting courses, and writes and records for numerous radio and television programs. Joneal and her husband, Randy, reside in Louisiana and have three children and five grandchildren.
Ashley Bazer is an associate producer for Focus on the Family's daily radio broadcast. She’s also a published science-fiction and young adult author – and a real duchess! Ashley, her husband, Gary, and their three children – Jack, Hope and Becca – make their home in Colorado. Learn more about Ashley and her books at www.AshelyBazer.com.
Pastor Patrick Schwenk and his wife, Ruth, are the co-founders of The Better Mom (TBM), a contributor website where a community of over 500,000 moms gather every month for learning and sharing life together. Patrick and Ruth are also the co-creators of For the Family, another community-driven website that encourages and equips couples and parents. Patrick and Ruth are the co-authors of For Better or For Kids: A Vow to Love Your Spouse With Kids in the House. Ruth has also co-authored two books with Karen Ehman, Hoodwinked and Pressing Pause. Patrick and Ruth reside in Michigan and have four children.
David Stoop, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder and director of The Center for Family Therapy in Newport Beach, Calif., where he has his counseling practice. He is an adjunct professor at Fuller Seminary and an ordained minister. David is often heard as the co-host of the national New Life radio program. He is a Gold Medallion winning author who has written more than 30 books including Forgiving the Unforgivable, You Are What You Think and Just Us. David and his wife, Dr. Jan Stoop, have co-authored several books and together have led seminars and retreats worldwide on marriage relationships and forgiveness. The couple has three children and six grandchildren. Learn more about David at his website, www.drstoop.com.
Mark Merrill is the founder and president of Family First, a national non-profit organization dedicated to helping people love their families well. He hosts The Family Minute, a nationally syndicated daily radio program that reaches over 5,000,000 listeners. Mark also delivers marriage and parenting wisdom through his blog and his podcast on MarkMerrill.com. He is the author of All Pro Dad and Lists to Love By for Busy Husbands. Mark's wife, Susan, is the director of content for Family First and oversees the content creation and digital marketing for all Family First platforms. She blogs at Susan.me and is the author of The Passionate Mom and Lists to Love By for Busy Wives. Mark and Susan reside in Florida and have five children.
Dr. David Stoop (deceased) was a licensed psychologist and family counselor who worked to strengthen marriages and families for more than 35 years. He was also an ordained minister, an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary and a co-host for the nationally syndicated radio and TV program New Life Live. David’s wife, Dr. Jan Stoop, is a counselor, author and seminar speaker. They have authored several books together including Smart Love and The Complete Parenting Book. The couple have three sons and six grandchildren.
Phil Robertson, an avid hunter and outdoorsman, is the founder of the highly successful Duck Commander brand of duck-hunting merchandise and the patriarch of the Robertson family who is featured on the very popular A&E reality television show Duck Dynasty. He is also a popular public speaker and the author of two books, and he is currently working on a new internet TV project with CRTV called In the Woods With Phil. Phil's wife, Kay, is a well-respected cook who has co-authored three cookbooks and opened an eatery called Miss Kay's Eats and Sweets with her eldest son, Al. She worked alongside Phil for 30 years to build the family business, and the couple has been married over 55 years. They have four grown sons, more than 15 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. Learn more about the Robertson family by visiting duckcommander.com.
Jeanne Mancini is the president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund and directs the organization's commitment to restoring a culture of life in the United States, most notably rel="noopener noreferrer" through the annual March for Life event in Washington, D.C., held annually on the anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. Previously, Jeanne worked with the Family Research Council (FRC), where she focused on issues related to the inherent dignity of the human person, and for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Office of the Secretary. She has made frequent appearances in major media outlets, and her writings have appeared in prominent publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post and USA Today. Jeanne and her husband, David, reside in Virginia.
With more than 35 years of working with families in both public and private education, Ellen Schuknecht currently serves as Director of Family Ministries at Veritas Academy, where she mentors parents, teachers and students on a daily basis. She also does private one-on-one parent coaching, group consulting and public speaking through Family Wings, a family support organization of which she and her husband, Glen, are the directors. Ellen has co-authored several books with her daughter Erin MacPherson including Put the Disciple Into Discipline and Free to Parent. Glen and Ellen reside in Austin, Texas, near their three married children and grandchildren.
Jase Robertson is the son of Phil Robertson, the founder of the successful Duck Commander brand of duck-hunting merchandise and the head of the Robertson family who is featured on the highly popular A&E reality television show Duck Dynasty. Like his father, Jase is an avid duck hunter, and he travels around the nation as a popular public speaker who shares entertaining hunting stories, witty life anecdotes and his faith in Christ. Jase is author of the book Good Call: Reflections on Faith, Family and Fowl. His wife, Missy, is involved with the family business, community volunteering and missionary work. She is the founder of her own jewelry line and has authored a book titled Blessed, Blessed … Blessed, which chronicles her family's journey of raising a child born with a cleft lip and palate. Jase and Missy reside in Louisiana and have three children. Learn about their foundation, Mia Moo, by visiting miamoo.org, and follow Missy at her website, missyrobertson.com.
Evangelist Billy Graham preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to more than 200 million people around the world through his Crusades and rallies, as well as through television, video and the internet. He also helped equip thousands of other evangelists, provided spiritual counsel to presidents, authored 34 books, and founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which is now headed by his son Franklin. In 2013, at age 95, Dr. Graham delivered his final message of hope via hundreds of TV stations across North America. Dr. Graham was 99 when he passed away on Feb. 21, 2018. To learn more about his extensive career, personal life and family, visit his website, billygraham.org.
A former education specialist and high school teacher, Heather Avis is now a full-time, stay-at-home mom to her three adopted children, two of whom have Down syndrome. She has written a book detailing her family's remarkable story titled The Lucky Few: Finding God's Best in the Most Unlikely Places. Heather is also a blogger and has a popular Instagram account, @macymakesmyday, which has more than 100,000 followers. She and her husband, Josh, make their home in Southern California. Learn more about Heather and her family at her website, heatheravis.com.
Amber Lia is a work-at-home mom, blogger, public speaker and author. She and her husband, Guy, own Storehouse Media Group, a faith- and family-friendly TV and film production company based in Los Angeles. Amber has co-authored two books with Wendy Speake, Triggers: Exchanging Parents’ Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses and their latest, Parenting Scripts: When What You’re Saying Isn’t Working, Say Something New. Amber is also the author of the Studdy Buddy bible study guide series for parents and children. She and Guy have four young sons. Learn more about Amber at her website, amberlia.com.
