Focus on the Family Magazine - June/July 2026

The Good News
of the Gospel
WINNING IN
YOUR MARRIAGE
JUNE / JULY 2026
RAISING KIDS
OF INTEGRITY
GROWING GODLY CHARACTER
IN YOUR CHILDREN
Page 17

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31
17
JUNE / JULY 2026
In Every Issue
4 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
5 MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT
6 OFF THE SHELF
8 AGE & STAGE
22 MEMORY VERSE
46 MY CANADIAN FAMILY
36
ILLUSTRATIONX - HAO HAO / ISTOCK - ALDOMURILLO / ISTOCK - OLESYA FROLOVA
Parenting
11 WHEN YOU’RE NOT AROUND
Preparing a first-aid kit for your
teen in case of an emergency
by Jenny Nanninga
12 THE ‘KEEP IT SHUT’ CLUB
Making prayer your priority
by Jill Savage
13 COUSIN CAMP
Our annual tradition brings our
grandkids together for a few
fun-filled days
by Susan Alexander Yates
16 THE HOPEFUL RESEARCH
ON GEN ALPHA’S SPIRITUAL
CURIOSITY
The Thriving Family podcast
An interview with Pamela Aramburu
17 KIDS OF INTEGRITY
Focus on the Family Canada’s
free, customizable lesson plans
make growing godly character
in your kids simple
by Focus on the Family Canada
21 ELEVEN BOOKS
by Paul Asay
Marriage
24 AVOIDING SPIRITUAL
LEADERSHIP
How I let go of my
assumptions about
what it meant to
lead my family
by Dr. Greg Smalley
25 WHY COMMUNITY
IS NECESSARY FOR
SPIRITUAL AND
EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING
The Thriving Family
podcast
An interview with Jason
Ballard
26 WINNING IN YOUR
MARRIAGE
Use a strategy for your
relationship’s success
by Suzanne Gosselin
31 ‘GOD, WHAT SHOULD
WE DO?’
Making wise decisions
as a couple
by Katie M. Reid
Faith
36 THE GOOD NEWS OF THE
GOSPEL
Understanding the radical
love of God and the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ
by Subby Szterszky
42 ADVENTURES IN ODYSSEY
COMICS
Another fun way to
get to know your
favorite characters
by Nathan Hoobler
with Evan David
Get your 14-day, free membership to try
out the Adventures in Odyssey Club.
AdventuresInOdyssey.com/FreeTrial
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 3

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Hope in a Hopeless World
HOW ARE YOU FEELING about the state of the world around us? It
can be easy to be discouraged when we turn on the news and scroll through
social media. When we look at the world through a human lens, despair feels
like the only response. When we look through God’s eyes, though, we see a
different story.
We know from Scripture and history that God is always at work. We see
churches growing even when faced with persecution. We see people turning
to God in the midst of difficult seasons. And for the next generation, we see
fertile ground to have in-depth conversations about God’s love, goodness and
sovereignty.
In this issue, we want to help you plant those seeds of faith and watch as God
does great things. On page 17, you’ll find a free Kids of Integrity sample lesson
to talk to your children about the courage God gives us, even when we’re afraid.
On page 16, you’ll find part of The Thriving Family podcast interview with
Pamela Aramburu from Alpha Canada as she shares hopeful research on Gen
Alpha’s spiritual curiosity. And on page 36, you’ll find a comprehensive explanation
of the Gospel to help you share God’s radical love with those around
you. (You can also download a digital copy of this content in our new booklet,
The Good News of the Gospel, at FocusOnTheFamily.ca/ShareTheGospel.)
I pray that instead of despair, you will feel hope. And instead of feeling discouraged,
you will feel emboldened to share God’s love with a world that
desperately needs it.
Jean-Paul Beran, M.A.
President of Focus on the Family Canada
Jean-Paul Beran is the
president of Focus on
the Family Canada.
JOSH YONG
President
Jim Daly
Focus Canada
President
Jean-Paul Beran
Chief Operating
Officer
Ken Windebank
Director of Content
Operations
Kevin Shirin
Editor-in-Chief
Jesse Florea
Senior Editorial
Director
Sheila Seifert
Copy Chief
Scott DeNicola
Managing Editor
Andrea Gutierrez
THANK YOU!
Focus on the Family provides this magazine and
other resources through the generosity of friends
like you. FocusOnTheFamily.ca/Donate
Subscribe to get this magazine!
FocusOnTheFamily.ca/Magazine
Focus on the Family magazine June/July 2026, Vol. 11,
No. 3 ISSN 2471-5921, © 2026 Focus on the Family. All
rights reserved. Published by Focus on the Family, a
nonprofit organization recognized for tax-deductible
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on the Family.
To notify us of an address change or to contact
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4
JUNE / JULY 2026 

MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT
MINISTRY
spotlight
Highlighting one of
the many ministries
of Focus on the
Family Canada
CELEBRATING ONE YEAR
OF THE THRIVING FAMILY
PODCAST
ADOBE STOCK - PRATHANKARNPAP
THIS MONTH, we at Focus on the
Family Canada are celebrating the one-year
anniversary of our uniquely Canadian podcast,
The Thriving Family!
In the last year, we’ve aired 41 episodes filled
with expert guidance and biblically based
advice on building a solid marriage, becoming
an emotionally healthy parent and deepening
your relationship with Christ.
We’ve interviewed a dozen ministry leaders,
coaches, entrepreneurs and content
creators from across Canada to better
understand how they live out their faith and
what God is teaching them.
Thanks to people like you who regularly turn
to Focus on the Family Canada for support,
we’ve also gained nearly 2,000 followers with
more than 16,000 listens!
Available for free and ad-free thanks to
our generous donors, you can listen on
our mobile app, through our website and
everywhere you can find podcasts.
Tune in this month for all-new episodes or
listen to our archive from the past year. Want
a sneak peek? Flip to page 16 for an interview
excerpt with Pamela Aramburu from Alpha
Canada or page 25 with Jason Ballard from
The Way Church in Vancouver, BC.
Listen to The Thriving Family podcast today.
FocusOnTheFamily.ca/Podcast
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 5

OFF THE SHELF
FIND THESE
BOOKS AND MORE.
Shop.FocusOnTheFamily.ca
BOARD BOOKS
God’s Name for Me
by Talia Messina
God’s Rainbow of Promises
by Janet Moreno and
Jennifer Fusco
Jesus Loves You More
by Hunter Beless
You Are My Miracle
by Alice Matagora
PICTURE BOOKS
Fly
by Ben Mandrell
Josiah’s Story
by Sophie DeMuth
Seth and the Very Scary Storm
by Courtney Reissig
Corrie ten Boom:
The Courageous Woman and
the Secret Room
by Laura Caputo-Wickham
Summer Reads
KIDS
The King’s Cadets & Little Joe
by Joe Sutphin and
Kevan Chandler
Elsewhere in Odyssey
No. 1 in “Adventures in Odyssey
Comics” series
written by Evan David
WHETHER YOU’RE HEADING OUT on a road trip or enjoying quiet evenings
at home, why not dive into a few good books? To help you get started, we’ve put
together a list of engaging reads for the whole family. Plus, we asked two of the
authors to share why they wrote their books—giving you a peek behind the pages.
“As a deaf mom of four and a follower of
Christ, I realized there were no children’s
books sharing the Gospel through
American Sign Language (ASL), and I
wanted to change that. What better way
to teach little ones about God’s promises
than through ASL handshapes that mirror
the exact handshape used for each color of
the rainbow? Partnering with my twin sister,
Jennifer Fusco, a teacher of 15 years, we
brought this vision to life in God’s Rainbow
of Promises.”
—Janet Moreno
“Fly began with one thought:
Every dreamer needs others to
believe in them. Though the world
tells this pig to stay grounded, he
senses he was meant for the air.
His story reminds us that we reach
our greatest heights through
quiet help and unexpected
kindness. [Illustrator] Josh Brunet
and I created this book to spark
gratitude in children for the
mentors who lift them.”
—Ben Mandrell
TEENS
Scotch Game
No. 7 in “The Blackgaard
Chronicles” series
by Phil Lollar
Coming July 2026
The Abundant Life Journal
by Anh Lin
Draw Near
by Sophie Killingley
ADULTS
A Deeper Well
by Jill Eileen Smith
On Living Stone
by Heather Kaufman
The Pharisee’s Wife
by Janette Oke
SHUTTERSTOCK - LIZA
6
JUNE / JULY 2026 

