Focus on the Family Magazine - February/March 2024

LEADING UP TO
Easter
Sunday
Helping Families Thrive in Christ
FEB / MAR 2024
WHEN LOVE
IS BROKEN
QUIRKY
QUESTIONS
FOR COUPLES
How well do you
know your spouse?
Page 26

Uplifting
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30
44
FEB / MAR 2024
table of contents
LIGHTSTOCK - BEN KARPINSKI / ILLUSTRATIONX - JACOB STEAD, SASKIA BUENO / JANAE HARDY
in every issue
4 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
5 MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT
6 OFF THE SHELF
8 HACKS & FACTS
20 ADULT KIDS
41 MEMORY VERSE
45 EXTENDED FAMILY
46 MY THRIVING FAMILY
kids & teens
12 ‘AM I A MEAN MOM?’
Having the confidence
to follow my family’s
values
by Arlene Pellicane
14 LEADING UP TO EASTER
SUNDAY
Explore Jesus’ death
and resurrection with
your kids
19 2024 PLUGGED IN
MOVIE AWARDS
by Adam Holz
14
couples
22 UNFAIR COMPARISONS
Understanding communication
differences in
a second marriage
by Sabrina McDonald
25 REJECTING DIVORCE
AND CHOOSING TO STAY
A featured <strong>Focus</strong> on the
Family broadcast
by Toni Nieuwhof
26 QUIRKY QUESTIONS
FOR COUPLES
How well do you
know your spouse?
by Andrea Gutierrez
30 WHEN LOVE IS BROKEN
After my husband confessed
his pornography
addiction, I wondered
if I could ever love
him again
by Dannah Gresh
41
faith &
inspiration
36 ENFOQUE A LA FAMILIA
Ministering to Spanishspeaking
families since
1988
by Enfoque a la Familia staff
40 INVITING YOUR CHILD
INTO THE EASTER STORY
A featured <strong>Focus</strong> on the
Family broadcast
by Christi Straub
42 MOVIE MESSAGES—
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE
SPIDER-VERSE
Seek and find
worldviews while
having fun as a family
by Plugged In staff
44 AN EXTRAORDINARY
LOVE
Discovering God’s
unique plan for you
by Jeff Simmons
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 3

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
4
Jean-Paul Beran is
president of <strong>Focus</strong> on
the Family Canada.
FREE BOOKLET
FOR COUPLES!
In this free 16-page
PDF booklet called
Helping Couples Thrive,
you will learn how to
communicate well, how
to fight fair, how to master
your spouse’s love
language and more!
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
HelpingCouplesThrive
FEB / MAR 2024
MY WIFE, SUSAN, AND I have
been married for 27 years and I wish <strong>Focus</strong>
on the Family was more prevalent in my life
in the early days of our marriage. We came
from very different families and that reality
crashed down on us in our first year as
newlyweds. Thankfully we saw a Christian
counsellor who showed us how to put God
at the centre of our relationship and helped
us learn how to communicate well with
each other.
We’ve come a long way from that first
year, but sadly our story is not uncommon.
We all have the best intentions when we say,
“I do,” but the way we were raised, how we saw our parents’ marriage
thrive or struggle, the expectations we carry—all of these
things can affect us in ways we don’t fully realize.
At <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family Canada, we want to make sure you and
your spouse have all the tools you need to create a marriage that
thrives, as God intended. To help you, we’re releasing a new PDF
booklet this month called Helping Couples Thrive.
With articles from experts such as Dr. Gary Chapman, Dr. Greg
Smalley, Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, and <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family
Canada marriage therapist and psychotherapist Tara Lalonde,
this booklet covers everything from communication and conflict
to love languages and intimacy. To download a free PDF
copy of this 16-page booklet, visit <strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
HelpingCouplesThrive.
Plus, we’re always here for you with our Hope Restored marriage
intensives for couples in crisis and marriage conferences
and retreats for couples wanting to make their strong marriage
stronger. Visit <strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Events to learn more.
Need help with something else? We’re just a click, email
and phone call away. I invite you to visit our website at
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca, email us at info@fotf.ca or call our team
at 1.800.661.9800. We’re here to help your family thrive, no matter
what you may be facing.
Blessings,
Jean-Paul Beran
a marriage
that thrives
JOSH YONG
president
Jim Daly
focus canada
president
Jean-Paul Beran
chief operating
o ffi c e r
Ken Windebank
chief family
ministries officer
Mark Pyatt
media publishing
director
Kevin Shirin
contributing
editors
Vance Fry
Marianne Hering
Thomas Jeffries
Jennifer Lonas
Jeff Masching
cover
photography
Emily Hancock
editorial director
Sheila Seifert
Thank you!
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family provides this magazine and
other resources through the generosity of friends
like you. <strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Donate
For a subscription, go to <strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
Magazine.
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family magazine February/March
2024, Vol. 9, No. 1 ISSN 2471-5921, © 2024 <strong>Focus</strong> on
the Family. All rights reserved. Published by <strong>Focus</strong>
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— 02 —
L’anxiété, l’individu et la santé spirituelle
— 04 —
L'anxiété et ses conséquences sur le mariage
— 06 —
L’anxiété en tant que parent et chez les enfants
— 08 —
L’anxiété et ses effets sur les adolescents
MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT
Highlighting
one of the many
ministries of
<strong>Focus</strong> on the
Family Canada
<strong>Focus</strong> Famille serves
francophone families in
Canada and around the world!
French-speaking families regularly reach out to <strong>Focus</strong>
Famille for prayer, advice and relevant resources as they navigate
painful challenges such as broken marriages, drug or
pornography addictions, and strained family relationships.
There is a high demand for grace-filled content that not
only gives practical advice but also points francophone families
to the unchanging hope of Christ.
That’s why <strong>Focus</strong> Famille exists!
Free <strong>Focus</strong> Famille magazine
This biannual magazine (available for free to Canadian subscribers)
offers practical advice, biblically based guidance
and encouragement for couples, parents and those wanting
to deepen their relationship with Christ. Plus, for those outside
of Canada we have a free digital archive of <strong>Focus</strong> Famille
magazines.
Monthly e-newsletter
Every month, subscribers are kept up to date on the latest
news from <strong>Focus</strong> Famille, pointed to a variety of resources
such as articles, free PDF downloads or books, and most
importantly they are given scriptural encouragement for
their faith journey.
“We are a bilingual country and I strongly
believe our work needs to reflect that. As a
bilingual person myself, I know the bridges that can
be built when we seek to understand one another.
And having a shared language is a significant way to
do that.”
« Nous vivons dans un pays bilingue et je suis
fermement persuadé que notre travail doit refléter
cette réalité. Étant moi-même bilingue, je connais les
ponts qui se construisent lorsque nous cherchons
à nous comprendre les uns les autres. Le fait de
partager une même langue est un moyen important
d’y arriver. »
Online resources
Our website <strong>Focus</strong>Famille.ca is
filled with articles and PDF booklets
that cover everything from marriage
and parenting to faith issues and life
challenges.
Kids of Integrity is a popular lesson
plan to help parents and teachers
—Jean-Paul Beran, President of
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family Canada
Comprendre et
faire face à
L’ANXIÉTÉ
build godly character in children and Grandir dans l’integrité
(Grandirdanslintegrite.com) offers many of those lessons
in French! We currently have 11 lessons available—including
our newest on gentleness.
Online bookstore
Our online bookstore, Librairie.<strong>Focus</strong>Famille.ca, is stocked
with relevant, biblically based resources to help parents, couples
and individuals looking to strengthen their relationships
and deepen their faith.
Learn more about this ministry for Frenchspeaking
families.
<strong>Focus</strong>Famille.ca
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 5

OFF THE SHELF
Color me!
draw closer
to God
THE RICHNESS of God’s
love is amazing. Every day we
can grow closer to God and
learn more about Him and
His ways. In addition to reading
the Bible daily, we can
study, reflect and grow in
faith through devotions and
other Bible-related resources.
This list of books can aid in
the spiritual walks of each
member in your family.
BOARD BOOKS
God Cares for Me by Kristen Wetherell
God Hears Me by Kristen Wetherell
God Speaks to Me by Kristen Wetherell
PICTURE BOOKS / EARLY READERS
My Epic Doodletastic Bible Storybook
by Bob Hartman
The Size of Everything by Alyssa Clements
The Things God Made by Andy McGuire
FOR TWEENS
90 Devotions for Kids
by the Adventures in Odyssey Team
Devotions for Super Average Kids
by Jesse Florea and Bob Smiley
Edge of the Galaxy by Brock Eastman
Tricky Times by Liz and Jack Hagler
FOR TEENS
NIV Beautiful Word Coloring
Bible for Teen Girls
by Zondervan
Prayer Journal for Teen Girls
by Shannon Roberts
The Action Bible Devotional
by Jeremy V. Jones
The Guy’s Guide to Four Battles
Every Young Man Must Face
by Jonathan McKee
Then find some
of these books at
Shop.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca.
FOR ADULTS
The Prayer Jar Devotional: Forgiveness
by Wanda E. Brunstetter
3-Minute Devotions to Laugh and Reflect
by Christopher D. Hudson and Stan Campbell
The Chosen: 40 Days With Jesus
by Dallas Jenkins, Amanda Jenkins, et al.
RVL Discipleship: The Study
by Ray Vander Laan
FOR FAMILIES
Beautiful Hearted Women of the Bible
by Linsey Driskill
The One Year Pray for the
Family Bible (NLT)
by Tyndale House Publishers
and <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family
The Very Best, Hands-On, Kinda
Dangerous Family Devotions
by Tim Shoemaker
Whit’s End Mealtime Devotions:
The Second Helping
by John Avery Whittaker
KATIE EBERTS
6
FEB / MAR 2024

kids &
teens
“YOUR DECISIONS TO
PRESERVE YOUR CHILD’S
PURITY AND INNOCENCE
MAY BE CALLED RADICAL.
BUT DON’T BE AFRAID TO
STEP UP AND DO WHAT
YOU KNOW IS BEST FOR
YOUR KIDS.”
—ARLENE PELLICANE, PAGE 12
SNOWELF - ADOBE STOCK
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 7

