Steve Kroening is a staff writer for the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute. He has been a professional writer for 35 years and is the author of Make Mama Happy: Timeless Wisdom for Men Who Want an Extraordinary Marriage, and the blog TrueFantasy.org. He has written thousands of articles for various publications and worked in an addiction ministry for 12 years. He and his wife, Beth, also serve as domestic missionaries in Jasper, Georgia.
Dr. James Dobson long reminded moms and dads that while none of us lead our homes perfectly, millions sincerely strive to raise their children according to biblical principles. Many of those mothers and fathers are now facing an unexpected reality: their grown children are walking away—not only from their faith, but from them.
Marriage is a beautiful gift. Through a close walk with Jesus and steady commitment to growth, becoming a godly husband is not only something to admire from a distance. You can attain it, by His grace, as you learn to do your job well.
Dr. James Dobson was keenly aware of the spiritual battles that occur in marriage. He also taught about the benefits of this sacred institution when both husband and wife remain aligned with biblical teaching. Dr. Dobson said, “When a husband and wife are deeply committed to Jesus Christ, they enjoy enormous advantages over a family with no spiritual dimension.”
Prayer is not a last resort for the powerless; it’s an appeal to the One who holds power over all things. For twenty-five years, Shirley Dobson faithfully served as chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, helping to expand and strengthen this nationwide movement. Her leadership reminded millions that communing with our Savior is not symbolic—it is transformational.
Some days might seem as if you’ve entered a race you never were meant to run. The alarm goes off in the morning, and you already feel behind. There are lunches to pack, clothes to fold, texts to answer, errands to run, and little hearts to guide. By noon, stress can start to flare up. By nighttime, you may wonder if you did any of your tasks well.
On what would have been his 90th birthday, we don’t just remember a broadcaster or an author. We remember a man who helped parents love better, live braver, and aim higher—a man who impacted generations.
Raising children today feels harder than it did even a few years ago, doesn’t it? You’re not only protecting your son or daughter from what is happening at school or in the neighborhood. Now you’re navigating smartphones, social media, gaming platforms, and a culture that moves at digital speed and is determined to pull your kids into a corrupt secular worldview. Many Christian parents feel fatigued. The rules keep changing. The platforms continue to multiply. And just when you think you understand the landscape, artificial intelligence appears and brings a whole new level of complexity to parenting.
When Coach John Wooden retired from basketball in 1975, he had every reason to savor the spotlight. He had led UCLA to an unprecedented 10 NCAA national championships in 12 years, including seven in a row. His teams had won 88 consecutive games at one point—a record that still stands as one of the most remarkable streaks in sports history. He coached legends and built a dynasty. He became, by nearly every measure, the greatest college basketball coach of all time. Yet when Dr. James Dobson asked what he missed most after stepping away from the game, what Coach Wooden said in response is important for every Christian parent to remember. He didn’t say he missed the roar of the crowd. Nor did he mention the trophies, banners, or championships. He said he missed the practices. He longed for the teaching. That statement reveals everything about why John Wooden was a champion—and why his example matters so much for moms and dads today. The Championships Were a Byproduct Wooden didn’t begin his season by talking about taking home titles. In fact, he rarely mentioned winning at all. Instead, he focused on preparation, fundamentals, and character. The first practice of every season was famously simple. Coach Wooden taught his players how to put on their socks properly—carefully smoothing out wrinkles to avoid blisters. Then he showed them ...
In his book, Bringing Up Girls, Dr. James Dobson shares an amazing quote by John Adams, the second president of the United States. Adams wrote, “The manners of women are the most infallible barometer to ascertain the degree of morality and virtue in a nation.” After studying history and observing different societies, Adams concluded that when women no longer prioritize modesty and domestic virtue, nations eventually lost their public spirit and even their forms of government. That is a strong statement, but Adams understood something important: The character of women shapes the character of a culture. Today, many people believe that cultural change is the result of politics, media, or education. These areas do matter. But Scripture points to a deeper truth. Real change begins in the heart, then moves into the home, and spreads throughout the community. When women walk closely with the Lord and live out their faith in daily life, they create a ripple effect that reaches far beyond their front doors. In my recent blog, Hope for Your Marriage When Your Partner Is Distant, I talked about the power of quiet faithfulness. When a husband pulls away emotionally, his wife’s first instinct may be to argue harder, demand change, or withdraw in hurt. Yet 1 ...
Does your marriage sometimes feel like a tug-of-war? You want to be heard. You want to be valued. You want your husband to understand you. But instead of closeness, you feel tension. Instead of warmth, there is distance. And when you read passages in Scripture that instruct wives to “submit” or “respect,” something inside you tightens. It feels unfair, risky, and maybe even impossible. My wife and I once had a couple come to us for help in their marriage. The wife told us that she essentially forced her husband to go along with counseling because she wanted us to “fix him.” He worked hard in construction for a living but never seemed to get ahead. When he came home from work, he just wanted to relax by playing video games. The more we talked with this couple, the more we saw that this situation wasn’t one-sided, as she insisted. She constantly yelled at him, told him he was worthless, and argued with him about everything. She rarely had a positive remark to say to him. When we brought up the biblical principles of submission and respect, she wouldn’t have anything to do with either one. As far as she ...
