FamilyLife Today®

Blended families face unique battles: guilt-paralyzed bio parents, stepparents feeling threatened, ex-spouses overstepping. Ron Deal and Gayla Grace unpack traps that sabotage marriage and parenting—erase/replace mindsets, unilateral fixes, defensiveness—and show how co-parents can lean in, communicate intent, and send “no-threat” messages. When couples unite around kids, check in before ex-decisions, and prioritize long-term child good, hope, stability, and even transformation become possible. Show Notes and Resources Resources for blended families familylife.com/blended Save the date! Blended & Blessed® is happening April 18, 2026. Find details at blendedandblessed.com Ron Deal & Gayla Grace on common blended family traps Get the Smart StepMom book on FamilyLife's shop.  Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Grandparents and parents face heartbreak when kids walk away from faith—or when rules block spiritual talks. Dr. Crawford Loritts and Larry Fowler (Legacy Coalition) show how leaning in with persistent love, humility, gratitude, and creative prayer keeps relational doors open. Through stories, apologies, and benchmarked traditions, they reveal how small, consistent faith-filled actions can shape family legacies—even amid fractures, resistance, and messiness. Show Notes and Resources Legacy Coalition is a ministry equipping Christian grandparents. Go tolegacycoalition.com The Legacy Grandparenting Summit is an annual conference for Christian grandparentslegacycoalition.com/summit Save the date! Blended & Blessed® is happening April 18, 2026. Find details at blendedandblessed.com Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Grandparents aren’t spectators—they’re hope-givers with the power to shape eternity. Dr. Crawford Loritts and Larry Fowler show how intentional grandparenting changes family legacies: sharing faith stories, praying boldly, modeling surrendered lives, and passing God’s truth across generations. Walk alongside them as they turn hard pasts into godly futures and show how every moment with grandchildren can echo through eternity. Show Notes and Resources Legacy Coalition is a ministry equipping Christian grandparents. Go tolegacycoalition.com The Legacy Grandparenting Summit is an annual conference for Christian grandparentslegacycoalition.com/summit Save the date! Blended & Blessed® is happening April 18, 2026. Find details at blendedandblessed.com Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

When life tips over, how do you keep trusting God? Pastor Erik Reed, author of Uncommon Trust: Learning to Trust God When Life Doesn't Make Sense, shares his family’s journey through unimaginable loss—his son’s medical tragedy, kidney transplant, and death at 15—and the daily, vulnerable faith that carried them. This episode doesn’t offer easy answers, but it shows how Scripture, surrender, and community beat a path toward wholeness. Show Notes and Resources Get your copy of Erik's book, Uncommon Trust: Learning to Trust God When Life Doesn't Make Sense at your favorite bookstore. Save the date! Blended & Blessed® is happening April 18, 2026. Find details at blendedandblessed.com Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network   See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Bitterness eats the soul like poison. Anxiety paralyzes even the strongest. Pastor Erik Reed takes listeners inside the unfiltered journey of forgiving the surgeon who ruined his son’s kidneys—including panic attacks and, in his bones, trusting God in difficult times. Walk with Erik through the Valley of the Shadow—from anger and fear to freedom and uncommon trust. Show Notes and Resources Get your copy of Erik's book, Uncommon Trust: Learning to Trust God When Life Doesn't Make Sense at your favorite bookstore. Save the date! Blended & Blessed® is happening April 18, 2026. Find details at blendedandblessed.com Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network   See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

