How to Find and Fulfill God’s Special Purpose for Your Life

What if the security, peace, and purpose you've been searching for don't come from your circumstances, accomplishments, or the approval of others? Dr. Heather Holleman explores what it means to be chosen by God and how that truth can transform how you face hardship, build relationships, and live out your calling.


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John Fuller: This is John Fuller, and please remember to let us know how you're listening to these programs on a podcast, app, or website.
Heather Holleman: 1 Peter 2:9 is astonishing, the idea that we're chosen to be part of a royal priesthood. That's the highest designation. If you're insecure about your title, when I walk into a faculty meeting and I see myself as a royal priest, cuz again, it says brothers and sisters.
John Fuller: Yeah.
Heather Holleman: I'm like, what does this mean? And I spent a lot of time thinking, a royal priest blesses people, we explain God's word.
John Fuller: That's Dr. Heather Holleman, and she's with us today on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. If you've ever felt overlooked, not good enough, or maybe you've wondered, where do I fit in in God's plan? You'll want to lean into today's conversation. Thanks for joining us. I'm John Fuller.
Jim Daly: You know, John, I think most of us when we look back, we want to be chosen. I feel a little guilty cuz in elementary school, I was big for my age, etc. So I was always the playground one of the two playground captains. And we'd pick, you know, I'll take Kevin, I'll take Robert. And you know, you're always looking for the best athletic talent in third grade.
Heather Holleman: You were picked first.
Jim Daly: I I was the picker.
Heather Holleman: Oh.
Jim Daly: I mean, I was the one they'd say, well, Jim and Rick Linus, my old nemesis Rick Linus. And uh and he and I would pick the teams. I feel guilty about that now cuz I hear from so many guys that never got picked or they got picked last.
John Fuller: Yeah, we were I was one of the last guys.
Heather Holleman: It's not your wound. Yes, John, we need to
Jim Daly: You know, and I I'm serious. My heart goes out to those now men who got picked last. But there's something in us. I mean, it doesn't stop there. Think of friendship groups in junior high, in high school, in college.
Heather Holleman: That's right.
Jim Daly: And I think it's important. And somehow we got to translate that into God choosing us. Especially if you carry those wounds out of childhood, that I wouldn't be worthy enough. I was never worthy enough. Well, today we want to talk to our special guest Heather Holleman about being chosen for Christ. And it's going to be a great discussion.
John Fuller: Right. Yeah, she's an associate teaching professor of advanced writing at Penn State, a popular speaker, and an author. And uh Heather and her husband Ashley have two daughters. And amongst her many books, the one we're talking about today, Jim, you noted it is called Chosen for Christ: Stepping into the Life You've Been Missing. And uh we have copies of that here at the ministry. You know, John, when you say that, the life you've been missing, it almost fits now under that category of FOMO, right? Fear of missing out.
Heather Holleman: Oh, right, exactly.
John Fuller: That is part of it, isn't it? And by the way, Heather, welcome to Focus. We're already into it.
Heather Holleman: Yeah. Oh, I'm so glad to be back. I'm so glad to be back. I know it feels like we're old friends. I love to be back on your program. This will be a great conversation.
Jim Daly: Yeah. Oh, it's always fun and always good. But in that regard, there is an element of that, right? That's That's the the pain in the heart that I'm missing out cuz I wasn't good enough. I didn't measure up. I you know, whatever. Speak to that that feeling.
Heather Holleman: Absolutely. Yeah. That's right. Well, this book really became the second part of my journey. Once I understood I was seated with Christ in the heavenly realms, it really healed me from kind of jealousy and comparison. But what happened is a couple years later, I began to get really nervous about other people that were advancing in their careers, being chosen for teaching awards or chosen for this opportunity and even raising girls, seeing them not chosen for certain things. I really began to grapple with, wait, what is this life? What happens? Why am I still dealing with this idea that I'm not chosen for things? And I remembered God speaking to me through this idea. Look, I choose you before the creation of the world. And I thought, well, what am I chosen for? And that's really Yeah, I'm chosen. And that really comes out of just
Jim Daly: Yeah, just think about that for a minute.