KIDS & TEENS / HACKS & FACTS
AGES 0 TO 3
SNUGGLE AWAY THE WHY
If I sensed my toddlers were repeatedly asking “Why?” but not
truly seeking an answer, I’d turn the question back to them. I’d
ask, “Why do you think?” I’d recognize that their question was
really, “How much attention can I get from you?” So I’d snuggle
them until they didn’t need their questions any longer.
—Marcia Lewis
eye on the prize
To motivate our unmotivated
3-year-olds to potty
train, we hung incentive
prizes from the showercurtain
rod where they
could see them every time
they were in the bathroom.
We bought a variety of
small items: Play-Doh, key
chains, stickers, toy cars. We
kept them in a gift bag and
attached it to the curtain
rod. With their eyes on the
prize, they completed potty
training in a few weeks.
—Jessica Jenson
tissue training
I explain to my kids that germs
are little invisible creatures
that live in their nose, in their
mouth and in the air. When
they pick their nose, the germs
get on their fingers, and they
can get themselves and others
sick. Each time one of my kids
picks his or her nose, I gently
say, “Uh-oh, we don’t want to
let the germs out of your nose
to spread,” so I offer them a tissue
to get the boogers out and
then send them to (or help
them) wash their hands.
—Tania Alward
memorized manners
I used a saying for my little ones when they were ages 3 and 6:
“We are kind, we are quiet, and we keep our hands to ourselves.”
We recite this in the car before visiting a friend’s home or a store.
This reminder helps to keep them from getting loud or rowdy. I
have found that coming up with a saying that they know by heart
often helps keep them on their best behavior.
—Elizabeth James
ADOBE STOCK - LOOKER_STUDIO / SALLY DUNN - FOTF
8
FEB / MAR 2024

HACKS & FACTS / KIDS & TEENS
“Instill respect for the body
your child has been given —the
Creator who made it and
the functions it performs.”
source: Complete Guide to Baby & Child Care
AGES 4 TO 7
a simple truth
for young kids
My brother once asked me
how I know whether someone
is a boy or girl, and it
took my mind back to the
hospital room right after each
of my children was born.
There was no question about
it. In those long-awaited
moments, I heard, “It’s a girl!”
and “It’s a boy!” twice over. It
was a matter of discussing
which specific private parts
each had. That’s basically
how we teach our kids the
simple truth. Whichever private
parts a child is born with
determines if that baby is a
boy or a girl.
—Rachel Matteson
BUILT DIFFERENTLY
An easy way for us to help our girls understand their gender is
to think about full-contact sports teams and games that we
watch. We answer questions such as this one:
“Why do all the boys play football together?”
“Because they’re built differently and it’s not safe for girls to
play full-contact sports against boys.”
Having conversations like this is an easy way to show how
boys and girls are both talented yet inherently different. When
we sign up our daughters for sports, playing on the girls’ team
ensures the competition is at a safe and fair level.
—Emily Yang
ADOBE STOCK - RAWPIXEL.COM / DREW BARDANA - ILLUSTRATIONX
sleepover
supervision
When my daughter’s older
brothers had friends sleep
over, I invited her to stay in
my room. She’d gather her
sleeping bag, stuffed animals
and books, and make a fun
space on the floor. While my
husband watched over the
boys’ activities, my daughter
and I would watch a movie
and read books until we were
tired. This way, she never felt
overwhelmed by a house
full of boys, and I slept with
peace of mind.
—Jennifer Henn
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 9

KIDS & TEENS / HACKS & FACTS
AGES 8 TO 12
seeing
their value
As a foster mother, I
wanted to encourage
the girls who came into
our home to embrace
and celebrate their girlhood.
One sweet girl
told me that she didn’t
want to be a girl because
they couldn’t defend
themselves and would
get hurt. Another precious
young girl seemed
to believe that girls only
had value if they had a
boyfriend or husband.
I knew these views were
damaging for them.
Nothing impacted their
view of themselves as
much as how my husband
(their foster dad)
treated me. He came
home every night, provided
for our family and
treated me with respect
and kindness. For many
of them, this was the first
time they’d ever seen
such a relationship.
—Stephanie Rodda
NURTURING GODLY GIRLS
One of the ways we celebrate girlhood is by displaying Bible verses about godly
womanhood on our two daughters’ walls. For example, we might hang a sign
that says a gentle and quiet spirit is of great value to God (1 Peter 3:4), or a godly
woman is clothed with strength and dignity and doesn’t worry about the future
(Proverbs 31:25).
My husband will also take each daughter out for occasional daddy-daughter
date nights so they’ll experience how a man should treat them. And I try to be
intentional about emphasizing the many things I love about being a woman,
wife and mother.
Before bed, I pray blessings aloud and I point out how God used female
heroes of the faith (Elisabeth Elliot and Amy Carmichael, whom we’d read about
in stories), telling my daughters that God has a special purpose for their lives, too.
—Rachel Pratt
ADOBE STOCK - FIZKES / DREW BARDANA - ILLUSTRATIONX
10
FEB / MAR 2024

HACKS & FACTS / KIDS & TEENS
About 105 boys are born for
every 100 girls, worldwide.
source: Pew Research Center
AGES 8 TO 12
sticky affirmations
When my stepson came to live with my husband and me,
he was 12. It was a new state and a new school where he
knew no one. When he started making friends, we worried
he would lose the values that we were teaching at home.
We knew that outside influences were powerful, and that
he needed an anchor.
We began leaving him written affirmations every so
often, so no matter what he was facing, he could read
them and remember a principle, an encouragement or a
compliment. We used notebook paper, sticky notes, or
cards and notes pinned to his bulletin board. This continued
through high school.
My stepson is now a happily married man with a successful
career and an amazing family of his own. He can often
be heard telling his daughters all the things that make
them wonderful!
—Terri Turner
training gentlemen
We do our best to provide opportunities for
our boys to act as gentlemen. Our older son
sometimes takes me on dates. We’ll choose
a location together and set a budget. On the
date, the money is in his wallet, and he provides
courtesies like holding the door open
for me. Sometimes we’ll also let the boys help
Dad plan a family outing or stay-at-home
date night.
I’ll never forget the day my oldest son came
home from school and said, “Mom, I told all
the boys in my class today to wait so the girls
could get in the lunch line first. I didn’t think
anyone would do it, but they all did! And the
teacher called us gentlemen so many times I
think we’ll do it every day now!”
—Megan Greenlaw
STOCKSY - NURIA SEGUÍ / DREW BARDANA - ILLUSTRATIONX
JUST
LIKE DAD
One way I’ve helped my sons
understand they’ll be men
someday is to allow their
father to guide them. He
shows our boys what hard
work and dedication look
like and disciplines in love.
I support him as the head of
the household and give him
the freedom to demonstrate
traits of a godly man. I make
a habit of mentioning to the
boys the strong traits that
I see in their father so that
they can emulate them. My
sons hold their dad in high
regard, and I see them trying
to do what he does and walk
in his example.
—Alysn Otinga
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 11

KIDS & TEENS / COUNTERCULTURAL
‘am i a
mean mom?’
Having the confidence
to follow my family’s values
BY ARLENE PELLICANE
ILLUSTRATION BY KAREN GONZÁLEZ
“BUT MOM, ALL MY
FRIENDS ARE GOING
TO THE MOVIES!” Have you
heard these words before? I remember
when my son Ethan’s entire sixth
grade class was going to see a PG-13
movie as an end-of-school celebration.
Of course, I wanted him to join his buddies,
but I wasn’t comfortable with the
film. So my answer was no.
This put me in the “mean mom” category
because the other parents signed
permission slips without a fuss. I get
it. Many sixth graders watch PG-13
movies, and far worse. Was I being too
extreme or unreasonable? Protecting
our kids can mean standing alone.
When we do, how can we know we’re
doing the right thing?
Being different
Being the parent who is different can
be a lonely feeling. Kids aren’t the only
ones who cave under peer pressure.
Parents cave, too. We also want to fit in.
On Ethan’s first day of middle school,
one of my friends asked, “How can
you let Ethan bike to school without a
phone? What if something happens to
him?” At that moment, I questioned
my decision to postpone getting him
a smartphone.
When your parenting decisions run
counter to the culture, others will question
you, and you’ll likely second-guess
yourself. At times like this, it’s important
to keep the why behind your rules
in mind. As my husband loves to say,
LISTEN NOW!
Hear more from Arlene Pellicane
about ways to instill character
and a love for God in your kids.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Radio
CREDIT TK
12
FEB / MAR 2024

