Part of me can turn Grinchy over the holidays. And my husband, if I’m not careful, becomes my Roast Beast. Wondering how to stop fighting?
Their problems won’t evaporate in an hour over coffee. But if you want to help a marriage in trouble, here are some things you can do.
When we gather together for holiday meals, we satisfy more than our immediate hunger. It’s a feast for our souls, bodies, and imaginations.
Doubling a recipe isn’t nearly as hard as you’d think, but it’s a lot more rewarding. Find Friendsgiving ideas to make your gathering doable and happy.
Parents want their kids to have qualities like love, joy, and patience, but is it possible to teach the fruit of the Spirit? Where should we start?
Award conversations gravitate to our holiday tables year after year. But could we all truly get along, even for 30 minutes of face-stuffing glory?
Is it possible your money problems aren’t what you think they’re about? Stop fighting about money—by pursuing solutions from the inside out.
How can we squirrel away spiritual life skills for kids that make them want to connect with God? It could be easier than you think.
In the face of yet another epic failure or season of pure pain, God often creates beauty and an unforgettable teachable moment.
Parenting an adult child is new territory for us, but my wife and I are learning. Here are five ways we’re trying not to be toxic parents.
When it comes to parenting and control—could holding on too long, protecting too much, actually damage my teens?
Ever heard of National Stepfamily Day? No matter what season you’re in as a blended family, here are three reasons you should celebrate.
After a season of isolation, I miss parenting in community. Here are three reasons it takes a village and why we’d all benefit from one.
Parenting can be overwhelming. But getting away without the kids can strengthen your bond as husband and wife.
The process of planning and preparing for the wedding can help build family identity and bonding even before the ceremony.
You’ve invested time to build your relationship with your partner. You need to be just as intentional with children to co-create a blended family.
It can feel overwhelming to plan a blended family wedding. Here are six drama-free ideas to make your ceremony special.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes leading Bible study groups over the years. But here are seven things I’ve learned not to do in a small group.
Mom rushed around the house, busy getting both herself and a 2-year-old ready. Going to church has always been a weekly occurrence for my family, but this morning, unusual events spoiled the normalcy—I shoved Fruit Loops up my nose. Mom worked to remove them all before leaving, but there wasn’t enough time. The reality: I […]
When we learn to embrace our differences as a stepfamily and keep God at the helm of our family, we walk away from shame and brokenness.
Most of my experience mentoring women is casual as a frappuccino or pair of sneakers. It’s purposeful, curious, God-inviting friendship.
Has a loved one mentioned you might spend too much time on your phone? FamilyLife Today host Dave Wilson shares his quick test.
I was getting some things wrong about hospitality. Could gathering around the table be less—and so much more—than I thought?
Chances are, at some point in your life, the idea of "home" will feel a bit complicated. How do you go about making your house a home?
I’m my kids’ father, not their God. I don’t need to model perfection. My failures give me the chance to model repentance, faith, and growth.
It dawned on me how much my boys need a father. But anyone can be a father—my boys need a dad. All those years, I needed a dad.
Are clean countertops and a warm meal that big a deal? Homemaking—no matter your gender—might mean more than you think.
With my son’s nightmares punctuating our nights, I knew we needed to hide the living and active Word of God in his heart.
Stepdads don’t always get the attention and gratitude they deserve. But it’s never too late to show appreciation for all they do.
If you’ve grown up outside of a Christian home, it can be straight-up intimidating to try to raise your children to follow Jesus.
For a while, expressing our needs was helping our communication. Until the day those needs were clearly in conflict. That’s when I lost it.
I am the worst sinner in the family. But thankfully, marriage and parenting give us lots of opportunities for practicing humility.
In this home, we’ve found that sometimes you need to say no to the good, to make room for the best.
You can make a difference through your marriage just by inviting others into your not-so-perfect, sometimes chaotic life.
Your baby has graduated, leaving you an empty nester. But how do you grow your relationship with them while encouraging their independence?
A spouse’s struggles with God can rattle you. Here, ideas to help your spouse through spiritual depression.
Infertility is exhausting, and it can make or break your marriage. Here are seven tips my husband and I learned along our own journey.
Your marital roles have less influence over who cooks dinner or takes out the trash. They serve to shape the way you serve your marriage and home.
