FamilyLife Today is a weekday podcast featuring fun, engaging conversations that help families grow together with Jesus while pursuing the relationships that matter most.
This was not the plan. Not the diagnosis, not the heartbreak, not the prayer apparently sitting in God's inbox. So what does trusting God in suffering actually look like? Grammy-winning artist Laura Story, author of Stand in Awe, joins FamilyLife Today guest host Cheryl Shumake to talk honestly about unwanted stories, unanswered prayers, and believing God is good when you'd really prefer some supporting evidence. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Your Bible's under yesterday's mail. Your coffee's cold. Your thumb somehow opened Instagram again. How do you grow closer to God when your attention is being mugged by notifications, deadlines, kids, and plain old exhaustion? Grammy-winning artist Laura Story, author of Stand in Awe, joins FamilyLife Today guest host Cheryl Shumake to chat about moving beyond a shallow faith—and building one sturdy enough for ordinary Tuesdays when life hits hard and tries to elbow God out of the way. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Three songs. Maybe raised hands. Done worshiping for the week? Not so fast. How do you worship God when Monday hits—and life looks nothing like you ordered? Grammy-winning artist Laura Story, author of Stand in Awe, joins FamilyLife Today guest host Cheryl Shumake to talk about worship when God doesn't follow our script, faith gets a little too me-focused, and “reverence” sounds suspiciously like a word your grandmother used. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Dirty diapers. Full trash cans. That argument neither of you is quite over. Turns out you said “I do,” not “I'll never get on your nerves again.” So how do you love your spouse when it's hard—when you're hurt, misunderstood, halfway into your emotional turtle shell—and neither of you feels all that lovable? Quina Aragon, author of Love Has a Story, and her husband Jon unpack what God's enduring love has to do with ordinary marriage when the warm fuzzies have left the building. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Yeah, the Bible says God loves you. But maybe you wonder, Does God love me—here, in the plot twist I definitely didn't order? Jon and Quina Aragon, authors of Love Has a Story, get candid about suffering, doubt, old wounds, and learning to trust God's love when life makes a credible argument otherwise. When you're tired of easy answers to hard questions, listen in here. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You joined a family hoping to love your stepkids well. But what if they don't exactly love you back? Cheryl Shumake, author of Waiting to Be Wanted, gets painfully practical about how to be a good stepparent without auditioning for acceptance—and maybe when those kids don't love you back. How do you stop competing for your place, love without keeping score, and know what's actually yours to do when the blended-family dream gets decidedly less dreamy? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Your marriage ended. But your anger, betrayal, and hurt didn't get the memo. Cheryl Shumake joins Dave and Ann Wilson to talk honestly about forgiveness after divorce—what it means, what it doesn't, and why refusing to release the debt can keep old wounds alive. Is forgiveness possible when what happened was genuinely wrong? And how do you move forward without pretending the wreckage never happened? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Got questions about Christianity you're almost afraid to say out loud? Doubting your faith can feel especially lonely when everyone at church seems so stinkin' certain. Brant Hansen, author of Blessed Are the Misfits, joins Dave and Ann Wilson for an unpolished conversation about skepticism, introverts, uncomfortable questions, and belonging when you don't fit the Christian mold. Because stuffing your doubts isn't exactly making them disappear. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You pray. Read your Bible. Show up at church. And God still seems … crickets. When God feels far away, does that mean your faith is broken—or that you are? Brant Hansen, author of Blessed Are the Misfits, gets candid about skepticism, emotional wiring, and our all-too-human pressure to manufacture spiritual experiences. What holds your faith together when your feelings have approximately nothing useful to report? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Everyone else seems to feel God. Worship moves them. Prayer lights them up. Meanwhile, your faith feels flatter than a three-day-old Coke. If you're wondering, “Why don't I feel close to God?” Brant Hansen, author of Blessed Are the Misfits, gets refreshingly honest about faith for people who don't fit the emotional Christian mold. Are you spiritually defective—or have we confused certain personalities and feelings with what genuine faith is supposed to look like? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Grades. Sports. Friends. Faith. Future. It's ridiculously easy to turn your teenager's life into your personal report card. Melissa Kruger, author of Parenting with Hope, gets honest about Christian parenting of teens when, perhaps despite the evidence, you want desperately to get it right. What if our good intentions are quietly piling pressure on our kids? And how do we stay close when their choices—and their future—aren't ours to control? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Your sweet kid turned into a teenager—and apparently you're embarrassing now. How do you stay close without clinging, set limits without making every conversation a lecture, and keep fear from running the show? Melissa Kruger, author of Parenting with Hope, gets real about how to parent a teenager when the stakes feel higher, the eye rolls get stronger, and you desperately want to get this right. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You've got a dream. You've also got bills, responsibilities, loved ones eager to offer opinions, and that nagging question: Is this big idea for my future actually from God … or am I nuts? Saxophonist Emmanuel Garilus and his wife, Loreen, get real about finding your God-given purpose when the sensible path doesn't feel like the faithful one. How do you weigh calling, risk, hard work, and marriage—and know when a dream is worth chasing? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You love each other. You love Jesus. So why is communication already this hard? Newlyweds Loreen and Emmanuel Garilus get refreshingly real about communication for newlyweds—mismatched expectations, conflict, family backgrounds, and those “Couldn't you just text me?” moments. How do you learn to understand your spouse without making your way the right way—or letting little frustrations quietly become big ones? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Somewhere along the way, worry started feeling like part of the job description. Based on her book, The Worry-Free Parent, Sissy Goff joins Dave and Ann Wilson to explore how to stop worrying about your kids without loving them any less—and before fear subtly assumes control of your home and your kids. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Gray divorce doesn't usually begin with a lawyer. It begins with two people slowly living separate lives under the same roof. Ron Deal joins Dave and Ann Wilson to explore why long marriages drift apart, the warning signs couples often miss, and how small choices today can reshape the years ahead. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Real family discipleship doesn't happen because you nailed another family devotional. It happens in the middle of apologies, hard conversations, ordinary Tuesdays, and parents who keep showing up. Barrett and Jennifer Johnson join Dave and Ann Wilson to share a practical model for helping kids follow Jesus in real life. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
If you're wondering how to disciple your children when you're just trying to make sure they have clean underwear—it's easy to feel like you're already behind. Turns out you can spend 18 years raising capable kids—and still miss your biggest assignment. Barrett and Jennifer Johnson join Dave and Ann Wilson to unpack how to disciple your children, why Jesus is the model, and what everyday parenting looks like when making disciples becomes the goal. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Wondering how to help your kids know Jesus without turning every moment into a sermon—particularly when you're still figuring it out yourself? Quina Aragon joins Dave and Ann Wilson to explore the small, everyday choices that leave a lasting mark on your kids' faith. Pulling from her book for children, Love Can, she reminds parents that discipleship isn't about perfection—it's about direction. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
When life keeps knocking the wind out of you, it's easy to wonder if "God's love never fails" is anything more than a nice phrase. Quina Aragon joins Dave and Ann Wilson to recount scrabbling for hope through chronic illness, grief, infertility, and what seemed a lot like unanswered prayers. Drawing from her Love Made, Love Gave, and Love Can books for children, Quina reminds us that God's love is strongest when we feel weakest. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You may think your past has the loudest voice. But God can use your story. Quina Aragon joins Dave and Ann Wilson for an honest conversation about trauma, father wounds, and finding an identity that's stronger than your circumstances. Inspired by her children's book Love Can, this episode is for anyone wondering if redemption is really possible. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Wondering how to teach kids empathy when culture models the opposite? Chris Singleton joins Dave and Ann Wilson to talk about raising children who refuse to write people off, choose compassion over assumptions, and see others through God's eyes. Drawing from his book for children, Your Life Matters, Chris challenges parents to build something different at home. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
If you're wondering how to forgive someone after deep hurt, easy answers won't help. Chris Singleton joins Dave and Ann Wilson to share what happened after his mother was killed in the Charleston church shooting—and why he refused to let anger have the final word. Join this honest conversation for anyone carrying grief, hurt, or questions they can't seem to shake. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Learning how to protect kids online can feel like aiming at a moving target. Jacob Valk of Into the Light Ministries joins Dave and Ann Wilson to cut through the overwhelm with practical guidance for today's digital world—including AI porn, safer devices, and why technology alone won't protect your family. If you're raising kids in a digital world, this conversation will help you take the next right step. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You swore it'd be the last time. But the cycle keeps repeating. If you've been wondering how to quit pornography, you're probably discovering it's harder than willpower alone. Jacob Valk of Into the Light Ministries joins Dave and Ann Wilson for an honest conversation about why porn is so difficult to escape, what keeps people stuck, and why lasting freedom is still possible. If you're tired of hiding or losing hope, this episode is for you. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Porn feels closer than ever, and most parents aren't sure how to talk about it until it's already in the house. If you've been wondering how to talk to kids about pornography, Jacob Valk of Into the Light Ministries joins Dave and Ann Wilson for a real conversation about preparing your kids before the internet gets there first. He'll help you tackle the awkward conversations, hidden fears, and real questions you're carrying as a parent. If you're wondering how to protect your kids without leading with panic or shame, this conversation meets you where you live. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Ever notice how when relationship trust feels shaky, everything else gets harder? Therapist and author Ron Deal and his wife Nan pull back the curtain on what helps people feel deeply loved, genuinely safe, and truly connected—and why so many couples are missing it. Whether you're carrying resentment, struggling to feel seen, or wondering why your relationship feels stuck, uncover what's fueling the disconnect. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You love your spouse. So why are you experiencing serious trust issues in your marriage, family, and even your faith? Licensed counselor and author Ron Deal and his wife Nan get honest about the hidden places we look for security, validation, and identity—and how those misplaced expectations quietly strain our closest relationships. If you've ever felt disappointed, guarded, or emotionally exhausted, this conversation just might unearth what's really going on. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
The drawbacks and dangers of phones for teens can feel intimidating. Author David Eaton offers tips to turn teens' phones from a liability to an asset. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Your teen messes up. Emotions flare. What's your next move? David Eaton shares practical ways to respond with wisdom, connection, and love when the stakes feel high. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
More than 40 million young people walk away from faith by age 15. But faith doesn't drift overnight. How do you navigate the tough conversations that matter most? Author David Eaton offers practical ways to engage your teen's questions, doubts, and world without losing connection. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Moody Bible Institute president Mark Jobe and his wife, Dee, know that some legacies are inherited. Others are built. Mark and Dee share how they challenged generational sin patterns, embraced a new vision for their family, and discovered the power of faith to change a family's trajectory. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Join Dave and Ann Wilson as they sit down with Mark and Dee Jobe on FamilyLife Today. Mark, president of Moody Bible Institute, and Dee pull back the curtain on a life shaped by faith, risk, and relentless ministry. They talk candidly about the pressures of parenting, the realities of planting churches, and the hard work of reaching people with the gospel. Mark and Dee unpack honest lessons forged through decades of leadership, sacrifice, and perseverance. Listen in for thoughtful ideas about staying faithful when the stakes are real and the mission matters. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Trying to hold your family together. Worrying about your kids. Wondering if you've already messed something up. Most of us lug around fears, regrets, and what-ifs that never seem to let go. Pastor Dane Ortlund, author of Finally Home: The Christian Hope of Heaven, explains why the Christian hope of heaven is more than a future promise—it changes the weight your heart is hauling right now. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
What is heaven like? For a lot of Christians, the honest answer is ... hopefully not what I'm picturing. Pastor Dane Ortlund, author of Finally Home: The Christian Hope of Heaven, challenges some of our most common assumptions about eternity, arguing that the Bible's vision is far more tangible, physical, and alive than floating on clouds or singing forever. Turns out the story ends with a restored world—not an escape from one. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
When life gets hard, most of us focus on getting through the next week—not ruminating on eternity. But pastor and author Dane Ortlund argues that heaven has everything to do with how we handle suffering, setbacks, and ordinary Tuesdays.The problem? Many Christians aren't actually looking forward to the future Scripture describes. Ask what the Bible says about heaven, and for a lot of us, things get fuzzy fast.Ortlund, author of Finally Home: The Christian Hope of Heaven, tackles some of our biggest assumptions about eternity, the afterlife, and the world to come. What if the future for Jesus followers is far more concrete, physical, and compelling than you've been led to believe? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Can a marriage survive infidelity? Maybe a better question is: What happens after the apology? Justin and Trisha Davis talk about rebuilding trust, navigating triggers, and learning the difference between forgiveness and pretending everything is fine. Because healing isn't usually fast, simple, or predictable. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Most secrets don't stay secret because they're powerful. They stay secret because we're terrified of what would happen if they were exposed. Justin and Trisha Davis share the aftermath of a marriage crisis and the hidden weight of betrayal trauma. Sometimes healing begins when hiding becomes more painful than telling the truth. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
