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Urgent Need: As the back-to-school season begins, more parents are reaching out for biblical help, but giving has slowed and Focus on the Family is facing a $2 million ministry shortfall.
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Families are in crisis this back-to-school season

Your gift by August 31 will help reach them with biblical guidance, restore hope in their homes, and point them to Christ.

Families are in crisis this back-to-school season

Urgent Need: As the back-to-school season begins, families are facing mounting pressure—tough choices, cultural confusion, and strained relationships.

Will you make a gift before August 31 to help provide Christ-centered support in this critical season?

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Families are in crisis this back-to-school season

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Healthy Marriage

A happy couple is seen hiking together in a scenic, nature-filled setting, wearing backpacks and smiling brightly. The man in the foreground laughs joyfully, while the woman follows closely behind, looking at him with a smile. They appear to be enjoying a shared adventure, a symbol of partnership, exploration, and fun—highlighting ways to have a great marriage, such as spending quality time outdoors, enjoying shared activities, and maintaining a positive attitude together. This image conveys a sense of togetherness, communication, and appreciation for each other, essential components of a thriving relationship.

Love That Goes the Distance: 13 Ways To Have a Great Marriage

A lasting marriage really is possible. But don’t settle for a good marriage or a so-so marriage. Here are six secrets to a great marriage.

A couple smiles while reviewing documents together at a table with a laptop, highlighting the importance of managing money as a couple

Managing Money as a Couple Through Every Season of Marriage

Every decade of married life presents its own financial risks and opportunities, and planning ahead can lay the groundwork for making wise money choices throughout the many years you’ll share together.

A newlywed couple walks through a field holding hands, confident in what they learned from the words of wisdom given to them that their marriage will succeed.

Single to Married: What I’ve Learned From My First Year of Marriage

While I realize that Noah and I have plenty of mountains and valleys to travel in the years ahead, we’ve experienced growth and victories even in the start of our journey.

The reactive cycle of arguments. This couple sitting outside arguing

Breaking The Reactive Cycle

Someone just “pushed your buttons” and you’re ready to push back. That’s the Reactive Cycle. But is there a better way to handle conflict?

A photo of two couples sitting in a circle, holding hands in prayer. Before you mentor a young couple, it can be helpful to understand their thinking and attitudes to best serve them.

How to Mentor a Young Couple Successfully

The Bible exhorts married couples to come alongside others to help them in their relationships. Here are some tips to help you mentor younger couples.

A young woman sits at a table staring suggestively and flirting with a young man sitting next to her. Flirting is so much fun because the rushes and emotions are sexual. It can seem harmless, but it’s not. Flirting can hurt your marriage.

Flirting with Danger

Some people think flirting is just innocent fun, but is it? Here are some reasons why you need to be on guard and some steps on how to protect your marriage.

A young couple walks through a field of flowers and tall grass holding hands at sunset. Date night with your spouse makes a difference. Intentional pursuit of my husband is worth the effort. Our marriage is worth it.

Make Date Night With Your Spouse a Weekly Habit

Date nights help to maintain a healthy marriage and keep a couple on the same page in their relationship. Make a habit of establishing a weekly date night with your spouse.

A close-up of a married couple holding hands as they walk together in a sunset. They are both wearing large, prominent wedding rings. You can do little things to make your marriage happier. We hope these stories will give you ideas for a happier marriage.

10 Simple Ideas for a Happier Marriage

Having a happier marriage may be easier than you think. You can do little things to add joy to your union. Here are inspiring stories written by couples on how they made their marriage happier.

A young wife hugs her husband joyfully, as if thanking him for his encouragement and support. Here are some things you can do to encourage and support your spouse so that they can reach their full potential for God and for good.

Encourage and Support Your Spouse

Here are some things you can do to encourage and support your spouse so that they can reach their full potential for God and for good.

A man and his wife joyfully run hand-in-hand-down a shoreline with big smiles on their faces. Here are five ways to cultivate more consistent joy in your marriage as you strive to reflect Christ's joy in your love for your spouse.