Raul Ries is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Golden Springs in Diamond Bar, Calif., and President of Somebody Loves You Ministries. He is the author of several books including Fury to Freedom (translated in to six languages), Seven Steps to a Successful Marriage and Raising a Godly Family in an Ungodly World. His films include Fury to Freedom, A Quiet Hope (Vietnam War documentary) and Venture in Faith (documentary). Raul received two Purple Heart awards in Vietnam. He has an eighth degree Black Belt in Kung Fu San Soo, teaches Kung Fu, and uses martial arts as a ministry tool. Raul and his wife, Sharon, have three grown sons. Learn more about Raul at his website, raulries.com.
Ann White is an internationally known author, speaker and Bible teacher. She founded her global ministry, Courage For Life, out of a calling to share with others how God and His Word brought restoration to her life and marriage. Having personally experienced God’s grace, salvation and the life-changing power of the Bible, Ann’s desire is to extend this same love, mercy and encouragement to others, so they too may be reconciled to God. Ann is a wife, mother and grandmother. She and her family reside in Belleair Shores, Fla. Learn more about Ann at her website, annwhite.com.
Kim Phuc Phan Thi was born and raised in the southeastern region of Vietnam and was a child during the Vietnam War. When she was nine, napalm bombs were dropped on her village, and she was photographed running down a road, screaming from third degree burns to her skin. This photograph became world famous, an iconic image of the horrors of war, and eventually won a Pulitzer Prize. Kim was not expected to live, but after numerous operations and intensive therapy, she was able to return to her village and family two years later. Today, she is a speaker who shares her experiences to help others heal from the pain of war. She and her husband have two sons and reside in the Toronto area of Canada. Learn more about Kim and her efforts to bring hope to the hurting by visiting the website for The Kim Foundation International.
Karis Kimmel Murray is the author of Grace Based Discipline and Creative Director of Family Matters, a ministry founded by her parents, best-selling authors Dr. Tim and Mrs. Darcy Kimmel. Karis writes and speaks for Family Matters as a voice to the next generation of parents, and is the co-host of The Family Matters Minute, a nationally syndicated radio segment heard by millions of listeners every weekday. Karis resides in Arizona with her husband, Mike, and their two teenage daughters.
Gary Morland is a professional communicator who is passionate about helping people find peace in their most challenging family relationships by learning new, graceful ways of thinking, speaking and acting. To that end, he has authored a book titled A Family Shaped by Grace: How to Get Along With the People Who Matter Most. Gary is a 25-year sober alcoholic who describes himself as "a guy who should have died but didn't, with a wife who should have left but stayed." He and his wife, Brenda, have been married over 40 years, and they are the parents of authors Emily P. Freeman and Myquillyn Smith (The Nester). Learn more about Gary at his website, garymorland.com.
Sarah Mackenzie is the author of The Read-Aloud Family: Make Meaningful Connections With Your Kids and Teaching From Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakable Peace. On the immensely popular Read-Aloud Revival podcast, she helps families all over the world make meaningful and lasting connections with their kids through books. Sarah resides in the Northwest with her husband, Andrew, and their six kids, where she loves to make sure they are well-stocked in the best books she can find. Connect with Sarah at readaloudrevival.com.
Dr. Les Parrott is a clinical psychologist and his wife, Dr. Leslie Parrott, is a marriage and family therapist. They work together as a team to offer marriage and parenting help through their popular speaking engagements and writing. They address audiences in 40 cities a year and are New York Timesbest-selling authors whose books have sold more than two million copies. Their works include The Good Fight, Love Like That, Real Relationships, and the award-winning Saving Your Marriage Before it Starts. Learn more about the Parrotts by visiting their website, lesandleslie.com.
Jean Thomason is the live embodiment of the joyful children's character, "Miss PattyCake." The music and character of Miss PattyCake allow Jean to convey Biblical truths to kids while helping their parents lay a spiritual foundation. Jean has more than 30 years of experience as a musical performer, worship leader, and conference speaker. Her live family concerts are performed around the globe. Jean and her husband, Chris, reside in Franklin, Tenn. Learn more about Jean by visiting her website, jeanthomason.com.
Gary Shriver and his wife, Mona, are the co-founders of Hope & Healing, an adultery recovery support ministry. They have been co-leading recovery groups since 1998, and have developed a curriculum to help facilitators of similar support groups. The Shrivers are co-authors of the book Unfaithful: Hope and Healing After Infidelity, and members of the Association of Marriage and Family Ministries and the Stanislaus County Healthy Marriage Coalition in California.They have been married more than 40 years and have three grown sons and two granddaughters.
David Thomas is Director of Family Counseling at Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tenn. He has authored/co-authored eight books including the best-selling Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys and his latest, Are My Kids on Track? David is a frequent guest on national television shows and podcasts and has been featured in publications like USA Today. He and his wife, Connie, have three children. Learn more about David and follow his work at raisingboysandgirls.com.
Ron and Opal Erickson have been singing together and traveling across the nation with their singing and instrumental ministry for more than 40 years. They were the 2007 and 2008 recipients of the Duo of the Year Award presented by the International Country Gospel Music Association. The Ericksons are a Hope Restored host couple, sharing their story of marriage redemption with couples attending the event. Ron and Opal have two married daughters and six grandchildren. Learn more about Ron and Opal at their website, ronandopal.com.
Sam Doerksen and his wife, Pauline, are the co-directors of Focus on the Family Canada’s Kerith Pines Retreat Centre, located in Manitoba. There, they work with a team of volunteers to offer rest, recovery and help to couples in ministry. Formerly, Sam and Pauline served for 22 years in their church – he in pastoral roles and she in music ministry. The couple has four children and one grandchild.
Marshall Eizenga and his wife, Merrie, are the co-directors of Focus on the Family Canada’s Kerith Creek Ministry Retreat Centre, located in Alberta. Formerly, Marshall served in lead and associate pastor positions at a church in Waterloo, Ontario. Merrie has traveled across Canada as a key note women’s conference speaker, and the couple has traveled extensively in other parts of the world, teaching and sharing the Bible as well as leadership principles with pastors. The couple has two grown children and one grandchild.
Mark Regnerus is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin and a senior fellow at the Austin Institute for the Study of Family and Culture. The author of three books from Oxford University Press and nearly 40 articles in peer-reviewed journals, his research and scholarly essays have appeared in media outlets as diverse as Slate and First Things. Mark and his wife, Deeann, have three children. Learn more about Mark at his website, markregnerus.com.
Dr. Ken Wilgus is a licensed psychologist who specializes in the treatment of adolescents and their families, couples therapy, and individual therapy with adults. He is also a sought-after speaker and regularly teaches on a wide range of topics relating to parenting, marriage, family and faith. Dr. Wilgus is the author of Feeding The Mouth That Bites You: A Complete Guide to Parenting Adolescents and Launching Them Into the World. He and his wife, Sally, have three grown children and eight grandchildren. Learn more about Dr. Wilgus at his website, drwilgus.com. Also, check out feedingthemouth.com.