This day doesn’t have to be difficult for stepmoms. Celebrate Mother’s Day by making memories that leave you feeling blessed.
It is rare for a couple to meet, fall in love, marry, and parent their children the exact same way. It is even more uncommon in stepfamilies.
You don’t have to take away your grieving child’s pain. When they come to you with a heavy heart, help carry it as our Father does for us.
We are a Chinese American family witnessing a 150% spike in anti-Asian violence. As a father to three kids under the age of 9, the hardest question I've had to answer recently is, "Daddy, are we safe?"
Whether or not God answers your prayers for marriage the way you want Him to, praying is still worth the time and effort.
Do you and your spouse have the same definition of what romance is? Often in marriage, romance suffers an identity crisis.
Your stepfamily wilderness season may involve a broken marital vow, a stepchild who doesn’t want to be part of the family, or loneliness. Regardless of your circumstances, you don’t have to stay stuck wandering in the wilderness.
Ministry marriage can be complicated. Like money or sex or time, ministry can work in tandem with your relationship. Or against it.
Knowing what to do with teenagers to tighten your bond isn’t always easy. But teens don’t need us less as they get older … just differently.
If you’re rebuilding a marriage after separation, expect the road to be rocky. But know that God can rebuild your relationship into something better.
No one has a perfect marriage—we certainly don't. But we strive daily to walk closely with God to have a marriage that glorifies Him.
Children are remarkably intuitive when it comes to what makes sense and what doesn’t … even on more mature topics like cohabitation before marriage.
An unhappy marriage is a form of suffering. But while culture suggests we avoid suffering at all cost, Scripture offers a different take.
Glancing back at what contributed to my friendship with my sister, here are five key influences that shaped sibling relationships in my home.
What makes a man marriage material? In my own search, I’ve kept a list of nonnegotiables—most revolve around Christlike character.
While every divorce is unique, they are always painful. So how can you come alongside your friend going through a divorce?
Kids asking, “What is Lent?” We’ve got a rundown of Lent for kids to help you explain, plus activities to help bring it home.
If you friend’s child is marrying a non-Christian, you’re probably looking for ways to help. But the best way to help is through prayer.
In February, we have the opportunity to learn more about the strength and history of Black individuals. Check out these ideas for celebrating Black History Month with your family.
Romance easily gets pushed out when we’re juggling the overwhelming emotions and hard-to-navigate circumstances in a blended family.
Before counseling, my husband and I misunderstood each other all the time. Which made vulnerability (and as a result, sex) difficult.
Wading through a down season? A fresh start for your marriage means more than cooking up a few romantic moments.
A sexual relationship in marriage teaches us something about the nature of real love—God’s love.
I began to see how God would use my broken engagement when I stopped fighting for control. He wanted to grow me through it.
Among the hectic schedules and between-home dilemmas, stepfamilies can have fun memory-filled holidays, too. It just takes some extra work.
When most people think of separation, they think it's the beginning of the end. But the ultimate goal is reconciliation.
As we celebrate MLK Day as a family, we’ll take time to talk about the sacrifice Dr. King and so many others made on behalf of our family . . . and yours.
This past year was filled with losses—jobs, plans, loved ones. But despite the hardship shadowing 2020, the wins shine through.
We’re called to “give thanks in all circumstances…” But with its challenges, it can be hard to name things to give thanks for this year.
Holiday seasons aren’t always merry for blended families. The season can resurrect grief from divorce, death, or another tragedy.
The truth is, no people group is immune from challenges. And no one group is the standard for virtuous lives, marriages, or families.
Looking for ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve with kids? We’ve got you covered with the #UltimateFamilyNight.
Roughly 2,000 years ago, Israel awaited their promised king. As Christmas approaches, we continue waiting for God to accomplish His plans.
Do canceled plans have you home for Christmas? Grab a few energizing, low-prep ideas to create some unforgettable moments.
Does "peace on earth" describe your relationship with your mother- or daughter-in-law? Here are some tips to keep the peace this Christmas.
Our path to family ministry wasn’t a straight line. It’s been filled with spectacular failures, highs and lows, and detours and delays.
The truth is, God has one big, beautiful diverse family—by design and for His glory. And as believers we share a common identity in Him.