Heather Holleman: the joy of reading Ephesians. Even if you know, I focus a lot on Ephesians 2, but in Ephesians 1, I thought, well, what are these spiritual blessings? He chose me, I belong to him. Why doesn't that seem enough to heal this wound? What am I missing? And I began to really think about, well, God, what am I chosen for? And that really got me on a journey of thinking first, I'm chosen for Christ. I'm chosen for him. All things were made by him and for him. And I thought, well, this changes things.
Jim Daly: Yeah.
Heather Holleman: So it really began to heal that part of me that needed attention from the world or needed accolades or that sense of being chosen.
Jim Daly: You know, in that context, the the scripture's full of the metaphor of marriage, you know, where the the bride is the bridegroom. Um he comes for us. And in that context, one of the great challenges in marriage
Heather Holleman: Right. Yes. Right.
Jim Daly: is expectation.
Heather Holleman: Right, right. Yeah.
Jim Daly: Right? I mean, we're all laughing now as married people. Um we create expectations of our spouse. And the analogy is obvious. When you're talking, what I was thinking about was expectation.
Heather Holleman: Yeah, what are what are we doing? Yes.
Jim Daly: Yeah, and we build up what we believe God should do for us or how God should relate to us or what obstacles God should clear for us. There's a lot of expectation in all of that. And when those expectations aren't met, whether spiritually or in marriage, we get upset.
Heather Holleman: Right. Right.
Jim Daly: So it is yet a furthering of that journey in marriage is that metaphor for us to learn how to love somebody when all of our expectations aren't met.
Heather Holleman: That's right.
Jim Daly: I think to be a metaphor in our relationship with Christ.
Heather Holleman: That's right. And I think I didn't know what my expectation should be as I grew in my journey with the Lord. I began to read scripture and think, well, why did you choose me? What's happening here? And I thought, well, here's an invitation. I'm chosen to become more like Christ. I am chosen to complete good works that God's prepared for me. I'm chosen to worship him. I'm chosen to live as his treasured possession. I just began to make a list of every time God says, this is why you're in relationship with me. And it's amazing. Even to this day, I'm learning more. Okay, well, what when Jesus comes on the scene, he is such a healer. And he says he came to destroy the works of the enemy. And I thought, well, is that why I'm chosen to? So completely different from all these accolades people may be thinking. It just kind of reoriented my mindset to think I'm chosen and beloved and I'm his treasured possession. And life is going to start looking really exciting as I live out the good works he's prepared.
Jim Daly: Yeah. In addition to the expectation, the other is chasing acceptance. I gave you the young boy's experience on the playground, but I think of the young girl waiting to be asked to the prom,
Heather Holleman: Right. That's right.
Jim Daly: waiting to be asked on a date.
Heather Holleman: That 's right.
Jim Daly: You know, all of those things, am I not good enough? All that stuff that starts feeding in. I I think the question is, why do we have such deep Is it God-given desire, but such an like inside desire to be accepted, to be chosen?
Heather Holleman: Yes. Well, I think it's because we're made for God's love. We were designed to know him. I think of Ecclesiastes, you know, that he sort of set eternity in our heart. I love psychologist Lauren Slater says we ache for something we cannot name because even girls that do get invited on the date or they do get the sorority bid or the the dream husband, life doesn't seem like they thought it would. They always say, you know, there is still this
Jim Daly: Uh-huh.
Heather Holleman: longing in me for something. And I think it's that longing to be known by God, to be in his care, to have union with him. That's what we're designed for. And my husband always says too, we were actually designed to consecrate our lives. We were designed to surrender. And that's how life works best for us. So I think people who or at least me, I was just longing for that situation that would give me that sense of being chosen, when all along it was me just realizing that Jesus is with me. He's what my heart's been longing for this whole time.
Jim Daly: You know, here here is a common problem that we have as Christians. Um and you write about it in the book uh especially about a season when you felt that because of the mistakes you made
Heather Holleman: Yes.
Jim Daly: Um you're not worthy to be chosen. Wow, that's powerful.