Doug Fields is the executive director of HomeWord's Center for Youth and Family at Azusa Pacific University, where he conducts marriage and parenting conferences and teaches in the university's masters degree program. He is also the co-founder and president of Downloadyouthministry.com, a pastor, a popular public speaker and a prolific author who's written more than 50 books. Doug and his wife, Cathy, have three grown children. Learn more about Doug at his website, dougfields.com.
As an heir to one of the world's largest and most famous breweries, Adolph Coors IV thought that he could succeed on his own. With his prestigious name and proud family heritage, his future was bright. That was until a series of trials and tragedies left him insecure and unfulfilled. While Adolph searched for peace, security, and success in every place the world recommends, he would eventually find it only when he surrendered control to Jesus Christ. A compelling and popular speaker, Adolph has shared his powerful story to a variety of audiences including churches, universities, corporate America, Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, radio, television, and various prayer breakfasts across North America. He resides in Colorado with his wife of over 51 years, BJ. They have two sons, two daughters-in-law, and eight grandchildren.
Dave and Ann Wilson are hosts of FamilyLife Today®, featured on more than 1,300 radio outlets in all 50 states. They are also cofounders of Kensington Church, a national, multi-campus church that hosts more than 14,000 attendees every weekend. Dave and Ann are authors of the book Vertical Marriage: The One Secret That Will Change Your Marriage. The Wilsons live in the Detroit area where Dave served as the Detroit Lions chaplain for 33 years. Dave and Ann have three grown sons, CJ, Austin, and Cody, as well as three daughters-in-law and six grandchildren.
With more than 35 years of working with families in both public and private education, Ellen Schuknecht currently serves as Director of Family Ministries at Veritas Academy, where she mentors parents, teachers and students on a daily basis. She also does private one-on-one parent coaching, group consulting and public speaking through Family Wings, a family support organization of which she and her husband, Glen, are the directors. Ellen has co-authored several books with her daughter Erin MacPherson including Put the Disciple Into Discipline and Free to Parent. Glen and Ellen reside in Austin, Texas, near their three married children and grandchildren.
Deb DeArmond is an author, a public speaker, and a relationship coach who has a passion for helping people improve their marriages, grandparenting, and extended family relationships. Her books include Related by Chance, Family by Choice, I Choose You Today, and Don't Go to Bed Angry. Stay Up and Fight! Deb and her husband, Ron, have been married for more than 40 years and have three married sons and six grandchildren. Learn more about Deb at her website, debdearmond.com
Jenny Coffey is a licensed marriage and family therapist who serves on the counseling team at Focus on the Family, and also has a private practice. Prior to Focus, she worked as a psychiatric assessment coordinator for a hospital and taught undergrad psychology and human development at New Mexico State University. Jenny and her husband, Blakely, have been married for 10 years and have four children.
A strong advocate for foster and adoptive families, Jessie Gallaher has chronicled her own family's experiences in her book Many Thorns, Yet Still Roses: Breaking the Silence With Our Story of Sibling Group Adoption. She and her husband have five adopted children, and as an Army wife, she is an active volunteer in the military community. Jessie maintains a Facebook page, facebook.com/jgal814, which seeks to inspire others to lean on their faith and improve their perspective. She and her family enjoy hiking, visiting local parks, playing football, and finding ways to express their appreciation to members of our nation's Armed Forces.
Eryn Lynum is a certified Master Naturalist, Bible teacher, national speaker, and author of Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family’s Faith Through God’s Creation and 936 Pennies: Discovering the Joy of Intentional Parenting. Eryn lives in Northern Colorado with her husband, Grayson, and their four children, whom they homeschool—mainly in the great outdoors. Eryn has has been featured on FamilyLife Today, Proverbs 31 Ministries, Christian Parenting, MOPS International, Bible Gateway, Her View From Home, and For Every Mom. Every opportunity she gets, she is out exploring God’s creation with her family and sharing the adventures. To learn more about Eryn, visit ErynLynum.com.
Drawing on her unique insights gained from her experiences as a wife and mother, Eva Whittington Self has been a featured speaker for Moody Bible Institute, Phil Waldrep Ministries, and Focus on the Family, including the popular "Renewing the Heart" conferences which were attended by almost 200,000 women. She has authored a biography titled May Bell's Daughter which is the amazing story of what God has done in her life and what He can do for anyone who surrenders to Him. Eva and her husband, Andrew, have two grown daughters and reside in Kentucky.
Katharine Hill is Director of Care for the Family, which is a charity located in the United Kingdom that aims to help and strengthen families across the U.K. She speaks and writes widely on family issues and is the author of several books, including the If You Forget Everything Else, Remember This:Building a great marriage and Parenting in the Primary Years. Katharine draws on her personal and professional knowledge in writing articles for newspapers and magazines, as well as in national and local broadcast interviews. Katharine leads on Care for the Family’s policy agenda representing the organization at government level, and she is a board member of the International Commission on Couple and Family Relations.
Dr. H. Norman Wright is a licensed marriage, family and child therapist who had a private practice for over 30 years. He currently serves as Research Professor of Christian Education at the Talbot School of Theology. As a counselor and educator, his primary focus is in grief and trauma counseling and critical incident debriefings. Part of his work is offering training and curriculum in loss, crisis, and trauma to hospitals, health professionals, and social work organizations, as well as community wide grief recovery seminars. He has provided those seminars and his counseling expertise in the aftermath of traumatic events that have occurred around the nation including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and mass shootings. Dr. Wright is a prolific author, having written more than 90 books including Experiencing Grief, The New Guide to Crisis and Trauma Counseling, and Recovering From the Losses of Life. Learn more about Dr. Wright by visiting his website, hnormanwright.com.
Rob Rienow and his wife, Amy, are the co-founders of Visionary Family Ministries which encourages families and trains church leaders through seminars, books, DVD studies, and more. A former youth pastor, Rob holds a Doctor of Ministry in Christian Leadership degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, and Amy is a licensed clinical counselor. The couple has authored four books together, including Visionary Parenting and Visionary Marriage, and Rob has written several more on his own. Rob and Amy have been married since 1994 and have seven children.
Adriel Booker serves in global missions as a speaker, writer, advocate, and mentor. She leads The Love A Mama Collective, a movement of women empowering women through safe birth initiatives in the developing world, and is the curator of Our Scarlett Stories, a community of parents supporting one another after loss. Adriel, her husband, and their three boys reside in Sydney, Australia, where they are cultivating an inner city YWAM community. Through her blog, www.adrielbooker.com, Adriel explores topics related to everyday spirituality, missions, family, motherhood, and global women’s issues.
Elizabeth Oates is an author, blogger, and speaker whose family tree was plagued with generations of divorce, dysfunction and brokenness. Today she advocates for healthy marriages and families, and also encourages women to find purpose in the mundane. Elizabeth’s books include Mending Broken Branches and If You Could See as Jesus Sees. She lives in Waco, Texas with her husband, Brandon, and their five children, including three biological and two adopted through foster care. Learn more about Elizabeth at her website, elizabethoates.com.
