The Thriving Family

Society’s most vulnerable can hold on to this hope: they are loved, valued, and known by our Heavenly Father. Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. For today’s episode, we’ll take a deep dive into God’s care for the vulnerable. Why does our Heavenly Father care so deeply about orphans, widows, and outsiders? The simple answer is that it reflects his own loving and j...

Any conversation is a chance to share from the heart, and what a joy it was to do this with Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs. Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today’s episode features a special guest and friend of our ministry: Jim Daly. Jim is a husband, father, author and broadcaster. He is the president of Focus on the Family in...

What does it take to pastor a church in an unchurched metropolis? Passion, conviction, love, and most importantly, the right kind of support system. Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today’s episode features Jason Ballard. Jason is a pastor at The Way Church in Vancouver, BC. He also serves as the Executive Director of The Pastorate and hosts The Pastorate podca...

Diversity in the arts may draw criticism from some, but for followers of the ultimate Creator, diversity is a celebration of God’s beautifully complex creation. Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today’s episode looks at the beauty of diversity in the arts. Since we have a creative God who values variety in his own creation, we should likewise find joy in cultura...

Welcome back to The Thriving Family, a podcast from Focus on the Family Canada. Whether you’re new to the show or have followed our Christian content since the beginning, we are so glad you’re here. Our first collection of faith-based episodes explored communication and conflict in relationships. Then, we looked at how our Heavenly Father heals our scars. In our last set of conversations, we talke...

Gen Alpha is growing up in an age of artificial intelligence, but this generation already is reigniting a passion for spiritual truth. Today, we bring you the research that shows how, and why. Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. For today’s episode, it’s our pleasure to introduce Pamela Aramburu. Pamela serves as the Associate National Director at Alpha Canada. He...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today’s episode is a powerful testimonial of healing through rest and boundaries. When Dave went to Kerith Ministry Leaders Retreats with his wife, Staci, he thought everything was fine. As a rural pastor and father of five, he knew he was tired but believed he just needed a breather. Once at the retreat centre, though, Dave rea...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today it’s my great pleasure to introduce Dave Phillips. Dave is an experienced executive mentor and speaker for high performance CEOs and business leaders across North America. His work covers topics ranging from the boardroom to the bedroom in some of the most challenging and even troubling areas of the leader’s life. Dave not...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. For today’s episode, we’re talking about emotional intelligence. God created us with the capacity to feel emotions, but as humans living in a broken world, navigating these emotions can be a challenge. The benefits of becoming emotionally intelligent go beyond your own mental and emotional health – this skill will also make all...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today’s episode features a truly hope-filled message. Christin Rosa graduated with a bachelor of education degree from the University of Alberta and has taught everything from English at a university in China to kindergarten to employability skills training for immigrant women. In 2013 she gave birth to her son Thomas and stayed...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. In today’s episode, we have the joy of introducing Arlene Pellicane. Arlene is a speaker, host of the Happy Home podcast, and author of several books including Parents Rising, Making Marriage Easier and Screen Kids. Arlene has been featured on the Today Show, Fox & Friends, the Wall Street Journal, FamilyLife Today, and Focus on...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. For today’s episode, we’re talking about how to help boost your child’s academic potential. We recognize that every child learns differently, and many children require tailored support to thrive in the classroom. But regardless of where and how they learn, a child’s parents will always be their biggest academic supporter. Here a...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. For today’s episode, you’ll hear from Matt Menzel. Matt is the lead pastor of Centre Church in downtown Vancouver. He and his wife, Melissa, are completely caught up in a vision for the renewal of Jesus’ church in their city. Matt’s greatest joy is to experience the presence of Jesus in daily life and to see Christ do the things...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. For today’s episode, we have the joy of introducing Dede Nicholson, a team member at Focus on the Family Canada. Dede shares her journey of rediscovering the importance of the Sabbath and how she truly experienced God’s rest as a busy mother. Episode notes: Work-Life Balance digital booklet https://info. focusonthefamily.ca/work...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today, you’re in for an inspiring conversation with Daniel Im. Daniel is a pastor, Bible teacher, writer, and podcast host with a passion for the local church. He serves as the lead pastor of Beulah Alliance Church and is the author of several books, including his latest, The Discipleship Opportunity: Leading a Great-Commission...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today’s episode features Mike and Kim Anderson. Mike and Kim jumped into blended family life back in 2001 after dating for a short time. They knew roadblocks would pop up along the journey, but they didn’t anticipate how challenging it would be. They began supporting blended family couples shortly after their wedding and have ha...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today’s episode features Jenni Colwell. Jenni serves as the Director of Children and Family Ministries for the British Columbia and Yukon District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. She is passionate about nurturing the spiritual formation of children and equipping the pastors and leaders who serve them. Jenni and her husb...

Today’s episode is all about building a stronger team, and in this case, that team is your marriage. If team-building activities work in uniting coworkers and near strangers, how much more will it do for you and your spouse? Episode notes: Helping Couples Thrive digital booklet https://info. focusonthefamily.ca/helping-couples-thrive 100+ great date ideas https:// www.focusonthefamily.ca/content/1...

Welcome back to The Thriving Family, a podcast from Focus on the Family Canada. If you’re new to the show, this is the place where family, faith, and culture intersect. Our first season explored communication and conflict in relationships. For season two, we looked at how our Heavenly Father heals our scars. Now, for season three, we are talking about God’s full life for you. We sat down with mini...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. For today’s episode, it’s our pleasure to introduce Jason Weening. Jason and his wife, Alli, have been married for 20 years and are blessed with 10 children. He speaks to dads and moms encouraging them to be intentional in their most important organization – their family! He is the author of two books: a fiction adventure book f...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. For today’s episode, we have the honour of introducing a powerful testimonial of healing scars that were left by dysfunctional family. The family we grew up in – our family of origin – has an undeniable impact on our lives. It can affect how we see ourselves, how we see the world, how we interact with others, and our expectation...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. For today’s episode, we are talking about inevitable stress and necessary self-care following the birth of a first child, but not from the perspective you might expect. When it comes to self-care, new dads may struggle to find information that applies to them. Sadly, this make them feel unprepared and alone if they’re struggling...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. In today’s episode, we are looking at what it means to be in a relationship with a highly sensitive person. By first understanding the characteristics and needs of a highly sensitive person, you can then identify how that’s affecting your relationship – especially when it comes to navigating conflict – so you can create a safe,...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today it’s our great pleasure to introduce author and speaker Shirley Thiessen. Most people feel uncertain how to express empathy and love to those who are grieving. Shirley was one of those people. Then abruptly, grief ambushed Shirley’s family. Twelve days after her son’s wedding, Shirley was thrown into the unimaginable task...

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. In today’s episode, we are diving into the realm of anxiety. For those who become overwhelmed by their anxious thoughts, it can be difficult to find a way out of that heightened state on our own. Thankfully, God provides us with helpful tools and resources – which we explore in this episode. Episode notes: Understanding Anxiety...