Focus on the Family Weekend

Defining the biblical term "shalom" as "breaking the hold of chaos," Dave and Ashley Willis describe how you can cultivate shalom in your home as well as in your relationships – particularly by breaking "strangleholds" caused by people who are overly needy. Our guests also discuss the pursuit of shalom in marriage through the careful and deliberate management of conflict. Also, parenting teens often means navigating some of the most challenging conversations families face—from broken trust to friendships and dating. Tim Shoemaker and his son Mark offer practical, grace-filled guidance to help parents communicate well, build trust, and strengthen their relationship with their teens. You’ll discover how listening well and responding with wisdom can turn difficult moments into opportunities for growth and deeper connection.Peace PiratesWhat to Say and How to Say It to Your TeenHow's Your Marriage Doing?Match Your Parenting to Your Kids' Needs

What if your child’s biggest challenge is actually their greatest strength? Dr. Kathy Koch explores life-changing insights from her book 8 Great Smarts, revealing how every child is uniquely wired with different kinds of intelligence – from the nonstop talker to the deep thinker, the music-maker to the curious questioner. Learn how to recognize your child’s natural strengths, nurture what makes them come alive, and stop unintentionally paralyzing their "smarts."8 Great Smarts7 Traits of Effective Parenting AssessmentMatch Your Parenting to Your Kids' NeedsHelping Your Child Develop Resilience

Based on his book Making Your Marriage a Fortress, Gary Thomas helps couples anticipate and weather the inevitable storms of life. He says that they can grow closer to each other and God through these experiences. He provides encouragement and hope for couples who are currently struggling, as well as offering a preparatory warning to couples who haven’t yet faced a crisis and need to know that such crises are inevitable.Making Your Marriage a FortressHope RestoredDon’t Let the Storms of Life Wash Your Marriage AwayDealing With Emotional Crises in Marriage

Dr. John Townsend shares practical tips for parents struggling to set boundaries with their children. He’ll provide insights on relatable situations spanning every stage of the parenting journey, from teaching unruly toddlers to dealing with adult children who still live at home. Hear his advice for teaching kids to take responsibility and grow into healthy adults.Boundaries with KidsAge and Stage eNewslettersSpeak to a counselor For more great parenting content, check out our Practice Makes Parent podcast

British evangelist J.John brings encouragement for anyone who needs to change their perspective on their circumstances. He suggests that we try to see things from God’s perspective by looking up, looking in, looking back, looking around, and looking ahead. Then Pastor J. D. Greear shares practical insights and real-life stories to help believers reach our broken culture with the love of Christ. Hear his encouragement to meet people where they are, live as authentic examples of Jesus in everyday life, and make a lasting impact for the gospel.Jesus Christ – The TruthJ.John Audio CollectionEveryday RevolutionaryReFOCUS with Jim Daly

What’s the secret to a strong family? Author and mom Jessica Smartt says it’s not perfection – it’s connection. Drawing from her book Come On Home, Jessica shares powerful and practical ways to build a lasting family legacy, navigate technology with wisdom, and create meaningful memories as a family. You’ll be encouraged to create a home where your kids feel safe, seen, and deeply loved. Because as Jessica reminds us, “Your family doesn’t have to be perfect to be strong.”Come on HomeAge and Stage eNewslettersParents' Guide to Technology 2026BePresent – Plugged In App Review

Gabe and Rebekah Lyons equip couples to fight for connection in their marriage and break unhealthy patterns of conflict. Hear their stories of sharing and processing their origin stories to better understand their emotions and know each other deeply.The Fight for UsHope RestoredFight for a Stronger and Deeper MarriageHow to Stop Fighting Your Spouse: Seven Steps to Win-Win Solutions in Marriage

Jason and Tori Benham provide a series of practical, Bible-based principles to help couples experience stronger, healthier, and more godly marriages. They describe better ways to handle conflict, communication, and practicing “being present” with your family – especially when it’s hard.Marriage A to ZMarriage AssessmentFriendship in MarriageCommitment in Marriage

George Washington and other American leaders during the Revolutionary War displayed extraordinary faith in God. They attributed success on the battlefield to God, called the American people to days of fasting and prayer for the Revolution, and wrote Christian principles into America’s Founding documents. Rod Gragg recounts fascinating stories of our nation’s history and how Christians can learn from the faith of America’s past leaders. He shares about the first Independence Day celebration, and how churches today can flourish in the midst of cultural shift away from a Biblical worldview. Then, in this Adventures in Odyssey drama, Irwin Springer, a middle schooler interested in history, takes a wild journey back to the American Revolution, where he meets the men who shaped the United States.   By the Hand of Providence   Adventures in Odyssey Bible   Adventures in Odyssey: The Movie   Adventures in Odyssey Club   All Created Equal: Celebrating Freedom on Independence Day   If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family Weekend, please give us your feedback.

Money can easily create tension in marriage – but it doesn’t have to! Financial expert Matt Bell shares biblical principles and practical tools for managing your money together in a way that builds trust, peace, and purpose. Matt shares from his book, Starting Strong: Discovering the Good That Money Can Do In Your Marriage. From budgeting to car payments to long-term investments, you’ll discover how to make financial decisions that strengthen your faith and your marriage.   Starting Strong   Focus on the Family Marriage Assessment   Counseling Consultation and Referrals   Communicating to Achieve Financial Harmony (Part 1 of 2)   If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family Weekend, please give us your feedback.