Christina Bennett is the communications director for the Family Institute of Connecticut and a member of the National Black Pro-Life Coalition. She has been active in the pro-life movement for 15 years, serving as a pro-life prayer missionary in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., and as Client Services Manager for a pregnancy resource center in Connecticut. Christina is also a licensed minister, a writer, and a devoted wife and mother.
Lindsay Pepin Ophus is a public speaker who tells her powerful story of God’s redemptive work in her family when her life was turned upside down because of teen pregnancy. She shares her inspiring testimony in a book she co-authored with her mom and aunt titled Joy Will Come: Exchange Shame for Redemption, and continues to offer hope and encouragement as she writes regularly for her blog and website, lindsaypepinophus.com. Lindsay and her husband, Malachi, live in the Dallas area.
Terra Mattson is a licensed marriage and family therapist and the clinical director of Living Wholehearted, an organization she co-founded with her husband and business partner, Jeff, which is dedicated to helping leaders live with integrity. She is also the co-founder of Courageous Girls, a free web-based curriculum offering biblical and clinical wisdom to moms and daughters, and the visionary behind a one-of-a-kind women’s gathering called InCourage 2020 coming March 13-14, 2020 to the Portland, Oregon area. Terra has authored a book titled Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace. She and Jeff have two daughters. Learn more about Terra at her website, terramattson.com.
Amber Lia is a work-at-home mom, blogger, public speaker, and co-author of two best-selling books, Triggers: Exchanging Parents’ Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses and Parenting Scripts: When What You’re Saying Isn’t Working, Say Something New. Her husband, Guy, is a former TV, feature film, and VFX development and production executive who has worked on such popular TV shows as Breaking Bad and Rules of Engagement, and films such as Dante’s Peak and For Love of the Game. Guy and Amber own Storehouse Media Group, a faith- and family-friendly TV and film production company based in Los Angeles, and are co-authors of the book Marriage Triggers: Exchanging Spouses’ Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses. Learn more about Amber at her website, motherofknights.com.
Tara Davis is a part of the team at Help Club for Moms, a ministry that helps women thrive and encourages them in their faith. She is a contributing writer to the book of the same name, The Help Club for Moms: Inspirational and Practical Help for You, Your Home, and Your Family. Tara and her husband live in Colorado and have three sons.
Krystle Porter is a part of the team at Help Club for Moms, a ministry that helps women thrive and encourages them in their faith. She is a contributing writer to the book of the same name, The Help Club for Moms: Inspirational and Practical Help for You, Your Home, and Your Family. Krystle and her husband live in Arizona and have five children.
Brad Formsma is author of the best-selling book I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life, and co-author with his son Drew of Everyday Generosity: Becoming a Generous Family in a Selfie World. Brad is the founder of I Like Giving, an organization which has inspired more than 120 million people in 170 countries to live generously. He’s also the host of The WOW Factor, a podcast for business leaders, and a popular speaker at corporate, church and community events.
Drew Formsma’s father, Brad, is a popular public speaker, and Drew began speaking alongside his dad at age 14. Drew has now reached tens of thousands of people around the world with the simple idea that generosity is the key to a better life, and he is known as an ‘ambassador of generosity’ to Generation Z. With his dad’s help, Drew has authored a book titled Everyday Generosity: Becoming a Generous Family in a Selfie World. Drew lives with his family in Southern California.
Al Pittman is a senior pastor for Calvary Worship Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He joined that church community in 1980 as a full-time staff member and worship leader before moving his family in 1991 to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he became an assistant pastor and co-worship leader at a Calvary Chapel campus there. In 1997, he returned to Colorado Springs to assume his current position. He and his wife, Norma, have three children, and are grandparents as well. Learn more about Pastor Pittman at his website, alpittman.org.
Robert Paul is Vice President of the Focus on the Family Marriage Institute. He’s also a licensed, professional counselor and a popular public speaker at conferences and enrichment events around the world. Robert is a co-founder of Focus on the Family’s Hope Restored program that ministers to couples experiencing difficult marriage problems. He has appeared on numerous radio and TV programs and has co-authored four books, the most recent of which is titled 9 Lies That Will Destroy Your Marriage. He and his wife, Jenni, reside in Missouri and have four grown children and six grandchildren.
Willie Robertson is an entrepreneur, author, and media personality. He is the CEO of Duck Commander and Buck Commander in West Monroe, Louisiana, and was Executive Producer of A&E’s “Duck Dynasty” during its five-year run (2012-2017). He’s authored four books: “American Entrepreneur,” “American Hunter,” “American Fisherman,” and “The Duck Commander Family.” Willie attended Harding University and graduated from NE Louisiana University with a degree in business. Willie and his wife, Korie, have six children and one grandchild. Learn more about Willie at the Duck Commander website.
Joshua Rogers is a writer whose work has appeared in media outlets that include FoxNews.com, The Washington Post, and Christianity Today. He has also contributed to Focus on the Family’s Boundless website and has been a regular guest on the Boundless podcast. Joshua has also authored a book titled Confessions of a Happily Married Man: Finding God in the Messiness of Marriage. His wife, Raquel, penned the book’s last chapter. She is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Fuller Theological Seminary. The couple resides in North Carolina and has three children. Learn more about Joshua at his website, joshuarogers.com, and Raquel at her website, raquelrogers.com.
Rebekah Hagan is a passionate pro-life advocate and a popular speaker with a powerful story of hope and redemption. As a college freshman, she learned she was pregnant with her former husband’s child and decided to pursue a chemically-induced abortion. Minutes after taking the abortion pill, she experienced a radical change of heart and took quick action which successfully saved her baby’s life. Rebekah now has three young children and resides with her family in Roseville, Calif., where she works for her local pregnancy center.
Jerrad Lopes is a popular public speaker and the founder of DadTired.com, a non-profit ministry committed to helping men lead their family well. He has authored a book titled Dad Tired and Loving It and hosts the weekly Dad Tired podcast which has been downloaded more than 2.5 million times. Jarred is also the author of Stop Behaving: A Gospel-Centered Devotional for Men and Fully Engaged: 10 Practical Ways to Lead Your Family Toward Jesus. He and his wife, Leila, have three children and reside in Portland, Oregon. Learn more about Jerrad at his website, jerradlopes.com.
Deb Weakly is a co-founder of Help Club for Moms, a ministry that encourages women in their faith and offers practical resources to help them thrive. She is a contributing writer to the book of the same name, The Help Club for Moms: Inspirational and Practical Help for You, Your Home, and Your Family, and to its companion series of books titled The Wise Woman. Deb and her husband, Randy, have two grown children and one grandchild.
