Focus on the Family

Your kids don't need perfect parents - they just need parents who are praying, present, and purposeful. How have you been present in your children's prayer life? Share how their faith has grown in the comments!

Why should you teach your children to pray? It's not just a ritual. It's about showing them that God is near, that He hears them, and He loves them. Encourage them to bring their troubles to Him - whether they're afraid of the dark, scraped a knee, or dealing with bigger issues, hold their hand and pray with them.

Patience is not a natural human inclination. It doesn't typically come easy to return with gentleness and love to others when they push our buttons. We have supernatural help - the Holy Spirit provides us with patience and love when we might rather react with a snarky comment or anger. Pray today that the Holy Spirit would help grow the fruit of patience in your heart today.

Marriage is beautiful, and a gift from God. But sometimes it's hard. Love is, in fact, a choice we have to make each day. We have to choose to forgive, speak gently, seek ways to show our love, sacrifice for each other, invest time in one another. The good news is that we are not alone in marriage - God fills us with love, giving us an extra measure of grace, love, and patience for our spouse. “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” — 1 Peter 4:8.

Adventures in Odyssey has been a beloved family favorite for 35 years now, full of adventure and wholesome lessons. With over 1,000 episodes of audio drama featuring deeply loved characters, we decided it was time to take the leap onto the big screen. We're mixing up a thrilling adventure through a sci-fi story about faith, featuring your favorite Adventures in Odyssey character cast. If you aren't already a fan of Adventures in Odyssey, we promise you won't be disappointed with the faith-based, family-friendly content, and inspiring conversations about Christ with your kids. Keep your eye on our official social pages as we work hard behind the scenes to bring Adventures in Odyssey to you in a new, refreshing way!

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:31-32 It's easy to forget this command from Ephesians when we're scrolling on socials. The sensational posts and unfiltered opinions can become traps to pull us into fights. When people disagree or say something we find bizarre, hateful, or horrific, we leap to the keyboard and spit out the first thought on our minds. The next time you feel the need to jump to the comments and pour out your thoughts, pause for a moment and remember this verse. There are people created in God's image on the other side, and we are called to be kind and compassionate to them.

Christian marriage shows the world a glimpse of Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:31-32). Your union can reflect heavenly beauty when rooted in Christ, humility, and love.

Pray this over your children today: "May the God of hope fill (your child's name) with all joy and peace as (he/she) trusts in him, so that (he/she) may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13

Jesus corrected with love and grace — not condemnation. Be a messenger of redemption, not judgment, remembering God comforts the broken-hearted.

Do you ever find yourself losing patience with your kids over small things? The day builds up and it feels like they know exactly the right thing to say or do to push you over the edge. You never knew you had so many buttons to get pushed until you had kids…. There may be many days where it really is just the day, the sound, the kitchen fan is on… but sometimes that reaction is coming from a deeper feeling. When our deeper fears or feelings come under attack, our bodies go into fight or flight mode very quickly. We withdraw and shut down, or jump into an argument (which is, of course, so very effective with toddlers). If you find yourself in this position, know that you can break this reactive cycle: 1. Pause – yes, in parenting this is a huge ask sometimes. But unless there is danger approaching, truly pause and take a second. (Verbalizing this to your kids might help them understand why you’ve stopped engaging in whatever the task or activity is, if they are a bit older). 2. Calm – we rely on the Prince of Peace to steady our hearts, so take a moment to really where you are and look for His presence. Sometimes that might look like closing your eyes and plugging your ears, and that's just fine. 3. Respond – every moment with parenting is kind of a survival moment. You may not have time to dive into your heart and understand your reaction, but in this exact moment, respond with love. Soften your voice, get on your kid’s eye level, and, if you’d lost your temper, apologize first. Then you can continue to try and get everyone out the door (even if you’re 10 minutes late to soccer practice). Over time, in the 5 minutes you have to yourself, you can unpack those reactions and ask God to heal those deep wounds. The habit of pause -> calm -> respond will become grounding for you and your kids over time if you continue to surrender it to Christ.

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7 The peace we have in Christ doesn't make sense to the world. But it is a real, true, deep peace. When the circumstances are overwhelming and unsure, we can be sure of God's love and perfect plan.

Jesus spoke often about love, mercy and forgiveness. But He also spoke clearly about judgment and eternity. He warned of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” and being “cast into outer darkness” (Matthew 8:12; 13:42). He described hell as a place “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:48). In Luke 16:28, He referred to it as a “place of torment.” These are not the words of a harsh Savior eager to punish. They are the words of a loving Savior who tells the truth. Jesus warned about hell because He does not want anyone to be separated from Him. Truth and love are not opposites. In Christ, they are perfectly united.

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 We are all weak to sin, temptations of various kinds, and falling short of the goal. But consider all the people God used in the Bible to do mighty things in His name.... ➡️ Moses had a speech impediment. Yet God used him to lead Israel out of slavery and all through the wilderness. ➡️ David was a shepherd when he killed Goliath. ➡️ Gideon was of the "least" of the tribes of Israel, and of his father's house. Yet God used him with a shockingly small army to defeat Midian. Whatever your weakness, God has a plan to show His power through you. Are you willing to surrender to His plans for you? Share your favorite Bible story in the comments!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 You weren't looking forward to going to your in-law's house today - your mother-in-law is always criticizing the way you parent. Maybe your spouse made a snide comment about where you parked for church service. Maybe your teenager is purposefully doing things you disapprove of to spite you. We can't control the people around us, but we can trust in the Lord. When we are faced with an attitude, opinion, or behavior that pushes our buttons, we can submit that to Him. Our own nature is quick to anger and rudeness - eye for an eye or something like that... He can give us understanding and grace for people who make us want to pull our hair out. He can make our path straight, giving us responses full of grace and gentleness (without compromising His values).

You do not have to stay silent about what’s hurting you. God gave you a voice and dignity. Pray, reach out, and let someone safe hear your heart — Isaiah 41:10 promises God’s strength in weakness. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Praying daily over your children is one of the greatest gifts you can give them — Psalm 103:17 reminds us of God’s everlasting love for those who trust in Him. "But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children."

"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” - Romans 15:1-3. When we see others making choices we disagree with, first we should consider - "Do I disagree with this because it contradicts the Bible, or because I personally am bothered?" Second, we ought to consider whether or not they are believers. We can't expect someone who doesn't know God to follow His law (which we ourselves cannot even follow perfectly). Third, we must hold fast onto the righteousness granted us by Christ - we should first speak with love, gentleness, filled with grace, not entering the conversation with judgement first. (Even on social media, where we quickly forget that there are humans made in God's image on the other side of the words written on the screen).

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." What do you need to bring to God today? What is making you feel weary and burdened?

"God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day." - Psalm 46:5 Put your name in this verse, or your wife, daughter, a friend, your mother, etc. The world has much uncertainty these days - let us stand on the one thing that is always certain.

Two huge wins for Christians in America this week: Eric Rivera for refusing to read an LGBT book to young children in his class through books implanted in the curriculum. This action earned him his first disciplinary mark on record and removed him from his teaching position. After triggering legal warning, the school backed off and revoked their punishment on Eric. And we praise God for answering prayers to block the California law that allowed teachers and educators to secretly transition children without parental knowledge. Please continue to pray with us that this law will fall, maintaining parents as the guardians of their children's well-being.