Heather Holleman: This was so difficult for me, and I don't know why. And I'm jealous of those that were raised in an environment where they knew about assurance of salvation. I didn't understand really what salvation meant until I was in grad school when I got involved with Campus Crusade for Christ because they were teaching me things that I didn't know before. So one of the verses I memorized and as I walked around campus was Romans 8, that there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. I did not believe that.
Jim Daly: But can I ask you this question? I think it's because we perceive we have to earn it.
Heather Holleman: Yes. I Yes. Yes.
Jim Daly: It is so poor to us. God is saying, no, no, it's a free gift. Like what is it? I mean, Christians, we struggle with that. Is it a free gift or do we earn it?
Heather Holleman: It's a free gift. Well, or am I working? And I don't think I understood that when you pray to receive Christ and you're sealed with the Holy Spirit, the book of John says that nothing can snatch you out of his hand. I did not believe that. I believe that when I sinned or I like when I thought about God, I thought, well, he's disappointed or he's holding some kind of standard up. Even though I knew the gospel, I was you know, I went to church growing up, I just didn't understand those scriptures of when you receive Christ, you are forever covered, clothed in Christ's righteousness.
Jim Daly: Yeah.
Heather Holleman: And I didn't realize that you could at any time you can approach the throne of grace with confidence because of Jesus. And I just thought that that was conditional somehow.
Jim Daly: Yeah.
Heather Holleman: So it was a life-changing thing. I did have to repeat to myself Romans 8, there's no condemnation. It doesn't matter what you've done, past, present, or future.
Jim Daly: Yeah. I think it's hard for us because as humans in this sinful world, pride is ever present in us, even believers. And I think it's hard for us to not want to earn a portion of it. Like it's in our pride. If if I can earn some of it, then I'll I'll be the A student.
Heather Holleman: Right. Yes. Yes.
Jim Daly: I'll do what you want me to do, Lord. Which is actually what the Pharisees and the scribes were attempting to do to to live the law perfectly. So and Ray Vander Laan, who's done or that the world may know, Ray would say, don't be fooled. Those were righteous people. You would have looked at them and gone, wow, they really live it. Right? But they missed it deeper in their heart.
Heather Holleman: Right. That's right. Yeah. Yes. Right.
Jim Daly: And the point of that is you you can be outwardly a very perfect person, a very perfect Christian. But then that can wrap around your pride pole.
Heather Holleman: Right. You get your pride pole. Well, for me it was almost the opposite. Even as early as last year, I was dealing with just condemning thoughts. I I think a lot of people have condemning thoughts. I felt guilty that I could have been a better sister or daughter. Like I had It 's almost like I woke up with a record of wrongs. And I was at the gym and I'll never forget I was listening to a Tim Keller sermon where he You guys have probably heard this. If you haven't, it's worth going to listen to. He says you have to think about it like banking. In the early days of banking in New York City, a woman had no money of her own. So when the bill would come, if she was at a restaurant or out buying clothes, the bill would come. And she would say, you're right, I owe that. Charge it to my husband's account. He will pay whatever I owe. If she wasn't married, the bill would come and she'd say, I owe that. Charge it to my father's account. He will pay what I owe. So in the sermon, he says to his congregants, when the enemy accuses you and you feel guilty, you say you're right, I owe that. Charge it to Jesus's account. He will pay whatever I owe.
Jim Daly: Which is what he said.
Heather Holleman: Oh, and I just started weeping. I mean, this is I'm 50 years old and I thought, thank you, Lord. I could have messed everything up. It doesn't matter. Whatever I've done, charge it to Jesus. He pays whatever I owe. It just was a fresh kind of revival in my heart about the power of the gospel.
Jim Daly: Yeah, and for that person who hasn't made that commitment, that's what we talk about. He paid the price. We use you know, these statements and half scripture that we pull out.
Heather Holleman: It's so beautiful. Yes.
Jim Daly: And people don't always understand, what does that mean? He paid the price.
Heather Holleman: Well, there's a debt to be Well, there's a debt to be paid because of sin. And And we understand I mean, was it I forget when I was listening to a theologian say it's sort of like you've offended a great king. There's something to be owed here and I cannot pay it.
Jim Daly: Right. Right.