Parenting
“GODLY CHARACTER
GROWS WITH INTENTIONAL,
CONSISTENT TEACHING.”
—FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA
ISTOCK - INSPIRATIONGP
MOTHERING ON EMPTY:
HOW MOMS LIKE YOU FOUND GOD’S JOY
by Kristen Rusch and Ashley Durand
Moms share their stories of motherhood—both the
beauty of their sacred calling and the heart-to-heart
honesty of burnout and disappointment. Be inspired
by stories, devotional-style reflections and truths.
FocusOnTheFamily.com/Mothering
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 7

PARENTING / AGE & STAGE
0-3
years
ROOM TO SPLASH
Bath time was stressful for everyone. One
little change helped my husband and me
go from “Hurry up before she gets mad” to
“She’s not going to be happy that it’s time
to get out.” We ditched the baby tub and
placed her on a nonskid mat in the bathroom
tub. Small bathtubs may be best for
brand-new babies, but once ours could
sit up on her own, she wanted to splash
freely, reach her bath toys and kick her
legs. Bath time became playtime.
—Jenny Nanninga
Exploring God’s Creation
My kids loved exploring our backyard. We would gather a magnifying
glass or binoculars (which can be homemade by gluing
together empty toilet tissue rolls), a bag, camera, notebook
and pencil. Then we made a list of things to look for that day.
For example: three different kinds of leaves, five rocks, a ladybug,
two birds and a flower. We took a photo or drew a picture
of the things we couldn’t take with us and collected smaller
objects in our bag. At the end of the hunt, we spread our treasures
on the porch to show Daddy later. Our little ones loved to
see God’s beautiful creations up close.
—Candice W. Allison
For Memories
and Emergencies
A fun way to record your child’s vital statistics
is to create a video log. This is
something I did with my children on their
birthdays beginning at age 1.
First, I introduced my child, telling the
child’s name. Then I asked simple questions,
such as “How old are you today?”
and “What would you like for your
birthday?”
Each birthday, we watched the previous
year’s video. Besides being a source
of enjoyment for our family, these videos
captured my children’s appearance and
mannerisms, which could be helpful to
law enforcement in an emergency.
—Lorraine A. Wadman
SHUTTERSTOCK - OLENA YAKOBCHUK / STEVE BJORKMAN / FOTF-CRISTY GINN
8
JUNE / JULY 2026 

AGE & STAGE / PARENTING
Boredom Busters
To preempt the cries of “Mom, I’m
bored!” I started the summer by helping
my kids make a list of activities
they’d like to do. The younger ones
drew a small picture next to each
item—maybe a tent next to “Make
army tent with brother,” for example—so
they could “read” the list by
themselves. I added outdoor projects
they could work on, such as planting
and tending a garden, collecting bugs
or drawing a sidewalk-chalk zoo.
My kids looked at the list on the
refrigerator and then zoomed off on
an adventure. When the list was completed,
we’d make a new one. And if
it didn’t work, I used the ace up my
sleeve: “I have some chores for you
to do.” They’d vanish immediately.
—Jan May
ADOBE STOCK - YAOINLOVE / STEVE BJORKMAN
SAFETY STICKERS
I encouraged my children to wear their bicycle helmets without my
reminding them. Each time my children followed our family’s bicycle
safety rules—and I observed them staying off the street or remembering
to wear a helmet without being told—they could put a sticker on
their helmet. I found that rewarding safe bike riding was more successful
than nagging my children to follow the rules.
—Kristi Smith
‘What’s the Code?’
It’s hard to explain to children who
they can and can’t trust, without
making all strangers out to
be scary. Here’s what we did to
ensure our children weren’t overly
trusting of the wrong person.
Each child had a “kid code.”
For instance, Zach’s code
was “Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego.” We made a big deal
out of giving them their codes—a
ceremony of secrecy—to emphasize
the importance of keeping it
a secret.
Zach and his sisters knew that if
anyone other than their parents
wanted to take them anywhere,
that person had to be able to
say their kid code. If the stranger
didn’t know the code, my children
were not allowed to go
with that person but should
instead quickly go in the opposite
direction.
—Darla Noble
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 9

PARENTING / AGE & STAGE
Activity Directors
My daughter was stuck “in between”
at family gatherings—older than the
other children and younger than the
adults. Instead of sitting alone with
earbuds blocking out conversation,
my daughter and her cousin became
our family activity directors. At one
gathering, they organized a talent
show. The girls taught goofy tricks
to the younger kids and encouraged
adults to share a few of their
own. As family members told jokes,
made silly faces, destroyed dances
and sang silly songs, the interaction
became a bridge between the
younger and older relatives.
—Jeannie Vogel
BATTLE OF THE
UNDERARM HAIR
When my oldest stepson showed me his first sprouted underarm
hairs (Three! Right underarm!), I whooped with joy. Well, I whooped
out of complete shock, but I do hope it sounded like joy to his
young ears.
In our home full of boys, we counted underarm hairs and kept
track in an ongoing left-versus-right battle. This may sound silly, but
this rite of passage was not without purpose. We used the “Battle
of the Underarm Hair” as a celebration of our boys’ growing bodies
and as an opener to an ongoing discussion on puberty and hygiene.
We talked about other changes they’d soon notice, purchased
a stick of deodorant and explained the responsibilities of a young
man to tend to his hygiene. In our experience, this subject was
rarely understood on the first mention, so making a big deal of
our boys’ underarm hair provided a stress-free way to return to the
topic as needed.
—Karen Klasi
Appreciating
Every Drop
One effective way to encourage
tweens to count their blessings is to
let them experience a day without
a luxury they’re accustomed to. For
example, as a reminder to be thankful
for water, my family occasionally
took a “water walk.” Each person was
given a jug or bucket. We walked
to our outdoor faucet and filled up.
Then we carried the buckets back to
the house and only used the water
we could haul that day. If someone
needed additional water, he had to
return to the outdoor faucet. Paying
attention to how we used this precious
resource made my kids more
grateful for it.
—Janna Jones
ADOBE STOCK - ANTONIODIAZ / STEVE BJORKMAN
10
JUNE / JULY 2026 

AGE & STAGE / PARENTING
When You’re Not Around
Preparing a first-aid kit for your
teen in case of an emergency
BY JENNY NANNINGA
13-18
MY SISTER-IN-LAW tried to
remain calm after hearing her son
had crashed his mountain bike
on a nearby trail. Her teen did get
the care he needed and, in time,
healed. But like this mother, many
of us have felt anxiety when our
children are injured, especially
when they’re away from home.
Their having basic medical
knowledge (ideally taking CPR
and first-aid classes) and supplies
make them more confident and
ease parental worries. The incident
with my nephew inspired me to
prepare my daughters.
A YouTube video demonstrated the
proper technique.
Adding to the kit
The memory of a friend faceplanting
in gravel taught us the
importance of flushing dirt and
small rocks out of cuts and scrapes.
Poking holes in a saline bottle or
using a couple of bottles of drinking
water are good ways to irrigate
the wound before applying antibiotic
ointment or bandages.
Our dog’s encounter with a rattlesnake
led us to look up simple
instructions about what to do in
the event of a snakebite. Teens
need to know to leave the snake
alone, maybe take a photo of it,
elevate the wound, if possible,
and get to the hospital.
Equipping our teens gave us
extra peace of mind. We now
check their first-aid kit once a
year, and when a new emergency
appears, we refill or add the necessary
supplies.
Jenny Nanninga is a wife and mother
to five daughters. She spends her days
homeschooling, raising chickens and dairy
goats, and being involved in her local church.
STEVE BJORKMAN
Types of incidents
I considered the emergencies that
are most common on our outings.
This included cuts and scrapes,
splinters, bee stings, allergic
reactions and overheating. Then
we identified which supplies
were needed for a practical firstaid
kit and which skills had to
be learned, such as correctly
removing a stinger.
An internet search taught us
that scraping rather than pulling
was the best means for removing a
stinger and that the wound should
be cleaned. We added antiseptic
wipes to our list, along with tweezers
and a topical pain reliever.
SUPPLIES
FOR OUR TEENS’
FIRST-AID KIT
• antiseptic wipes
• bandages and
dressings
• bottles of water
• chewable allergy
tablets
• electrolyte packets
• gauze (wound packing
and quick clot)
• medical tape
• poison oak/ivy wipes
• saline solution
• topical pain reliever
• tourniquet
• tweezer
—J.N.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 11

PARENTING / AGE & STAGE
19+
The ‘Keep It
Shut’ Club
Making prayer
your priority
BY JILL SAVAGE
I HUNG UP THE PHONE
after my adult daughter called to
inform me—not ask—about an
upcoming decision their family was
making. It didn’t sit well with me,
but she wasn’t seeking my opinion.
As my world spun, I wondered:
Why didn’t someone warn me that
the hardest part of parenting comes
after they leave home?
For 20 years, our opinions mattered.
Our wisdom guided them.
Now my husband, Mark, and I
belonged to the “keep it shut” club—
and keeping our mouths shut and
opinions to ourselves was painfully
hard to do.
After wrestling way too long and
making some mistakes that unintentionally
affected my relationship
with my adult kids, I learned I can
still make a difference in their lives.
It’s not by speaking my mind; it’s
through prayer. Prayer isn’t the
consolation prize; it’s the most
important work. It’s far more effective
letting God work in my child’s
life from the inside out than my
pushing, convincing or controlling
from the outside in.
In challenging moments, I remind
myself: Pray, don’t say. In fact, I say
those exact words aloud if needed.
The Bible tells us the battle belongs
to the Lord (1 Samuel 17:47) and
“The Lord will fight for you, and
you have only to be silent” (Exodus
14:14). Choosing prayer over
unsolicited wisdom protects the
relationship with my adult child.
Taking concerns to the Lord rather
than speaking out keeps me from
hurting our relationship or undermining
their authority as parents.
When circumstances don’t seem
to be changing, the situation challenges
our trust in the Lord. It
strengthens our surrender. It reveals
spiritual growth opportunities. It
keeps us looking to God’s Word for
hope, where we’re reminded: “My
Father is always working, and so am
I” (John 5:17, NLT). Our adult children
are no longer accountable to
us—they’re accountable to God. We
must not overstep boundaries in
our new role.
So when my daughter shared her
news, I held back my thoughts and
responded, “Thank you for sharing
that with me. I appreciate being in
the loop.” Then I hung up and hit
my knees. I had some important
work to do.
Jill Savage is the author of Empty Nest, Full Life
and the host of the “No More Perfect Podcast.”
STEVE BJORKMAN
12
JUNE / JULY 2026 

AGE & STAGE / PARENTING
Cousin Camp
Our annual tradition brings
our grandkids together
for a few fun-filled days
BY SUSAN ALEXANDER YATES
ILLUSTRATIONS BY STEVE BJORKMAN
“IT’S HERE; IT’S HERE!” my 4-year-old
grandson screamed as he raced madly around the
house. “My very own invitation for Cousin Camp!”
To say that he was excited is an understatement.
Finally, he got to join his cousins at our
annual Cousin Camp. Cousins had to be 4 years
old to attend, and he thought he’d waited far too
long. (We want the kids potty trained, slightly
obedient and sleeping through the night!)
My husband, John, and I first began Cousin
Camp with five grandchildren from three different
families. We’ve now hosted it every summer
for 11 years, and eventually had all 21 of our
grandkids at our gatherings.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 13

PARENTING / AGE & STAGE
LISTEN NOW!
Make lasting memories with
your grandkids this summer!
Susan tells you how in a
conversation with Jim Daly.
FocusOnTheFamily.ca/Radio
Why camp?
Our greatest desire and prayer as grandparents are that
our grandchildren love the Lord and one other (based
on Matthew 22:37-39). But it can be hard when families
are scattered. How do we share Christ’s love with our
grandchildren, and how will the cousins get to know
one another when they live far apart?
There was one thing we could do to be intentional
about these goals: Bring all the grandchildren together
for four days each summer. And so we began camp.
Kickoff
What does it look like? Utter chaos—loud, crazy, fun—
and two exhausted grandparents at the end.
We have a basic camp schedule that we’ve developed
over the years, which includes a morning Bible study
and a camp verse for the week. Every camper gets a
journal with his or her picture glued on it to use during
Bible study. We make a big deal presenting these. The
journals live at camp, and each year the kids laugh at
their handwriting from previous years.
Each young camper has a big buddy. The buddy
helps with everything from writing in journals to filling
water bottles. We’ve been surprised at how much the
little kids grow to love their buddy.
Daytime fun
Different activities fill the day, including a scavenger
hunt, berry picking at a nearby orchard, crafts,
an obstacle course, sports, swimming in the pond
or sliding down a homemade waterslide. Before
camp, I scour our neighborhood to find a house
under construction. I ask the builders if they
would leave me a pile of their wood scraps, which
I collect for building projects. I have tools, nails
and paint, which campers use to create something
magnificent.
At each camp we also create “Warren County’s
largest banana split.” I line a newly purchased roof
gutter with aluminum foil and then fill it with ice
cream, bananas, chocolate syrup, sprinkles and, of
course, whipped cream. With a “ready-set-go,” the
kids dive in. And most often, they come out covered
with whipped cream.
14
JUNE / JULY 2026 

AGE & STAGE / PARENTING
Camp finale
One of our special traditions is the
Band of Cousins ceremony on the last
night of camp. Everyone has a candle,
and we line up behind a cross
to proceed to an outdoor area for a
unique ending ceremony, which also
includes the initiation of new campers
into the Band of Cousins. We have
a pledge they repeat: As cousins, we
pledge to serve the Lord and take care
of one another always.
My husband explains what this
means, and as each new camper
says the pledge, the others cheer for
him or her. Older cousins share one
of their favorite verses and what it
means to them.
Be flexible
We’ve learned that although
it’s helpful to have a plan, we
must be willing to change
direction at any moment. And
it’s also important to form realistic
expectations. Things will
go wrong.
There are other times for
meaningful conversations with
individual kids. Cousin Camp
is more about the grandkids
connecting with their cousins
and forging bonds that will last
long after we are gone.
Susan Alexander Yates is an author of
more than 15 books, and a speaker
and blogger.
COUSIN CAMP
by Susan Alexander Yates
Full of specific, practical ideas and hilarious
stories, this book helps grandparents
create a close-knit bond in their family
through planning and hosting a camp.
Shop.FocusOnTheFamily.ca
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 15

