We met on a prank phone call. Yes, you read that right! While attending the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, I (Pat) called Ruth pretending to be a local radio station announcing an opportunity to win cash.
The goal was pretty simple: Call an unsuspecting student and pretend to be a DJ giving money away for the individual who could “dash for the cash” at a particular intersection in downtown Chicago. What poor college student wouldn’t jump at such a generous offer? From our 10th floor dorm window, the view was perfectly entertaining. This, along with other radio scenarios, provided a much needed stress relief from our studies.
Looking back, it seems kind of sinful, but that’s how we found one another. While Ruth didn’t fall for the prank, eventually, she would fall for me. I’ll be forever grateful for my roommate who suggested we call this unsuspecting classmate of his!
Currently, we have been married for just over fifteen years. I (Pat) am a husband, father, and pastor. Ruth is a wife, stay-at-home mom, pastor’s wife, and blogger. God has graciously blessed us with four children so far (ages four to eleven). We love the family, and believe that God cares deeply for the family.
Though a blessing, it is also a battle that must be fought for in truth and love. In the beginning, God placed a man and woman in the garden of delight (Genesis 1-3). He instructed them to build a family and live for His glory. The place of God’s blessing quickly became the place of the enemy’s first attack. Many marriages and families know too well the sting and consequence of this ongoing battle. And yet in the midst of the mess, Jesus by His grace, offers hope, healing, forgiveness, and new way forward.
Having served in local church ministry for the past thirteen years, we’ve been firsthand witnesses to both the highs and lows of countless marriages and families. We’ve seen families experience the joy of what God intended, families bleeding from the pain of sin and brokenness, marriages restored, loved ones lost, children born and parents still waiting for children to be spiritually reborn. We’ve witnessed unspeakable hurt, but also the powerful hope that the gospel of Jesus brings.
For all of these reasons, and many more, our prayer is to encourage and equip families to build God-honoring homes for the glory of God and the good of the world. We believe that God has uniquely chosen the family to help pass along faith to the next generation and image the mysterious and beautiful love of Jesus toward His church (Ephesians 5:32). Our hope is to provide everyday biblical wisdom for everyday families so that they may be strengthened, encouraged, challenged, and inspired.
A Website for the family. We are for the family.
Thank you for joining us on this journey! We trust it will be a blessing to you and your family. On behalf of all of our contributors, we are humbled you would join us, and hopeful for all that God will do for His glory.
Blessings,
Pat and Ruth Schwenk
To celebrate the launch of For the Family we will have a full week of giveaways!!!
Launch Week Giveaway Day #1
Enter to win our launch week giveaways with rafflecopter below!!
Dayspring “As For Me and My House” Chair Framed Canvas
The Dig for Kids: Luke Vol. 1 and Luke Vol. 2 Paperback by Patrick Schwenk
The Warrior Weekend by Patrick Schwenk
Love this launch post and I’m so looking forward to following future articles! We have to fight for the family.
how to lead your children to Christ! LOoks like a great blog
Great to meet you all. Looking forward to sharing
This looks wonderful! Please share how a family might be “missional”. Ideas and experiences with helping the widows and orphans, or assisting the homeless, etc.
multi generational families, living in the same home
Would love to see a post on Families of Pastors/Ministers.
Excited to have found you! This is great.
Overcoming obstacles to establishing a godly home
Healthy marriage, Godly discipline, family worship.
Sacrificial living, Intentional parenting, maybe even posts for those who are also in ministry? 🙂
I am so looking forward to this wonderful new blog on encouraging the family!!!
How to continually parent with grace. Really looking forward to all that is to come here! Best of luck.
Looking forward to the future posts. I so want to intentionally raise my son to become a man of God.
Very interested in devotions for families and for creative discipline ideas.
Loved seeing you speak at the Women Living Well Conference, Ruth! So excited about this new ministry ! 🙂 My husband and I pray to be intentional in our parenting and this resource will be amazing!
So excited to be here from the start!
So excited for your new blog! My heart is for women and families as well. As a pastor’s wife, I too have cried with a family whose hearts are breaking and lifted thanksgiving and praise with a family whose hearts are rejoicing. We have a mighty God and our enemy is already defeated, he just doesn’t know it yet, lol!