When prayers feel like they’re bouncing off the ceiling and life goes sideways—what then? Pastor Erik Reed shares the gut-punch story behind his book, Uncommon Trust—a 15-year fight for his son’s life after a devastating medical mistake. This isn’t tidy faith talk about trusting God. It’s the gritty road from “God will fix it” to “but if not.” If your faith feels white-knuckled and shaky in suffering, this conversation meets you there. Show Notes and Resources Get your copy of Erik's book, Uncommon Trust: Learning to Trust God When Life Doesn't Make Sense at your favorite bookstore. Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Think AI is harmless? Think again. Today’s chatbots don’t just answer questions—they offer friendship, romance, even “love.” And the AI dangers aren’t loud… they’re subtle. Easy affirmation. Zero challenge. Total secrecy. On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson talk with Ron Deal about how AI dangers threaten marriages, kids, and faith. Before “Google God” replaces real connection, learn what’s at stake in your home. Show Notes and Resources Attend a Weekend to Remember marriage getaway: Register today at WeekendToRemember.com Join the Blended & Blessed one-day event/livestream: register today at blendedandblessed.com Get your copy of The Mindful Marriage by Ron and Nan Deal on our shop Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network   See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Lonely? There’s an app for that. AI companions promise instant connection, zero conflict, and someone who always says the right thing. No eye rolls. No baggage. No growth either. On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson talk with Ron Deal about how AI companions are reshaping marriages, parenting, and emotional intimacy. Before a chatbot becomes your safest relationship, find out what’s really at stake. Show Notes and Resources Save over 40% on all getaways thru 3/31! Register now at Register now at WeekendToRemember.com Join the Blended & Blessed one-day event/livestream: register today at blendedandblessed.com Get your copy of The Mindful Marriage by Ron and Nan Deal on our shop Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom. Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network   See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Can seasons of darkness help us see more clearly than ever? Singer & author Andrew Peterson describes his path through depression to resurrection. Show Notes and Resources Get to know Andrew learn about his book Resurrection Letters at andrew-peterson.com Save over 40% on all getaways thru 3/31! Register now at Register now at WeekendToRemember.com Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom. Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

"Ever feel like you’re sharing a calendar… but not your heart? You work the same mission, manage the same chaos—yet something’s off. You're emotionally distant, but it's subtle. Polite. Growing. Show Notes and Resources Explore FamilyLife marriage resources, including the Art of Marriage video series: Get the leader kit, workbooks, or stream at familylife.com/art-of-marriage or through RightNow Media. Get your copy of Vertical Marriage: The One Secret That Will Change Your Marriage by Dave and Ann Wilson in our shop. Save over 40% on all getaways thru 3/31! Register now at Register now at WeekendToRemember.com Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom. Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Ever feel like life’s flying 78 mph and your marriage is just hanging on? Ministry’s thriving. Career’s climbing. But at home? You’re missing each other—and nobody’s calling it out. That’s what happens when emotional check-ins get skipped and “we’re fine” becomes the norm.On this episode of FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson sit down with David and Meg Robbins—now leading Cru—to talk about success, survival mode, and the quiet drift that almost cost them. If you’ve felt unseen, overloaded, or second to the mission… this one’s for you. Show Notes and Resources Explore FamilyLife marriage resources, including the Art of Marriage video series: Get the leader kit, workbooks, or stream at familylife.com/art-of-marriage or through RightNow Media. Get your copy of Vertical Marriage: The One Secret That Will Change Your Marriage by Dave and Ann Wilson in our shop. Save over 40% on all getaways thru 3/31! Register now at Register now at WeekendToRemember.com Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom. Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

You can love God, serve people, hit your goals—and still feel strangely empty at home. So what gives? Why does “successful” sometimes feel like “running on fumes”? Stephanie Carter and her husband Bryan, author of Made to Last: 8 Principles to Build Long-Lasting Relationships, get blunt about burnout, counseling at 37, and the wake-up call that reshaped their marriage. If your family gets the leftovers of your ambition, this episode will hit close to home. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about Bryan Carter's and his book Made to Last: Eight Principles to Build Long-Lasting Relationships at bryancarter.org. Save over 40% on all getaways thru 3/31! Register now at WeekendToRemember.com Sign up for the free Blended and Blessed livestream: a one-day event focused on building unity in blended families: Happening April 18, 2026 — register at blendedandblessed.com Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom.  Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