PARENTING / PODCAST
Interview with
Pamela Aramburu
ROUNTABLE:
Christmas Stories
25:37 / 45:44
Pamela Aramburu serves as the associate national director
at Alpha Canada. Her career reflects a strong focus on
leadership in faith-based communications and technical
operations. Greg and Pamela Erin host shares a roundtable from her heart discussion as a mother, a
wife, a with professional a group of and married an advocate couples for and empowering talk about the
next generation Christmas stories discover from their truth early of years. God’s Word in a
world of AI and noise.
The Hopeful Research on Gen Alpha’s
EPISODE 43 WITH SAUNDRA, MEGAN AND STERLING
Spiritual Curiosity
Christmas Stories From the Early Years of Marriage
EPISODE SAUNDRA: 43 Our first Christmas
as a married couple, my brother-inlaw
lived with us. My husband, J.C.,
PAMELA: and I wanted We’ve to make given the this holiday
ours generation without unlimited making his information
brother feel
left before out, they’ve so we woke been up able early to form and
opened wisdom. gifts We’ve for given each other them before access
his to brother world’s joined pain—war, us for breakfast. sickness,
That illness night, and J.C. news—far and I looked before at lights
and they’ve stopped found for their hot cocoa place in and the
snacks world. And from I the think convenience that has left store.
Celebrating one year of the
podcast! Since The Thriving
Subscribe Family is the to place “Crazy where Little
Thing family, Called faith and Marriage” culture to
intersect, get practical these latest advice episodes and
explore expert insight this very from intersection Dr. Greg
of faith
and
and
Erin
culture.
Smalley.
Download
With
the
years
app,
of
listen
experience,
online or
they’ll
find us
where you listen to podcasts!
guide you through the ups
FocusOnTheFamily.ca/Podcast
and downs of marriage.
When we travel, J.C. and I get
a wooden ornament inscribed
with the year. Year three is from
Vancouver, them searching, British trying Columbia. to make We
did sense the of Sea it all, to Sky and Gondola. it has awakened The previous
this spiritual year was curiosity from a musical in them. at a
local The Bible research college, is showing and our us first that year
from they’re our asking honeymoon life’s biggest in Dollywood. questions
One earlier of my than favorite they memories ever have.
Do is when you know we baked where cookies. they’re They turning
with great, their but questions? some were This poorly is
tasted
decorated. very encouraging. My husband They’re looked turning
at to one their he families. finished and said, “This
cookie We found looks that like 83% a prisoner. of these I preteens
go how to we their got family here, first but for that’s
don’t
know
where questions we’re about at.” He’d faith, decorated about right his
gingerbread and wrong, and man most with of black these and preteens
also stripes. have Christmas different trusted crafts are
white
adults in their life that they can go to.
What this is showing us is that
Apple Podcasts
fun because you get so many laughs
at how terrible they end up looking.
We did try making tamales,
which they know is his the family’s internet custom. and the It’s a
digital smooth world process is the for place his large to go family, to
but be entertained, that year, we but had it a isn’t friend where teach
J.C. you and go to me. find By wisdom, hour four, to find I said,
“I mentorship, don’t want to make find guidance. tamales anymore.”
go So to your we’re family figuring first. out I think how to
You
blend that points the traditions toward this we beautiful
moment two of us. and opportunity for
can do. Just
the
intergenerational ministry that
we haven’t seen before.
Listen to the full roundtable
discussion with Dr. Greg
and Subscribe Erin Smalley. to listen to this
full episode of The Thriving
Family this June!
FocusOnTheFamily.com/
NewlywedChristmas
FocusOnTheFamily.ca/
Podcast
RSS Feed
Dr. Greg Smalley is the vice president of Marriage and Family Formation at Focus on the
Family. Erin Smalley serves alongside her husband, Greg, as a strategic spokesperson for
Focus on the Family’s marriage ministry. Together they host the “Crazy Little Thing Called
Marriage” podcast.
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CREDIT TK

KIDS OF INTEGRITY / PARENTING
KIDS OF INTEGRITY
Focus on the Family Canada’s free,
customizable lesson plans make growing
godly character in your kids simple
BY FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA
ISTOCK - ALDOMURILLO
EVERY PARENT wants his or her child to have
godly character, but that doesn’t just happen overnight.
Godly character won’t simply appear after a single Bible
story. It can’t suddenly develop following a one-time
conversation.
Instead, godly character grows with intentional, consistent
teaching. That’s where Kids of Integrity’s free,
customizable lesson plans can help.
We know there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all
lesson. Every child is different. That’s why each lesson
holds a library of stories, ideas and activities that
are yours to mix and match. Choose what will appeal
to your child’s unique personality. Add what works.
Remove what doesn’t. Adjust to fit what your child is
drawn to. Change it up based on his or her mood that
day. It’s all in your hands!
Whether you do a little or a lot, Kids of Integrity lesson
plans will help you grow godly character in your
child. All families have different needs. Kids of Integrity
has something to suit yours.
Visit KidsOfIntegrity.com to browse our full collection
of lesson plans for kids ages 3 to 10—or flip the page to
see our premade sample lesson that’s ready to go (plus
some bonus activities that are only available here)!
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 17

PARENTING / KIDS OF INTEGRITY
SAMPLE LESSON
This ready-made lesson will teach kids about an
important godly character trait: courage.
David & Goliath:
Courage to Face Giants
God gives us courage to face big challenges. Just like David had faith that God would
help him defeat the giant Goliath, we can overcome our fears and obstacles by trusting
in Him. Courage isn’t about being the strongest or biggest—it’s about doing hard things
because we know we can rely on God.
Opening worship
Sing a song about trusting God, such as “Be
Strong and Courageous.”
Bible story
Read 1 Samuel 17:1-50. Use toy figures or dramatization
to act out David and Goliath’s
battle.
Story recap: The Israelites were at war with
the Philistines, and the Philistines’ greatest
warrior was named Goliath. He was a giant
more than 9 feet tall! Goliath challenged
Israel’s army to send a man to fight him.
Everyone was terrified, including King Saul.
But young David, a shepherd boy, had faith
that God would give him victory. David told
King Saul that he would fight Goliath without
the help of any fancy armor or weapons—
David took only his sling and five smooth
stones. When Goliath made fun of him, David
declared that the battle belonged to the Lord.
David struck Goliath in the head with a stone,
and the giant fell. David had courage to face
the giant because he trusted in God’s power.
Discussion questions
Discuss these questions to help kids connect
David’s courage to their own lives.
1. Who was Goliath?
2. Why was everyone afraid to fight Goliath?
3. Who was David?
4. Why did David believe he could fight
Goliath when everyone else was too
afraid?
5. What did Saul say when David offered to
fight Goliath?
6. How did David respond to Saul’s doubts?
7. Was David’s courage from himself, or
from God?
8. Who won the battle?
9. What kind of battles do you fight every
day?
10. Is it hard or easy to have courage when
you face challenges?
Prayer time
Pray for courage to face personal challenges
and to trust God in all circumstances. Ask
kids to share which personal challenges they
consider “giants” in their lives and pray for
these circumstances specifically. Try teaching
your child how to pray for others by sharing a
“giant” from your own life and asking your child
to pray for you.
Sample prayer: “Dear God, thank You for
being there to help me be strong and courageous,
even when I’m scared. Teach me to
have the courage to face the giants in my life.
Amen.”
ADOBE STOCK - LIFESTYLE GRAPHIC
18
JUNE / JULY 2026 

KIDS OF INTEGRITY / PARENTING
MORE ACTIVITIES
Memory verse
Psalm 20:7
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but
we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
Game
Giant Knockdown
Ask kids about some of the “giants” (fears)
in their lives, whether big or small. Write the
fears on paper cups and then stack the paper
cups into a pyramid. Kids can throw a ball (representing
God’s power) at the pyramid to try
to knock over their fears. Make the game trickier
by coming up with new cup configurations
that are harder to knock over or by making the
child throw the ball from farther away.
Craft
The Courageous Shepherd
Draw a tranquil, pastoral scene to remind kids
that God can give anyone the courage to face
giants—even a young shepherd boy! Have kids
color a green pasture and blue sky. Draw a
young David holding a shepherd’s staff. Then,
glue cotton balls to the paper and turn them
into sheep by adding heads, legs and tails with
a black marker. Write “God gives us courage”
in the blue sky as a reminder of the lesson.
Bonus activity
Simple Slingshot
How was David courageous enough to defeat
Goliath with only a stone and a sling? It’s
because he had God on his side! This activity
shows kids how simple a slingshot truly is.
Have kids hold a disposable spoon in one
hand, place a pom-pom, marshmallow or ball
of crumpled paper in the spoon, and bend
the spoon backward. Release the spoon to
catapult the object across the room. Afterward,
have a conversation about how a simple
slingshot could defeat Goliath’s mighty spear
and shield—with courage from the Lord!
Bonus activity
Courage Rocks!
1 Samuel 17:40 says that David chose five
smooth stones for his slingshot. Have your
child select five stones from the yard and
write “THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S” on them
(with one word per stone). Invite the child
to decorate the stones with whatever craft
supplies you have (old nail polish works well
too). Kids might display their courage rocks,
or make it a game by scrambling the stones’
order and then putting them back so that you
can read the sentence.
ADOBE CREDIT STOCK TK - LIFESTYLE GRAPHIC
If you liked this sample lesson, we have more
ready-made Kids of Integrity lesson plans.
Scan to discover the entire courage series!
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 19

