Opportunities to seek out adventure are only limited by your imagination and budget, but there are ways to escape inexpensively. An adventure together was exactly what the girls and I needed, and an educational road trip could be a good place to start.

Despite the promises of Hollywood and fairytales, the perfect marriage is the one that helps us grow the most. And that’s not likely to be a marriage without hardship or trouble.

Rather than just burying it or pushing harder into an argument, we try to take a step back to privately ask ourselves some why questions: why am I reacting this way? Where is this coming from?

It is possible to break the cycle, whether it’s a low-level habit or a full-blown addiction. We can be set free from this. It is even possible to live a life of purity.

Our men have to be proactive and address mental illness head-on and ensure that programs are implemented to deal with the aim of curbing suicide rates.

My heart lifts when I see my daughters cradled in healthy conversations with my parenting helpers.

What do you believe about your children? Are you speaking and acting in a way that will build and train the children that you really want?

Secret Men’s Business will help you confront the issues of pornography and lust that are the proverbial elephants in the room for us modern men.

Over the past decade, we’ve frequently had frustrated husbands or wives approach us for help. This led us to create the BreakThrough course for individual spouses in distressed marriages.

Adoption is a beautiful thing. But God’s first and best plan is the natural family. My wife and I are extremely pro-family. Who would we be to interfere if Squish’s birth parents wanted to get back together and keep Squish?

Without spending intentional, quality time with each other, we quickly get out of sync. When we do, our patience wears thin, our tones get harsh, and bickering over small things increases. The speed at which disconnect can occur always shocks me. 

A few years ago, Francine was a guest on Vision Radio for marriage week. One of the callers shared how his and his wife’s early ‘family of origin’ formation had caused them a lot of conflict. Their differences in expectations and values had caused them a great deal of grief. All married couples will experience both positive and negative effects from their family of origin formation, even those of us from ...

Father’s Day for me is always a list of questions. For example, how can the fatherless write anything good about fatherhood? Ask for a positive vibe, joyful word, or quirky rhyme, and all I once could offer in response was numb bewilderment. I had learned the hard way that sharing my experiences can be like a bulldozer to those unprepared to hear about them. Fatherlessness is what Father’s Day once meant ...

In recent weeks, I’ve shared a few anecdotes about our newly adopted baby. She’s known as ‘Squish’ here at the Daily Dad until her adoption is finalised. I am now writing a weekly column as my wife Angie and I learn the ins and outs of parenting a newborn, and as we navigate the joys and challenges of adoption. Here is this week’s edition of ‘The Adventures of Squish’. We Don’t See Miracles Every ...

Recently, we came across this quote from Simone Weil, a 20th-century French philosopher, Christian mystic and political activist. “God and humanity are like two lovers who have missed their rendezvous. Each is there before the time, but each at a different place, and they wait, and wait, and wait. He stands motionless, nailed to the spot for the whole of time. She is distraught and impatient. But alas for her if ...

The collective noun for clowns is a pratfall, and it makes no sense that you can have a rout of snails. Snails could as much create a rout as my kids would volunteer that they have homework. And, you might think that the rush of students on the three o’clock bell might be a whoop, given the ecstatic noise. However, chimpanzees had first dibs on whoop, and so I am swarmed ...

This morning, a friend from Canberra forwarded us a reflection on walking called: Keep Moving. It noted that walking was not only good for physical health, but that it is also good for spiritual health. It recalled the many stories of the New Testament where Jesus and/or the disciples were walking, not just physically from one place to another but also spiritually: walking away from the old way towards a new ...

As of two weeks ago, I’m a dad. It feels weird writing that, like it’s not quite true yet. But it is! My wife Angie and I have a brand new little human in our lives, a beautiful daughter whom we have affectionately nicknamed ‘Squish’. (Due to confidentialities around the adoption, I will refer to her as Squish henceforth. You’ll find out her real name eventually). Here’s how our story began. ...

Last night, some scratchy static in my dad subconscious alerted me to go about being a dad with extra care and gentleness. Most parents know of our children’s delicate talent for beckoning us to attention with tantrums, yelled commands and rushing tears. Other times, there is no trumpet that alerts a parent to go softly. I know that the parenting cues can be miniscule. You are forgiven for missing them, and ...

Communication is fundamental to our relationships and the flourishing of families. If we want to do it well, there is a science, art and spirit to communication. We all like to think of ourselves as good communicators. Unfortunately, what that usually means is: I have lots to say and I’m not afraid to say it! That’s because a lot of people equate being talkative with good communication. In truth, effective communication ...