Do the holidays leave you feeling empty after ministering to everyone else? Here are 25 ways to bring rest and peace this Christmas season.
Grief at Christmas can bring fresh ache and pain, but the hole grief creates can become a sacred space for the comfort Christmas brings.
Good ministry to stepfamilies must also begin with good theology. Sin is messy. But it is no match for God’s unfathomable grace in Christ.
It’s likely your holiday season will include tense moments. Don’t fret. Holidays can be joyous and memorable even if they’re not perfect.
If you find yourself struggling to engage your teen this Christmas, here are a few ways to make memories this season.
As my son and I talked through his anxiety about the election, I realized his fears ran much deeper than mere policy preferences.
So many of us are struggling to catch our breath this year. Gratitude might even feel wrong. So how can we be thankful?
There are plenty of things vying for our attention during the holidays. Toxic thoughts don’t need to be one of them.
It’s been a tough year on marriages. But make no mistake: happily married isn’t the same as easily married.
You want to marry your best friend—someone you’d have fun with whether traveling the world or washing your car. But how can you be single and content?
Does political polarization—that ever-increasing gap between political convictions—fill your family conversations with relational razor blades?
Anger issues make our homes feel like an emotional battlefield. But with planting and perseverance, we may discover the field we’re on is actually a garden.
Boys will be boys, unless we train them to be men. Here are some principles to keep in mind as you raise a boy to be a man.
It’s far more acceptable for men to be pro-women—or women to be pro-women!—than to honor your husband. But it's been a jetpack for my marriage.
Rejection shows up at some point in most every stepparent’s life. If you’re not a stepparent yourself, you might wonder how to help. Here are a few ideas.
As I made the transition into adulthood, I knew I could always count on my dad. Here are five ways he helped me grow as I became a young adult.
Your friends are planning on living together before marriage. What’s it look like to be a good friend when they’re moving in together?
I never expected to have another baby, period. Much less another baby who isn’t healthy. And even more, another baby who “should be aborted.”
Every school year has its challenges, but this year is one of a kind. Are you and your kids feeling a bit tossed about and in need of an anchor?
You may not find quick-and-easy answers to all your questions when you marry into a stepfamily. But with God’s help, you can lead your stepfamily well.
After a pandemic-filled year, back to school is offering its own challenges. But sharing the load with your spouse might be the key to surviving.
They were the marriage mentors we never knew we needed. They introduced us to Jesus and presented the allure of a marital commitment we hadn’t yet made.
If your husband confessed to looking at porn, I’m sorry for what you are going through. But as you work through this, here are a few things to remember.
Kids often take up most of our physical, emotional, and spiritual energy. But when it comes down to it, who comes first, spouse or children?
It’s a myth that the older the child of divorce is, the easier it becomes. If your friend’s parents are divorcing, here are some ways to help.
When you’re asking, “Is my marriage over?”—it’s from a piercing, reeling position you never hoped to see. Is getting a divorce your only option?
Over lunch or a phone call, a friend confesses things aren’t going well at home. But how do you help when a friend’s marriage is showing signs of divorce?
Ever find yourself thinking you’re married to a stranger? You aren’t alone. Here are a few ways to start getting to know your love again.
Wondering if what you have with your significant other is real love? True devotion might not look like you think it does.
If someone you love has experienced a miscarriage, you likely want to help but aren’t sure where to start. Here are a few suggestions.
Many are anxiously wondering, “What will school look like this fall?” With all the uncertainty, here are four ways to pray for your decisions.
With the summer break, now is a great time to reevaluate your family’s weekly schedule. Before penciling anything in, here are three questions to ask.
At what point does your phone become a technology addiction? If your spouse has recently said, “Get off your phone!” here are some tips.
Running low on fun date ideas lately? Here are some creative ways to have fun with your spouse that you might not have considered.
So what does the Bible say about racism? A lot (from Genesis all the way to Revelation). The question is, will we listen?
Maybe you're feeling the cost of raising a child now more than ever. How can you tell your child, "We can't afford that"?
When it comes to talks about racial discrimination, mercy and grace are needed on all sides. But the most effective change happens face-to-face.
Co-parenting, jealousy, and stepsibling conflict can chip away at a family’s future. But five changes can create a lasting impact on stepfamily dynamics.
As communities and individuals discuss the pros, cons, and restrictions to reopen church, one point seems forgotten: The “church” was never closed.
Before marriage, I thought I was overly prepared for married life. But over the years I’ve found marriage to be unpredictable.
Being a stepdad on Father’s Day can be a tricky, often overlooked, role. But here are a few ways to show your appreciation.
I'm encouraged by the support and solidarity I have witnessed from my Christian friends. Thank you for your expressions of heartbreak. But don't stop there.
Silence does not communicate FamilyLife’s long-standing vision of “every home a godly home.” We’re all learning how to engage in a way that communicates trust, community, and Christ’s love to all families, all homes.
Aching for a summer vacation with your spouse but don't know what to do or where to go? Here are eight creative ideas for a getaway with your love.
Like many, I’m savoring the (albeit slow) exhale of life after quarantine. But there are also some rich gifts from the past few months that I don’t want to lose.
I weep in response to the hashtags I see. George Floyd’s life mattered. But how do we talk to our kids about another black man's death ... again?
From Analyn and Brandon Miller's interview on FamilyLife Today® on June 1-2, 2020.
As states reopen and life attempts to go back to normal, I’m reevaluating my family’s needs. But what I’m finding isn’t necessarily a beach vacation.
Does the idea of states reopening make you rejoice? Or cause you worry? Whichever side you are on, here are a few ways we can all pray.
If you're trying to figure out how to navigate hosting a small group online, here are five practical tips to help you get started.
School closings, changes to home and learning routines, and anxious parents. Right now, even the most resilient children can turn into stressed kids.
Being laid off brings stress and struggles to make ends meet. But as you search for a job, don’t miss what's in the waiting.
Ahmaud Arbery's death isn't just about politics. It's a chance to teach our kids to think and act with Christian minds in areas we’d rather avoid.
As a married couple, you likely each have a different stress response. How can you leverage relationship stress to draw you together as a team?
What started out like a nice extended weekend has mutated into a family siege. After the initial quarantine shock though, many have found the best of times.
We need some clear, concrete directions about how to operate in the era of a global pandemic and deal with anxiety about the consequences of quarantine.
Sometimes bad circumstances bring about future good. And for many families, their lives have been changed for the better by the quarantine.
A mixed bag of emotions comes with being a stepmom on Mother’s Day. A day set aside to honor moms, where does that leave a stepmom?
When your spouse faces a layoff, hold back on the cliché, this-is-what-you-should-do responses. Instead, here are five ways to help.
I'll admit my first priority when the quarantine began wasn't to find ways to bless others. But I'm reminded of Jesus' commandment to love our neighbors.
My heart grieves as friends describe new struggles and blended family stress during the pandemic. It feels like too much to manage some days, doesn’t it?
Quarantine and most blended families don’t mix. And if you’re wondering how to bond with your stepfamily while home, you might feel stuck.
Maintaining friendships when you can't be together isn't easy. Now, thanks to a pandemic and nationwide shutdown, all our friendships feel long distance.
Crusted cereal bowls. Kitchen counter desks. Bed sheet forts just out of conference call camera view...How do we keep up working with kids at home?
Even if you’ve never done this sort of thing before, you can trust your instincts about what your child needs. No one knows your child like you do.
As the coronavirus claims lives, we wonder how to grieve from a distance. Usually we find comfort in community. What do you do when you face death alone?
What does comforting a loved one and caring at a distance look like during the quarantine? For starters, find ways to make your compassion unmissable.
Quarantines, social distancing and health hypervigilance have us out of our routines and comfort zones, causing a host of emotions erupting in marriage.
Being shut-in during the pandemic only intensifies the anxiety we feel. Here are a few tips on how to reduce stress while you’re stuck at home.
There are many lessons I’ve gathered on the journey of grief, and one of them is this: The heartache of losing a spouse lasts a lifetime.
Since the coronavirus quarantine hijacked our lives, I feel frazzled. It's hard to focus on anything when everything is on me in this new normal.
You can’t know everything that’s going to happen in marriage, but you can decide ahead of time how to handle it with the promise in your vows: I choose us.
A recent article predicted a rise in divorces due to the COVID-19 quarantine. Here are four ways you can avoid becoming a coronavirus divorce statistic.
I worry about blended families in quarantine where emotions are being processed in a place that doesn’t feel safe. For stepchildren and stepparents alike.
If absence makes the heart grow fonder, being sick and tired together sucks the fondness right out. But this quarantine means we're stuck in this together.
My husband supporting me through my mental health wasn’t in our plans when we got married, but it was in our wedding vows.
As I sit at the beginning of another week, grieving the quarantine, it’s clear: we don’t like feeling out of control. This new normal comes with loss.
Finding patience at home is one of the hardest parts of this quarantine life. My impatience grows as my cabin fever increases.
We know. The idea of your family having a service for Easter can feel weird and even sad. But this Easter at home can still be meaningful, memorable.
Often, we ask ourselves "How do I get my spouse to do things my way?" Yet arguments about the “right way” are rarely about what they seem.
Any semblance of date night just got drop-kicked out the door. But with a little commitment you can still make time together. 10 date-ins get you started.
The threat of COVID-19 has forced us to face the fear of death. It has become real: human life is fragile. But you can control the fear.
As COVID-19 shutdowns continued, we realized ongoing conversations with our kids were a must. But first, we needed to talk to each other.
This time of being quarantined is challenging! One surprising aspect might be how hard it is to adjust to being together 24/7.
With more COVID-19 closures, families are gathering at home and around the table again. If it’s been awhile, here's insight on making family dinners work.
The effort to lump stepfamilies at church with biological families may have noble motivations. But it often leaves stepfamilies feeling unloved and unseen.
Every morning I wake up wondering if it’ll be another day of doctors, supplements, tears, and doubts for my spouse who suffers with chronic pain.
Saying “I’m sorry” is one of the most important phrases you can say in any relationship. But it’s also one of the hardest.
Families and communities go through a long process to put pieces back together after a natural disaster. We can play a vital part of the recovery effort.
The brain magnet has shown that attachment—specifically, joyful attachment—is the most powerful motivator in life. No doubt, joy in marriage changes a home.
Mistakes and pain can label us. But if we tell our kids about our past we show them ways we are overcoming. Our kids need to know that too.
I’m not married yet, but I’ve spent my entire life learning how to have a strong marriage through watching my parents' example.
Most people mistakenly believe remarrying in the empty nest years is easier. But this union brings its own unique struggles.
I’ve always thought there was some marital finish line protecting your marriage on the other side. But few people warn you about gray divorce.
When you have a friend who talks about suicide, it's scary. Not knowing what to do, we often do very little. But doing nothing isn’t helpful. Try this.
We found out that no one is immune from marriage challenges. When we faced a serious conflict, I didn’t know where to turn for help for my marriage.
Wondering which direction you should go with a big decision? Don’t overestimate your ability to mess up your life by taking a wrong turn! 6 Q's to help.
Romance is all around. But that only accentuates how hard your marriage feels right now. How do you do Valentine’s Day when marriage is hard?
As I narrow down my list of potential bridesmaids, I realize I need more than someone to plan a wedding shower. I need someone who will help me be the wife I long to be.
Would I prepare my heart for God to do something new, or would I let old labels and seasons paralyze me?
Our unknowns are known by God, and the very moments we think are scary are opportunities for growing our faith.
When he recommended abortion, I finally understood. That choice is for when the fear is suffocating. Sometimes scared moms want an easier way.
Leaving heaven and coming to earth was part of God’s plan for Jesus—and all of humanity—all along.
Conflict with your spouse is inevitable for all couples. Whoever got the idea into our heads that “marriage should be easy” probably wasn’t married.
Then I asked my wife a question that would change the nature of our relationship forever. I needed her to be more than someone who I did fun things with.
One of the most important facets of marriage is highly overlooked—the idea of knowing yourself. Emotional Intelligence isn't as innate as it seems.
We'd been sufficiently warned. We were working against all the odds to stay together: divorced homes. Demanding careers. And now, a chronically-ill child.
You want to find joy and delight in your marriage. But you’ll never be able to accomplish this alone in the four walls of your home together.
Many blended family weddings incorporate a ceremony called “blending of the sands.” But in reality it does not mean they have obtained “familyness.”
