In this month’s newsletter, Steve reflects on Isaiah’s promise that God guides us step by step—even in a noisy and confusing world. Looking back on the Family Life Center’s mission, he highlights four places where the Lord has led us to serve: strengthening fathers, helping men break free from pornography, teaching biblical prophecy, and confronting the growing crisis of youth leaving the faith. As we prepare for 2026, Steve shares a renewed focus on forming the next generation in a culture pulling them away from Christ. Amid the challenges, this Christmas message reminds us that God is still speaking—and your support helps families hear His voice.
From the Desk of Steve Wood at the Family Life Center (December 2025)
Listening for God’s Voice in a Noisy World: A Christmas Reflection
One of my favorite Bible verses for guidance is Isaiah 30:21:
“And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
‘This is the way, walk in it,’
when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”
This verse reminds us that divine guidance rarely arrives in the form of a detailed map. Instead, God tends to guide us as we move, offering gentle “on-course corrections” along the way.
Abraham lived this truth. God didn’t hand him a blueprint—He simply said Go. Hebrews 11:8 tells us:
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out… not knowing where he was to go.”
The adventure of faith is that God often reveals the road only after we take the first step. And looking back over the decades of the Family Life Center, I can now see patterns—distinct pathways—where the Lord has consistently nudged us to fill crucial gaps in service.
What follows is a brief look at four of those gaps… and how your support is helping us address them.
Gap #1: Reaching Husbands and Fathers
“Where are the men?”
After wearing out 100,000 frequent flyer miles attending Catholic family conferences, I realized something was missing—husbands and fathers. For twenty years, our team felt called to strengthen men as the irreplaceable foundation of strong Catholic families.
Pope John Paul II emphasized the indispensable role of fathers:
“Above all, where social and cultural conditions so easily encourage a father to be less concerned with his family … efforts must be made to restore socially the conviction that the place and task of the father in and for the family is of unique and irreplaceable importance.”
We adopted the John Paul II exhortation as our own. Though our efforts are imperfect, God continues to use them far beyond anything we imagined.
Here are a few testimonies received about our work with Catholic fathers:
“I am a priest today because my father read your book Christian Fatherhood… He was transformed, and in turn transformed our family and parish.”
— Fr. Scott“Your clear-cut and straightforward style on family is very effective.”
— First-time father“I went to a St. Joseph’s Covenant Keepers conference expecting fluff… Instead, I left with deeper faith and a renewed sense of my calling as a husband and father. Thank you!”
— Charles
And sometimes the fruit of this ministry is… a child!
“We can credit our 7th child to you! Your words helped open our hearts, and she is a joy to us.”
— Catherine
Gap #2: Battling Pornography—A Hidden Epidemic
Twenty-five years ago, I handed out a small pamphlet on pornography at a Catholic fatherhood conference. I expected polite interest. Instead, one man literally sprinted across the room to grab a copy. That moment opened my eyes to the scale of the crisis.
Since then, our Breaking Free booklets have shipped over 150,000 copies worldwide. They remain one of the most practical tools available for Catholic men and young men.
Here is just one testimony:
“I received a Breaking Free booklet in the confessional in Denver. It began a huge positive change in my life… I’m ordering 500 more to distribute to men’s groups and parishes.”
— Matthew
But the porn industry is always evolving—especially with today’s AI-driven platforms. So in 2025, we dramatically expanded our reach, making our resources available to anyone, anywhere, at any time.
- We are offering the booklet for free via an internet download, allowing the booklet to be available immediately, especially for the 99% of young men who have a smartphone.
- We’ve also designed business cards with the booklet covers on one side and a QR code image on the reverse side to scan with a smartphone, which takes the person immediately to the download site. Priests are now distributing the cards during confession.
- We created a new YouTube presentation entitled “Screwtape’s Strategies for Entrapping Young Men.” It is a dramatic video featuring the first section of the Breaking Free booklets. After watching the video, a free link to the booklets is listed. Everyone on the planet seems to be watching YouTube. We aim to provide timely, practical assistance to men everywhere who stumble upon our online video. Parents might want to share this video with their sons: youtube.com/@luke21prophecy
- Explore our Breaking Free online hub.
The goal is simple: give men help the moment they need it.
Parents and youth leaders now have tools they can share discreetly, immediately, and at no cost.
Gap #3: Luke21 and the Hunger for Biblical Prophecy
Another unexpected “gap” turned into a dynamic response—the explosive growth of our Luke21 podcast.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (Section 282) says that two core questions orient every human life:
- Where do we come from?
- Where are we going?
Our Luke21 episodes aim to help Christians—and all who seek truth—answer the second question with clarity, sanity, and fidelity to Scripture and the Church Fathers. The response has been overwhelming—especially among men and young adults. We continually receive stories like:
“Luke21 helped bring me back to the Church. I completed RCIA, was confirmed, and am now raising a Catholic family.”
— David“Your insights give me the practical tools I’ve needed for decades. Thank you.”
— Mark“Luke21 has made my faith much more meaningful. It’s been life-changing.”
— Frank“It’s more than prophecy—world history, church history, catechesis, apologetics… truly transformative.”
— Chris
Gap #4: The Mammoth Sinkhole—Losing Our Youth
After thirty-three years of working with Catholic families, I can state in the strongest possible way that there exists the most enormous sinkhole that’s threatening the future of the Catholic Church. I’m referring to the staggering numbers of Catholic youth and young adults ditching the practice of the faith.
65–80% of Catholic youth stop practicing the faith by early adulthood.
This is not a crack.
Not a gap.
Not even a hole.
It’s a sinkhole threatening the future of the Church.
Years ago, a pastor friend in Orlando discovered a sinkhole beneath the foundation of his new church. At first, it looked manageable—something a little cement could fix. But it turned out to be a mammoth underground cavity that required $100,000 of cement to fill.
In the same way, the crisis facing our youth is far deeper than most people realize, even though few alarms are sounding. This is where I believe the Family Life Center is being called next.
Filling the Sinkhole: The Work Ahead in 2026
In 2026, we will devote major energy to presenting a reevaluation of our parenting, evangelistic, catechetical, and sacramental preparation efforts. In addition, we will be offering specific ways and resources that enable parents, priests, deacons, and youth leaders to work together in helping form a strong spiritual life in today’s youth.
While this will be a major focus for the coming year, we will continue our ongoing work in the other crucial gaps the Lord has called us to address.
Our aim for 2026 is simple: help families plant deep spiritual roots in a generation being swept away by screens, peers, and culture.
A Christmas Message to Our Supporters
As we enter the Christmas season, please know how grateful we are for your partnership. Everything you’ve read in this newsletter—from helping fathers, to freeing men from addiction, to teaching prophecy, to strengthening families—was made 100% possible through your generosity.
Thank you for walking with us as we try to listen to God’s quiet guidance behind us, saying:
“This is the way… walk in it.”
Wishing you a Blessed Christmas Season,
Steve Wood
P.S. A Request: Your support this Christmas season helps us continue strengthening families where gaps—and a major sinkhole—still remain. We faced financial challenges in early 2025 while recovering from Hurricane Helene and transitioning to more cost-effective digital ministry tools. If you are able to help us finish 2025 strong, we are deeply grateful. Donations can be sent by mail or easily made online at BibleforCatholics.com.