A husband and wife may disagree on many things, but they must absolutely agree on this: to never, ever give up.

Summary

When we did our listener survey, you asked for interviews of regular families who have raised children through to adulthood with grace and courage. Well, we have a treat for you! A few years ago we met Brian and Joanna Simpson of London ONT who have run the Family Foundations Institute for the past 25 years. They also have 9 children and over 35 grandchildren and they are a witness to the goodness of God despite difficulty and heartache. In this episode, they tell some of their story, but also give wisdom to young families on what should be the most important things in your home and how to create a home focused on God and loving each other. We really enjoyed our time with them and we know you will too!

Key Takeaways

Forgiveness in the family is key - modeling it for the children with them and with your spouse.
The husband as the head of the household is the one who carries the responsibility in the family, not only authority.
Wise spouses realize that the best decisions are done together in unity.
When tragedy and suffering happens in the family, as it inevitably will, God can still be present and make something truly beautiful out of it when we trust Him.
Personal prayer and trust in God’s love for you is key to building a family of faith and prayer.
When our conflict stays in the dark, the Evil One has more power. It is best to be honest and vulnerable, even if you don’t do it perfectly, because then you can work to actively build unity.

Couple Discussion Questions

What things are important to us in our household and how are we communicating that?
How do we support each other in our roles as husband and wife/mom and dad in the family?

Resources:

Family Foundations Institute https://famfi.ca/
Link to Cana90 https://messyfamilyproject.org/programs/cana90/
Link to Beloved Event https://arrayofhope.regfox.com/beloved

MFP321: Fifty Years and Going Strong! 59:26 Share

Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family

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MFP321: Fifty Years and Going Strong!