In your marriage, will you be the gardener or the consumer?
Rejection in blended families hurts and is discouraging. What is needed is the resolve to keep going and a few helpful tools.
What started as an online affair devastated their marriage. Could they find renewal after infidelity?
As bad as your situation might be, it is not beyond God’s power to fix.
A new job. Losing a baby. A new house. Or a spouse's confession. We can’t see what the new year may bring, but we can trust God to write our story.
We're in the practice of resolutions. These prayers for the New Year will move us toward spiritual renewal too.
My wife of 10 years told me she didn't love me anymore. I would have said our marriage was a 10 out of 10. How was I so blind to the deadness of her heart?
In only a few short months, we had gone from gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes to glaring at each other with anger and disgust, each wondering – and not only to ourselves – if we had married the wrong person.
Christmas is for the broken, the lonely and forgotten, and the misfits.
As much as we hope we’ll become idyllic people during this idyllic season, our struggles refuse to take a holiday.
The Christmas season didn’t kick off quite how we had planned after receiving the text from our son … “I’m not coming.”
Having fantasy arguments in your head or Facebook fights with toxic people? It's tiring! But defending your reputation might not be worth your time.
It’s hard to get romantic in your mother-in-law's living room, kids snoring around you on sleeping bags. Still, sneaking in sex over the holidays is doable.
Manipulation is a mind game leaving you wondering: Is my spouse manipulating me? We all have unhealthy ways to get what we want. So it’s worth considering.
Peer pressure can be subtle. Other times your child's friend sports a Michael Kors bag. Or their second grade class splits into boyfriend-girlfriend duos.
Satan is our real enemy, and he would love to divide our marriages through suspicion, jealousy, disrespect, and resentment.
“No jumping on Mimi’s couches. No snacks in the living room.” Welcome to disciplining kids at Grandma's. But whose rules do you follow? Yours or Mimi's?
There can be a lot of rottenness in the world. At times, it’s so obvious and undeniable it’s nearly enough to knock you for a loop.
God gives us eternal treasures, so let’s take time to notice during the season of stuff.
Instead of looking to Hollywood for the answers about love and dating, find out what Scripture has to say.
The cultural confusion about masculinity has left many young guys to either shy away from their masculinity or use it selfishly.
When dating, we often miss one very important truth of relational health: Intimacy should never exceed commitment.
I wanted to be shocked that my 5-year-old kid wants a cell phone. But it’s the world we live in. Mandy at NextTalk says the digital world changes parenting.
I have a hard time Christmas shopping for my wife. It's not because I don't enjoy giving her gifts. I do. It's just that I don't want to mess it up.
Your spouse might find openness struggling with depression. But mental health issues don’t just impact the lives of those who have them.
What if we stopped treating gratitude like green bean casserole—something to dish out once a year?
My wife refused all my attempts to reconcile, keeping her distance both physically and emotionally.That scared me. And I had a choice to make.
No one tells you all your dreams can’t fit in one life. You may wonder if a strong woman follows or leads. Is she in the boardroom or the kitchen?
What's the answer for the many who suffer quietly in the supposed safe place for the hurting--the church--yet go without the comfort of others?
How could we possibly think retirement, changing health, and decline ahead wouldn't have surprises and challenges like our 40+ years of marriage?
Do my high expectations create a stressful environment? Am I helping my kids succeed? Or am I hurting their chances of experiencing the joys of life?
"Even good moms have scary thoughts sometimes," my husband reassured. I didn’t want to admit it. But I knew deep inside I was facing postpartum depression.
"I think the bottom line is that God just doesn’t like women," my friend shared her frustration. But is that the truth about us?
Seven ways to make the holy days peaceful days.
John MacArthur told Beth Moore to “Go home." Male and female opinions on both sides erupted. But there’s a bigger offense at play that no one is outing.
I know my kids’ emotions are complex. I'm learning that rather than the disease, those emotions are symptoms. So I'm seeking understanding and solutions.
My grandmother said to prevent getting pregnant she just "...didn’t do the evil thing!” No disrespect to her but sex is not dirty or shameful.
I am the dreaded Enneagram 8—the challenger. Self-confident, decisive, willful, and confrontational. But I also stand for what is right in an unmoving way.