Really excited about this site!!
Would like to know how to do it all on a tiny budget.
So excited for this site! As PW, I always enjoy posts on balancing life and ministry!
I come a family that doesn’t have a lot of godly men in it and the family I was raised in didn’t go to church, so sometimes I feel like I am on the journey with Jesus alone other then when I am with my church family.
New christian looking to turn my home into a christian home , this is a difficult task since its really only me trying to obey Gos laws. Lots of prayers please. Im a stay at home mom of 8 year old twin girls and a 2 yr old little boy. I’ve been married for 12 years and only the last 2 have I found God. Looking for the Lord to show me the way.
Emphasis on doing things together as a family!
Motivating husbands to lead the family Biblically. My husband is an amazing Christian & father but is very much an introvert & doesn’t have the confidence to lead our family.
I’m really excited for this new blog! Hoping to see posts on family activities and ways to get everyone involved in quality time together.
Beautiful new site with an even more beautiful mission! May God’s favor rest upon you and your family!
Simple ways to include God into your home in a stressed out, two income, barely making ends meet…homeschooling family (it is Christian based). Needs ways to make everyone feel appreciated and reduce the chaos and stress in our time crunched days.
Ways to do bible studies with you family, thanks for this post!
Encouraging moms and dads in their unique roles in the family.
More encouragement for Fathers! There are thousands of blogs for mothers and wives but so few to truly encourage fathers in their role as the leader of the home.
Ways to do a family bible study that will be beneficial to a 16 yr old and a 10 yr old. With 6 yrs age difference, it is really hard to find a common ground that fulfills them both and keeps them interested.
would like to see more stories like this one and general encouragement
Thank you for taking the time to invest in our families!
God and The Adoption process- keeping the family strong during transition!
Parenting advice from the Bible.
Excited for this new site! I would love to see posts on how to play with and parent Littles. Being an intentional parent and how to go about parenting for life with your spouse.
I’d love to see topics on Christian family values!
Oh, I am so happy this site is starting!!! 😀 I know God will use it to encourage me, and spur me on. Praying for y’all behind the scenes, that He fills the cup you’re pouring out here.
Encouragement to moms through tough transitions
So excited for this site! Thanks!
This is great! Training up kids- bible studies, teaching prayer and other disciplines.
Love this idea
Would love to see how to work family devotions into our daily routines and how to bring the family together serving God and one another
Great Family Website – looking forward to more!
I am new to the site and loving it! So I can’t really say what needs to be added or improved on.
Would love to be a part of for the family
So excited about this new ministry the Lord has placed within your hands – to reach out to families and help them to be more equipped and encouraged to follow hard after the Lord is so needed more than ever! I’m thrilled and honored to be part of your team! And on a personal note, my husband and I are looking forward to receiving wise counsel from you two and your amazing contributor team on ways we can grow closer to one another and to the Lord! May God bless you richly for your faithful service to Him! With lots of blessings and appreciation, Kelly
Love the family focus!
What a wonderful idea for an online ministry. I know my husband and I would love more information on how to deal with chores and allowances and teaching our kids how to be good stewards of our money.
Not sure if my first comment took so here it is again…. would love to see articles on marriage and ones for dads.
I love all the topics that you listed as being at the heart of this new site. I would also love to hear about sharing witnessing to unbelieving family members. Why is it easier to share the Gospel with a stranger than with my own family??
I am looking forward to reading all you blogs!! I am interested in kids, marriage, family, organization, time management, homeschooling.
This looks like a great site! I’d like to hear ideas about how to stay close to our husbands while still busy with kids, ministry (my dh is a pastor also), and homeschooling. 🙂
This looks like such an encouraging space! I’m excited to read the various posts and would love to see examples of families doing things together, including serving their communities.
I would love creative ways to bring the Gospel to my children they are almost 2 and 4. We are starting homeschooling tomorrow and I am very new at it all and want so much to build a firm foundation for my kids!
Great site, looking forward to reading on!
:: how to strengthen family bonds
:: hospitality towards the family (both in the house and out of the house)
Loving this new site and cannot wait to read the encouragement and advice! Would love to see discussions on how to balance your home life with work, school, church and everything else that life throws at you.