“When your values are clear,
the decisions are easy.”
—James Pellicane
“When your values are clear, the decisions
are easy.”
We wanted our kids to look at people
instead of their phones. We also wanted
them to learn to solve their own problems
and rely on God instead of asking
Siri for help all the time. And we certainly
didn’t want them growing up
addicted to phones, video games or
social media. These decisions made our
family eccentric—doesn’t that sound
more exciting?
Being alone
Maybe you’ve chosen to home-school
or take a pay cut to move closer to
Grandma and Grandpa. You’ve done
something that runs counter to popular
thinking, and you often feel alone.
Be encouraged—we are called to follow
Jesus wherever He leads, not blend in
with the crowd.
In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus said,
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate
is wide and the way is easy that leads
to destruction, and those who enter by
it are many. For the gate is narrow and
the way is hard that leads to life, and
those who find it are few.” As we look
around, it’s obvious that too many kids
are struggling with anxiety, depression
and lack of purpose, and too few have
found the path that leads to life.
Being empowered
After I had finished my speech about
kids and smartphones at a middle
school in the Midwest, a father walked
up to me and said, “I’ve been afraid to
take phones away from my kids at night,
but I’ve known it’s the right thing to do,
and now I’m going to do it.” He needed
an empowering voice to affirm that his
parenting instincts were good and that
he was on the right track. Good parenting
today often goes against the grain
of what everyone else is doing, and
sometimes we need another human to
encourage us to persist and remind us
we’re not alone.
Your decisions to preserve your
child’s purity and innocence may be
called radical. But don’t be afraid to step
up and do what you know is best for
your kids. My son didn’t go to that PG-13
movie with his sixth grade class, but he
had a great day nonetheless. We toured
the USS Midway aircraft carrier instead.
Being different can be a lot of fun.
Arlene Pellicane is a speaker and the co-author
of Screen Kids: Five relational skills every child
needs in a tech-driven world.
New
f r o m
f o c u s
COMING IN MARCH
Wisely guide your kids through the
ever-changing landscape of social
media, music, video games and
movies with help from the media
experts at Plugged In. You’ll learn
about the impacts of digital media
and discover helpful strategies to
limit your kids’ screen time.
CREDIT ADOBE STOCK TK
- SVETLANAIS
Scan to order online at
Shop.<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca
or call 1.800.661.9800

KIDS & TEENS / HOLY WEEK
LEADING
UP TO
EASTER
SUNDAY
Explore Jesus’ death and
resurrection with your kids
BY ALICIA BRUXVOORT, VICKI DEL BOCCIO,
DIANNE BRIGHT, GAYLA GRACE, CAROL HATCHER,
SUSAN MATHIS, JANET LYNN MITCHELL, BONNIE NEESE,
DARLA NOBLE, KATHLEEN GRIMM WELTY,
KAREN WHITING AND PRESLAYSA WILLIAMS
Download this palm
pattern and other
Easter activities.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.
ca/Magazine
PHOTOS BY JANAE HARDY
CREDIT TK
14
FEB / MAR 2024

THERE’S NOTHING WRONG with including treat-filled baskets, egg
hunts and new clothes as part of your family’s Easter celebration. But Easter is so
much bigger than dyed eggs and bunnies. As Christians, we celebrate Christ’s resurrection
and the new life He gives us.
To help you bring the Easter story to life for your children, have fun with these
Christ-focused activities during the week leading up to Easter and on Resurrection
Day. They’re not meant to replace your family’s traditional Easter activities, but to
help your children learn more about Jesus’ sacrifice and victory over death.
Palm Sunday
In Jesus’ time, palm branches were
used in celebrations or to honor
dignitaries. Read John 12:12-13. Have
your kids make palm branches out
of green construction paper and
decorate the dinner table with their
creations. Place extra “branches” on
a path from the entryway to the table
to mark a path of honor. Before dinner,
discuss the meaning of Hosanna,
which could have been an appeal for
divine help or salvation, or a way to
praise Jesus. Ask your children what
they might shout if they saw Jesus
coming down the road today.
Holy Monday
Bake bread as a family and discuss
why Jesus called himself the Bread of
Life. Point out that just as bread gives
us nutrition and sustains us physically,
Jesus offers us eternal life and sustains
us spiritually. Put the bread in a basket.
Then add some Easter goodies and
at least one item that shares the Easter
message, such as a bookmark, tract or
Biblezine (for tweens). Deliver the basket
to someone who may need an extra
dose of kindness this week.
Holy Tuesday
Make an Easter picture tree. Anchor
a small branch in a pot. Have your
kids look through magazines and cut
out images that remind them of Jesus.
Examples: A lamp because He is the
Light of the World or a road because
He is the one way to heaven. Clip these
cut-out images to branches or attach
them to short pieces of string and tie to
the tree.
TRUEU NO. 3:
WHO IS JESUS?
Learn more about the
person of Jesus and who He is.
Shop.<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca
CREDIT TK
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 15

KIDS & TEENS / HOLY WEEK
Holy Wednesday
Send your children on an Easter scavenger hunt.
Instruct them to find items that symbolize different
parts of the Easter story. Examples: A flat, round
rock (the tomb), two sticks (the Cross), something
black (sin), something red (blood), something white
(a clean heart), something green (growing in Christ).
Older children can go on a photo scavenger hunt,
taking pics of items that remind them of Easter.
THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW
NO. 11: PATH TO THE CROSS
God's story culminates with the intense
devotion of His people in this 11th
volume. Discover how their passionate
faith prepares the way for Jesus and His
ultimate act of obedience and sacrifice.
Shop.<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
ThatTheWorld
Maundy Thursday
Experience your own Maundy Thursday foot-washing
ceremony. Fill a bucket with water. Grab a few towels,
gather your family, and share the story found in John
13:1-17. Then take turns washing each other’s feet
and praying for one another.
Download the Easter
scavenger hunt list.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
Magazine
Read Luke 22:39-46. Visit a garden or park and pray
there. Chat about Jesus praying in the Garden of
Gethsemane. Have your kids talk about what plans
they have for tomorrow and what Jesus may have
been thinking about for the next day. Ask your
children to describe a time when a friend hurt their
feelings.
EASTER SCAVENGER
HUNT LIST
a rock (the tomb)
two sticks (the Cross)
something black (sin)
something red (blood)
something white
(a clean heart)
something green
(growing in Christ)
Read Matthew 26:14-16,47-56. Then give your
children a dollar bill. Ask, “Would you trade it for five
nickels? Thirty pennies?” Determine which has the
most value. Discuss how Judas betrayed Jesus for 30
silver coins and what a poor trade he made. Ask your
children how Jesus must have felt when His friend
betrayed Him.
CREDIT TK
16
FEB / MAR 2024

Be Your
Own
Boss,
Longing
to
HOLY WEEK / KIDS & TEENS
Good Friday
Make a cross out of wood scraps. Ask each family
member to think of an attitude or action from the
past week that they knew didn’t make God happy.
Have family members write their thoughts on a piece
of paper, fold it and pin it to the cross. Talk about how
Jesus suffered the punishment for all of our sins so
that we would not have to.
Place a white carnation in a vase. Read 1 Peter
1:18-19. Discuss with your kids what it meant that
Jesus was a “lamb without blemish or spot.” Add a
dozen drops of red food coloring to the water. Watch
what happens over the next two or three days. Use
the red flower petals as a reminder that Jesus took
our sins upon himself when He died on the Cross.
Have your kids take turns sharing stories about
bullies from school or cyberbullies online. Talk about
how people often treat others unkindly because
they are hurting inside. Point out that they need forgiveness
just like we do. Read the story about the
repentant criminal who hung on a cross next to Jesus
(Luke 23:39-43). Let your children discuss how they
may have acted unkind when they didn’t take the
thoughts or feelings of another into consideration.
Lead them in prayer, confessing your failings in this
area. Allow your kids time (but don’t force them) to
confess, also.
Holy Saturday
Take a morning walk around your neighborhood.
Talk about how spring reminds us of the new life
Jesus gives us. Point out the signs of new life that are
starting to appear.
To teach your kids about the forgiving power of
Christ’s sacrifice, try this activity. First, put on an old,
white T-shirt. Then discuss what sin is by asking your
kids to share some examples, such as lies or envy.
Invite them to use permanent markers to write their
examples on the shirt.
Explain that our sins create a rift in our relationship
with God and keep us from experiencing His
love. To be reconciled with God, we need to get rid
of the sin that separates us. Ask for ideas on how to
remove the marker stains from the shirt. If the kids
suggest washing it, try scrubbing it in the sink. Let
them see that the stains are permanent. Also note
how the “sins” can’t be hidden, even if the shirt is
turned inside out.
Ask: “If we can’t remove our own sin, who can
help us?”
Guide your kids toward understanding that only
Jesus, through His death and resurrection, has the
power to get rid of our sins. Take the old, dirty shirt
and place it in a trash bag near a Bible or a cross,
where you’ve also set a new, clean white shirt. As
you put on the clean shirt, talk about
how Christ takes away our sin.
Girl!
Wrapping
Paper
Posters
Belong
Rejoice!
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Fight against the cultural attack on young
women by helping them fill their minds with
stories and articles that honor God.
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CREDIT TK
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 17

