Programs And Podcasts

Is your relationship with God not what you thought it’d be? Podcasters Rachel Faulkner-Brown and Karen McAdams have ideas to help you find Father’s House—and live your life from that well-loved space.

Show Notes and Resources

• Become a monthly partner with FamilyLife Today — your gift is matched for a full year (double your impact!) 

• Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com.
• Follow us on all social platforms: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
• Find resources from our podcast at shop.familylife.com.
• Download FamilyLife's app!
• Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
• Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the FamilyLife Podcast Network

See cru.org/us/en/about/privacy FamilyLife’s Privacy Policy

Summertime is here. And while kids may be counting down the days until school is out, parents and grandparents may be counting something else—the cost.

Keeping kids entertained during the summer does not have to break the bank. In fact, some of the best memories do not come from expensive outings. They come from creativity, time together, and a little planning.

It is tempting to spend our way into a good time. A movie with popcorn and drinks can easily become a costly outing for a family. A trip to a major league ballpark can cost even more. But meaningful family fun does not have to come with a high price tag.

Here are ten fun, meaningful, and free things your family can do this summer.

Today’s libraries are more than shelves of books. Many host summer reading challenges, puppet shows, craft days, Lego clubs, and other free activities for kids.

A trip to the library builds lifelong learning habits, encourages imagination, and gives children a healthy break from screen time. It is a simple summer win for the whole family.

Movie nights are always fun, but you can make them even more memorable with a theme. Dress up like your favorite characters, make homemade popcorn, and watch movies you already own or can stream for free through your library.

It is a cozy, low-cost way to enjoy time together without leaving home.

Many towns and cities host free summer concerts, outdoor movie nights, festivals, parades, and family events.

These gatherings are not only enjoyable; they also help families connect with their neighbors and experience the gift of community. Scripture often reminds us that we were not made to live in isolation, and summer can be a wonderful time to build those local connections.

You do not need a mountain getaway to go camping. Pitch a tent in the backyard, roast marshmallows, tell stories, and spend time under the stars.

You can also take a few moments to marvel at the night sky together. Psalm 8:3–4 says, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars… what is man that you are mindful of him?” A backyard campout can become a simple opportunity to worship the God who made the heavens and cares for us.

A yard sale can be more than a way to clean out the garage. Let your kids gather items, price them, and help run their own mini shop.

This can teach stewardship, contentment, and generosity—especially if they choose to give a portion of the proceeds to someone in need.

If your family enjoys a good treasure hunt, geocaching can be a fun adventure. All you need is a smartphone and a free app to begin searching for small caches hidden throughout your community.

It is a great way to explore new places, get outside, and bond as a family—without spending money.

Sometimes the simplest games are the most fun. Kickball, capture the flag, relay races, or a water balloon battle can bring kids and families together for hours.

Reach out to other parents in your neighborhood and organize a recurring game day. You can rotate houses, share the fun, and build community at no cost.

Get the kids involved and make a list of free or simple things they want to do this summer. It could include building a fort, catching fireflies, learning a new skill, having a picnic, or watching a sunset.

Then check the items off one by one. A summer bucket list builds anticipation, keeps the season organized, and helps your family make memories with intention.

Nature is one of God’s most accessible gifts. A walk through the woods, a bike ride, or a vi

Ever try to move a couch all by yourself? Oh boy. Suddenly it’s jammed in the doorway, you’re wedged in with it, and it feels like you’re stuck in a sitcom. But if a few friends help out, no one has to lose their sanity. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie takes us to a great biblical example of teamwork. Nehemiah wants to rebuild the broken walls of Jerusalem, but he faces serious challenges. Pastor Greg picks up at Nehemiah chapter 2, verse 11.

The Harvest Crusade is coming to Angel Stadium on July 11! Stay updated on all important event details. 

—

Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years.

Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.

Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupport

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jim Daly and John Fuller introduce this Adventures in Odyssey radio drama about a young man’s dream to become a successful radio DJ – but he gets bad advice about sharing other people’s secrets on air! Adventures in Odyssey also has a new animated film project, “Journey into the Impossible,” coming out in the fall of 2026.

Exciting things are happening with Adventures in Odyssey, and you can be a part of it all! Your gift will help finish and launch the new Adventures in Odyssey animated film called Journey into the Impossible! Any support you give will be a big help in this seemingly impossible mission.

Get More Episode Resources 

If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, please give us your feedback.

God has given to each of His children a supernatural ability - it’s called a Spiritual Gift. Chip walks you through a step-by-step plan for discovering your primary spiritual gift.

Broadcast Resources

• Message Notes

Additional Resources

• Take The Real You Assessment

Connect

• 888-333-6003
• Website
• Chip Ingram App
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

Partner With Us

Donate Online

• 888-333-6003

I remember this one visit to Texas where they got me on a horse. Bet you wish you could have been there! They were there with a camera. See, I was with a group of teenagers doing a radio program, and we decided to do part of it with me on horseback. I'm not sure why, but that was what we did. I had asked for like a nice, gentle horse, a tired old horse. So as I started to mount the horse I said, "By the way, what's his name?" They said, "Tornado." I knew I was in big trouble! I said, "Do you have anything named Glue Factory?" They didn't.

So, I mounted old Tornado, and of course I was full of questions. I was trying to remember how to get him to go the way I wanted him to go (it had been a long time since I'd been on a horse), and I wanted, especially, to know how to get Tornado to stop. That was a major thing I needed to know. So, these teenagers are shouting to me, explaining to me what the bit does, the bridle and how that works, and which way to pull the horse so he'll know which way to go. That bit doesn't feel too good when it's pulled to the left or to the right I imagine, so what I concluded was this: Pain turns out to be a pretty effective steering mechanism.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Pain and The Point."

Our word for today from the Word of God - it's in Psalm 32 - and I'll begin reading at verse 8. God says, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you." This verse tells us how God wants to direct you. He says, "I will instruct and teach you." His favorite way of getting you to go the right way is to show you in His Word something He'd like for you to do or not do that day. You apply that verse to your situation; you do it His way that day whether it looks like it's the best idea or not.

Then He talks about, "I will counsel you and watch over you." Sometimes He gives you these inner nudges to go the way He wants - those Spirit impulses. He wants you to go the way that's best for you.

Maybe He's been trying to lead you gently to do what He wants, and you haven't been doing it; you've been resisting. You're saying, "You know, I kind of like going this way. I know God may not be thrilled with it, but I think I'm going to do it a little longer." Well, here comes the bit and here comes the bridle. God says, "Okay, then I have to use the bit and the bridle. Aren't you smarter than a horse?"  

Well, when gentle doesn't work, God pulls on the reins, the bit digs in and we're hurting. And possibly that might just explain the pain in your life right now. Maybe the question to ask is, "Lord, where have I been ignoring Your gentle leading? Why am I having to feel the bit in my mouth?" It's time you return to the trail that you should be on isn't it? You've been resisting. Guess what? It hurts, and the pain will stop when the obedience begins.

Here's a good rule of life. If you're going to get the pain, get the point. See, God loves you enough to pull on you even if it hurts when you're headed for something that is going to hurt you. Listen to Him. Listen to His Word. Listen to the gentle Spirit impulses on the inside. Do what He's telling you to do.

In other words, don't horse around with God's best. You haven't got time for the pain.