It’s easy for Astros fans to love José Altuve's series clenching 2 run walk-off sending Houston to the World Series. But we all cheer his poise and class.
We've all wondered the long-echoed question: how often should we have sex? Likely you and your spouse don't agree, but there's no magic number.
Casual sex boasts the benefits of being a modern woman: freedom, confidence, independence. But how is hooking up good for girls if 83% prefer commitment?
Ten questions guys commonly ask and our best answers to these often tricky (and awkward-to-talk-about) situations.
Americans choose sides as if the entire country is getting a divorce. Shouting in ALL CAPS. Colorful @#$% thrown in. Outrage culture is our world today.
Advice on seeing both the stepmom’s and biological mom’s perspectives.
I spent most of my 20’s trying to be someone else. Finally marriage, motherhood, depression, and my 30’s forged my self-discovery and acceptance.
The move from New York to Arkansas was painful for our family, but the journey taught us a few things.
What is it about Rachel Hollis that makes her so appealing to hundreds and thousands of women? I get why she satisfies and why she doesn't.
Mike Pence, among many men, committed to not being alone with a woman in the workplace. Is this offensive to working women who don't have the same option in the male-dominant workforce?
Suddenly I knew it was true. He may not be listening, but I finally understood I wasn’t either.
People say talking about depression will make it better. Jarrid Wilson‘s suicide shows you can talk about it and not be okay.
In year one of marriage, we did a lot of right things to be good spouses. But for marriage to last, it has to be based on more than a few early habits.
Blended family couples avoid many problems when they communicate and discuss money matters mutually.
These practical strategies will give you tools for a peaceful and effective interchange.
An Enneagram 3 to the core, I know I can change the world. Feeding hungry children, slashing divorce rates, and housing homeless: bring it on!
How do we know in the middle of deep despair if it’s time to throw the house key in his face? Or if we can check our emotions and reevaluate?
I’m Jenn. I’m a 9. If you’re a 6, like my husband, you’re waiting to decide if I’m knowledgeable about the Enneagram until after you hear what I say.
Disagreement usually sparks hatred. But when did disagreeing equate hating? We, as a whole, have forgotten how to respectfully disagree.
Sure, social media has been known to ruin a marriage or two. But if used in appropriate ways, it's a tool to actually strengthen your bond.
In the wake of tragic events, it’s tempting to feel hopeless or point fingers at others. Here are some practical ways I can respond now.
Whether or not Ed Sheeran recognizes it, his lyrics communicate the truth that the things of this world will never satisfy.
Josh and Tracey Devine barely survived their blended family turmoil, but with God’s grace and the help of resources like FamilyLife Blended®, they are now helping other stepfamilies survive and thrive.
The college years can be a tricky transition not just for students, but for their parents as well.
Society tells women they are not naturally beautiful. But what does God say?
Fun and laughter can illuminate our world by reminding us life is not supposed to be so serious.
It’s your billionth fight about the same thing. Your go-to conversations throw out divorce as a threat. What should you do if your marriage is dying?
The ad is surfacing yet again, as Gillette attempts to explain billion-dollar losses this quarter. The public wonders if we need more or less masculinity.
"Close-minded. Unaccepting. Judgmental." Many in our society label Christians as the most hateful people of all in a world fighting for love to win.
I don’t just want to connect with him just for me. I want to both know him and be known by him. I want my husband to join in our conversation too.
My daughter Sam is 12, but I’ve only known her for a year. No one’s story is as straightforward as it may seem. Families are made in many ways.
Their teachers have encouraged their strengths (and helped them find them), instilled confidence, prayed for them, praised them, and lovingly disciplined them when necessary. “Thanks” just doesn’t seem enough.
A catchy new song by Miley reveals a view on love that may not last a lifetime.
That’s when the crying turned ugly. The early tears were sadness. But these were regret. I was lamenting a missed opportunity.
Later that night I told my husband thank you. “What you did this afternoon changed our whole day. Thanks for saying what you said and doing what you did.”
On the fourth night of the honeymoon, I was like, “Babe, I’m spent. Can we just cuddle?” You ever been there? Turning down the lady’s advances?
A millennial’s perspective on Joshua Harris's “falling away” from the Christian faith: "I am among the generation that was shaped, both good and bad."