PUT TOGETHER YOUR OWN
KIDS OF INTEGRITY LESSONS TODAY!
Check out KidsOfIntegrity.com for lesson plans that grow godly character.
Ad Title Great for ages 3 to 10
100% customizable
Free to download
Easy to implement
There are thousands of lesson plan combinations possible
that teach Christlike behavior and attitudes, including
compassion, patience, courage, forgiveness, joy and more.
Simply select the trait you’d like to focus on and get started!
PERFECT FOR
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See all our lesson plans today!
EN
KidsOfIntegrity.com

MEDIA / PARENTING
PluggedIn.com features hundreds of
book reviews to help your family identify
appropriate summer reading options.
You’ll find detailed assessments of these
and other bestsellers under the “Books” tab.
RECENT BOOK REVIEWS
ADOBE STOCK - MONKEY BUSINESS
ELEVEN BOOKS
BY PAUL ASAY
WHEN I WAS A KID, I needed 11 books with me every night.
Why? Who knows. Most 4-year-olds are not known for their logic.
But I was a reasonable child. I just needed those books in my bed.
My mom didn’t need to read them all to me.
But if she did, so much the better.
Reading to your kids has always been important. But in our
screen-saturated world, the need to read has never been more
critical. Studies report a litany of benefits to reading aloud. For
instance, reading helps your children’s language development.
(Touching the book and turning the pages can help toddlers’ cognitive
development as well.) The stories you read to them foster
empathy, emotional awareness and get them primed for a lifetime
of learning.
Reading to children doesn’t just help them grow in intellect and
ability; you grow closer together too. As a child sits on your lap and
listens to a story (for maybe the umpteenth time), she feels your
warmth. She touches your hand as you touch the pages. And she
hears your reassuring voice, the experience sinking deep into her
heart.
Scientists say that the human voice may be one of the most
powerful memory cues we have. My strange 11-book ritual
might’ve taken 20 minutes of my mom’s attention at bedtime, but
it stuck with me in a way nothing else has or can. Her voice, flowing
through the words of Dr. Seuss and Richard Scarry, forms the
earliest soundtrack of my childhood. It shapes my first and perhaps
most lasting memories.
So read to your kids. They will, quite literally, remember you for it.
Paul Asay is the director of Plugged In and the general editor of Becoming a Screen-
Savvy Family: How to navigate a media-saturated world—and why we should.
CANDLE ISLAND
Will Lucretia unravel
the island’s many
mysteries?
RELEASE:
APRIL 22, 2025
POCKET BEAR
Why would a scruffy
cat help discarded
toys find loving
homes?
RELEASE:
SEPTEMBER 9, 2025
THE TROUBLE
WITH HEROES
What else could go
wrong for 13-year-old
Finn Connelly?
RELEASE:
APRIL 29, 2025
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 21

ILLUSTRATIONX - DÉBORA ISLAS
22
JUNE / JULY 2026 

Marriage
“COUPLES WHO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THEIR
STRENGTHS AND
UNIQUE ABILITIES
HAVE THE POTENTIAL
TO ACHIEVE GREAT
SUCCESS TOGETHER.”
—GEORGE AND TONDRA
GREGORY
ISTOCK - YUMMY PIC
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 23

MARRIAGE / EXPECTATIONS
Avoiding
Spiritual
Leadership
How I let go of my
assumptions about
what it meant to
lead my family
BY DR. GREG SMALLEY
Gary, Greg and
Greg’s son, Garrison,
fishing for trout from
his parents’ dock on
Lake Taneycomo in
Branson, Missouri.
Greg with his
father on Greg’s
wedding day, May
1992. Greg’s white
suit jacket matched
his dad’s from his
wedding photo in
1964. Greg’s also
wearing his father’s
ring engraved ‘1964’
and ‘1992.’ This ring
was recently passed
down to Greg’s
son for his future
wedding.
IN THE EARLY YEARS of my marriage, I hated
feeling as if I couldn’t measure up to my dad, Gary Smalley,
a great leader and counselor. I’d developed a skewed opinion
of what it meant to be a spiritual leader, thinking I had
to become a “spiritual giant” like my dad to lead my family.
So I avoided failure by not even trying.
Two years after Erin and I were married, we had a
daughter, but I was still not interested in my spiritual leadership
role. So Erin initiated the spiritual disciplines of
prayer, service and study.
I now know that, like me, many introverted, insecure or
uninformed husbands struggle with leading spiritually in
the home. Some of the reasons are because they . . .
• have misconceptions about what it means to be a
spiritual leader.
• lack confidence either in their Bible knowledge or
skills as a leader.
• feel intimidated by their wife’s relationship with God.
One day after Dad and I had taught at a marriage
seminar, we sat in a restaurant talking. Dad started the
conversation by explaining what the Lord had taught him
about leadership during one of his morning prayer times.
“Yeah, you’re the great leader,” I said sarcastically. “Even
my wife wants me to be like you.”
“A man can give spiritual leadership in all kinds of ways,”
Dad replied. “It’s more than reading the Bible and memorizing
Scripture.”
And he spoke these words of encouragement:
“Greg, I see an amazing spiritual leader in you. I see
a man who loves his wife and daughter wholeheartedly.
I see a man who takes responsibility and seeks
forgiveness. I see a man who prays with his wife and
for his daughter.”
God used my dad to give me a renewed vision for
what spiritual leadership really involves.
I want to challenge men to let go of preconceived
notions of what it means to be a spiritual leader—
focused solely on spiritual disciplines. I also want
to challenge women to redefine their expectations
of what it takes to be a spiritual leader and to
notice all the many ways their husband loves and
cares for his family.
Dr. Greg Smalley is the vice president of Marriage and Family
Formation at Focus on the Family. He and his wife, Erin, co-host
the “Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage” podcast.
RICK MUELLER PHOTOGRAPHY / ERIN SMALLEY / ADOBE STOCK - ELENA_GARDER
24
JUNE / JULY 2026 

PODCAST / MARRIAGE
Interview with
Jason Ballard
Jason Ballard is a pastor at The Way Church in Vancouver,
BC. He also serves as the executive director of The
Pastorate and hosts The Pastorate Podcast, engaging in
conversations that strengthen the hearts of pastors and tell
the story of the church in Canada. When he’s not serving
his church and working to inspire and equip pastors, you
can find him at home with his wife, Rachael, and three kids.
Why Community Is Necessary for
Spiritual and Emotional Well-being
EPISODE 45
CREDIT TK
JASON: The relationships that
I keep are really important—my
primary relationships with my wife,
my kids, my close friends—and I
choose to foster those relationships
that are of prime importance.
I need a constellation of relationships.
It can’t just be one. It can’t
Celebrating one year of the
podcast! Since The Thriving
Family is the place where
family, faith and culture
intersect, these latest episodes
explore this very intersection
of faith and culture. Download
the app, listen online or find us
where you listen to podcasts!
FocusOnTheFamily.ca/Podcast
just be my wife. It can’t just be one
counselor. I need friends that I can
play with, mentors that I can learn
from, brothers that I can bear my
pain with, a spouse that I can journey
through life intimately with.
The challenge, though, in the
midst of a busy world is showing up
for those relationships and showing
up with my whole person.
So, it’s all fine and good to show
up for those relationships, but if I’m
hurting and none of them know,
then it’s very difficult for them to be
part of God’s healing work toward
that pain. What I’ve found—and I
wonder if people who are listening
resonate—is that when you’re hurting,
it can be the hardest time to let
people in because you’re exhausted.
Sometimes you don’t want to complain
or burden people.
So, for me it’s showing up for
relationships even when I don’t feel
like it.
Subscribe to listen to this
full episode of The Thriving
Family this June!
FocusOnTheFamily.ca/
Podcast
Apple Podcasts Amazon Music YouTube
CREDIT TK
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 25

MARRIAGE / PROFILE
George and Tondra Gregory speaking
at New Story Church Marriage
Conference, October 2025
26
JUNE / JULY 2026 