Jay and Laura Laffoon encourage dads to plan intentional times to connect with their children. Jay has written Ultimate Date Night, which provides different activities with a spiritual connection so dads can teach their kids about the Bible in a memorable way. Then Pastor Ted Cunningham encourages young adults to go ahead and get married, and not wait until they can ‘afford it.’ He also shares stories about how he and his wife deliberately make an effort to enjoy their marriage.   Ultimate Dad Night   Fun Loving You   Match Your Parenting to Your Kid's Needs   Focus on Marriage Assessment   If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family Weekend, please give us your feedback.

Kristen Rusch, Ashley Durand, and Dr. Jenny Coffey share their insight on finding hope through the struggles of motherhood. They touched on subjects such as depression, meltdowns, comparison, and being rooted in their identity in Christ.   Mothering on Empty   Match Your Parenting to Your Kid’s Needs…Now   Stages of Motherhood   Motherhood in Difficult Situations   If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family Weekend, please give us your feedback.

Are you living life on empty? Licensed counselor Debra Fileta highlights ways to “fill up” physically, emotionally, and spiritually. In a 6-part process that Debra calls “Soul Care,” she goes through the life and rhythms of Jesus to discover how we can care for our souls. Instead of living unsatisfied, we can experience renewed energy, purpose, and strength to serve others like never before!   Soul Care   Counseling Consultation and Referrals   40 Self-Care Ideas for Achieving True Rest   What to Do When You're Not Okay (Part 1 of 2)   If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family Weekend, please give us your feedback.

Jim Daly and John Fuller introduce this Adventures in Odyssey radio drama about a young man’s dream to become a successful radio DJ – but he gets bad advice about sharing other people’s secrets on air! Then military life can place enormous strain on families through deployments, frequent moves, and long seasons of separation. But what if those challenges could become opportunities for deeper faith and even ministry? Beth Runkle shares how military spouses can replace fear with faith, use prayer as a powerful spiritual weapon, and see every new assignment as part of God’s calling on their lives.   AIO Animation Journey into the Impossible   Another Move, God?   Episode #193: “A Tongue of Fire”   Connecting With Your Spouse During Military Deployment   If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family Weekend, please give us your feedback.

Conflict in marriage can often feel like an all-consuming and explosive cycle that eats away at peace. It’s essential to acknowledge past experiences that contribute to these negative cycles. Ron (a licensed marriage and family therapist) and his wife Nan describe how self-regulation and retraining the brain's triggers can help bring restoration and healing in a marriage. The couple shares their own journey through the tragic loss of their young son and how these principles impacted that difficult process.   The Mindful Marriage   Hope Restored   Counseling Consultation and Referrals   4 Healing Prayers for Marriage Restoration   If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family Weekend, please give us your feedback.

Conflict in marriage can often feel like an all-consuming and explosive cycle that eats away at peace. It’s essential to acknowledge past experiences that contribute to these negative cycles. Ron (a licensed marriage and family therapist) and his wife Nan describe how self-regulation and retraining the brain's triggers can help bring restoration and healing in a marriage. The couple shares their own journey through the tragic loss of their young son and how these principles impacted that difficult process.   The Mindful Marriage   Hope Restored   Counseling Consultation and Referrals   4 Healing Prayers for Marriage Restoration   If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family Weekend, please give us your feedback.

Dr. Kathy Koch addresses parent-child relationships after the child reaches the adult stage. She discusses how to recognize the signs of unhealthy expectations and how to strengthen those relationships. Kathy explores subjects such as the importance of breaking free from codependency, healthy grandparenting, and not idolizing your children.   Resolve Conflict and Find Peace and Hope with Adult Children   Declaration of Release   Counseling Consultation and Referrals   Redrawing Boundaries with Adult Children   If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family Weekend, please give us your feedback.

Pastor Ted Cunningham brings hilarious encouragement to moms by urging them to stop stressing out over non-essential decisions, and start actively seeking out a more lighthearted approach to life. Then based on his book, Defending Your Marriage, Dr. Tim and Noreen Muehlhoff share about the reality of spiritual warfare against marriages, and how to combat the enemy’s lies with the truth of God. Couples will be encouraged that they’re not alone in the fight for a godly marriage and better equipped to be a shining example for the world around them.   A Love That Laughs   Defending Your Marriage   The Focus on the Family Comedy Collection   Reactive Cycle Assessment   If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family Weekend, please give us your feedback.

With trademark humor and warmth, British evangelist J.John and his wife Killy share candid stories about the ups and downs of 42 years of marriage and global ministry. From a seasoned perspective, they offer practical, biblical advice for “maintaining” your relationship. The pair discuss how “The Four R’s” – respect, responsibility, romance, and resolve can shape a marriage to go the distance.   Marriage Works   J.John Collection   Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage Podcast   Adventures in Odyssey: Journey in the Impossible   If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family Weekend, please give us your feedback.