From the outside, they had the kind of marriage people pointed to. Growing ministry. Growing influence. Growing success. Behind the scenes, hidden sin was doing damage nobody could see. Authors and podcast hosts Justin and Trish Davis share a story that shifts the question from "How could that happen?" to "Would I recognize the warning signs?" To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Some experiences don't just change your schedule. They change what bothers you, what matters to you, and what you can't stop thinking about afterward. On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson sit down with radio personalities Brant Hanson and Sherri Lynn to share a few moments that did exactly that. We're talking stories that challenged their assumptions, stretched their comfort zones, and changed the way they see people. From fear and anxiety to purpose and perspective, this conversation may leave you asking some different questions than the ones you brought with you. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
A single Black woman. A married white guy with autism. A radio show that probably shouldn't work—but somehow does. Podcast hosts Brant Hanson and Sherri Lynn talk about unlikely friendships, honest feedback, and the kind of relationships that challenge your assumptions without turning into another argument. Because most of us like the idea of meaningful relationships, but fewer of us enjoy the awkwardness, honesty, and friction they require. Some lessons can only be learned shoulder to shoulder. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Most people don't wake up one day and decide to be lonely. It just happens one busy season, one move, one life transition at a time. Author Jennie Allen talks about finding your people when relationships feel harder to build and easier to lose. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Making friends as an adult is hard. Making friends after you've been hurt? Even harder. Besides, everyone's busy, tired, overscheduled, and heading home. Author Jennie Allen explores why meaningful relationships often get squeezed out by modern life—and why waiting for community to happen usually doesn't work. If your friendships feel stuck in the group-text stage, Jennie stands ready to talk candidly about disappointment, betrayal, and the temptation to stay guarded. After all, what if protecting yourself is also keeping you lonely? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You've got group texts, social feeds, work friends, church friends, and hundreds of contacts in your phone. So why does it still feel like nobody really knows you? Author Jennie Allen talks about the loneliness hiding in plain sight—and why Christian community takes more than proximity, good intentions, or another potluck. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Everybody loves a comeback story. A marriage saved. A relationship restored. But what happens when the divorce actually happens? Vaneetha Risner, author of This Was Never the Plan: Walking with God through the Heartache of Divorce, talks honestly about the lies, shame, and second-guessing that can follow a broken marriage—and why healing starts when you stop trying to rewrite the past. If you're carrying grief, disappointment, or questions that don't have easy answers, this conversation won't talk down to you. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
"I don't want a divorce." For many people, that sentence comes long before the papers are signed. Vaneetha Risner, author of This Was Never the Plan: Walking with God through the Heartache of Divorce, shares her journey through an unwanted divorce, the shame that often follows in Christian circles, and the struggle to trust God when life falls apart anyway. If you're tired of pretending you're fine—or carrying pain that feels impossible to explain—Vaneetha meets you there. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Perfectionism in marriage can make home feel more like a performance review than a relationship. On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson talk with Portia Collins about the pressure to get everything right—and the freedom that comes when undeserved kindness replaces relentless effort. Through humor, honesty, and the book of Galatians, Portia shares how walking by the Spirit reshapes marriage, parenting, and the exhausting habit of keeping score. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Ever feel exhausted trying to be “good enough” for God? On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson sit down with Portia Collins for a funny, raw conversation about legalism, perfectionism, and the night a Galatians Bible study wrecked her life—in the best way possible. Between Marvel talk and gaming stories, Portia unpacks how grace finally broke through years of guilt, striving, and performance-based faith. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
What happens when a boy once called “garbage” becomes a father to more than 40 kids? On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson talk with Peter Mutabazi about trauma, foster care, forgiveness, and the gritty reality behind every foster parenting story. From poop-covered walls to late-night ice cream talks, Peter shares hard-earned wisdom for anyone wondering if love, patience, and faith can really change a child's future. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
On FamilyLife Today, Dave Wilson sits down with Brian Goins, Daron George, Jorge Rosario, and Bruce Goff for a truth-telling conversation about fatherhood, legacy, and what it takes to break generational patterns before they break your kids. From Holy Spirit nudges to hilarious parenting fails, these men talk real-world pressure, regret, obedience, and the small choices that quietly shape a family for decades. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Ready to ditch your favorite fatherhood and marriage excuses? This panel of dads can change the way you show up at home—with small moves, real accountability, and no more hiding behind busyness or autopilot. Dave Wilson, along with Brian Goins, Jorge Rosario, Daron George, and Bruce Goff share about honest failures, practical accountability, and a push to choose engagement over ease. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
© 2020-2026 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