Mike Adkins is an evangelist, singer and songwriter who has performed in Holland, Indonesia, China, Brazil, Russia, Poland, Scotland, Australia, England and South Africa. He has recorded several music albums, including the best-seller “Thank You for the Dove.” He has appeared on more than 300 national TV programs and is the author of the classic book A Man Called Norman (published by Focus on the Family in 1989). He and his wife, Carmel, reside in Illinois.
Heather Avis is passionate about communicating the God-given value and worth of every human life, with a particular emphasis on those who have Down syndrome. Two of her three adopted children have this condition, and she shares the lessons and joy of raising them in her first book, The Lucky Few, which is also the title of a podcast she co-hosts. Heather is also a public speaker and posts regularly on her popular Instagram channel which has more than 100,000 followers. In 2019, she released her second book, Scoot Over and Make Some Room: Creating a Space Where Everyone Belongs. She and her family reside in Southern California.
Dr. Daniel Hinthorn is a board-certified physician and an infectious disease specialist at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He’s also a Professor of Medicine, a Pediatrics and Family Medicine Director, and a member of Focus on the Family’s Physicians Resource Council. He resides in Kansas City, Kansas, with his wife, Aletha.
Dr. Scott James is a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital. He’s also an assistant professor, a member of Focus on the Family’s Physician Resource Council, and an author of three books. He and his wife, Jaime, have four children.
Suzanne Guy is a staunch pro-life advocate who’s been actively involved in the movement in many different facets. She is the founder and president of Life Initiatives and Values, a pro-life ministry of First Baptist Woodstock Church in Georgia. She has also served as the president of Georgia Right to Life’s Cherokee County chapter and has been a featured speaker at major pro-life events, during which she has shared her inspirational story of refusing to abort her baby girl, Rachel, despite an adverse prenatal diagnosis. Suzanne has also counseled at a pregnancy resource center, taught abstinence-based curriculum in public high schools, and served on the board of the Family Policy Alliance of Georgia, an organization that fights for the passage of pro-life legislation. Suzanne and her husband, Peter, have been married for 30 years and delight in supporting Rachel, who is very actively involved in the pro-life movement as well.
Peter Guy is a guest on the Focus on the Family Daily Broadcast “Choosing Life After an Adverse Diagnosis” along with his wife of 30 years, Suzanne, and his grown daughter, Rachel.
Capt. Harold Earls is an active duty U.S. Army officer who most recently served as the Commander of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He is a graduate of West Point and is U.S.
Army Airborne Ranger qualified. Harold’s wife, Rachel, is a vlogger who hosts the Earls Family Vlogs, which has nearly a half million YouTube subscribers who tune in for the couple’s discussions on faith, family life, and love. Rachel is also a business owner and the founder of the Earls Family Foundation, a non-profit that helps those in need who contact the Earls via their YouTube channel. Harold and Rachel have co-authored a book titled A Higher Calling: Pursuing Love, Faith, & Mount Everest for a Greater Purpose. The couple has two young children and a third on the way.
Cyndie Claypool de Neve holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology and is an associate marriage and family therapist in Southern California. She is a public speaker and author of the book . She is also the co-author of several books with the president of Moms in Prayer International and serves on the organization’s board of directors. Cyndie and her husband, Marcel, have two children. Learn more about Cyndie at her website, .
Mike Berry and his wife, Kristin, are co-founders of the award-winning parenting blog Honestly Adoption and the support and resource website Oasis Community. He is a writer and influencer for the Disney website Babble.com, and his work has been featured on Yahoo Parenting, The Good Men Project, The Huffington Post, and more. He’s authored several books including Confessions of an Adoptive Parent and Winning the Heart of Your Child. A sought-after public speaker, Mike travels extensively throughout the nation to address audiences at camps, retreats, and conferences. Before becoming a full-time author and speaker, he spent 17 years in family ministry in churches in Ohio and Indiana. Mike and Kristin reside in Indianapolis and have eight children.
Phil Robertson, an avid hunter and outdoorsman, is the founder of the highly successful Duck Commander and Buck Commander brands of hunting merchandise, and the patriarch of the Robertson family, featured through 11 seasons on A&E’s television program Duck Dynasty. A former Louisiana Tech football star and later, highly-acclaimed school teacher, Phil currently hosts the Unashamed podcast and is the star of In the Woods with Phil on Blaze TV. He and his wife, Kay, have been married for 55 years, and have four grown sons, more than 15 grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren. Learn more about the Robertson family by visiting the Duck Commander website.
Jessica Pfeiffer is a mom with four children ranging in age from 9-19, with one child each in college, high school, junior high, and elementary school. She shares the wisdom she’s gleaned from her extensive parenting experience as a co-host of the podcast “Feeding the Mouth That Bites You” which explores the joys and challenges of parenting teens. Jessica spends much of her days feeding her family, cheering at youth sporting events, and volunteering at school and church, and in her community. She and her husband, Charlie, have been married for over 20 years and reside with their kids in Houston, Texas.
Linda Ranson Jacobs is recognized as a forefront leader in the areas of children and divorce, and single-parent family needs. Having been both divorced and widowed, she was a single mom who learned first-hand the emotional and support needs of broken families, and she developed a strong passion to help meet those needs. As a children’s ministry director, public speaker, trainer, author, and therapeutic child care center owner, Linda has ministered to countless divorcing couples and single parent families and their children. She is the founder of the DivorceCare for Kids program and a regular contributor to many blogs and periodicals. She has written two books: Attract Families to Your Church and Keep Them Coming Back and The Single Parent: Confident and Successful. Linda has re-married, and she and her husband, Bruce, have 10 grandchildren.
Turner Simkins is President of Blue Beech, LLC, a real estate development and marketing consulting firm, and Opportunity Zone Development Director with Peachtree Investment Solutions, LLC, an alternative real estate investment firm based in Atlanta. He is also the founder and president of Horse Creek Trust, a non-profit development LLC established to facilitate the adaptive reuse of historic properties in Graniteville, South Carolina. He and his wife, Tara, have three sons – one of whom, Brennan, survived childhood leukemia. Turner authored a book titled , a memoir chronicling his family’s life-changing faith journey through Brennan’s cancer. Learn more about Turner at his firm’s website.
Dr. Michael Smalley has a heart for serving Christ through marriage and family ministry. He is a pastor, relationship coach, comedian, speaker, author & professor. He is also the founder of the Gary T. Smalley School of Marriage and Family Ministry. Michael is the brother of Focus on the Family marriage expert, Greg Smalley.
Heidi St. John is the author of seven books. Her most recent book, Bible Promises for Moms, released in March of 2019 and is the latest in the MomStrong collection. She has also recently released Prayers for the Battlefield: Staying MomStrong in the Fight for Your Family and Your Faith and Becoming MomStrong: How to Fight With All That’s In You For Your Family and Your Faith, which focuses on helping mothers build a solid biblical foundation for their families. Join Heidi at MomStrong International, an online ministry where thousands of women come together for weekly Bible studies, Scripture writing, and fellowship. Heidi has been married to her husband Jay since 1989. Together they have seven children and two grandsons!