Women who have never married or had children are the happiest and healthiest, I heard. I'm an unmarried woman with no children. Does single equal happy?
Even the mighty fall. To some, Josh Harris was mighty. He had great influence on their spiritual formation. I hope and pray they know that the Almighty still stands.
Christian college isn't a guarantee that students will keep the faith. A thriving relationship with God doesn't happen simply by immersion.
More stuff means more bills. More bills require more work.The work life balance cycle is as paralyzing as it is addictive. And it is luring every American family.
Meghan McCain's version of marriage counseling is "drinking Jack Daniels, shooting some guns and hanging out." Is that what you should expect?
'Should I be shielding him? Pretend he’s just tired? I feel like I'm on damage control for his decision.' Tips to respond when your spouse isn't into it.
Research shows millennials may be the most family-oriented generation in the last 50 years. Millennial parents are changing the norm to raise healthy kids.
Video games offer a world for your kids where they are the ones with power. The lure is easy to see. But clearly gaming can’t satisfy these deep desires.
We just want our kids to win at sports! But often in the process, we ruin their fun and train them to despise our approach to life and worldview.
I’ve been a high achiever all my life. I didn’t expect a kid with meltdowns, dismal spelling tests, embarrassing social skills. I had to get over myself.
Besides her obvious talent on the tennis court, Coco demonstrated what it looks like when parents teach that there’s more going on than just the game.
As a mom, I am guilty of saying no too often simply out of laziness. Even though saying yes would delight my kids, I let my selfishness get in the way.
When you’re picking out little baby outfits, you don’t anticipate someone telling you, years later, your teenager may have lymphoma.
The nations are in desperate need of the gospel. The" least of these" are hurting, hungry, thirsty, unclothed, and homeless. The solution? Not my teen!
As a kid, I identified with the boy in the song who wanted more of his Dad’s attention. 30 years later, I was the dad leaving my son wanting more.
I didn’t want to work hard to hand my paycheck over to cover his debt. I wanted to spend my money my way. He is the one who went to college and accrued it!
You can be intentional with your kids over the summer. Here are 3 ways (+ a printable) to help you pull off a meaningful summer.
I polled other women on ways to be a better wife. Because I never want to assume that I have all the right wife answers. Let's see if our husbands agree.
Requiring respect is a gift we give our kids (and ourselves!). But in a parenting age aiming to be gentler and more aware of kids’ emotions, it's not easy.
Eight months into their marriage, Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk live in separate houses much of the time. Friends say it's ideal. But what's up?
Unlike the advice of Teen Vogue that robs teenage girls of their value, true advocacy and social responsibility should be in God-glorifying ways.
I struggled with a lot of fear when it came to sex after baby! I avoided telling my husband that I was wrestling with a lack of desire for quite awhile.
When and how do you get back into physical intimacy with each other after a new baby? As the husband, I have learned 3 nonnegotiables for sex after baby.
As the dad of a 13-year-old girl, when Teen Vogue moves from popping pimples to pushing pimps, I need to raise my hand and say, "I’m not for this.”
My son's first day of first grade introduction worksheet: What do you like to do with your friends? His answer, in wonderfully legible pencil: Chase girls.
Facing Father's Day as a single mom brings difficult questions.How can I help my kids on this day? What is expected of me? Am I required to honor him too?
Right now there’s a mom whose 18 summers are up with her child.18 sounded plenty when empty sippy cups scattered the backseat. Now 18 doesn't feel enough.
We asked kids what they think about their dads. Turns out, they think they’re pretty darn special.
I no longer felt anything for my husband. That thought terrified me--I don’t love him anymore. "Would I be happier with someone else?" I wondered.
The first two years of widowhood, God seemed distant and silent. Then I discovered the problem.
There is endless capacity for a loving relationship between a stepdad and his stepchildren.
When you must decide between siding with your child or your spouse in a blended family, choose your spouse.
Most men would swim through shark-infested waters rather than admit our failures and weaknesses.
Tickets to JoJo Siwa's sold out D.R.E.A.M. tour is all my eleven-year-old daughter wanted for her birthday. I was determined to find a way to take her.
The following list is a great way to start loving your wife in a way that makes her flourish.
