When our boys were about six and four years old, we started a new family tradition that completely changed the way we connected as a family. Little did we know that this simple idea would spark countless meaningful conversations, create cherished memories, and strengthen our relationships with our kids in ways we never imagined! One of Rich’s favorite memories growing up was visiting his grandparents. On their kitchen table sat a small yellow box filled [...]

Loving intentionally is one of the most influential things we do as human beings. The love we give today carries into the future through our family. It can be expressed in many ways, yet it remains the greatest gift we can offer our spouse and children. With that in mind, we want to share a few practical ideas to help you express love within your family that are meaningful and lasting. Here are three specific [...]

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” —Proverbs 18:21 KJV Dave has had his share of business stresses, and mowing the lawn was prime territory for what our pastor, Gary Thomas, calls a “Fantasy Fight.” You know the kind: an internal monologue where you grind through a situation, slaying your opponent with irrefutable logic and perfect wording. They respond. You counter brilliantly. Eventually, they yield to your obviously superior position. Ahem. Dave [...]

We are HUGE football fans! In fact, our family has held Denver Broncos season tickets since 1968. Rich was even Buffalo Chip – The mascot at the University of Colorado (second only to Ralphie of course!)  With the college and professional football seasons underway, we’re reminded of a coaching philosophy that applies far beyond the football field: Are you playing to win—or playing not to lose? In football, there’s a strategy called the “Prevent Defense.” [...]

This week, OneFamily will have a space (#25 – visit us!) at MOMCON in Denver, Colorado—the annual moms’ convention hosted by MomCo (formerly MOPS International). It is a wonderful event designed to support, encourage, and rejuvenate the hearts, souls, and minds of moms from across the country and around the world! Whenever we attend events like this, we encounter moms and dads who are completely exhausted and worn out. Too often, they strive for an [...]

Emotional control or self-discipline, is the ability to recognize our emotions and choose an appropriate way to express them. Learning to manage our emotional responses is a lifelong skill that can shape our character and influence our relationships. Anger, frustration, and disappointment are a part of life as a child and as an adult.  There will always be times when these difficult emotions happen, but how we respond and express ourselves is the key to [...]

Around when your child is 10, play this mental game - “Grab a live chicken. Got ‘em? Ok, now pluck all the feathers off the chicken. Get in there and pull them from the wings, the back, the tail. Get ‘em all. Are they all gone? Ok, now, put all the feathers back on the chicken.” A plucked chicken is good and plucked. Some decisions are irreversible. I don’t know where this came from, but [...]

There is something meaningful about the beginning of every school year. Whether you're walking your five-year-old into kindergarten for the first time, watching your middle-schooler confidently disappear into a crowd of classmates, sending your teenager off to high school, or hugging your son or daughter goodbye at a college dorm, every new season asks parents to do the same difficult thing: Release a little more. Each year our children take another step toward the adults [...]

Every day, we hear from moms and dads who want to build a stronger family. They want healthier communication, stronger marriages, and the confidence to raise resilient children. Like all of us, they're doing their best—but many simply need practical encouragement, trusted guidance, and proven tools to help them navigate marriage and parenting. That's why OneFamily exists. Everything we create—our podcasts, articles, classes, conferences, workshops, and family resources—is designed to help couples reconnect, equip parents [...]

In these OneFamily Letters, we try to support families with principles, techniques, encouragement, and examples from our own lives and from the many healthy families we know. We often write about what worked well for us. But there is another side to the story. Let’s be real. Parenting is filled with dilemma after dilemma. You make decisions in real time without fully understanding the long-term implications. You act with love, conviction, fear, exhaustion, hope, immaturity, [...]