Tragedy struck the Bainter family in 2004 when their son was severely injured by a riding lawn mower. Make it Morning is Jodi’s written account of the event and the years that followed. In it, the Bainters offer hope of healing to parents forced to watch their children suffer. Jodi has become an advocate for lawnmower safety, sharing her family’s story openly to help improve education. In 2016, Jodi and 12 other families created a PSA about safe lawn mower use wrapped in the marketing campaign, Limbs Matter. Connect with Jodi on Facebook.
Rob Parsons is an international speaker and best-selling author. He is the founder and chairman of Care for the Family, a charity which aims to strengthen family life and help those hurting because of family difficulties, primarily in the United Kingdom. Rob has spoken to over a million people at live events on family issues and at Christian and corporate events around the world. He has written several best-selling books, including series on marriage, parenting and family life. Rob is married to Dianne, lives in Cardiff in South Wales, and has two adult children, and five grandchildren.
Tonya is married and has four children. She lives with her family on a ranch in Oklahoma.
Matt Hammitt is a singer, songwriter, and public speaker. He is the former lead singer of the band Sanctus Real (1996 to 2016), the recipient of three Dove Awards, and a nominee for two Grammy Awards. After leaving the band, Matt joined the FamilyLife team as a keynote speaker and performer at marriage and men’s conferences across the United States, including Kirk Cameron’s Living Room Reset events. Matt and his wife, Sarah, have been featured on national television, including ABC News and The 700 Club. The couple and their four children reside in Nashville, Tenn. Learn more about Matt at his website, matthammitt.com.
Dr. Tim Muehlhoff is a professor of communication at Biola University in La Mirada, California where he teaches classes in family communication, interpersonal communication, apologetics, gender, and conflict resolution. Tim and his wife, Noreen, are both on staff with Biola’s Center for Marriage and Relationships where he is a co-host of The Art of Relationship podcast.
Tim earned a Ph.D. in communication theory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2003). For the past 20 years, he and Noreen have been frequent speakers at FamilyLife Marriage Conferences. Tim has written several books, including Defending Your Marriage, Winsome Persuasion, and The God Conversation. Tim and Noreen live in Brea, California with their three sons, Michael, Jason, and Jeremy. Learn more about Tim by visiting his website.
Dr. Randy Schroeder is the author of the 2020 three-time national award-winning Christian marriage book, Simple Habits for Marital Happiness and the 2021 two-time national award-winning Christian parenting book, Simple Habits for Effective Parenting. Schroeder is a marriage and family counselor, pastor, and former seminary professor for nearly 25 years. He and his wife, Ginny, have been married since 1975 and have two married sons and seven grandchildren. Learn more about Dr. Schroeder at his website, DrRandySchroeder.com
Rob Flood serves as Community and Care Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pa., where his responsibilities include marriage ministry and counseling. He is also the author of a book titled With These Words: Five Communication Tools for Marriage and Life. Rob and his wife, Gina, have been married since 1995 and have six children.
Dr. Daniel Huerta is Vice President of Parenting and Youth for Focus on the Family, overseeing the ministry’s initiatives that equip moms and dads with biblical principles and counsel for raising healthy, resilient children rooted in a thriving faith.
He is a psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, and the author of 7 Traits of Effective Parenting. For many years, he has provided families with practical, biblically-based and research-based parenting advice on topics including media discernment, discipline, communication, mental health issues, conflict resolution, and healthy sexuality in the home. He is passionate about coming alongside parents as they raise contributors, instead of consumers, in a culture desperately in need of God’s kingdom.
Dr. Huerta has been interviewed by various media outlets including Fox News, Fatherly, Christianity Today, WORLD Magazine, and CBN, and he is a frequent guest on Christian radio stations across the nation. He’s also written for publications, including The Washington Post, on various topics related to marriage and parenting. He participated in the development of Focus on the Family’s Launch Into the Teen Years, a resource to help parents prepare their kids for adolescence, and he speaks regularly at retreats, conventions, and online events.
Dr. Huerta has maintained a private practice in Colorado Springs, Colorado since 2003 and has served families through Focus on the Family since 2004. He and his wife, Heather, have been married since 1997 and love being parents to their three teen children, Alex, Lexi, and Maci.
Dr. John Townsend is a clinical psychologist, a marriage and family therapist, a popular public speaker and the co-founder of Cloud-Townsend Resources. He is also the author or co-author of numerous books including God Will Make a Way, How People Grow and Who’s Pushing Your Buttons? Dr. Townsend holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Biola University. He resides in Southern California with his wife and sons. Learn how you can earn a graduate degree in Dr. Townsend’s methodology at The Townsend Institute.
Sandra Peoples is a leading voice in the disability community as an encourager to special-needs parents. Her older sister has Down syndrome, and in 2010 her son James was diagnosed with autism. Sandra serves the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention as their special-needs ministry consultant and serves her church (Heights Baptist in Alvin, TX) as the Inclusion Coordinator for Special-Needs Families. She’s the author of Unexpected Blessings: The Joys and Possibilities of Life in a Special-Needs Family, and her writing has been featured by The Gospel Coalition, The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, Christianity Today, and LifeWay Research. She’s the host of the popular podcast Selfcare and Soul Care for the Caregiver. Learn more at sandrapeoples.com.
Corrie ten Boom is the author of the book, The Hiding Place, the true story of her tireless work to save Jewish people during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in the early 1940s. After saving about 800 people, Corrie’s family was reported to the Nazis and they were arrested and sent to various concentration camps. She moved to the United States in 1977, and died in 1983 on her 91st birthday. Learn more about Corrie by visiting her website, corrietenboom.com. Photo Courtesy The Corrie ten Boom House.
Bob Lepine is best known to radio and podcast listeners as the long time co‐host of FamilyLifeToday® and as the on-air announcer for Truth for Life with Alistair Begg . In addition, he also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Religious Broadcasts and the Great Commission Collective. Bob is the author of Love Like You Mean It: The Heart of a Marriage That Honors God and The Christian Husband. He, and his wife, Mary Ann, have five children and nine grandchildren.
Allison Bottke is the author of Setting Boundaries with Your Adult Children and general editor of the popular God Allows U-Turns series, and has written or edited over 23 non-fiction and fiction books, including six books for children and youth. Allison is in frequent demand as a speaker and has been featured on Focus on the Family, The 700 Club, Decision Today, and numerous other radio and television programs.