Parenting as a family, family prayer, healthy marriage, prayer for /with young kids
parenting boys and strengthening family bonds
looking forward to reading the encouragement here and applying it. Looking to Jesus and praying your family is blessed by this as you bless others!
Incorporating the “part-time” step children into devotional and discussions.
How to overcome a spiritual attack
Excited to see what this site has to offer!
kids who seem to constantly talk back & how to deal with it!
I am always looking for a place that encourages and supports a Godly family! Can’t wait to see what this site has in store!
Loving, Godly discipline. Making time for the important things.
Very interested to see shat you all have in store for us! Thank you and God bless 🙂
SO excited about this!
If you have any suggestions for a single parent.
I would love to see some ideas on how to handle spirited children and how to deal with willfulness . How to tame the tounge
I am so excited about this website and everything it will have to offer!!
I would love to see articles on raising boys…
Patrick’s advice for dads balancing work and ministry to the family.
I’m really looking forward to this site. I’d love to see some parenting articles dealing with teens keeping the faith despite peer pressure.
I am really excited for this site!!!! TY!!
Parenting kids close in age together (two years or less).
This site is awesome. So many lost families could benefit greatly. We need to get this sight out to all.
Advice on teenage boys and for my husband, who travels most of the time, on maintaining family ties with them.
How to teach older and younger kids Bible lessons together – I’m the only one home at night and can’t do 2 separate lessons!
Encouraging children not to be so negative.
I would love to see posts on Christian Parenting 🙂
I would love to see topics that relate to us working moms specifically those of us who work outside the home. I feel this is a HUGE need as God has called me to my specific career and to raise a family.
Extended family issues! In-laws, your own parents, siblings, etc… They play a big part in the family dynamics, too.
Thank you I love it already!!!!!
Awesome site! I am looking forward to reading your posts. I would like to see more on the topic of discipline.
Looking forward to reading everything!!!
Keeping kids safe/focused on God in the digital/technological world.
I love the focus and message of your blog. I’m looking forward to your posts.
Marriage posts…bringing life back to a marriage.
ideas to help keep raise children up in the Lord as they get older.
Balancing homeschooling and marriage.
Capturing the hearts of our children…
book clubs: parenting, moms, dads, marriage, family
I would love ideas for family devotion time when one parent is an unbeliever.
I’d love to see help for blended families.
Thanks so much for starting this blog! I’m very much looking forward to reading your posts. I am definitely interested in reading more about keeping God as the center of the family, in all aspects of family life.
I am very excited for the beginning of this blog! Hoping to grow spiritually! 🙂
I am looking forward to the daily messages and posts from this new site. In this crazy place we live, having a good faith base, being encouraged, empowered, uplifted, and inspired isn’t always easy. Having a website like this to keep you grounded and Christ centered makes it easier. Way to go on this step of your life journey by creating this site…May God be with you each step of the way!
How to help kids deal with peer pressure and also how to help them be discerning in choosing friends that won’t be a negative influence. Can’t wait to start reading your articles! Looks like a diverse group of contributors lined up! 🙂
Looking forward to reading more!
Family devotionals
Advice on raising boys and family devotion time.
How do deal with a strong-willed child!
Parenting teens and all the battles that come and how to handle them in a Godly way
Looking forward to learning more about God!
I am so excited for this new blog! I can’t wait to see the wisdom and encouragement that this brings to families, including my own!
I would love to see something about changing generational sin, and some of the difficulties of being the change generation
Have you ever read Unbound by Neal Lozano? Take a look. It’s a must-read book.
Love this website!
I love the better mom, and am looking forward to this new blog!!
Looking forward to hearing more from you!
How to help girls be kind to one another.
How do you have a relationship with your husband who goes to work at 6 pm and returns between 9 and 10 am usually 6 days a week. How do you build a relationship between your 8 children and this father that they generally only see sleeping and leaving.
i would love to see dealing with heart issues in the home, with practical application examples
So excited for this new site and seeing how God will work! Love to see articles dealing with spiritual conflict, unbelievers.
I would like to see how to deal with unbelieving family members who judge you.
Marriage, discipline, ministry opportunities that include your kids.
Families in the ministry
Rearing boys to become Godly leaders !