KIDS & TEENS / HOLY WEEK
Easter Sunday
Read Matthew 27:57-61. Then ask your
children for a volunteer. Wrap him or
her in toilet paper, or “grave clothes.”
After your kids have stopped giggling,
allow the volunteer to break free from
the toilet paper. Talk about how sad
the disciples must have felt when Jesus
died and how happy they must have
been when they saw that He had conquered
death.
Pray together, thanking God for
sending His Son and welcoming us
into eternal life with Him. During
Easter dinner, have cupcakes for dessert
with one candle on each. Use trick
candles to show how Jesus, the Light
of the World, appeared to be extinguished
but wasn’t. Light the candles
and together blow them out. When the
candles relight themselves, talk about
how everyone thought Jesus’ light had
disappeared, but it hadn’t. He was and
still is alive!
A SPECIAL EASTER LESSON!
Children who have heard the Easter
story many times will love this fresh
and unique lesson that uses the biblical
events of Easter to help kids
understand the Beatitudes. As you
gather your kids for a daily “picnic
with Jesus,” you’ll explore part of the
Easter story and a relevant beatitude
from the Sermon on the Mount.
Included in this lesson are fun crafts,
games and discussions that encourage
kids to:
• be meekly obedient
• show mercy
• be peacemakers
• and choose righteousness
Download the Easter
lesson for FREE at
KidsOfIntegrity.com
LISTEN NOW!
Examine the evidence for Christ’s
resurrection with Lee Strobel.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Radio
CREDIT TK
18
FEB / MAR 2024

MEDIA / KIDS & TEENS
UPCOMING REVIEWS
For reviews of these and other titles,
visit PluggedIn.com, <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family’s
media review and discernment website.
‘THE CHOSEN’
SEASON 4
Will the largest
crowdfunded
television project
in history continue
to draw
record numbers
of viewers?
SCHEDULED RELEASE:
FEB. 1
2024 PLUGGED IN
MOVIE AWARDS
BY ADAM HOLZ
GRAB YOUR POPCORN! The 2024 Plugged In
Movie Awards are right around the corner.
Every year at this time, Hollywood gears up for what’s
unofficially known as “awards season.” This includes the
Oscars, the Emmys, the Grammys, the Golden Globes and
others. Each of these ceremonies hands out annual kudos
to the entertainment industry for artistic excellence as the
world defines it.
But the way Plugged In looks at a movie’s quality and
potential value to families is somewhat different—and
sometimes a lot different. Certainly, we appreciate a welltold
story. But that narrative must support themes and
messages that promote something redemptive in order for
us to give it a positive review.
Each year, we comb through the previous 12 months’
worth of our reviews to look for movies we feel might be
worth your consideration as a family. Then we nominate a
total of 20 movies for our annual Plugged In Movie Awards
across four different categories: best Christian movie, best
movie for children, for teens and, finally, for adults. Our
team picks a winner in each category, and we invite our
readers to do the same. You can vote on the Plugged In
blog as well as on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
In early March, we’ll be announcing the winners in each
category during a special livestreaming episode of our
podcast, “The Plugged In Show.” Keep an eye on our blog
page at PluggedIn.com for details about this upcoming
event. We hope you’ll tune in.
KUNG FU PANDA 4
How will Po find a new
dragon warrior while
challenging the evil
Chameleon?
SCHEDULED RELEASE:
MARCH 29
ARTHUR THE KING
Can a stray dog help an
endurance race team on
their journey through
Ecuador?
SCHEDULED RELEASE:
MARCH 22
IMDB
Adam Holz is the director of Plugged In. He and his wife, Jennifer, have
three children.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 19

KIDS & TEENS / HACKS & FACTS
ADULT KIDS
INCREMENTAL STEPS
Prior to our daughter’s 18th birthday, we began incremental steps to
prepare her for a successful transition to life on her own. After helping
her shop around for an affordable apartment, we gave her 30
days to get her own cellphone before we canceled her from our
family plan. She had six months to transition to her own car insurance.
She met both deadlines and was grateful we didn’t cut her off
immediately. This extra time helped us feel good about ensuring her
success while still helping her see the cost of independence. Now
19 years old, our daughter refuses to boomerang back home and
knows we are there for emergencies but humbly takes responsibility
for any of her own poor planning.
—Tez Brooks
launch money
After each of my kids graduated from college, I helped fund their first
year of transition as they explored their interests and interviewed for
jobs. The agreement was that they would then pay me back over
time for that year.
Each child accepted my offer and eventually found their career.
The first year wasn’t easy, but they earned modest incomes to sustain
them until they could work themselves into desirable positions. And
all three paid back the loan.
—Marcia McGreevy Lewis
1in
three
adult children ages
18 to 34 live with at
least one parent.
source: Pew Research and
U.S. Census Data, 2021
house rules
I wanted my adult son and daughter
to take responsibility for themselves
and to be more independent. My
husband and I eventually decided to
make it increasingly uncomfortable
to remain “in the nest.”
As a family, we discussed house
rules and gave the kids a list of daily
chores. We told them their rent
would increase monthly until the end
of the year, to eventually equal the
standard apartment rent.
My adult children weren’t fond of
this plan, but they complied. After six
months, my daughter moved into
an apartment with a friend. After 11
months, my son moved out. My adult
children have become strong and
independent.
—Terri Hutchison
STOCKSY - BORIS JOVANOVIC
20
FEB / MAR 2024

couples
“THE WAY YOU
THINK ABOUT YOUR
. . . MARRIAGE WILL
HELP GUIDE YOUR
ACTIONS. IF YOU
BELIEVE YOUR
MARRIAGE IS GOOD
AND HAS A HOPEFUL
FUTURE, YOU WILL
WORK TOWARD
THAT GOAL.”
—SABRINA MCDONALD,
PAGE 22
PIXEL STORIES/STOCKSY - ADOBE STOCK
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 21

COUPLES / BLENDED FAMILY
unfair comparisons
Understanding communication
differences in a second marriage
BY SABRINA MCDONALD
ILLUSTRATIONS BY HAO HAO
IT SOUNDS CRAZY, but I
thought communication in a second
marriage would be easy—or, at least,
easier. After all, I was older and wiser.
I knew the pitfalls, and I’d learned my
lessons. Since my new spouse, Robbie,
and I were both previously widowed, I
thought we had an advantage over the
never-been-marrieds.
Now, more than a decade later, I
chuckle at my naiveté.
Communication was our biggest
stumbling block. Coming from a previous
marriage where communication
was easy, I found conversations with
Robbie perplexing. And the problem
showed up in the most benign
exchanges. . . .
Robbie: Will you pick up some tuna
from the grocery store this afternoon?
Me: Why?
I saw this as an exchange of information,
but Robbie’s response was one of
offense—a “look,” followed by a shake
of the head and a huff.
Robbie’s curt replies hurt my feelings.
I didn’t understand how asking a
clarifying question could warrant
what I considered to be a passiveaggressive
response.
As these small wounds piled up, I was
tempted to compare my new marriage
with the old one. But comparison is a
dangerous game—one that can steal
contentment and set your marriage
on shaky ground. Having come from a
good previous marriage, I was tempted
to see my former spouse, David, as the
good guy and Robbie as the bad guy.
But the temptation to compare doesn’t
just affect those of us who had happy
first marriages. It also applies to those
with painful memories from the past.
So how do we stop comparing and
find contentment in a remarriage relationship?
Here are a few ideas that
helped me.
Don’t give up
Pinpointing our communication
problem took a few months. It was
largely a result of my requests to know
“why?”—a simple question in my mind,
but for Robbie, it was filled with ulterior
motives.
I saw it as a clarifying question. If I
could understand why Robbie wanted a
certain task done, I could be more efficient
in fulfilling his request.
• Did he want tuna for dinner? I was
planning to make spaghetti.
• Did he need it immediately or could it
wait? Going to the grocery store would
affect my timeline for the day.
• I might need to purchase other items,
like bread or mayo, to go along with it.
In truth, Robbie just wanted tuna for
lunch the next day. But my request to
know why sounded to Robbie, a military
man, like a sign of disrespect. It
conveyed a lack of trust, like he was
incompetent or ignorant.
It was a simple misunderstanding,
22
FEB / MAR 2024