PROFILE / MARRIAGE
Winning in
Your Marriage
Use a strategy for your
relationship’s success
BY SUZANNE GOSSELIN
PHOTO COURTESY OF MINJIE LEE / ADOBE STOCK - FERDOUSI, BOXERX
GEORGE AND TONDRA
Gregory were catapulted into marriage
without a clue and without
a plan. The couple met in North
Carolina during their first week
of college. Over the following two
years, they became close friends.
As juniors, they invited Jesus into
their hearts and went on to lead a
thriving campus ministry together.
But as their feelings for each other
deepened, they found themselves
in a compromising situation.
“In one weak moment, our lives
were changed forever,” they write
in their recent book, The Marriage
Game Plan. “We were pregnant. We
decided to get married and raise our
baby together.”
The Gregorys wanted to honor the
Lord. They trusted He would help
them make the relationship work
for the sake of their child. But several
months into marriage, they hit
major challenges.
Much of their conflict stemmed
from their different upbringings.
George was raised in a two-parent,
Christian home where his father, a
pastor, was the head of the home
and his mom played a submissive
role. Tondra, on the other hand,
grew up in a single-parent home.
“My dad was not in the picture,
so my mom was the dominant
voice,” she says. “I didn’t have an
example of how you collaborate as
husband and wife. I came into marriage
thinking women do everything;
they’re in charge.”
Their different backgrounds
soon ignited tension in their marriage.
“I thought I was in charge,
and she thought she was in charge,”
George says. “We struggled through
the first couple of years—cycling
through issues including poor
LISTEN NOW!
In this show about building a
winning game plan for your marriage,
Jim Daly speaks with George and
Tondra Gregory about how they
have developed a biblically based
strategy for long-term marriage
success for NFL couples and others.
FocusOnTheFamily.ca/Radio
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 27

MARRIAGE / PROFILE
George and Tondra's
wedding ceremony,
November 1995
George and
Tondra at
a summer
cookout
in 1994
THE MARRIAGE GAME PLAN
by George and Tondra Gregory
Learn more about the Gregorys’ marriage
struggles and get insights about how they went
from newlyweds to chaplains and marriage
coaches in the NFL. This book and their podcast
with the same name guide couples through
the process of creating a plan, while providing
them with coaching and counseling tools along
the way. By the end of the book, couples can
develop their own unique marriage game plan.
Shop.FocusOnTheFamily.ca
The Gregorys sharing their winning strategy
to married couples at Lakewood Church
Spark Marriage Conference, August 2021
28
JUNE / JULY 2026 

PROFILE / MARRIAGE
KEEP YOUR MARRIAGE STRONG
Take the marriage assessment by Focus on the Family and get
a detailed report that shows your strengths as a couple and
the ways that you and your spouse can grow closer together.
FocusOnTheFamily.ca/MarriageAssessment
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLAYTON HURST / PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE GREGORY / ADOBE STOCK - FERDOUSI, BOXERX
communication, selfishness and
fighting to be right or heard. We
didn’t know how to be married.”
Tondra adds, “There’s a moment
in every couple’s journey where the
dust settles and they look around
and say, ‘What have we done?’ They
ask, ‘How are we going to make this
work?’ ” The Gregorys realized that if
their marriage was going to survive,
they needed a strategy.
From seeking to service
George and Tondra knew they had
a lot to learn about marriage. They
began their education by attending
the same marriage conference seven
years in a row. They gained tools for
working through communication
breakdowns, conflicts and power
struggles. “We needed someone
to tell us what to do,” George says.
“After seven years, we thought: Our
marriage is getting better. Let’s start
telling other couples about this.”
George, a pastor, and Tondra, a
licensed therapist, began speaking
to couples and established their
marriage ministry, Journey for Life.
They’d realized that marriage is a
journey and it should be for life.
At that time, they were planting a
church in New York City.
“We did marriage ministry as our
main outreach,” Tondra says. People
in New York City seemed open to it.
“People wanted to be successful in
their marriages. And it gave us an
opportunity to share Jesus.”
Hundreds of New Yorkers who’d
been cohabitating to “save on rent”
attended their premarital classes
and chose to get married. “Prior
to that class, many of them hadn’t
seen a godly example of marriage,”
George says. “They didn’t
understand how God had designed
marriage. We gave them the tools
and the hope that they could do it.”
Professional coaching
Around that time, the Gregorys
created their Journey for Life website.
Almost immediately, the New
York Jets reached out and asked
if George and Tondra could help
their professional athletes and
coaches with their marriages. The
Gregorys agreed and offered premarital
and marriage counseling
to the coaches and athletes. They
even hosted fun events, such as
dinners and date nights.
When the New York Giants heard
about what they were doing, they
asked if the Gregorys would also
help them out. George and Tondra
did, which led them to eventually
meet the entire network of
NFL chaplains. When they felt the
Lord leading them out of New York
City, they accepted the assignment
in 2017 to be chaplains of the Los
Angeles Chargers. They’ve served
there for the past nine years. In their
role, they’ve supported other chaplains
and teams across the league,
which has given them insight into
helping couples develop a winning
game plan.
The importance of strategy
“Our love for helping couples was
married to our sports chaplain
roles,” George says. He and Tondra
came up with a game plan for
how to have a successful marriage.
Though women enjoy their message,
it’s their sports analogies that help
men better understand the strategy
of a good relationship.
“A game plan in general is a wellthought-out
and calculated plan
for navigating challenges or achieving
success in a specific area,” the
Gregorys write. “Game plans are
designed by companies, sports
teams, entrepreneurs, governments
and anyone else who wants to maximize
their potential and bottom line.”
Just as people develop these
plans in other areas of their lives,
such as finances, career, health and
retirement, George and Tondra
believe couples can benefit from
having a marriage game plan. In
team sports, athletes execute a unified
plan, moving forward together
toward a common goal. By adopting
a similar strategy, couples can
win at marriage.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 29

MARRIAGE / PROFILE
The Gregorys today:
George, Tondra, daughter,
Camryn, and son, Jaylen
The plan
George and Tondra say that creating
a marriage game plan consists of
five main components.
Define your win. Couples must
define how they want to win as a
couple. What does success look like
after 50 or 60 years? Success in marriage
is built on shared purpose,
mission and values. Defining your
win ensures you move in the same
direction as your spouse.
Set your goals. Once you define
the win, set goals individually and
as a couple. Goal setting involves
taking active steps to achieve your
desired objective of winning in your
own marriage.
Know your team. Knowing your
team helps you understand your
teammate’s strengths, differences
and growth areas. Couples who take
advantage of their strengths and
unique abilities have the potential
to achieve great success together.
Know your opponents. Every
relationship has opponents: selfishness,
adultery, health issues, a
career change, parenting and more.
Spouses must identify the opponents
that are trying to steal their
success as a couple.
Make and execute your game
plan. Designing a plan of action will
help a couple win in marriage. The
game plan should be consistently
practiced, reviewed and updated to
help spouses get that win.
Above average
Just as professional athletes go
above and beyond to play at the
highest levels of success, the same
should be true in marriage. George
and Tondra believe the most successful
marriages consist of two
individuals who are willing to create
a strategy and put in the work
required to meet their goals.
Thirty years removed from the
whirlwind start to their marriage,
George and Tondra are grateful for
the relationship they have with each
other. They are the proud parents of
two young adult kids and are reaping
the rewards of following their
marriage game plan.
Looking back, the couple wish
they’d had a game plan in the early
days of their marriage. “Our heart
is that other couples wouldn’t have
to struggle the way we did,” Tondra
says. “You don’t have to figure out
marriage haphazardly in the dark,
guessing at what to do. You can be
proactive.”
The purpose of having a marriage
game plan is to win the “home
game” through a unified, satisfying
marriage. Many people want to
win the “away game,” whether that’s
their jobs, extracurricular activities
or hobbies. But they do it at the
expense of their home game. George
and Tondra hope every couple will
feel inspired to be all in for a thriving
marriage and a godly legacy.
Suzanne Gosselin is a wife, mom and fan of the
Seattle Seahawks.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE GREGORY / ADOBE STOCK - FERDOUSI, BOXERX
30
JUNE / JULY 2026 

COMMUNICATION / MARRIAGE
‘God, What
Should We Do?’
Making wise decisions as a couple
BY KATIE M. REID
ILLUSTRATIONS BY HAO HAO
MY HUSBAND, ADAM, and I weren’t looking for a
change. We were content to serve God where we’d lived for
more than 12 years. We’d put down roots, raised a family and
were part of a growing Midwest community. However, we
couldn’t shake the stirring in our hearts that God might be
asking us to relocate far away from our current zip code.
But how could we be sure?
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 31