I am excited to read and participate in this blog. Great idea for families!
Learning how to be a better (more patient) mom to my 2 kids under 3!
Can’t wait to see what the Lord will do through you guys.
Many Blessings!
Would like to see articles that discuss dealing with raising our children in such an ungodly world and how to give our kids hope when they are “different” than their peers
I’m excited about this new website! I just hope to be encouraged in my daily life as a wife, mother, and grandmother.
Thank you for sharing what God has taught you. The family is so very important, and we all need help in being successful in all that we say and do for the Lord! Would love to see how to help your rebellious child covered.
What a blessing may your new chapter be such a blessing. Thank you for your ministry!! How about family devotion ideas with having teens and younger siblings. Purity and modesty.
Blessings,
Adrienne
Bless you all for sharing your heart and your faith to encourage others to keep going.
I would love to see more posts on keeping children focused on God and enhancing sibling relationships.
It sounds like this will be a good sight for families to engage in. I would love to see content about parenting with grace & winning my children’s hearts.
Would love to see more about how to keep Christ the main focus of our family in this ever-changing, self-centered world.
This site will surely bless my family and me just like The Better Mom site has! I look forward to sharing the posts and truths here with the WORLD! I am so excited about this website and this giveaway!
Getting little ones to study the word more
How exciting!!! This will be a blessing to moms around.
I’d like some info on homeschooling vs. private Christian school vs. public schooling. I’ve been on the fence because I really want my children to have access to all sports/activities/special classes that public school offers but if they decide to pray with a classmate I don’t want them to be persecuted for it!! Also I’d love some recommendations for Christian toddler/children’s books. Thanks, I’m looking forward to the blog! Cute story of how you met too 🙂
Thank you for your vision for helping families! I’d love to see you address things like family scripture memorization and staying grounded in God’s word in a culture that continually tries to destroy families.
Looks like a great new encouraging site! Loretta S.
How to make devotions when you have kids wth differnt age levels and abilitis enjoyable for the whole family
Looking forward to your advice on marriage and raising kids in today’s culture!
Looking forward to the encouraging words that will be shared here. I’d love to see posts on raising young men and women of modesty and character. What are pracitacal things I can do now while they are toddlers to instill those charater traits in them
Really enjoying the ministry of this blog already!
How to parent as a team when you don’t always agree on methods, ways dad can be included more in the family even though a lot of his time is spent apart from us at work, parenting with grace
Aside from family devotions with little kids (which has been mentioned numerous times already), I’d love to see something about forgiving your spouse when it seems like they’ve done something unforgiveable and then how to rebuild the trust. Also I’d like to hear about keeping the spark alive in your marriage when you life seems so busy and your kids are demanding so much of your time (because they’re young).
I want to know about teaching my 3 year old son about our wonderful GOD.
Looking forward to learning more ways to daily encourage all of the family to shine for Jesus!
Balancing parenting young children and time for your marriage.
What a fantastic site. Cant wait to share it with my family! 🙂
I am so excited about this site!!! Thanks for all you do!
Oh!! A topic of interest for me would be handling stress for working moms 🙂
I really struggle with being a parent God would want me to be. My parents were not bad parents but they were not godly and I’d love to hear wisdom from godly friends.
So looking forward to reading both books!
Being encouraged as a God centered family and fighting against the pull of the world. Balance of mom and dad as Godly role models. How and when they should take the lead.
Family bible study ideas, how to talk to your kids about sex, spiritual warfare.
Thank you for creating this much needed “For the Family blog”!! In today’s world especially, we need inspiration and help to stay focused on how to create and keep a strong faith filled family!!
I would love to read posts on integrating Bible studies for the whole family…all age groups! 🙂
I look forward to reading about a variety of things. I am a wife, stay-at-home homeschooling mom, of three (6, 5, 2). I’m love to read a little about how much freedom my children should have, our children playing with neighborhood children (issues with negative influence), sibling bickering, respect, settling into a family routine after summer, organizing our family time, building our marriage,
So grateful for your ministry!
Very Cool! I love your new site. 🙂
Keeping a Godly focus without the worldly influences trying to overtake the family unit and take the focus away for God.
I’d love to see information on how to raise my kids to be examples to others of how to follow Christ and to think for themselves.