Five Ways to Find Joy in a Christian Marriage

God calls us to love our spouse as Jesus loved the church: joyfully and consistently. Here are five ways to do that.

A young married couple gaze longingly at each other in a field with some trees in the background. The newlywed wife holds her husband's right hand, as he lovingly strokes here hair. Can romantic love be reconciled with unconditional commitment in marriage? Yes. Covenantal commitment helps romantic love fulfill itself.

Living Out ‘I Do’: Keeping Love and Commitment in Marriage

It is the covenantal commitment that enables married people to become people who love each other. Only with time do we really learn who the other person is and come to love the person for him- or herself.

A woman sits on the couch with here back turned to her husband, arms crossed in front of her chest with an annoyed look on her face. Her husband sits with his back turned to her with his chin on his hands as if frustrated. After being married for a while, your spouse’s patterns can turn from cute quirks to annoying habits. Knowing how to cope is important.

Coping With Your Spouse’s Annoying Habit

After being married for a while, your spouse’s patterns can turn from cute quirks to annoying habits. Figuring out how to cope so that you don’t become highly critical of your spouse is important.

A young woman embraces her mother in the left foreground as her husband shakes hands with her father in the background. The husband has two suitcases, suggesting the woman is leaving home. A thriving marriage only works when both husband and wife leave home and cleave to each other in numerous ways.

Marriage Means Leaving Home and Cleaving to Each Other

A thriving marriage only works when both husband and wife leave home and cleave to each other. They must be prepared to do so in various ways.

A couple stands arm-in-arm on a beach with the water in the background. They are gazing into each other's eyes. The stresses of everyday life can tax your marriage. Here are 12 suggestions to cultivate a deeper friendship with your spouse.

Twelve Steps to a Deeper Friendship With Your Spouse

Over time, the stressors of everyday married life can erode your relationship with your spouse. Here are some tips to help you keep your friendship strong.

A young couple sweep the floor together in their kitchen. When you share the chores in your marriage and your goal is to out-serve each other, you can bring an end to the chore wars in your home.

Chores and Your Marriage

Household chores can be a point of contention in marriage. To avoid this conflict, couples should focus their energy on out-serving each other.

“A couple smiles warmly at each other, standing close together with mountains in the background, capturing a moment of keeping the romance alive.”

How to Keep Romance Alive for a Successful Marriage

Sometimes, the busyness of life can wear your relationship down. Author Mitch Temple and Dr. Bill Maier offer some tips on bringing the romance back for a successful marriage.

A married couple sits together on a couch reading books, with the woman lying her head down on her husband's lap. You can encourage connection and conflict resolution by suggesting Christian marriage books to someone who’s struggling in their marriage.

The Best Christian Marriage Books

Whether you’re mentoring another couple in their marriage or just know of a couple who needs some help, recommending a good book is a great place to start. Here are some to consider.

A woman sits on a couch with her husband, comforting him after and argument. Don't let your spouse make you angry. When you feel strong emotion (a reaction), slow down and decide what to do next (a response).

Don’t Let Your Spouse Make You Angry

No one-including our spouse-can control the way you feel. The next time you react emotionally or in anger, take a step back and acknowledge that while the emotion is real, how you respond to it is up to you.

A couple embracing at sunset on the beach, symbolizing true love for your spouse through emotional connection and romantic devotion.

True Love for Your Spouse Is an Attitude, Not a Feeling

True love, the kind of love that keeps a couple together for a lifetime, is not a feeling but an attitude. It says, “With the help of God, I’m going to do everything I can to enhance the life of my spouse.”

A couple sits next to each other on a couch, holding each other's hands tenderly in a marriage challenged by mental illness.

Hope for a Marriage Challenged by Mental Illness

Nearly 50 million Americans are affected by mental illness. Navigating mental health conditions and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be a confusing and draining experience for spouses. But this does not mean the end of your marriage — there is hope for your marriage even if it is riddled with mental illness.