BLENDED FAMILY / COUPLES
yet one that caused a lot of problems.
We finally worked it out, but it required
intentional conversations over several
months. Finding resolutions and compromises
takes time (sometimes years)
and a lot of grace. But it’s worth it.
Control your thoughts
The mind is a powerful force, a force
that has the power to heal or hurt your
relationship. Memories, for example,
can help us learn from our triumphs
and our mistakes. But if you’re not careful,
memories from the past can also be
used as weapons in the present.
The way you think about your current
marriage will help guide your actions.
If you believe your marriage is good
and has a hopeful future, you will work
toward that goal. But if you see your
spouse as inferior and your relationship
as hopeless, that’s the path you’re likely
to follow.
When tempted to compare my two
marriages, I reflected on Philippians 4:8.
I built a habit of setting my thoughts on
whatever is true, honorable, just, lovely
and commendable—excellent and
worthy of praise. I had to learn to keep
my thoughts in balance. Whenever I
had a thought like, David always . . . or
David never, . . . I focused my mind on
Robbie’s good qualities, compelling
myself to think, Robbie is a good man,
too. He always or never . . .
It’s also important to avoid a preoccupation
with negative traits from a
previous relationship. A difficult first
marriage can cause a person to expect a
new spouse to behave badly. Someone
in this situation often “sees” evidence
of hurt, even when there is none. In this
case the offense is not real, but only perceived.
Counselors call this projection.
This affected me once when I dated a
divorced man whose wife cheated on
him. If I even looked in the direction of
another man, he suspected me of longing
for someone else, even though his
perception wasn’t accurate.
Whether comparing your previous
marriage to the current one is a result
of good or bad memories, little cracks
formed through comparison and
doubt can undermine the strength of
your current relationship, making your
remarriage vulnerable.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 23

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for
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Grief is part of every
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their loss, handle rejection from
stepchildren, work through
different parenting styles,
connect as a newly formed
24
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Ad Title
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Value the good
When I married Robbie, I’d been a single
mom of two preschoolers for three
years. I celebrated my new marriage
as a gift from God. But the miscommunications
we experienced sometimes
made me forget that blessing, and I
occasionally found myself longing for
those single-mom days.
Remarried spouses can sometimes
be like the Hebrews in the wilderness
who celebrated their freedom from
slavery only until they had nothing
but manna to eat every day (Numbers
11:4-6). Even though they were free
from slavery and looking forward to a
land flowing with milk and honey, they
quickly grew discouraged when times
got tough.
Likewise, when we’re hurting, it’s
easy to think back to a time in the past,
even the difficult past, when things
seemed better. That’s because it’s easy
to focus on the bad in life. Bad stands
out like a stinky smell—no matter how
small the source, you can usually find
it. The good, meanwhile, can be much
harder to find, but—much like buried
treasure—it’s worth the effort. As Paul
told Timothy, “Godliness with contentment
is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).
Keep digging till you find the good in
your marriage, and focus on that.
Working it out
Robbie and I have now been married
for more than a decade, and while we
might not ever be able to read the other’s
mind, we do have a new respect
for each other every time we come to
an understanding. Working out our
communication issues gave us the confidence
to work out other differences.
I’m grateful for Robbie’s strengths, and
he’s grateful for mine.
It would have been easy to simply
give up and explain away our differences,
saying, “We’re just not right for
each other.” Aren’t you glad God doesn’t
give up on us as readily as we give up on
each other? A relationship needs time
to mature. It’s much harder to have faith
that your hard work will pay off in the
future. But our hard work did, and so
can yours.
Sabrina McDonald has a master’s degree in
counseling from Liberty University. She is the
author of six books and contributor to three.
CREDIT TK

BROADCAST / COUPLES
rejecting
divorce and
choosing
to stay
A featured <strong>Focus</strong> on
the Family broadcast
BY TONI NIEUWHOF
Jim Daly and John Fuller in the studio
Jim Daly and John Fuller in the studio
SALLY SUE DUNN
CAREY AND I met in law school.
We married expecting a few bumps in
the road but found that we were very
different from each other. When we
argued, we both felt that our own perspective
was normal.
This led to a vicious cycle of conflict,
partly because our approaches were
almost opposite. Carey’s style was to
hit conflict head-on and persist until it
was resolved. I needed time to process.
What I couldn’t see at the time was how
the trauma I went through as a child
impacted my responses during heated
exchanges. I would disassociate at times
or choose to withdraw. I labeled my
moving away as keeping the peace.
Our conflicts often failed to reach
resolution, so tension between us kept
accumulating. We started marriage
counseling, but it seemed like we would
take a step forward and two steps back.
One day we decided to break our routine
and have lunch together. Carey
came to pick me up, and when I got in
the car, he said, “You told me you’d be
here at noon. That was 15 minutes ago.”
He rolled his eyes.
That triggered my emotions. In a flash,
I forced my wedding ring off my finger
and said, “That’s it. You have it. I don’t
want it anymore.” I threw it on the floor
of the car.
Carey didn’t know what to do. I had
no idea how to make our relationship
better, either.
But the lowest part of our marriage
came a couple of years later. We were
still involved in counseling, making
slow progress. I had become ambivalent
about whether we would make it.
We were in a season where date nights
had become fight nights.
One particular night when we were
both exhausted, Carey snapped. “Have
it your way. If you want to leave, I won’t
stand in your way.”
We both knew divorce wasn’t what
we really wanted. What we wanted was
for this painful version of our marriage
to be gone, replaced by a better one.
Download our free app to find out
how Toni and Carey made it back
from the brink of divorce.
DAILY INSPIRATION
IN YOUR POCKET
Stream the daily broadcast on the <strong>Focus</strong> on
the Family Canada app for biblically sound
guidance on-the-go.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Mobile
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 25

COUPLES / JUST FOR FUN
QUIRKY
QUESTIONS
for Couples
How well do you
know your spouse?
BY ANDREA GUTIERREZ
PHOTOS BY EMILY HANCOCK
“WHAT DO YOU WANT to be doing a
decade from now?” Albert asks.
His wife, Yemi, responds, “I want to be raising my
family and knowing Christ more.”
Albert and Yemi are deepening their relationship
by asking each other questions designed to
help them reflect on falling in love and to give them
a better understanding of what makes them tick as
individuals and as a couple.
There’s always more to learn about your spouse
whether, like Albert and Yemi, you’ve been married
a few years or if you tied the knot decades ago. This
Valentine’s Day, we invite you to take our quirky
questions for couples quiz, which is certain to evoke
laughter and fond memories. Share your favorite
answers with us at info@fotf.ca and check out a couple
of Albert and Yemi’s answers on the following
pages.
26
FEB / MAR 2024

JUST FOR FUN / COUPLES
This or That?
Find out your spouse’s
preferences by asking each
other if you’d rather . . .
1
on the
beach
chocolatecovered
beetles
vacuuming
spiderwebs
LIVE
or
EAT
or
DO THE
or
CLEAN OUT
or
in the
mountains
a can of
cat food
dusting
the toilet
ADOBE STOCK-ICONS GATE, MONKEY BUSINESS, STRAWBERRY BLOSSOM, ANDRII, OLHA KOZACHENKO, TIMONKO, LEPUSINENSIS
you
don't like
a safari and never
see an animal
PLAY MUSIC
or
TAKE
or
BE IN WEATHER THAT MAKES YOU
sweat
or
BE WITHOUT YOUR
sense of or sense of
taste touch
CONTROL THE
emotions
of others
by outliving all
your friends
or
LEAVE EARTH
or
that
never ends
a trip to the
local zoo
freeze
social skills
of others
surrounded by
many good friends
Q: What do
you wish for
your wife,
Yemi?
“To help raise
our family in her
dream home.”
—Albert
Our cover couple,
Albert & Yemi, live
in Lynchburg, Virginia,
and have been married
two years.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 27

2
Remember It!
Try your best to come up with the following facts about your
spouse. Then have fun letting your spouse check your answers.
Q: What do
you wish for
your husband,
Albert?
“To walk in
the blessings
God has stored
for him.”
—Yemi
What was your spouse’s . . .
fi rst car:
first job:
first music album purchased:
favorite toy as a child:
most anticipated childhood event:
What is your spouse’s . . .
least favorite day of the week:
favorite childhood memory:
favorite all-time food:
most treasured moment
of our first meeting:
Who does your spouse think . . .
had the best response
to our engagement?
Sweet Nothings
What’s something special you observe in your
spouse that he or she may not realize? Encourage
your spouse to ask you the questions below. Mark
them off as you both answer.
What is one thing you admire about me?
What is something I do well, but maybe I don’t realize it?
What is one character trait you notice in me?
What is your favorite memory of me?
What do you wish for me?
3
had the worst response
to our engagement?
best understood what we wanted
our wedding to be?
has been the best friends for
encouraging our relationship?
28
FEB / MAR 2024