You’re checking the boxes—career, church, kids—but something still feels off. Why doesn’t success feel significant? And why does marriage take the hit when life gets busy? Stephanie Carter and her husband Bryan, author of Made to Last: 8 Principles to Build Long-Lasting Relationships, share how burnout, counseling, and hard recalibration reshaped their marriage and family rhythms. If you crave balancing work and family in practical ways that put God first without quitting your calling, this conversation meets you where you live. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about Bryan Carter's and his book Made to Last: Eight Principles to Build Long-Lasting Relationships at bryancarter.org. Attend a Weekend to Remember marriage getaway, our faith-based retreat with biblical teaching, practical tools, and focused time for couples: Register now at WeekendToRemember.com Sign up for the free Blended and Blessed livestream: a one-day event focused on building unity in blended families: Happening April 18, 2026 — register at blendedandblessed.com Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom.  Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

You love Jesus—but marriage still feels complicated. Ministry pressure. In-law tension. Career moves you didn’t plan. What does a strong Christian marriage actually look like after 25 years? If you're wondering How can I make a relationship last? Stephanie Carter and her husband Bryan--author of Made to Last: 8 Principles to Build Long Lasting Relationships--get you started in the right direction. They chat about conflict, calling, compromise—and the quiet resilience that keeps love standing. If you’re tired of clichés and want faith that works at home, this one’s for you. Show Notes and Resources Learn more about Bryan Carter's and his book Made to Last: Eight Principles to Build Long-Lasting Relationships at bryancarter.org. Attend a Weekend to Remember marriage getaway, our faith-based retreat with biblical teaching, practical tools, and focused time for couples: Register now at WeekendToRemember.com Sign up for the free Blended and Blessed livestream: a one-day event focused on building unity in blended families: Happening April 18, 2026 — register at blendedandblessed.com Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom.  Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Dennis and Barbara Rainey know marriage is hard, messy, and tested daily. On FamilyLife Today, they share marriage lessons from decades of insight—faith-based, practical, and no sugarcoating—to survive the everyday mess. Show Notes and Resources Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom. Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network   See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Your world can flip in an instant. One call, one loss, and suddenly your marriage, your faith, your family—all feel torn-open and unsteady. On Family Life Today, Chris Brooks and Yodit Brooks share honestly what it’s like to walk through the dark night of the soul...in marriage. They extend the quiet hope that arrives when you refuse to just survive. Show Notes and Resources Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom. Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network   See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

When it comes to setting goals in marriage, most couples wing it—or copy whatever sounds spiritual. FamilyLife President Luke Middendorf talks about upheaval, faith, and the quiet drift that happens when you’re busy but not aligned. If you want more than vague marriage resolutions, this conversation will steady your aim without piling on guilt. Show Notes and Resources Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom. Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network   See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

You said it nicely. Then louder. Now you’re just tired. This live panel of marriage experts from FamilyLife's Love Like You Mean It Cruise gets real about resentment in marriage, like small frustrations that turn into silent scorekeeping. Why he withdraws. Why you push. And how couples stop fighting each other and start fighting for each other—without pretending everything’s fine. Show Notes and Resources Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom. Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network   See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

You’re busy. Faithful. Grinding. But if you’re honest? Something at home feels off. Music artists and authors Montell and Kristin Jordan get real about success, sickness, marriage strain—and the quiet drift that almost costs you what matters most. If work, church, kids, or “good things” are crowding your covenant, this conversation will recalibrate you without shaming you. Show Notes and Resources Check out Montell and Kristin's website at  montellandkristin.com You can follow them on Instagram Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom. Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

What does God’s love look like when your earthly father failed you? He Calls Me Daughter, a new Christian movie by Rick Altizer, follows real stories of father wounds, faith, and redemption. Rachelle Starr’s Scarlet Hope ministry brings hope to women in strip clubs, showing how obedience, prayer, and God’s grace transform broken lives. Watch, reflect, and discover how healing from father wounds can restore identity, trust, and purpose. Show Notes and Resources Watch the film He Calls Me Daughter in theaters for two days only: March 17–18 (get tickets and find theater locations now). visit HeCallsMeDaughter.org. Learn more about Scarlet Hope ministry: Visit scarlethope.org for stories, donation options, team info, and ways to get involved. Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom. Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com. Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com. Download FamilyLife's app! Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy