Utah's Hope

What if the families who feel like “misfits” in church are actually the majority? Therapist Ron Deal and author Gayla Grace explore the pain of exclusion, sharing practical, gospel-centered strategies for how churches can include single parents. From language tweaks to small groups and intentional hospitality, this episode inspires hope, challenges assumptions, and equips leaders and volunteers to create a church where every family feels truly seen.

Show Notes and Resources

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People may wonder why God allows temptation in the first place, but He often uses our desires and bad habits to reveal His power and grace in our lives, and form our character to be more like Jesus Christ. Dr. Erwin Lutzer describes how renewing our mind and restraining our emotions, and keeping current accounts with God will equip us to fight temptation and sin.

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How do you encourage your kids to do what's right, even when the world doesn't? Jim Daly and Jill Garner discuss how an elementary school commencement address inspired her to teach kids about true character. Also, Danny shares about how he's tried teaching his kids to do the right thing, even when it's inconvenient.

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Most people believe they have a right to feel bitter until their situations improve. But our heavenly Father wants us to enjoy peace and joy, regardless of our circumstances. Dr. Stanley discusses how to manage your anger God's way after listing out the benefits, aspects, and causes of anger.

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After a scandalous start to their blended marriage, Ines Franklin and her husband Jim discovered God's grace turns broken stories into masterpieces. With raw honesty--and pulling from the richness of the beatitudes in the Bible--Ines explains core ingredients to flourishing in blended family life, with heaps of practical takeaways. What began in shame ends in her "smoothie family" of 5 kids, 10 grandkids, and redemption that shouts hope.

Show Notes and Resources

• Order a hardback copy of The Mindful Marriage here or preorder the paperback where you get books
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Topics:

Freude & Freude, History Segment, Brant's Father, Package Tracking, Breaking Animal News, Before The Movie, It's So Cold, Talking About God, Framing Reality, Fashion Icon



BONUS CONTENT: It's So Cold Follow-Up, Fashion Icon Follow-Up

Quotes:

"I like to hold it as a mystery."

"If you've gone through a dysfunctional family, you can flip the script. It doesn't have to be the same with you."

"What I'm missing is the punchline."
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People may wonder why God allows temptation in the first place, but He often uses our desires and bad habits to reveal His power and grace in our lives, and form our character to be more like Jesus Christ. Dr. Erwin Lutzer describes how renewing our mind and restraining our emotions, and keeping current accounts with God will equip us to fight temptation and sin.

Receive the book How to Say No to a Stubborn Habit plus an audio download of the broadcast "Break Free from Bad Habits to Find True Change" for your donation of any amount! Plus, receive member-exclusive benefits when you make a recurring gift today. Your monthly support helps families thrive.

Get More Episode Resources 

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

Why do we give? Many Christians would answer simply: because Scripture tells us to. But if giving is only an obligation, something we do because we “should,” generosity will always feel heavy—like a tax, a duty, or a calculation. The Bible offers a far more compelling vision. It tells a story where generosity flows not from guilt or pressure, but from grace.

Most of us genuinely want to be generous. Few people say, “I don’t want to give.” Yet generosity doesn’t always come easily. We run the numbers. We think about what’s coming next. We worry whether our gift will make a difference. Sometimes we even reduce generosity to a math problem—something we’ll do once everything feels secure.

Beneath those questions is a deeper one: Why do we give in the first place?

Scripture doesn’t begin the conversation about giving with budgets or even with commands. It begins with identity. Before you ever give a dollar, you are already living on a gift. Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith… it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). You have received mercy instead of judgment, forgiveness in place of guilt, adoption instead of estrangement. Daily bread, new life, a secured future in Christ—all of it is grace.

And when grace takes root, generosity follows.

Paul describes this beautifully: “Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). This isn’t just poetic language—it's the pattern of Christian generosity. Jesus did not cling to comfort, status, or security. As Philippians 2:7 says, He emptied Himself. He entered our poverty so we could share His riches. The gospel doesn’t merely forgive sinners; it forms a generous people who reflect the heart of the Giver.

That means our giving is never about earning God’s favor or proving our faith. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). The same is true with generosity—we give because He first gave.

This changes the tone entirely. Instead of pressure, generosity becomes privilege. Instead of fear—fear of not having enough, fear of loss—it becomes trust. Giving becomes a declaration that God is our provider, not our bank account, and that our security is anchored in Christ, not in financial margins.

And this grace-shaped generosity is not reserved for the wealthy. Every believer has received the riches of Christ, which means every believer has something to give. Sometimes it looks like a financial sacrifice. Other times, like hospitality, encouragement, time, or presence. Generosity is broader than money and deeper than obligation.

In the end, we don’t give to become generous people. We give because God has already been generous with us. Generosity doesn’t begin with what we give—it begins with what we’ve received. When grace becomes the foundation, giving becomes a joy.

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If you’d like to explore how the gospel reshapes the way we think about money, stewardship, and generosity, we’re about to release a new 21-day devotional called Our Ultimate Treasure, written by our own Rob West. It’s designed to help you slow down, reflect on God’s grace, and connect biblical faith to everyday financial decisions. 

You can preorder your copy—or place a bulk order for your church or small group—at FaithFi.com/Shop. Or receive it automatically when you become a FaithFi Partner at FaithFi.com/Give.

• I’m recently widowed, and our home is for sale. Once it sells, I’ll have a significant amount of money to manage wisely. I’m debt-free and have family