Heather Holleman: I cannot pay it.
Jim Daly: And God is not saying, you pay for the food or I'll pay for the food and you get the tip. That's not what the Lord is saying. I got it all.
Heather Holleman: No, no. Yes. Right. Right. I got it all. And he he also says that when you receive Christ, you've been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, you don't go back. You can of course not keep in step with the spirit. So I've wondered, you know, what happens when I sin. I love Galatians 5 because you still can choose to keep in step with God's spirit, but at no point is your relationship in jeopardy. I just had really bad theology up until about my mid 20 you know, 20s getting involved.
Jim Daly: Yeah. Uh-huh. That's pretty much all our problem.
Heather Holleman: Yes, bad theology. But I love um once you understand um that security of your relationship with Christ, so much changes. You're not working for approval. Um and then you can really relax and enjoy your relationship with him and the good gifts he has for you.
Jim Daly: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's so good. I appreciate your insights and it's a challenge. Uh it's a discipline to keep our eyes open to what God's doing.
Heather Holleman: It is.
Jim Daly: Our guest today on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly is Dr. Heather Holleman. And we're talking about some of the content in her book Chosen for Christ: Stepping into the Life You've Been Missing. And it's an excellent book. We have copies of it here at the ministry. Uh stop by our website focusonthefamily.com/broadcast. And just continuing on with that theme of children, you had a great story in the book about uh a very big and boisterous Italian family gathered for a meal.
Heather Holleman: Yes. Yes.
Jim Daly: I loved where that landed.
Heather Holleman: Did you? This was sweet. I was speaking at a church in New Jersey and I was invited to dinner at a big Italian New Jersey dinner. These This was It was a huge table. Uh the father uh was this very strong Italian presence and I've never been And I can say this, my best friends are New Jersey Italians. You know, it was just such a loud, animated dinner, everyone talking, everyone sharing stories. And I noticed the littlest daughter, she must have been 7 years old. She just looks so discouraged. And I saw her get up from the table and she goes over to her father and she says, Daddy, I can't find my space. No one can hear me. I can't find my space to talk. And the father lifts his hand up and silences the whole table. And he says, this little one has something to say. And it was about a loose tooth. It was so sweet. But what I loved about that is so many people they think, I don't know what my message is. I don't have anything to say. There's so much clamoring. No one's I I have no voice. There's nothing here. And to just see that father say, I've got this. If you have something to say, come to me. I will make space for you. It was so sweet. And I think I needed to see the power of a strong father who just controlled that conversation and And And the strength of him compared to this tiny little girl that said, Daddy, I can't find my space here. And you know, I I know a lot of people who want to have an impact in the world, they want to have a ministry, they want to find their space and their voice. And so many times if you think you're seated with Christ, just remember the end of Ephesians 2:10. He has good works prepared in advance for you to do. He will make space for what he has planned for you in his kingdom.
Jim Daly: Right, the imagery of Yeah. Yeah. That's so good. Heather, there's another maybe more adult translation of this uh about resting in him. You You got sick and uh you had to take rest to recover.
Heather Holleman: Yes.
Jim Daly: Most people would see that as God failing me.
Heather Holleman: Right.
Jim Daly: How did you translate that moment of of illness into God's blessing of rest?
Heather Holleman: Well, I had to cancel a speaking event, which you know is a big deal. And And I'm also suffering in the emergency room. This was an emergency kidney stone surgery. It happened once but not not once but twice. So everyone drink your water. Um and I remember That's tough. That's a big deal. Yeah. thinking, God, I'm sitting here and I can't do anything and I'm not productive and nothing's happening. And it was one of the best seasons of blessing because that was when Ashley and I first connected with our life group at church and they all brought food and they all came to talk to me. And it was just such a sweet time of I mean, I value productivity and efficiency. And I think in God's economy and his kingdom, I think when you look at John 15, if you abide in him, you will bear the fruit that he's ordained for your life. And you have to trust him for just seasons of profound rest where it doesn't seem like anything's happening. Sort of like that gardening imagery. It you know, berry trees, they're not going to produce fruit the first year or the second year or the third No, third year in Pennsylvania you might get berries, but you're supposed to remove any sign of visible fruit. And do you know why?
