If you’ve listened to FamilyLife Today radio you’ve heard author, speaker and host Shelby Abbott’s intros.But you might not know he’s been hosting his own radio show/podcast for FamilyLife for more than a year. Shelby launched Real Life Loading in the fall of 2022 aimed at the 18-28-year-old demographic. He describes his role with FamilyLife as providing content that’s the precursor to their marriage and family audience. “If FamilyLife’s goal is to help families land the plane, so to speak, someone has to first build a runway. But even before that, the brush needs to be cleared out of the way. I’m clearing the brush. (metaphorically speaking)”

How can families love each other well? That question inspired Mark and Susan Merrill to found non-profit Family First, formerly the Florida Family Council, more than three decades ago. While they initially worked to change laws that impacted family, they realized changing hearts and minds was most important. They began creating encouraging, helpful content for families, including the Family Minute radio spot that aired on stations nationwide.

The Great Commission – sharing the Gospel worldwide until every tongue and tribe has heard the good news – has been the passion of Dr. Dave Harvey for more than three decades. A graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary, he’s now President of the Great Commission Collective in charge of church planting, church care and international outreach, a position that allows him to travel internationally teaching pastors and missionaries.

Do you know if your personality is similar to that of an Otter, a Golden Retriever, a Beaver or a Lion? If these terms are familiar to you, chances are you’ve read The Two Sides of Love, a classic marriage book written by Dr. John Trent. The animal identifications are part of a personality strengths assessment John developed for his doctoral dissertation in Marriage and Family Counseling. Understanding strengths is one important step in the process of relating well with others as outlined in his book and his other bestselling marriage and parenting book, The Blessing.

You’ve heard the hit, “This is How We Do It.” Everyone’s familiar with the anthem that’s been part of pop culture for the last 25+ years. It’s a ubiquitous favorite, played by the NFL, NBA, in commercials and at weddings and proms — guaranteed to pack the dance floor. The song’s artist/manager duo, Montell and Kristin Jordan, had been married less than a year when the title reached number #1 on the charts. The couple’s rocketing fame almost caused their marriage to disintegrate. They weathered trials and tribulations, and eventually, after two decades of world tours and millions of album sales, they chose marriage over music, faith over fame, and significance over success.

People want to win in their relationships – it’s a common denominator whether couples are just engaged or have been married for decades. Lucille Williams has experienced this desire firsthand — as a church ministry leader for more than 25 years and a pastor’s wife, she’s heard her share of stories. Lucille draws from these experiences, along with her own now 41-year marriage, to deliver wisdom served with a heaping helping of humor.

What could NFL football possibly have to do with marriage? Marriage coaches George and Tondra Gregory could not have imagined at the beginning of their ministry journey that one day they’d be given an opportunity to serve as chaplains to one of the hottest franchises in professional football, helping team members defend against divorce and win in their marriages.

It's rare to find such sage advice from someone so young. Yet the message of 32-year-old speaker and author Ainsley Britain aligns with that of relationship leaders twice her age – albeit translated into modern vernacular that appeals to her audience of teens and young adults. Ainsley’s overall theme is to help people (mainly young women) find their identity in Christ so they can walk confidently forward in the purpose for which God created them.

Where do you look for answers when married life gets tough? You may not know anyone whose marriage has stood the test of time. And even if you did, would you feel comfortable asking them to share intimate details of their lives? People can easily find themselves adrift without role models and end up regretting decisions or behavior. That’s where Rhonda Stoppe steps in. She’s an author, speaker, and podcast host who offers wisdom she’s gleaned during the quarter century she’s worked with couples alongside her pastor husband of four decades, Steve.

The vision for the flourishing marriage coaching and counseling ministry founded by Curt and Rhonda Hamner was born on a trip celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. The couple had spent the previous 20 years following Curt’s pastoral career in Dallas and Southern California and raising three children. Now, as the empty nest loomed, Curt gave Rhonda an assignment in light of the season ahead. He asked her to share the dreams God had given her for their next chapter of life.