4
Answer It!
Try to find at least one new thing about
your spouse. Start by asking each other
the following questions:
yemi_loves_albert
JUST FOR FUN / COUPLES
Think back 10 years. Where
were you, and what were
you doing?
Which cartoon theme song
gets stuck in your head
the most?
What is something that happened
this week that made you laugh?
yemi_loves_albert we loved taking the free marriage
assessment. You can take it too! #<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily
ADOBE STOCK-ICONS GATE, MONKEY BUSINESS, STRAWBERRY BLOSSOM, ANDRII, OLHA KOZACHENKO, TIMONKO, LEPUSINENSIS
What did you think you
were going to be when you
grew up?
If you could do anything today
outside of your normal routine,
what would you want to do?
If you could visit one
event in history, what
would it be?
If you could meet any musician or
actor, whom would you choose?
Think forward 10 years. Where do
you want to be, and what would
you like to be doing?
If you could have one do-over in
your life, what would it be?
Where would you like to
vacation if you could go
anywhere in the world?
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family
Canada Marriage
Assessment
By taking a marriage assessment and
inviting your spouse to do the same,
you’ll consider how 12 key traits—which
include positive communication, conflict
resolution and spiritual intimacy —work in
your relationship. The measurement of
each of these 12 traits can strengthen your
marriage. So why wait?
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
MarriageAssessment
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 29

COUPLES / RESTORATION
when
love
is broken
After my husband
confessed his
pornography
addiction, I
wondered if
I could ever
love him again
BY DANNAH GRESH
ILLUSTRATIONS BY JACOB STEAD
I WAS WEARING NO MAKEUP,
and wet strands of hair clung to my face,
but I loved the photo. So I posted it proudly.
Bob and I had a newlywed glow on our
faces—only we weren’t newlyweds.
We were a war-torn couple who’d fought
for love.
On a vacation to restore our marriage,
we looked forward to dinner at a fancy
rooftop restaurant overlooking the ocean
at sunset. But it started to rain. (And the
appetizers were terrible!) So we left.
I was disheartened. We had a lot riding
on that dinner. We needed a win, but it just
wasn’t to be. Not in that place anyway.
30
FEB / MAR 2024

WHAT IF HE
NEVER REPENTS?
by Geremy Keeton
Some husbands may refuse to
renounce (perhaps even pridefully
nurse) the connection with
their sin. This may become obvious
by either their words or their
long-demonstrated actions.
Likely more complex, however,
is biblically discerning
what the course of the marriage
looks like if perpetual,
volitional and unrepentant pornography
use alone is the case.
Divorce is a concession God’s
Word overtly lays out when a
hard heart manifests itself in
unrepentant physical infidelity.
To be fair, there may be varied
theological conclusions, but
simply standing by and “making
peace” with pornography’s
devastating presence is not a
conclusion I endorse.
A person needs wise pastoral
care combined with sound
professional therapy and discernment
over an extended
period. Divorce should not be
rushed, adopted without close
counsel or eagerly enacted
as a “simple solution.” But for
some, this may indeed be the
conclusion they arrive at due
to the headlong choices a
spouse repeatedly makes.
If, when and how to release
someone to their chosen
rebellion is a matter of wise
biblical counsel and God’s
guidance. If you’re at a crossroads,
remember that your
own health and recovery
remain vital. Victim is not your
identity; overcomer is!
Geremy Keeton is the director of
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family's Counseling
Department.
© 2023 <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family. Adapted
from Aftershock: Overcoming his
secret life with pornography by Joann
Condie with Geremy Keeton. © 2020
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family. A <strong>Focus</strong> on the
Family resource published by Tyndale
House Publishers.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 31

COUPLES / RESTORATION
LISTEN NOW!
Join Bob and Dannah Gresh
as they share how they found
healing in their marriage after
pornography threatened
to tear them apart.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Radio
For additional
resources and guidance
on pornography visit
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
Pornography
On our way to the hotel, we drove by
truck stop signs that led us to a collection
of food trucks in a dusty dirt lot.
After some surprisingly delicious
food, we wandered in the rain and
found two Adirondack chairs on the
edge of the bay. They were as worn as
we felt. But as we watched the storm, we
found something more than a better
place to eat dinner. We found each other.
Who knew we could find love again
at a roadside collection of food trucks?
God did.
All of us face difficulty in marriage.
But some of us face especially painful
hardships when our husbands fall
prey to lust and pornography. I know.
I’ve been there.
Yet despite the pain of betrayal, the
story of Bob and Dannah Gresh is
not over, though at times it felt like it
was. During some particularly difficult
days, I had no doubt I’d continue
to choose to love Bob. But I also wondered
if I’d feel it once more. The
answer, I’m thrilled to say, is yes. Here
are three things I learned when I wondered
if I could love again.
We can be taught to love
The dating, engagement and first
weeks of our marriage were magnificent.
Bob is a creative romantic. He
planned perfect dates, wrote beautiful
love notes and left me breathless. I
now call that period our “before love”
time. And in the middle of it, I was
certain the romance would never end.
But it did.
For some couples, it’s a slow fade.
For others, a jarring trauma leaves
one or both partners heartbroken. For
me, it was somewhere in between.
Without sharing too many details of
our story, Bob did confess before we
married that he had a fierce struggle
with sexual temptation. We thought
the temptation would go away after
the wedding, but we were wrong. So
we fought hard against it. Together.
For many years Bob experienced
freedom. Then one day he confessed
that he’d lost ground. I won’t say any
more about it, but Bob wants you to
know that what he did was worse than
you may think and yet not as bad as
you might imagine. We both believe
that whether a spouse has looked at
pornography, had an affair or acted
out sexually, the pain of betrayal can
be just as devastating.
Months prior, I felt something was
off. My heart and body knew it. I experienced
subtle signs of trauma like
joint pain and stomach issues—common
for women whose husbands
have stopped making eye contact or
aren’t emotionally present.
But my brain wanted to deny it. So
that’s what I chose to do.
Then came Bob’s confession.
As he spoke the painful words, I
felt shame for ignoring the hunch I’d
had. I also realized that those lovely,
early emotions in marriage aren’t the
32
FEB / MAR 2024

love God has invited us to experience.
Hollywood has trained us to dream of
“falling in love.” But if love were something
that we just “fall into,” it could not
be commanded and taught. And it is.
Paul commands it of husbands in the
fifth chapter of Ephesians. And in Titus
2:4, women are instructed to “train the
young women to love their husbands.”
If you can be taught to love, can you
not also learn to love again?
We’re called to paint
a picture of Christ’s
unfailing love
God intended for marriage to portray
the kind of love Jesus displays
for His bride, the church. You can
read about this intention from
Genesis to Revelation. But the most
succinct statement of the sacred purpose
of marriage is found in the New
Testament: “A man shall leave his
father and mother and hold fast to his
wife, and the two shall become one
flesh. This mystery is profound, and I
am saying that it refers to Christ and
the church” (Ephesians 5:31-32).
Unfailing love should characterize
marriage because it’s a picture
of Christ’s love and His mission to
AFTERSHOCK: OVERCOMING
HIS SECRET LIFE WITH
PORNOGRAPHY
by Joann Condie with Geremy Keeton
Don't suffer alone. The authors can guide
you through developing a plan with your
husband to overcome his addiction and
navigate the road to recovery together.
Shop.<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Aftershock
rescue us. But the Devil is on a mission,
too! He’s determined to destroy
the picture of Christ’s love in our
marriages.
So rise up and be strong. Scripture
tells us that when we resist the Devil,
he flees from us (James 4:7). But if
you’re like me, you feel weak and riddled
with insecurity. If you need help,
tell a friend. It’s the only sure way to
dismantle the Enemy’s strategy.
My closest friends encouraged
me to feel courageous when I felt
like withering. Those faithful friends
helped me wrestle through hard questions:
Were Bob and I still a picture
of the Gospel in this broken place?
Could this suffering be part of the picture?
I believe the answer is yes. After
all, Christ suffered death to rescue us.
Bob was repentant, and because
of this I could safely rise up to love
the way Jesus did. Sometimes this
looked like speaking the truth in love
rather than blowing up in anger. Other
times it looked like holding him when
I didn’t feel like it. It also required
me to offer tough love and establish
boundaries. I’ve been told I was a fool
for staying. But we’re never fools when
we choose to participate in God’s
redemptive story for humankind.
God is inviting us to a
deeper understanding
of love
My husband has always given me permission
to be open about our difficult
journey, and we’ve decided to be honest
with our story.
To that end, you should know I
grieved deeply as I learned to love
again. The lessons were hard, and for
me, they included learning to lament.
During those times, I found a soulful
song by Martin Smith based on Song of
Solomon 2:8. The hauntingly beautiful
lyrics expressed what I was feeling.
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33