Jim Daly: Uh-huh.
Heather Holleman: When you prune your berry trees and remove any sign of visible fruit those first two years, it's so the tree directs all of the nutrients to create an indestructible root system.
Jim Daly: Oh, so you put it under stress.
Heather Holleman: Yes. So sometimes when I'm speaking to women, I can you know, women's events I'll say, you know, this may not be your year.
Jim Daly: Um
Heather Holleman: Next year may not be your year. But keep abiding, keep building that root system going deep in the Lord. And year three, you don't know what's going to happen. But sometimes life doesn't look very productive, but it's cuz you're abiding in him, you're learning the word, you're being prepared for something. And always remember when you read John 15, it's inevitable, you will bear fruit. That is what God is doing. And Ephesians 2 is just so life-changing. He has good works that you'll complete as you abide in him. And you don't need to compare them or worry about that.
Jim Daly: Yeah. Yeah, that's so good. We have good friends Larry and Janice out in California. They have pistachio trees. It takes like seven or eight years
Heather Holleman: Oh, I love pistachios. Oh, it does.
Jim Daly: for those trees to produce fruit.
Heather Holleman: I've learned so much about the patience and and uh
Jim Daly: Oh, nuts. Yeah, it's a great analogy. And you know, like Paul says, you can look at God's nature and know there is a God.
Heather Holleman: That's the design. Yeah. Right?
Jim Daly: All these analogies we're talking about.
Heather Holleman: All these analogies.
Jim Daly: Um one thing you said there I really want to jump on because one of the things I see in research for the Christian community particularly, whether we're looking at divorce statistics or anything, all of life is built around that depth of commitment with the Lord.
Heather Holleman: It Yes.
Jim Daly: What you just said there a moment ago, abide in him
Heather Holleman: Yes.
Jim Daly: or abide in me, as he says. There's the the difference between those that are living fullness in Christ versus those that are experiencing difficulty. I mean, significant divorce within their marriage. And I don't mean to simplify it down to that, but what I'm saying is when there is high commitment, there typically is the flow of blessing from the Lord. Um and I'm not talking about prosperity kind of thing. I'm just saying it doesn't mean you're not going to have hard circumstances, but you're in such a place that your maturity in Christ
Heather Holleman: Right.
Jim Daly: kind of flows over your temporary circumstances in this life. And those marriages stay together and those kids come around. Not formulaically, but there's just something about the difference between Christian light
Heather Holleman: No, that's right. That's right. That's right.
Jim Daly: and Christian deep.
Heather Holleman: I think so. I mean, Ashley and I have been married 25 years and the best part of our day is getting coffee in the morning and having that extended time with the Lord. And then we can come back together, talk about what God's been teaching us. And then at night praying together and talking about what the Holy Spirit's doing. It changes everything about your marriage. It's our It's my favorite part of our marriage. Jean and I's marriage is doing far better when we do that.
Jim Daly: Jean and I's marriage is doing far better Right.
Heather Holleman: And I know people think, oh, is that legalistic? Well, I have to sort of get my mind right every morning. I ask the Lord, keep me in step with your spirit. And I even can ask him, how do you want me to bless Ashley today?
Jim Daly: Yeah. It's so good. And the joy of the Lord's all over you. Hey, one of my favorite stories in the book was about a pumpkin patch. And
Heather Holleman: Yeah. Oh, I love this.
Jim Daly: And just this unexpected harvest became a picture of the way God can redeem the messes and disappointments and maybe even the garbage in our lives. How did a pumpkin patch deliver all of that?
Heather Holleman: Right. Wow. I always share this when I'm speaking um at women's retreats and I have pictures. We have a compost pile and one year this vine came out of it that overtook the entire you know, the whole backyard. And I had pictures of this and I called in my friends. I said, I don't understand, what is this? Is it squash? Is it watermelon? And the horticultural professor, he just said this, what did you throw in your compost pile?