MARRIAGE / COMMUNICATION
The first step
My default in decision-making is to
act quickly. I focus on the possibilities
and enthusiastically rush into
planning mode. Adam takes the
time to process more fully and consider
the obstacles.
Making decisions together can be
a source of frustration for us. Since
there was a lot at stake with our
potential cross-country move, we
wanted to be sure that we both felt
heard and respected by the other as
we discerned our next steps.
So we agreed that God’s perspective
was more important than
ours, and we needed to talk to Him
first. Sometimes prayer is not our
first response when we’re faced
with decisions. This time, though,
we chose to pray about our decision,
to put the focus on God and
what He wanted over our individual
desires or way of doing things.
How did we know when we’d
prayed enough and needed to act?
A timeline
While this move was a major
decision, Adam and I had been
faced with countless smaller decisions
over the years. Sometimes
there was a firm deadline for making
decisions. Other times, we had
to choose when a decision needed
to be made.
Setting a timeline can help the
speedy decider slow down and
the pondering decider speed up.
This pace might not be either of
our preferences, but it does foster
mutually agreed-on steps. For a
time, Adam and I prayed together
and asked God to show us what
to do. Then we took a few weeks
to individually process the decision
and contemplate the lingering
questions we had. Finally, we came
back together to check on how we
were each thinking and feeling.
From there, we discussed the
pros and cons of our potential
move. We both sensed God was
asking us to move. However, we
had different ideas about when we
should act on this decision.
How do we move forward when
our approach is so different?
Our strengths
My mentor shared this advice:
“Be uncompromising in conviction
and sacrificial in preferences.”
Friends of ours, Marcus and Alise,
illustrated this advice when they
went to serve those who had been
impacted by a hurricane. Not sure
how to proceed, they drove toward
an area that had sustained significant
damage.
Marcus usually led with insightful
logic. Compassion and faith
guided Alise’s decisions. Yet sometimes
their strengths worked
against each other. For example,
they had to decide where to stop
for a meal, but Alise ignored her
32
JUNE / JULY 2026 

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husband’s opinion about where
they should eat. So they ended
up at a place in a potentially dangerous
area. The first attempt in
their outreach left Marcus feeling
unheard and Alise questioning
her judgment.
Later, though, things improved.
Once again, they had to decide
who to help. Compassion led Alise
to want to serve a displaced man
by the river. Marcus was uneasy
about doing this. Still, he agreed to
her plan after Alise listened to his
concerns about putting safety measures
in place.
They ended up experiencing a
vibrant time of ministry. From this,
they realized they were most effective
when their strengths were
combined instead of being treated
like they were obstacles. Their
ability to serve as a couple was
doubled instead of divided.
Learning from them, Adam and
I did our best not to insist on our
individual ways, but to be sacrificial.
Slowly we started learning
how to make room for each other’s
strengths. This allowed us to
move forward.
How can we better understand
each other through the decisionmaking
process?
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JourneyToUs.ca

MARRIAGE / COMMUNICATION
Communication
clarification
Emotions were high as our relocation
plans came into focus. To
avoid misunderstandings, Adam
and I were intentional to clarify
what we’d heard each other
say. Pausing to rephrase what we
thought we heard helped us avoid
wrongful assumptions.
For a little while, I misinterpreted
Adam’s quietness to mean
that he wasn’t looking forward
to the move. When I clarified my
assumption, he shared how he
was grieving about what we’d be
leaving behind. He was excited for
our move, but the reality of what
it would mean was heavy on his
mind. Adam then explained how
he had assumed that I was excited
about the move and didn’t have
any reservations about leaving.
I shared with him how I had quietly
cried and poured out my
feelings in my journal.
Here are some statements
that helped us clarify our
communication:
• Am I understanding correctly
that you would rather not
?
• Could you please rephrase that
to help me better understand
where you’re coming from?
• It sounds like you want to
; is that correct?
• It seems like we’re coming at
this from different perspectives.
What might it look like for us to
meet in the middle?
Adam and I shifted our personal
preferences to seek God’s
timing for this move, and we’re
now adjusting to our new zip code.
It hasn’t been easy to start over, but
we’re thankful we worked together
to make this decision and will
move forward in unity.
Katie M. Reid is a Bible teacher, author,
podcaster and worship leader. She’s the wife
of a pastor and a mom of five children. Her
most recent Bible study is titled God, What
Do I Do?
LISTEN NOW!
Find more ways to connect as a couple,
despite your differences, with
insights from Jim and Jean Daly.
FocusOnTheFamily.ca/Radio
34
JUNE / JULY 2026 

Faith
“WE CAN KNOW TRUE
PEACE AND JOY,
BECAUSE GOD ACCEPTS
US, DELIGHTS IN US AND
SEES US THROUGH THE
PERFECTION OF HIS SON.”
—SUBBY SZTERSZKY
ISTOCK - POVARESHKA
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 35

FAITH / THE GOSPEL
THE
GOOD NEWS
OF
THE GOSPEL
Understanding the radical love of God
and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ
BY SUBBY SZTERSZKY
CREDIT TK
36
JUNE / JULY 2026

THE GOSPEL / FAITH
THE GOSPEL IS THE HEART of the Christian
faith; without it, there is no Christian faith to speak of
and no hope for humanity. The Gospel is the bedrock
of God’s eternal plan for His creation, the central event
in history, and the best news than we could ever dare
hope for or dream of.
In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, the apostle Paul reminded
the church in Corinth of the core truth of the Gospel
and described it as being of first importance, as in it
was the one thing more important than everything
else in the world:
“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I
preached to you. . . . For I delivered to you as of first
importance what I also received: that Christ died for
our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was
buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance
with the Scriptures.”
It has been said that the Gospel is so simple that a
small child can understand it, and yet so profound
as to reward a lifetime of study. For those who have
accepted the Gospel as the ultimate truth and committed
their lives to following Jesus, it becomes a
delight to meditate and dive deep into the wonders of
the Gospel, to grow in the understanding of its implications,
and thereby strengthen our faith and joy in
our Lord.
The Gospel is the best news ever,
because it followed the worst
news ever.
ISTOCK CREDIT - TK OLESYA FROLOVA / ENVATO - NEOSKETCH, TIMONKO, CUSTOMSCENE / ADOBE STOCK - BERNARDOJBP
Understanding God’s
grand narrative
It’s valuable to remember that
from a biblical perspective, all of
history—including all 66 books of
the Bible—is best understood as
a grand narrative, a story in four
acts written by God. Those four
acts are creation, fall, redemption
and restoration (or what some call
“consummation”).
Act One: Creation
In the beginning, God created
the universe and everything
that exists within it.
Act Two: The Fall
Adam and Eve rebelled against
God and disobeyed Him, bringing
down His just judgment, not
only on them, but also on the
entire creation which their sin
had tainted.
Act Three: Redemption
The Father sent His Son into
the world to live a perfect,
sinless life. He was both fully
God and fully man.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 37