COUPLES / RESTORATION
This cloak of sadness . . .
All the evil things that shake me . . .
All the words that break me.
As I read the Song of Solomon, I
became aware that I wasn’t consumed
with the unfailing love of Jesus. I pined
for the love of Bob and Dannah instead
of the love of Jesus and Dannah first
and foremost. There was idolatry in
my heart.
When I told Tippy, my counselor,
what I was learning, she seemed much
too chipper in contrast to my perplexed
sorrow.
“Dannah,” she said with a subtle giggle
in her voice, “this is wonderful!
God’s inviting you to a deeper understanding
of love.”
That day I realized God was calling
me to love my husband through my
love for Jesus. And so I began to seek
contentment in Christ by taking long
walks with Him and asking Him for
advice rather than running to Bob to
solve a problem. In learning to turn
to my Savior first, I started to experience
a deeper love that changed the
way I love Bob. Now I love him from a
holier, deeper distance. My inner circle
of intimacy has become a place
for me and Jesus—with Bob at the
perimeter of my most sacred space.
And as my love has grown, I’ve discovered
something authentic and
so much more satisfying than the
“before love” we experienced early in
our relationship. Not the superficial,
happily-ever-after kind of love with
inspiring sunsets but the real and raw
kind forged through the dust and dirt
of life.
If you’re wondering whether you
can ever love again, the answer is yes.
There are surprising moments, like
HAPPILY EVEN AFTER: LET GOD
REDEEM YOUR MARRIAGE
by Dannah Gresh
Need biblical, clinically informed
advice for how to navigate
your husband’s battle with
lust and pornography?
Shop.<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca
our night at the truck stop. But something
sacred anchors those moments.
The love Bob and I now share has
been tested and found faithful.
Dannah Gresh is a bestselling author, the cohost
of the “Revive Our Hearts” podcast and
the founder of True Girl, a ministry dedicated
to providing tools to help moms disciple their
7- to 12-year-old girls.
WHEN YOU NEED HELP
What if your spouse doesn’t repent and seek help? If a pattern
of sexual sin and addiction has overtaken your marriage, it’s vital
that you seek help. For a free consultation with one of our registered
Christian counselors, please call us at 1-800-661-9800 or
visit <strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Counselling to learn more.
34
FEB / MAR 2024

faith &
inspiration
“GOD CREATED
YOU, AND YOU ARE
BEAUTIFUL. BELIEVE
ANYTHING LESS THAN
THIS, AND YOU’RE
CHEATING YOURSELF
AND THOSE YOU
COULD REACH WITH
HIS MESSAGE.”
—JEFF SIMMONS, PAGE 44
STEPHANIE FREY - ADOBE STOCK
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 35

FAITH & INSPIRATION / MINISTRY
ENFOQUE A
LA FAMILIA
Ministering to
Spanish-speaking
families since 1988
BY ENFOQUE A LA FAMILIA STAFF
36
FEB / MAR 2024
Sixto Porras, <strong>Focus</strong>
on the Family's
vice president of
Hispanic Ministry
Development
MORE THAN THREE DECADES
AGO, <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family launched a radio
broadcast called “Enfoque a la Familia” for
Spanish-speaking audiences. Since then,
the broadcast has expanded to become the
Hispanic ministry of <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family, and
countless individuals and families have been
transformed by the restorative power of Christ
through this ministry's expanding outreach.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ENFOQUE A LA FAMILIA

MINISTRY / FAITH & INSPIRATION
1988
Enfoque a la Familia Spanish broadcast
debuts on 12 radio stations in the U.S.,
Guatemala and Costa Rica.
Se estrena la transmisión en español de Enfoque a
la Familia en 12 estaciones de radio en los Estados
Unidos, Guatemala y Costa Rica.
1994
An abstinence program developed by
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family is distributed to
2,768 students in Nicaragua.
Un programa educativo sobre la abstinencia
sexual desarrollado por Enfoque a la Familia
se distribuye a 2.768 estudiantes en Nicaragua.
Family conference at the Family
Worship Center Church in Asuncion,
Paraguay, with 6,460 attendees
The original co-hosts of Enfoque a la Familia,
Daniel Guzman (left) and Roberto Cruz
1998
500 videos are produced
for a televised version
of Enfoque a la Familia.
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family
Costa Rica opens.
Se producen 500 videos
para una versión televisada
de Enfoque a la Familia.
Se inaugura Enfoque a
la Familia Costa Rica.
Yuri Mantilla (left) and Sixto recording
an Enfoque a la Familia broadcast
2002
450,000 abstinence pledges
are collected across 15
Latin American countries.
Se recogen 450.000 promesas
de abstinencia en 15 países de
América Latina.
2012
The first 100% Spanish
episode of Adventures
in Odyssey is released.
Se estrena el primer episodio 100%
en español de Aventuras en Odisea.
2008
Enfoque a la Familia airs
on more than 500 radio
stations in 34 countries.
Enfoque a la Familia se transmite
en más de 500 estaciones de radio
en 34 países.
2015
The Enfoque a la Familia Hispanic ministry
reaches more than 100,000 people at
in-person speaking events in a single year.
Enfoque a la Familia, como ministerio hispano,
llega a más de 100.000 personas a través de
conferencias presenciales en tan solo un año.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 37

FAITH & INSPIRATION / MINISTRY
2016
Enfoque a la Familia hosts its first
Pastoral Summit with 29 attendees.
Enfoque a la Familia organiza su primera
Conferencia Pastoral con 29 asistentes.
2017
700 new videos are produced for
the televised version of the Enfoque
a la Familia broadcast.
Se producen 700 nuevos vídeos para la
versión televisada del programa de Enfoque
a la Familia.
2019
Enfoque a la Familia launches a mobile
app.
Se celebra el lanzamiento de la aplicación
móvil de Enfoque a la Familia.
Learn more at
EnfoqueALaFamilia.
com.
Sixto with attendees at the
Enfoque a la Familia 2023
Pastoral Summit
CREDIT TK PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ENFOQUE A LA FAMILIA
38
FEB / MAR 2024

MINISTRY / FAITH & INSPIRATION
2020
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family
Ecuador opens. Enfoque
a la Familia launches its
Pastor’s Network.
Se inaugura Enfoque a la
Familia Ecuador. Enfoque a
la Familia lanza su Red de
Pastores.
Sixto with his
grandson Emiliano
2021
Sixto Porras’ Facebook
account reaches 1 million
followers. Enfoque a la
Familia’s YouTube account
reaches 100,000 subscribers.
La cuenta de Facebook de
Sixto Porras llega al millón de
seguidores. La cuenta de YouTube
de Enfoque a la Familia alcanza
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family headquarters in Colorado
Springs, Colorado
los 100.000 suscriptores.
2022
Enfoque a la Familia moves its Hispanic ministry
headquarters from Costa Rica to Colorado
Springs, Colorado. Sixto Porras becomes <strong>Focus</strong>
on the Family's vice president of Hispanic Ministry
Development.
Enfoque a la Familia
traslada la sede de su ministerio hispano en Costa Rica
a Colorado Springs, Colorado. Sixto Porras se convierte
en vicepresidente del Ministerio Hispano de <strong>Focus</strong> on the
Family.
CREDIT TK
Marriage & Family Conference
at Hosanna Family Community
Church in Managua, Nicaragua,
with 9,110 attendees
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 39

FAITH & INSPIRATION / BROADCAST
inviting
your child
into the
Easter story:
A featured <strong>Focus</strong> on
the Family broadcast
BY CHRISTI STRAUB
Jim Daly and John Fuller in the studio
THE RESURRECTION is the
centerpiece of our faith. If we treat
it in the same way as eggs, bunnies
and chocolate, then the story may
never come alive for our kids. That’s
why my husband, Josh, and I wrote
10 Days of the Easter Story. It’s a way
to be intentional with the story of the
Resurrection.
Yet, the Easter story is also gruesome.
How should we introduce our children
to Jesus’ death for the removal of
our sins? In our day to day, we often
protect them from stories of death,
so it’s hard to explain what Jesus
went through. And if they don’t know
about Jesus’ suffering, then we can’t
tell them about the Son of God who
we are supposed to live for.
After watching the Jesus movie as
a kid, I remember feeling sick to my
stomach when His hands were nailed
to the Cross. Kids aren’t allowed to
watch this kind of stuff normally. So
they might be confused about why
they’re encouraged to watch it once
a year.
This is a struggle for me and many
parents. It’s so much easier to avoid
the gruesome parts of the Easter story
and focus on sugar and bunnies. But
what’s an appropriate way to delve
into this distressing narrative with
our children?
Download our free app to hear
how Christi and Josh introduced
their kids to the complete Easter
story.
SALLY SUE DUNN
DAILY INSPIRATION
IN YOUR POCKET
Stream the daily broadcast on the <strong>Focus</strong> on
the Family Canada app for biblically sound
guidance on-the-go.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Mobile
40
FEB / MAR 2024