Jim Daly: Oh, my.
Heather Holleman: And I said, nothing. I don't I throw eggshells and coffee grounds. I did not put anything in there. And he said, are you sure? And this was in July. And I said, well, maybe in October we had carved a pumpkin or something. And I said, but I promised you we got all those seeds and I roasted them. They're I didn't put any seeds in there. And this is what he said to me. It just takes one seed.
Jim Daly: Oh.
Heather Holleman: One pumpkin seed. Our backyard became a pumpkin patch. Neighborhood children were coming to you know, Yeah, and it's this idea of Galatians that when you sow to please the spirit,
Jim Daly: Freakishly big.
Heather Holleman: and what matters about the compost pile I was speaking in Pittsburgh and a lot of the women who came were coming out of recovery, heroin, or they've been on the streets. And I said, a compost pile is the garbage of your life. And I brought some friends over who were really struggling. I said, I want you to look at this.
Jim Daly: Wow. Um
Heather Holleman: When you sow to please the spirit, it says you're going to have a harvest of righteousness. Something's going to happen when you invite the Holy Spirit into your life. It doesn't matter what the garbage is. And it just takes one seed. And when you turn to him even a little, God's power comes in. And they loved it. We cried about the hard things they were going through. So my pumpkin patch has become a big part of you know, seeing those pumpkins.
Jim Daly: It's a beautiful analogy. You know, right at the end here, that person that feels like, you know, I've
Heather Holleman: Yes.
Jim Daly: made a commitment to Christ, salvation is sure.
Heather Holleman: Yes.
Jim Daly: I don't feel chosen.
Heather Holleman: Yes.
Jim Daly: I don't feel you know, protected perhaps, whatever from the Lord. What do you say to them to move them into a deeper understanding of who they are in Christ?
Heather Holleman: Well, I would read John 15, what we talked about. I would also focus maybe on Galatians now that I've now that we've talked about it and just fill your mind with God's word and this idea of what's happened to you now that you're in Christ and what the fruit of the spirit looks like. And ask every day, God, would you control and direct my life? Keep me in step with your spirit and you'll begin to experience what Paul calls the fruit of the spirit. I love that. So again, like I said in other broadcasts, my answer to everything is read God's word. Let it Let it transform your mind.
Jim Daly: Yeah. Yeah, it's pretty good. Yeah. You know, it's so kind of the Lord to write that down. And Well, in Galatians, if you're in me, here is what you will be expressing.
Heather Holleman: The word, I know. Yes. I love Galatians. And the fruit of the flesh.
Jim Daly: Love and joy and 5:19, the fruit of the enemy, which
Heather Holleman: Yes. And it's predictable.
Jim Daly: which actually I think many of us in the church do lean into some of that ugly fruit like dissension, disharmony, lies. We shouldn't be. But you know, again, we're living the the the froglet.
Heather Holleman: Well, it's mostly Yes. Yes. Selfish ambition. Yeah, fits of rage. Um early in therapy we made a list of uh predictable evidence of the flesh
Jim Daly: Yeah. Yeah.
Heather Holleman: because he said it's really important to think about what is the fruit of the spirit, to know your operating out of that. It was really life-changing for me to study Galatians 5.
Jim Daly: Yeah, and I think right here at the end, be serious about it. God took the time to have Paul or other writers of the New Testament put it down. He listed it for us.
Heather Holleman: Mhm. Yes.
Jim Daly: This is what you will behave like if you're in me.
Heather Holleman: This is what you'll experience, love, joy, peace, patience.
Jim Daly: This is it. And if it's not there, we're cautioned to think about why it's not there. And I think that's wonderful. Heather, this has been so good once again. I love uh You You quote Tim Keller. I I knew Tim Keller. I would have considered him a friend.
Heather Holleman: Exactly. It's a mystery. Oh.
Jim Daly: And we interviewed uh many times together. I think I was able to get the last interview he did on the river right outside his home.
Heather Holleman: Oh.
Jim Daly: And it was very special. But you know, you point to him as a deep a deep thinker and he was. But you are like that as well.
Heather Holleman: That's sermon. He helped me. Oh, that means so much.
Jim Daly: Very much so.
Heather Holleman: By the way, I don't know if you have the show notes to this, but that sermon is called The Advocate. And it's life-changing. If you're new to the faith or struggling with condemnation, that's a great sermon to listen to.
