FamilyLife Today is a weekday podcast featuring fun, engaging conversations that help families grow together with Jesus while pursuing the relationships that matter most.
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
Perfection can be a terrible leadership strategy for a home. In this honest men's panel, three dads open up about their biggest parenting regrets—from working too much to not being spiritually present—and the turning point when they stopped pretending to have it all together. They share powerful stories about balancing work and family, the importance of spiritual leadership through weakness, and how admitting struggles has deepened their family relationships. Dave Wilson leads a transparent conversation full of laughs, regrets, and practical encouragement for men. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Could your father wound affect your marriage? Maybe it surfaces in struggling with trust, low self-esteem, or difficulty forming healthy boundaries. Kia Stephens helps you learn how to heal, using practical tools to overcome insecurities and find wholeness with God. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Hurt, neglect, rejection, or abandonment from a father can feel like it tumbles into all of life. Author Kia Stephens gets real about her own painful path through father wounds--and how she began moving forward. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Counselor Samuel Rainey and his wife Stephanie know the ins and outs of how to build trust in marriage. They share raw moments from their past, honest regret, and why real repair requires steady work—not quick fixes. They'll help you show up differently for an intimate, flourishing relationship. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Ron Deal lays out the raw reality of blended family dynamics: like insiders vs. outsiders, why parenting becomes a hotspot, and what actually helps step parents survive and thrive. Ron uses plain stories, tough truths, and biblical reasoning to show why unity can make or break families. And he'll unpack you-got-this tips for bio parents can empower their spouses. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Tim and Noreen Muehlhoff get practical about what healthy communication in marriage really looks like. Using stories from their marriage and a clear biblical frame, they explore expectations, acknowledgement, trust, and commitment—and why those pieces matter more than clever techniques. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Bob Lepine delivers a clear, biblical conversation for parents facing the pain of adult children drifting from faith. He names the cultural pressure, the real emotional toll, and what steady faith looks like in the middle of searing uncertainty. Offering tough, honest, hope-anchored truth and practical posture shifts, Bob meets parents' raw questions without pretending to have easy answers. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Author and psychologist Dr. Juli Slattery and her husband Mike get real about staying married when your personalities pull you apart. After 32 years and a candid counselor report, they share the hard-won wins and time-tested strategies. Juli and Mike share practical moves to turn daily friction into spiritual growth and closer, Christ-centered unity. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Bestselling author and counselor Gary Chapman offers wise tips to help you push through the insanity of raising teens—toward relational vitality. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Gary Chapman gets the rollercoaster of parenting teens. Grab his thoughtful ideas to help you evolve alongside your kids in a critical stage of development. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
No one feels prepared for raising teens. But you can do this! Author Gary Chapman reveals “What I wish I'd known”—and ways to redefine your relationship. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Think safe gaming means blocking bad websites? You might be missing the bigger picture. In the deep corners of the metaverse, people are drowning in isolation. Guests Jonathan Ober and Frank Tulagowski are using platforms like Roblox to save lives. It's time to trade your parenting fear for curiosity and learn how to navigate these digital borderlands. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Your kids are living in digital worlds, but are they safe? More importantly, is anyone bringing light into those spaces? Jonathan Ober and Frank Tulagowski are stepping into VR Chat and the metaverse to meet isolated, searching people right where they are. Discover how to navigate online gaming safely as a family and, through Christian gaming, reach a subculture desperately looking for real connection. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
How do we protect our marriages in a world that tries to pull us apart? John and Debra Fileta break down three main areas of needed protection and share invaluable advice from their own marriage. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You've been hit—perhaps by criticism, loss, church hurt—and part of you wants to shut down or fight back. But what if you're missing what God's doing in it? Dave Harvey pushes past easy answers, showing how weakness, enemies, and even unfair blows can expose what's in you ... and build something steadier than image, control, or approval. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You're trying to stay strong—for your family, your church, your calling. But the cracks are showing, and you're not sure what to do with them. Dave Harvey, author of The Clay Pot Conspiracy: God's Plan to Use Weakness in Leaders, flips the script. What if your weakness isn't the problem—but the point? This conversation digs into purpose within suffering and failure, and finding real strength where you least expect it. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Being a stepfather can feel like bathing cats with your hair on fire—but your thoughtful navigation of the dynamics in your home can make a difference that lasts for decades. Author Gil Stuart offers tips on stepfathering thoughtfully and shaping the kind of family you all long for. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Throughout her broken childhood, podcaster Karen McAdams sensed she was missing something. But even after coming to know God, her sprint from shame kept her away from the heart of God. Along with her co-host Rachel Faulkner-Brown, Karen shares part of her own story that fueled the duo's new study, Father's House: The Path that Leads Home. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You're doing all the right things: faith, family, showing up. But underneath? You're exhausted, reactive, and not sure why it keeps spilling out sideways. Podcaster and author Alicia Michelle gets into the roots most people avoid—how old wounds, buried emotions, and survival patterns quietly shape your marriage, parenting, and faith—and why ignoring them isn't working anymore. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You keep telling yourself, “I should be over this by now.” But the same anger, shutdowns, and quiet resentment keep leaking out—at home, at God, at the people you love most. Alicia Michelle, author of Emotional Confidence: Three Simple Steps to Manage Emotions with Science and Scripture, hands you practical emotional intelligence skills to finally deal with what's underneath—without blowing up your faith or your relationships. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You love Jesus—but your reactions still hijack your day, your marriage, your parenting. Alicia Michelle, author of Emotional Confidence: Three Simple Steps to Manage Emotions with Science and Scripture, gets why you feel stuck between what you know and what you feel. She'll help you name what's really driving your emotions, and why willpower alone keeps failing. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
“What difference can I make?” Fuller Youth Institute's Brad Griffin Kara Powell help you answer teens' big questions—and locate purpose they crave. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
“Where do I fit in?” Fuller Youth Institute's Brad Griffin Kara Powell offer connections to help teens find the belonging their souls are hunting. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
After 1,200 interviews, Fuller Youth Institute's Brad Griffin Kara Powell offer conversations to navigate teens' biggest questions--like, “Who am I?” To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You really like your kids (most of the time). But the backtalk, crunchy kitchen floor, and nonstop "Mom!" can find you crying in the pantry. This raw Mother's Day panel with Ann Wilson and other moms goes where most won't—lost kids, short fuses, quiet guilt. It's honest, unfiltered, and aimed straight at the overwhelmed mom wondering if she's the only one muscling through every. Day. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You're running on a single REM cycle, behind on laundry, and wondering if you're the only barely holding it together in the freezer aisle. This Mother's Day panel with Ann Wilson and real moms ditches the filters—to talk about lost kids, lost tempers, lost control. It's the kind of mom advice that doesn't pretend you've got it handled, but meets you there in your unwashed T-shirt and says, “Yeah… this is motherhood.” To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Ever crush the to-do list and still feel invisible? Author Andrea Griffith goes after the ache underneath—wanting to be chosen, seen, enough. She'll help you listen through the noise of performance and people-pleasing to expose what's really driving you. Get ready to sink into identity in Christ that doesn't rise and fall with everybody else's approval. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You know (most of) the right answers for your heart's questions—but laundry piles, secret shame, and nonstop noise keep drowning them out. Author Andrea Griffith gets brutally honest about hiding sin, chasing control, and what finally broke her cycle of shame. Rather than fronting a polished faith, find the space Scripture meets real life and freedom starts by dragging what's hidden into the light. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You didn't plan this road...and some days it's heavier than you can explain. Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler talk honestly about parenting children with disabilities: including the grief, the grit, and the quiet beauty most people miss. Emily and Laura don't tidy it up, but they do point to a steadier way to carry what can feel impossible. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Marriage didn't get easier when the kids came; it got louder, tighter, and easier to miss each other. Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler, authors of Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope for Everyday Moments, meet you there in survival-mode advice with honest, lived-in perspective. From overstimulation to quiet resentment, they name what's real—and point toward a better way to stay on the same team when connection feels out of reach. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You love your kids. But some days you lose it, replay it, and carry the weight. Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler, authors of Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope for Everyday Moments, meet you smack dab in the middle of your mess, not the highlight reel. They challenge the suffocating pressure to be the “ideal mom” and point to something far sturdier when your guilt, comparison, and chaos are hitting home. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
You swore you wouldn't parent like that—and then it falls out of your mouth. Again: the reactions, the tone, the patterns you thought you escaped. Abbey Wedgeworth, author of Help! I'm Ruining My Kids: A Gospel Guide for the Mom Who's Desperate for Change, gets brutally honest about where that comes from—and whether it can actually change. Abbey speaks to the fear you're passing things down…and the surprising ways those cycles start breaking. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Mom shame doesn't just whisper—it isolates. Maybe this looks like snapping, hiding, the “I'll fix it myself” cycle. And meanwhile, you're exhausted and still feel like you're coming up short. Abbey Wedgeworth, author of Help! I'm Ruining My Kids: A Gospel Guide for the Mom Who's Desperate for Change, names what's really going on—behind the anger, the silence, the pressure to hold it together. She digs into why going it alone keeps you stuck longer than you think. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
Mom guilt hits fast—and it sticks. The yelling, the regret, the fear you're doing damage you can't undo. You love your kids… so why does it feel like you're failing them daily? Abbey Wedgeworth, author of Help! I'm Ruining My Kids: A Gospel Guide for the Mom Who's Desperate for Change, doesn't dodge the mess. It walks straight into the anger, shame, and mental spiral—and offers a way forward that's honest, grounded, and actually doable in real life. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29?v=20251111
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