ILLUSTRATIONX - SASKIA BUENO

FAITH & INSPIRATION / MEDIA
movie messages
Spider-Man:
Into the Spider-Verse
Seek and find worldviews
while having fun as a family
BY PLUGGED IN STAFF
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
SHANE CLESTER
THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY
bombards us with obvious and subtle messages.
But we often don’t recognize them as worldviews
or notice how they skew our thinking. To help you
and your family identify varying worldviews in the
culture, play this game of Movie Messages while
watching the Oscar-winning film Spider-Man:
Into the Spider-Verse.
AGNOSTICISM
is the theological belief
that we can’t know
whether God really exists.
DEFEATISM is when we
either expect or accept
defeat, believing that
to try to do anything to
counteract an impending
defeat is useless.
ALTRUISM prioritizes
the happiness or
safety of others
above our own.
ETHICAL EGOISM
contends that when
we find what is best for
ourselves, our actions are
inherently right, even if
they harm others.
42
Note: You might have heard that there are references to
transgenderism in this film’s sequel, Spider-Man: Across the
Spider-Verse. You can read more about that controversy in
Plugged In’s review of the sequel. Th i smovie, however, does
not have any overt references to LGBT issues.
Directions
1. Give every player a set of 10 worldview cards (at
right). Additional sets can be found and printed
at <strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Magazine.
2. Watch Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse until
you reach an incident on the game board. Then
pause the movie.
3. Each player chooses a card that matches the
worldview identified in the movie and places it
facedown. Then players turn over their cards to
reveal their answers.
4. The correct cards are removed from play. The
cards deemed incorrect are returned to each
player, and the movie continues.
5. This board game doesn’t cover every worldview
in this movie. Players who have guessed wrong
can catch up by calling out the correct worldview,
if it comes up again in the movie. (This can only
be done with worldview cards that have been
removed from play.)
6. The first player to get rid of eight cards is the
winner.
FEB / MAR 2024
Be sure to check out Plugged In’s review
of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse first
to make sure it’s right for your family.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.com/Spider-Man
MULTIVERSE THEORY holds
that our universe is just one
of many, and that there are
potentially an infinite number
of other universes—some with
similarities to our own.
NOBLESSE OBLIGE
(coined in the Middle Ages)
is an understanding that
the rich and powerful
have a moral obligation
to help those who
don’t have as much.
SCIENTISM adheres
to the idea that what we
can know is limited to
just our five senses.
NARCISSISM is a sense
that our own needs, wants
and whims are far more
important than those of
other folks around us.
PRAGMATISM says
that the right decision
depends on what
you get out of it.
SELF-ACTUALIZATION
is the belief that
self-improvement and
self-satisfaction are the
highest goals of individuals.
Note: For young children who aren’t ready to play this game, a casual mention like, “That’s
narcissism. God doesn’t want us to be selfish,” is a good way to start worldview training.

EXPLORE SPIDER-MAN
FOR ITS HIDDEN MESSAGES.
START
7:50 MILES WATCHES
A SCHOOL MOVIE
WHEREIN A SCIENTIST
TALKS ABOUT
PARALLEL UNIVERSES.
MILES PONDERS AN
ASSIGNMENT GIVEN TO HIM
BY ONE OF HIS TEACHERS.
8:50
20:40
SPIDER-MAN AND
THE GREEN GOBLIN
FIGHT NEAR AN
INTERDIMENSIONAL
PORTAL.
50:43
A SCIENTIST TELLS
PETER THAT SHE
CAN’T WAIT FOR HIS
DISINTEGRATION.
27:35
KINGPIN TELLS SPIDEY
THAT “IT’S NOT ALWAYS
ABOUT THE MONEY.”
43:40
PETER TELLS MILES HE’S
GOING HOME, NO MATTER
THE CONSEQUENCES FOR
MILES’ DIMENSION.
40:23
MILES AND PETER LIE
IN A CROSSWALK AS
NEW YORKERS WALK
AROUND THEM.
42:15
MILES STARTS
TO SAY THE
SPIDER-MAN SERIES’
MOST FAMOUS
LINE BEFORE PETER
STOPS HIM.
CREDIT TK
Additional worldview cards and
our Parents Guide to Movie
Messages can be found at
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
Magazine.

FAITH & INSPIRATION / A DEVOTION
an extraordinary love
Discovering God’s unique plan for you
BY JEFF SIMMONS
FINDING THE
EXTRA IN ORDINARY
by Jeff Simmons
You don’t have to settle for the
predictable in your Christian life.
God has so much more for you!
Shop.<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca
ON A MISSION TRIP to the
impoverished Eastern European
country of Moldova, I met a young
girl named Aliona. She grew up in an
orphanage, where she shared a bed
with another child and had no one to
read her bedtime stories or tuck her in
at night.
One summer, Aliona heard about a
God of grace who loved her. She discovered
that she was “fearfully and
wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and
that God had a unique plan for her life.
Aliona believed God’s Word and committed
her life to Him. Today Aliona
works for Justice & Mercy International
and has returned to Moldova to share
God’s love with children in orphanages
like the one she grew up in.
When asked to describe her life, she
replied, “I am—what is the word?—
beloved. Yes, I am beloved.”
Beloved
You are also deeply loved. If you question
this statement, I encourage you to
spend time alone with the Lord in His
Word. Our personal God handcrafted
you, shaped you and formed you
before you were born. You are not “one
in a million”—you are one in 8 billion.
No one in the world is exactly like you.
Beautiful
God created you, and you are beautiful.
Believe anything less than this, and
you’re cheating yourself and those you
could reach with His message. Romans
5:8 says, “God shows his love for us in
that while we were still sinners, Christ
died for us.” God loves you that much.
Bold
When you know you’re loved, you
have the confidence to believe in yourself.
Don’t lose sight of what God says
about you and why He brought you
into this world. God has a purpose specifically
for you.
Adapted from Finding the Extra in Ordinary by
Jeff Simmons, ©2024 Jeff Simmons. All rights
reserved. A <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family resource
published by Tyndale House Publishers.
LIGHTSTOCK - BEN KARPINSKI
44
FEB / MAR 2024

HACKS & FACTS / FAITH & INSPIRATION
16
More
than
million
egg-dyeing kits and
180 million eggs are
sold each year in
preparation
for Easter.
source: Wallethub.com
the empty egg
When our extended family gets together for
Easter, we love having a huge egg
hunt. We always hide one empty egg
(usually marked with a cross), and when
someone finds it the person shouts,
“Hallelujah, Jesus is risen!” Then my family
shouts in response, “He is risen indeed,
Hallelujah!” This simple addition to our
Easter egg hunt has helped us talk about
Jesus with our extended family members.
—Sarah Roth
EXTENDED FAMILY
ADOBE STOCK - TANYA YATSENKO:STOCKSY / STOCKSY - CURETTE & DAEMAINE HINES
last supper reflections
One unique way our family members prepare for Easter is with
a lamb feast on Maundy Thursday. My mother helps me in the
kitchen, and my father reads the story of the Last Supper to his
grandchildren. We invite friends and the rest of our extended
family to eat a meal that reflects what Jesus could have eaten
in His last hours. It’s a great way for our family to connect with
what He was preparing for and to remember His important last
messages of service, self-sacrifice and obedience.
—Janice Antoinette Ray
OPEN-HOUSE
GOSPEL
With my family and my in-laws living
nearby, including believers and nonbelievers,
we choose to make our Easter event
open invitation. Neighbors and friends of
friends are often invited as well.
Everyone chips in with the food, while
I set the table and provide Scripture cards
for each visitor. My husband reminds us
why we celebrate, and he says a prayer of
thanks for the food. We eat outdoors and
set out lawn games. My sister-in-law usually
organizes an egg hunt, and I share the
Gospel story with the children (and curious
adults) using plastic eggs filled with little
props and pictures. We use these activities
to share the Resurrection story in a nonthreatening
way. Everyone feels welcomed,
and we are able to share our hope in Jesus
simply and casually.
—Jenny Nanninga
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 45

FAITH & INSPIRATION / MY THRIVING FAMILY
Easter elation
Traditional Mexican cascarones include an Easter
message of encouragement. —Kandice from Ohio
Emerson, 7
Texas flowers are in full bloom for Easter!
—Hyuna from Texas
Deborah, 6, Elisha, 11, and Enoch, 6
Our daughter delights in her crafted
Easter sign. —Jamie from Missouri
Gracie, 6
SEND US
YOUR PHOTOS!
Email photos* of your child
playing in the snow or with a
crazy hairdo. Put “Snow Fun” or
“Crazy Hair" in the subject line.
info@fotf.ca
* Largest photo possible. Professional photos are not accepted.
ADOBE CREDIT STOCK TK - KARINA MARTIROSOVA, ELENA GARDER
46
FEB / MAR 2024

EXPERT HELP
FOR ANXIETY ISSUES
In these two free video series, <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family Canada counsellor Jenn Hall
discusses what anxiety looks like for adults and children to help you better
understand the role it may be playing in your own life or the life of a loved one.
Understanding Anxiety
In this free six-part video series, Jenn will
walk you through what anxiety is, the various
disorders, how anxiety impacts the body, mind
and spirit, and how you can find a hope-filled
path forward.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
UnderstandingAnxiety
Helping Children Manage Anxiety
In this free five-part video series, Jenn explains
the signs and symptoms that suggest a child may
be struggling with excessive anxiety, and you’ll
discover some proven ways that parents can
help an anxious child or teen.
<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/
ChildhoodAnxiety
Need help? Our team of registered Christian counsellors are available
to help you when you need it most. Please call 1.800.661.9800 to book a
free, one-time phone consultation or visit <strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca/Help
to learn more.

Shop with confidence at
<strong>Focus</strong> on the Family Canada
Today there are many ways to shop for faith‐building resources for
your family. And yet, when you consider purchasing an item, the
same questions resurface:
Is the author offering a biblically based perspective?
Would a counsellor consider it sound advice?
Will the content engage your kids?
When you shop at <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family Canada, you can be sure about
the resources we’re offering. We stand behind the items we sell,
because they have been approved by <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family staff for
excellent content that’s in line with God’s Word.
Shop online at Shop.<strong>Focus</strong>OnTheFamily.ca
or shop by phone at 1.800.661.9800