Jim Daly: Yeah, it's so good. So thank you for being with us.
Heather Holleman: Oh, well, this is a joy. Thank you for having me.
Jim Daly: Mhm. Well, let me turn to you, our listener. Focus on the Family is here to help you and your family thrive in Christ. That's our mission. We have a whole library of content for you, articles, programs like this one, video series, you name it, all to help strengthen your faith and to encourage you in your relationship with Jesus. A great place to start is signing up for the Holleman Audio Collection. This is a free download with all of Heather's interviews including some with her husband Ashley. We also have Heather Holleman's book Chosen for Christ: Stepping into the Life You've Been Missing. It's an encouraging read that helps you anchor your identity in Christ so you can live with greater purpose, peace, and security no matter your circumstances. And when you give a gift of any amount, we'll send you a copy as our way of saying thank you for supporting the ministry of Focus on the Family. Those gifts make an impact. In fact, a listener named Sue Beth wrote to share this with us. Thank you Focus on the Family for the rich and encouraging content you provide through your broadcasts. They've been a real blessing in my life and I frequently share episodes with others so they can be encouraged too. I'm also so grateful for your Family Help specialists who are always kind, caring, and helpful.
John Fuller: Well, that's an energizing note, isn't it?
Jim Daly: It really is. And I love that Sue Beth isn't just receiving encouragement, she's sharing it with others. Everybody can do that. That's how the impact of this ministry continues to grow. And as we approach the end of the year, I want to invite you to be part of that work because this isn't simply about raising money. It's about doing ministry together. It's about delivering hope and joy to families who are hurting, offering biblical encouragement to people who feel overwhelmed, and helping marriages and families just like yours to grow in Christ. And when you give, you're joining us in that mission. You're helping us reach more people like Sue Beth and countless others who may be searching for hope right now. So prayerfully consider partnering with Focus on the Family today. Together we can share the hope of Jesus Christ with families who need it most.
John Fuller: And right now your year-end gift will be doubled dollar for dollar through a special match opportunity. God will use your gift to make twice the impact on families. So donate today and get your copy of the book Chosen for Christ and learn more about the Holleman Audio Collection when you call 800, the letter A and the word Family, or stop by focusonthefamily.com/broadcast. Thanks for listening to Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. I'm John Fuller inviting you back as we once more help you and your family thrive in Christ.
Jim Daly: After 10 years of living with addiction and anger, Kimberly was ready to give up on her marriage and family. But God used our ministry to transform her heart.
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Jim Daly: I'm Jim Daly. Somewhere there's a prodigal running out of time. Let's deliver hope and joy to them. Give and your gift will be doubled at focusonthefamily.com/family.

About Focus on the Family

We want to help your family thrive! The Focus on the Family program offers real-life, Bible-based insights for everyday families. Help for marriage and parenting from families who are in the trenches with you. Focus on the Family is hosted by Jim Daly and John Fuller.

About Jim Daly

Jim Daly
Jim Daly is President of Focus on the Family. His personal story from orphan to head of an international Christian organization dedicated to helping families thrive demonstrates — as he says — "that no matter how torn up the road has already been, or how pothole-infested it may look ahead, nothing — nothing — is impossible for God."

Daly is author of two books, Finding Home and Stronger. He is also a regular panelist for The Washington Post/Newsweek blog “On Faith.”

Keep up with Daly at www.JimDalyBlog.com.

John Fuller
John Fuller is vice president of Focus on the Family's Audio and New Media division, leading the team that creates and produces more than a dozen different audio programs.

John joined Focus on the Family in 1991 and began co-hosting the daily Focus on the Family radio program in 2001.  

John also serves on the board of the National Religious Broadcasters.

Contact Focus on the Family with Jim Daly

Mailing Address

Focus on the Family

8605 Explorer Dr.

Colorado Springs, CO

80920-1051

Toll-free Number

(800) A-FAMILY (232-6459)

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