Resources by Topic: Marriage and Family

As my grandson Ty was preparing to marry his sweetheart Ava earlier this summer, one of the things we were discussing was how nothing is more important in marriage than humility.

In his conversation with Dennis Rainey, Randy discusses how faith shapes grief and hope. They share candid stories about loss, Heaven, and living with purpose. This episode explores practical ways to process heartbreak and find meaning in eternal promises.

We can’t know what responses people will give to our offer of God’s abundant life, though we can (and it sounds like you do) spend time praying for the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts and to give us the right words and opportunities.

Our ministry isn’t equipped to provide counseling in the traditional sense; however, I can say that God seems to be fond of adoption. Read Romans 8 and Ephesians 1. We are all “adopted” into God’s family when we surrender to Him as our Father.

What follows is an edited version of an email I sent to a friend who faced a heartbreaking situation involving a family member. I’m sharing it because it can apply to any faithful, godly person dealing with tragic events caused by a child’s, spouse’s, or parent’s bad choices.

Children will despise and resent parents who just want to be their friends, even dressing and acting like them. Your children already have friends. They need you to be what only you can be—their parent.

I encourage you to endeavor to “hold hands” with your wife, as Randy says above. Walk together in this without pushing or pulling too hard. Patiently keep on praying for the Holy Spirit to move in both your hearts. 

I am so sorry. That is such a difficult position to be in and I know you and your husband must feel such pain over the separation from your son and grandchildren.

The process of discovering God’s countercultural will about money and possessions can both excite and liberate. For my late wife, Nanci, and me, our growth in financial stewardship paralleled our spiritual growth. In fact, it propelled it.

 This would be a great subject to discuss with your pastor or another leader at your church—someone who knows you personally and can speak biblically into your lives with love and wisdom. And of course, I encourage you and your husband to ask Jesus if there is something more He wants you to do. 

In this clip from his conversation with Matt Mancinelli from Generous Giving, Randy answers the question: How do you manage the tension between caring for your family’s needs and giving generously?  Randy says that he realized early on “my biggest responsibility to my children is not to leave them an inheritance but to leave them a heritage.” 

What helped Nanci and I most avoid idolatry in marriage was that over the years, we came to say—and to really believe—that we were each other's second best friend. Based on John 15 and His sacrificial love toward us, Jesus was our best friend. No one else was close to taking the place we had in each other’s lives, but we would always put God first.

In this clip from his Q&A at The Fold (the college/youth ministry of Shepherd’s House Bible Church), Randy Alcorn encourages young adults to steward their relationships to God’s glory.

In a Q&A about giving and The Treasure Principle at The People’s Church in Cincinnati, Randy answers the question: How should we think about family, resources, and providing for the next generation?