Mentors make a difference. The gift of walking alongside another can literally change the course of a life. Currently, Jackie Bledsoe is a digital creator, best-selling author and, with his wife, Stephana, a sought-after speaker at marriage events and founder of Happily Married Couples ministry. But in the not-too-distant past, Jackie and Stephana were a struggling couple themselves looking for wisdom and a community to bolster their young marriage and family.

Ask those who’ve spent time strengthening marriages and families, and especially as a counselor or in public policy, and they’ve probably heard of Dr. Richard Marks. You might be familiar with his work at Smartmarriages or Christian PAIRS curricula, which he helped develop with mentor Dr. Lori Gordon. Dr. Marks focuses most of his efforts helping deeply troubled couples as they wrestle with how their struggles with trauma, substance abuse, sexual addiction, and general mental health issues affect their marriages.

Who doesn’t want to go on a great date? What is it about the thought of a date that puts a twinkle in someone’s eye? Is it the anticipation of fun, connection, something to look forward to instead of the stress of the world? While the concept of a married couple’s “Date Night” has grown in popularity – even inspiring a movie by the same name, David Arp, MSW and his wife, Claudia, had the idea of dating one’s spouse long before it became “a thing.”

There’s nothing more delightful than to hear your spouse laugh. It’s pure gold knowing the person you love is feeling joy and having fun, say Jay and Laura Laffoon, authors and speakers who create opportunities for spouses to connect and grow as they laugh together. They dub their work “Edutainment,” as they combine education with entertainment during date night events and marriage conferences where they transparently share the messiness of their 35-year marriage.

If you’ve picked up a marriage or family book or study in the past 40 years, chances are good it was either written by FamilyLife co-founders Dennis and Barbara Rainey or published by the ministry. The couple started the fledgling FamilyLife organization in 1976 under the umbrella of Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ). For the next 41 years, God’s favor and the Raineys’ leadership grew FamilyLife into a dynamic and vital ministry that’s equipped millions. People in more than 110 countries around the world now experience the abundant life Christ promises in their marriages and families.

Marriage ministry leaders Mary and Dave Gothi couldn’t have come from more disparate backgrounds. Despite their differences, the two shared a passion for helping couples weather the storms of marital distress. They’ve now been married for 27 years, during most of which they have worked to help couples improve their marriages, and, since 2010, live on mission to make a difference in the world.

Opposites attract. Chances are you and your spouse glossed over a few differences when you were dating. But after several years of marriage, what once seemed innocuous or interesting now has become a source of conflict. Any one of dozens of mismatches can become an irritant that threatens to steal the joy from a marriage. Don’t let an area of incompatibility spark discord yet again.

These high school sweethearts always knew they were called to ministry. Early in their marriage Trey and Lea Morgan began working together, first with youth, and then families. In 2003, Trey became the preaching minister for the Childress Church of Christ while Lea concentrated on children’s ministry, a natural fit as they raised four sons in their small community in the Panhandle of Texas. Now 34 years later, the Morgans have been inspiring and equipping couples for decades.

What is the purpose of marriage? Is it to make people happy, as portrayed by Hollywood? An unspoken expectation in marriage vows is that the couple will live happily ever after. If marriage doesn’t make someone happy, is it time to move on? What if, as the Grinch found out about the meaning of Christmas, marriage was meant for “a little bit more.” Writer, editor, and Anglican priest Al Janssen noted that despite the end of millions of marriages annually worldwide, “it is striking that nine out of ten people worldwide choose to marry at least once in their lives.

What would inspire a single person to read a book about marriage when they are not even dating anyone? How about because it’s a gift from their mother? Pleasing his mother motivated author and speaker Michael Johnson to crack open a “marriage book” Christmas break his junior year of college – little imagining its future impact. What he found inside opened his eyes to common marriage pitfalls and became a treasure, not just for him and his future family, but for the thousands influenced by his ministry where he and his wife, Julie, help singles transform their dating practices.