FAITH / THE GOSPEL
Act Three Climax: The Cross
As our human representative, Jesus lived a life in perfect
obedience to His Father on our behalf and died a
sacrificial death for our sins. Instead of us paying the
price for our own sins, God held His Son accountable
for our sins and treated Him as we deserved, so that He
might give us the gift of His Son’s perfect righteousness
and treat us as Jesus deserves.
On the third day after He was buried, Jesus rose again
and appeared to His disciples over a period of 40 days,
during which He continued to teach them and prepare
them for their mission of proclaiming the Gospel.
Act Four: Restoration
At the end of the 40 days, Jesus ascended into heaven,
returning to His Father’s side, to the position of equal
glory with Him. From there, Jesus continues to rule and
uphold the universe by His power. He is also protecting,
interceding and caring for His people until He returns
in glory with His angels to judge the world.
The bad news of sin and the
good news of grace
Jesus began His public ministry by announcing that the
kingdom of God was near and calling people to repent
and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:14-15). The Greek
word translated as “Gospel” is evangelion, whose literal
meaning is “good news.” It was typically used for royal
edicts declaring victory over enemies, deliverance from
oppression or relief from a difficult situation.
The Gospel is the best news ever, because it followed
the worst news ever.
As a result of the Fall, humanity and all of creation
had been twisted and tainted, suffering the effects
of rebellion against God. Not only had human sin
brought about suffering and death in this life, but it
also brought down God’s righteous judgment, resulting
in eternal punishment and separation from God
after death.
Nevertheless, because of God’s great love and mercy
toward His creation (including us), He sent His Son
into the world to become our sacrificial substitute, to
bear God’s wrath for our sins. Through Jesus’ sacrifice,
sinners are not only cleansed from sin, but also clothed
in Jesus’ righteousness, adopted as beloved daughters
and sons into God’s family.
To believe the Gospel means
to receive as a gift what Jesus
has done for us, to trust Him
and His sacrifice as our only
means of acceptance
with God.
ISTOCK CREDIT - TK IKNUITSIN STUDIO, OLESYA FROLOVA
38
JUNE / JULY 2026

THE GOSPEL / FAITH
These sets of seemingly
polar traits—love and
wrath, justice and
mercy—are reconciled
in the Gospel. They
meet and embrace at
the cross of Jesus.
ADOBE CREDIT STOCK TK - BERNARDOJBP / ISTOCK - OLESYA FROLOVA / ENVATO - CUSTOMSCENE
As sinners, we can’t earn God’s favor by living a
good life, going to church, reading the Bible or saying a
prayer. Those are good things, but they can’t deal with
our sin problem or make us perfect before God.
The only proper response to the Gospel—the Good
News—is the one Jesus taught from the beginning:
repent and believe the Good News.
After He had risen, Jesus bookended His ministry
with the same message:
“He told them, ‘This is what is written: the Messiah
will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and
repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached
in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem’”
(Luke 24:46-47, NIV).
To repent means to turn from sin, and to believe the
Gospel means to receive as a gift what Jesus has done
for us, to trust Him and His sacrifice as our only means
of acceptance with God.
This is what makes the Gospel radical and unique. It’s
not a system of do’s and don’ts, rituals or observances.
The Gospel isn’t a set of actions to perform, but a message
of Good News to believe and embrace. Every other
religious or philosophical system tells us what we should
do. The Gospel tells us what Jesus has done for us.
Why God’s justice and mercy
are not incompatible
People both inside and outside the church often
have difficulty reconciling God’s love with His wrath.
Depending on the cultural background, there can be a
tendency to emphasize one at the expense of the other.
In the Western world, it’s usually the wrath of God that
gets downplayed or ignored, along with the biblical
teachings about hell, sin and repentance.
However, to do so is to distort God’s character and
dishonor what He’s revealed about himself. God is loving,
kind and merciful, but He’s also holy, righteous and
just. He would be neither loving nor holy if He didn’t
punish sin. In a word, He wouldn’t be God.
These sets of seemingly polar traits—love and wrath,
justice and mercy—are reconciled in the Gospel. They
meet and embrace at the cross of Jesus.
The sacrifice of atonement (also known as “propitiation”)
is a technical term for a sacrifice that turns away
God’s wrath (Romans 3:25-26). In His great love for us
sinners, God took on this sacrifice through His Son, so
that He might satisfy His justice, but also be able to justify
(acquit and count righteous) those who have faith
in Jesus.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 39

FAITH / THE GOSPEL
Not only a moment,
but also an entire lifetime
It may be tempting to think of the Gospel as a gate into
God’s presence; we repent and believe, and then we
move past the gate and get on with the Christian life.
However, the Gospel is not just the gate, but the entire
building in which we live as followers of Jesus.
Faith and repentance are not one-time events;
they’re gifts from God which we’re meant to exercise
daily as followers or “disciples” of Jesus. If we seek to
improve ourselves by our own efforts, we will either
wind up in despair at our failure or else puffed up with
pride at our imagined success.
By contrast, living by the Gospel humbles and
encourages us at the same time. Our sin will convict
us but not crush us, because we know that Jesus has
already borne the penalty and secured our forgiveness.
We can know true peace and joy, because God accepts
us, delights in us and sees us through the perfection of
His Son.
Although we still sin and make mistakes, God counts
us righteous in Christ, and we’re also being made righteous,
transformed into Christ’s image by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus’ sacrifice not only ransomed all those who
would put their faith in Him. It also provides the power
and the framework for every area of our lives. As His
followers, we’re to apply the Gospel to every situation,
every interaction, every challenge we face: our work,
relationships, time, resources, health, worship and our
view of God.
At the Cross, Jesus triumphed over sin, death, hell
and the Devil. He not only redeemed a people for himself,
but all of creation as well. Like the Japanese art of
kintsugi, which repairs broken pottery with seams of
gold, the redeemed people and redeemed creation will
be better and more beautiful for once having been broken.
It will be a reality in which God’s people will dwell
with Him in peace, righteousness, joy and love forever.
Pastor and renowned author Timothy
Keller famously summed it up
perfectly: “The gospel is this: We
are more sinful and flawed in
ourselves than we ever dared
believe, yet at the very same
time we are more loved and
accepted in Jesus Christ than
we ever dared hope.”
Subby Szterszky is the managing
editor of Focus on Faith and
Culture, an e-newsletter
produced by Focus on the
Family Canada.
© 2026 Focus on the Family
(Canada) Association.
All rights reserved.
FREE GOSPEL BOOKLET
Want to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with family,
friends and neighbors? Download our free booklet that
explains the Gospel and gives next steps to those who
commit their lives to Christ for the first time.
FocusOnTheFamily.ca/ShareTheGospel
ADOBE STOCK - BERNARDOJBP / ISTOCK - OLESYA FROLOVA / ENVATO - CUSTOMSCENE
40
JUNE / JULY 2026

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FAITH / LIFE LESSONS
COMICS
Another fun way to get to know
your favorite characters
BY NATHAN HOOBLER WITH EVAN DAVID
ILLUSTRATIONS BY DAVID MILES
WITH THE ADVENTURES IN ODYSSEY: Journey
into the Impossible animated movie releasing soon,
there’s more to explore with an Adventures in Odyssey
Club membership. This digital streaming platform is
geared toward 8- to 12-year-olds but draws the whole
family together with its stories. Odyssey is home to
the Imagination Station, an ingenious machine that
teaches life lessons to kids by placing them directly in
the middle of adventures.
Members of the Club receive an extensive library of
award-winning audio dramas—episodes that began airing
in 1987 and now span almost four decades. They also
get other benefits such as online comic strips and more.
On the following pages, you’ll find comics that have
appeared in the Club. In these stories, you’ll meet
John Avery Whittaker, Odyssey’s resident inventor and
the owner of a soda shop called Whit’s End. Lovingly
known as “Whit,” Mr. Whittaker dispenses ice cream
and biblical advice. Other characters include Connie
and Jules Kendall. Connie spent her teen years in
Odyssey and is now the guardian of Jules. Jules is a teen
who acts . . . well, like a teen.
We hope you enjoy reading this short, comic adventure
as a family.
42
JUNE / JULY 2026 

LIFE LESSONS / FAITH
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 43

FAITH / LIFE LESSONS
44
JUNE / JULY 2026 

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MY CANADIAN FAMILY
Beach Fun
Leona, James and Elise —Ontario
Emma —British Columbia
Lucas —British Columbia
Stephen, Sophia and Sarah —New Brunswick
SEND US
YOUR PHOTOS!
SUBMIT PHOTOS OF YOUR
CHILD GOING BACK TO
SCHOOL OR READING BOOKS
Email photos to info@fotf.ca.
Include your child’s name, age
and province, and type “back to
school” or “reading books”
in the subject line.
* Largest photo possible. Professional photos are not accepted.
CREDIT ADOBE STOCK TK - LYUBOVZAYTSEVA
Clara —Alberta
46
JUNE / JULY 2026

Anything in this .25inch zone is not guaranteed safe from being trimmed off.
SAFETY VIOLATION ZONE copy in this zone not safe per trim variance (.25 inch).
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Navigating faith in today's culture
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