Dr. Bob Paul serves as the Vice President of the Focus on the Family Marriage Institute and is the primary architect of the Hope Restored Marriage Intensive programs. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri, Georgia, and Michigan and has helped train hundreds of marriage therapists. He has authored and co-authored four books including The DNA of Relationships. Jenni is an accomplished artist and has a master’s degree in Intercultural Ministries from Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. Jenni regularly speaks with Bob at Focus on the Family events. Bob and Jenni have been married for over 40 years and have four adult children and six grandchildren. Learn more about Dr. Bob Paul at hoperestored.focusonthefamily.com/meet-our-counselors/
In 2005, Shauna Amick was surprised to learn during her 3rd pregnancy that her child would have Down Syndrome and a life-threatening heart defect. In need of support and the fellowship Joni and her family joined Joni and Friends first as family members needing help and hope. When she saw how Joni and Friends shared her passion for speaking up on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves, she was happy to join the ministry in a professional capacity, as well. In 2011 she became a member of the Board of Direcors of Joni and Friends.
Brent Reaves is the president of Smokey John’s, Inc., a black‐owned, family-owned-and-operated barbeque restaurant in Dallas, Texas (near Love Field). Brent has been a part of the food service industry for over 20 years, from bussing tables to running large catering operations. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the School of Hospitality at the University of North Texas. He is also a graduate of the Goldman Sachs ‘10,000 Small Businesses’ Program. Known for his charming personality, humor, and love for people, Brent has won top honors in several major culinary competitions. Learn more about Brent and his father, Smokey John, at https://www.smokeyjohns.com/our-story/
Adam Griffin is the lead pastor of Eastside Community Church in Dallas, Texas. He is the coauthor of Family Discipleship with Matt Chandler and the host of The Family Discipleship Podcast. He and his wife, Chelsea, have three sons.
Jamie C. Finn is the author of Foster the Family, executive director of Foster the Family, the host of the Real Mom podcast, and the founder and owner of Goods and Better. Her popular social media accounts offer a glimpse into the real life of a foster parent and provide encouragement to thousands of foster parents. She is a mother to four to six children, including her two biological children and two children adopted through foster care. She lives in Sicklerville, New Jersey, with her husband, Alan.
Carol Kuykendall has authored and co-authored nine books about families and parenting. including Five-Star Families: Moving Yours from Good to Great, Real Moms, What Every Child Needs, Children Change a Marriage and Give Them Wings: Encourage Your Young Adult to Transition into Adulthood Well. She and her husband live in Boulder, CO. To learn more about Carol, visit carolkuykendall.com or connect with her on Facebook.
Lily Isaacs is a vocalist and matriarch of the southern gospel and bluegrass group THE ISAACS, and the author of You Don’t Cry Out Loud and A Wedding Dress with Combat Boots. THE ISAACS have released over 20 albums, winning 9 Dove Awards and 3 Grammy nominations. THE ISAACS have a non-profit organization that benefits the less fortunate in the U.S., with a branch that ministers to orphans, Holocaust survivors, and soldiers without family support in Israel.
Julie Hornok brings over seventeen years of special needs industry experience as a parent, behavioral program facilitator, curriculum creator, global interviewer, speaker, and award-winning author of the book United in Autism: Finding StrengthInside the Spectrum. Julie Hornok describes raising her daughter, Lizzie, who was diagnosed with autism at age 2. She encourages parents to seek support for themselves and their children, surrender their plans for their family, and believe that God has given their child a beautiful purpose. She co-founded the non-profit Labeled and Loved to connect and support caretakers of the disabled. You can learn more about Julie at JulieHornok.com.
Daniel Weiss is a writer and speaker. He has spent two decades helping church and community leaders, educators and policy makers address complex situations surrounding sexual brokenness with hope and life‐giving truth. In 2012, Daniel established The Brushfires Foundation to equip Christian leaders to foster sexual integrity in their churches and communities. He serves as lead author of Sexuality & the Church in America. Prior to founding The Brushfires Foundation in 2012 and serving as its president, Daniel was the senior analyst for media and sexuality and social issues manager with Focus on the Family for nearly nine years. Daniel and his wife, Krista, live with their five children in rural Wisconsin.
Ashley Willis spent thirteen years in full-time church ministry before joining the XO Marriage team to build stronger, Christ-centered marriages. With XO Marriage — their books, blogs, podcasts, speaking events, and media resources have reached millions of couples worldwide. Ashley and her husband Dave speak at all XO Events, host The Naked Marriage Podcast and regularly create new marriage resources. The Willis family includes four sons.
Dan Seaborn is the Founder and President of Winning At Home and an engaging and powerful speaker. Dan also serves as the leader for the Marriage & Family Division of the American Association of Christian Counselors. Dan has authored more than 12 books about marriage and family, and his advice is broadcast to over 350 radio stations across the United States. As a columnist, he has written hundreds of articles related to marriage and family. He holds a master’s degree in Christian Ministries from Indiana Wesleyan University. Jane Seaborn Jane is a former math teacher who enjoys speaking to women about what it means to be a godly wife and mother. By sharing stories from Scripture and what she has learned from being the wife of a pastor, Jane is committed to helping wives love their husbands in practical ways. Jane and Dan have four adult children and six grandchildren.
Dan Seaborn is the Founder and President of Winning At Home and an engaging and powerful speaker. Dan also serves as the leader for the Marriage & Family Division of the American Association of Christian Counselors. Dan has authored more than 12 books about marriage and family, and his advice is broadcast to over 350 radio stations across the United States. As a columnist, he has written hundreds of articles related to marriage and family. He holds a master’s degree in Christian Ministries from Indiana Wesleyan University. Dan and his wife Jane have four adult children and six grandchildren.
Miles Mettler has been an ambassador for Focus on the Family since 2016. He is an author and recently wrote, 52 Parenting Principles: How to Bring Out the Best in Your Kids. Miles is certified as a life coach, a Leading from Your Strengths facilitator, and self-talk trainer. He and Christy have four children. To learn more about Dr. Mettler, visit https://milesmettler.com/.
Tim Muehlhoff is an associate professor at Biola University in La Mirada, Calif., who specializes in teaching marital and family communication and conflict resolution. He has also been a regular speaker at FamilyLife marriage conferences since 1995. Muehlhoff holds a Ph.D. in communication from the University of North Carolina, and he has authored numerous articles and several books. He and his wife, Noreen, have three sons.
Toby McKeehan (TobyMac) is an American Christian hip-hop music producer, songwriter, singer, and recording artist. Born and raised in Virginia in a traditional Christian family,. Toby has had six successful studio albums. In the course of his solo career, Toby has won seven ‘Grammy Awards’ and sold more than 10 million copies of his albums. Toby has also penned a few novels, including belonging to the ‘Jesus Freaks’ series with Kevin Max and Michael Tait.
Matt is a full-time biblical money management writer and speaker, serving as managing editor at Sound Mind Investing (soundmindinvesting.com), a Christian company founded in 1990 that helps people invest successfully in order to provide for their family’s long-term needs and support God’s work in the world. Matt also writes his own blog (mattaboutmoney.com) and speaks at churches, universities, conferences, and other venues throughout the country.
Dr. Jeff Myers is president of Summit Ministries in Manitou Springs, which exists to equip and support students (age 16-22) to embrace God’s truth and champion a biblical worldview. As an educator and entrepreneur, Dr. Myers has become one of America’s most respected authorities on youth leadership development. Through his speaking engagements and media appearances, Dr. Myers has become a fresh voice offering humor and insight from a Christian worldview. Dr. Myers holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Denver, and is the author of 16 books, including the and textbooks which are studied by tens of thousands of students. His latest book is Jeff and his family live in Colorado.
Dr. Paul White is a Christian psychologist who addresses work-related issues. Along with Dr. Gary Chapman, he has co-authored The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace.
Toni Nieuwhof is the author of Before You Split: Find what you really want for the future of your marriage. She is a family law mediator, former divorce attorney, author, speaker, and co-host of the Smart Family Podcast. She has been married to leadership expert, author, speaker, and former pastor Carey Nieuwhof for over 32 years. To learn more about Toni, visit toninieuwhof.com.
Del Tackett is the creator behind Focus’ DVD-based curriculum, The Truth Project, and a former Senior Vice President of Focus on the Family. He and his wife, Melissa, have four grown children. Recently, Del has created a new worldview video series titled, The Engagement Project. To learn more about Del, visit deltackett.com.
Kim Trobee serves as a regional representative for RezilientKidz for Focus on the Family. She has a degree in surgical technology and is now working toward a master’s in clinical counseling. Most of her time at Focus on the Family has been spent in public policy. Kim and her husband, Gary, have two sons and a grandaughter. To learn more about Kim, visit rezilientkidz.com/about/team.
Victor Torres is the founding pastor of New Life Outreach Church in Richmond, Virginia. In 1971, Victor founded New Life for Adults and Youth. Victor Torres has authored many books including, Reaching Your Addicted Loved One: Help & Hope for Those Battling Substance Abuse, Why You Need the Holy Spirit and his autobiography Víctor, which was made into an award-winning major motion picture. Victor and his family are building a legacy, reaching hundreds of thousands of lives. To learn more about Victor, visit victortorres.org.
Janel Breitenstein is an author, freelance writer, and speaker. After five and a half years in East Africa, her family of six returned to Colorado, where they continue to work on behalf of the poor with Engineering Ministries International. To learn more about Janel, visit janelbreitenstein.com.
Virginia Prodan is an international human rights attorney, an allied attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom, a sought-after international speaker, and an author at Tyndale House Publishers. Her memoir, Saving My Assassin , serves as a call to action for a new generation of Americans whose religious liberty is already under attack by the corrupt and powerful. She resides in Dallas, Texas, and she has two daughters, and a son.
Rebecca St. James is a Dove Award- and Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, actress, speaker and author. She currently cohosts the podcast “Practice Makes Parenting.”
Sara is an author, podcaster, speaker, entrepreneur, and small business owner. She and her husband, Craig, live in the Midwest and have two amazing sons. Sara co-founded her community’s first disability ministry, is a leader in her church’s Discovery program for new congregation members and visitors, and is currently on the Missouri Christian Conference’s planning committee. Sara graduated in December 2022 with a Master’s in Ministry Leadership from Central Christian College of the Bible. Sara and her podcast co-hosts released their first book, “The Other Side of Special: Navigating the Messy Emotional Joy-Filled Life of a Special Needs Mom,” in May 2023. You can follow Sara on Instagram @saraclime and Facebook @saraclimeauthor, and sign up for her email list at saraclime.com.
Ryan Rush, PhD, serves as pastor of Kingsland Baptist Church in Texas. He has spent more than 20 years working in ministry, and during that time, he has been on a mission to connect church and home life, becoming a national voice for the “Faith at Home” movement. Lana has an Elementary Education degree from Texas Christian University. She taught third grade and kindergarten before focusing her energies on her own daughters and their education. In 2010, Lana created the popular blog, Along Came the Bird, writing for five years about her family’s experience with having a child with special needs
Rebecca St. James and Cubbie Fink are a dynamic couple whose talents and passions have made significant impacts in both the music and entertainment industries. Rebecca St. James, born in Sydney, Australia, is a Grammy Award-winning Christian music artist, actress, and author. Cubbie Fink, originally from the United States, gained recognition as the bassist for the indie pop band Foster the People. Rebecca and Cubbie married in 2011, blending their artistic talents and shared values into a harmonious partnership. Together, they have embraced their roles as parents and collaborators, often speaking and writing about the importance of faith, family, and love. Their joint endeavors include a parenting podcast with Focus on the Family, where they share insights and experiences from their journey together.
Pastor Dave Stone has served in churches and ministries of all sizes and settings for over four decades. Today he’s part of the teaching team for Christ’s Church of the Valley in Phoenix, AZ. He’s the host of Focus on the Family’s new Pastor to Pastor podcast, and he serves on the board of Focus on the Family.
Rich Griffith is a part-time pastor and an associate professor of Youth and Multi-generational Ministry at Toccoa Falls College, where he has been teaching since 2016. He holds masters degrees in theology and organizational leadership, as well as a doctorate in youth, family, and culture. Rich is the single dad of three adopted sons.
The Morgan’s have been involved in marriage ministry and coaching for over 30 years. They’ve hosted hundreds of Stronger Marriage and Stronger Family workshops across the country. Speaking to thousands of couples yearly about how to have a stronger marriage. Learn more about Trey and Lea at their website: https://strongermarriageworkshops.com/
Marc Cameron is a licensed marriage and family therapist, and Amy is a psychiatric mental health practitioner. The Camerons were introduced to the “How We Love” content in 2017 and have been training under the Yerkoviches since then.
Jean-Paul Beran and his wife, Susan, have been married for over 25 years and have two young adult daughters. With an education background in commerce, international business, and operational management, he built a successful partnership in a financial firm. He later moved into non-profit work and worked in executive roles and as a board member for multiple organizations. He has also previously served as an elder and treasurer of his church, and is an active volunteer both in his community and at his children’s school. In 2021, Jean-Paul stepped into the role of Focus on the Family Canada president.
Vicki Hooper is a Certified Clinical Counsellor with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, and holds a Masters in Education in School Counselling. She currently works as a marriage therapist with Focus on the Family Canada's Hope Restored marriage intensives. She also has an extensive background in teaching and ministry settings. Vicki and her husband, David, have been married over 25 years and are parents to two grown children.
As director of organizational development and communications, Andrew Montgomery creates opportunities for Focus on the Family staff to grow in their knowledge, skills, and abilities in the workplace, and oversees the ministry’s employee communications. He has been with the ministry since 2000. Prior to his current role, he served as the organization’s director of public relations.