Jim Daly

Is your marriage enjoying the warmth of summer? Or is it suffering the chill of winter?

Like nature, every marriage goes through seasons. Depending on which season you’re in, you and your spouse will feel more or less connected, more or less in love, or more or less happy.

When Jean and I first started dating, we enjoyed being together and daydreamed about seeing each other when we were apart. At the time, I lived in San Diego, and she lived in Orange County, and I was willing to inconvenience myself to show my interest.

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When you think about your teenager’s emotional demeanor, what comes to mind?

Confidence, joy, and peace?

Or confusion, stress, and depression?

Maybe it’s a little of everything.

We hear from parents across the country, and most say the same thing: their children are experiencing obstacles unlike any past generation in history. Technology dominates nearly every aspect of their daily lives: entertainment, education, self-image, even their sleep habits and their social interactions. Technology is so pervasive and unsettling that many teens are battling fear, shame, and self-doubt.

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To say Jim and Shanna Ramos struggled in their first year of marriage is to minimize the word “struggle.” Jim says he married an angel and woke up with the devil. Shanna says she married her dream and woke up to a nightmare.

Jim believed his marriage was a mistake but didn’t believe in divorce. The turning point came at a Promise Keepers event where he heard a message about being a man who out-loves and out-serves his wife.

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Prayer is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your marriage.

I’m sure you’ve heard that advice before, but you’ve probably discovered that prayer falls by the wayside when life gets busy and responsibilities demand your time and attention.

On Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, my guest, Jodie Berndt, is sharing how to incorporate prayer into your marriage in a way that not only helps you grow closer to your spouse but that deepens your own relationship with Christ.

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Grief is an unavoidable part of the human experience. The emotions associated with it are powerful, often overwhelming. It touches every family – including mine.

My sister-in-law Jane’s son, Bobby, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease when he was 17. At 29, he was healthy and active, his business was thriving, and he and his wife were purchasing their first home when Bobby started feeling pressure in his chest. X-rays and MRIs found nothing. Exploratory surgery revealed that Bobby had a rare and inoperable form of cancer.

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Legendary comedian Red Skelton once said: “All men make mistakes. Married men just find out about them sooner.”

While it’s tongue-in-cheek to say that pointing out shortcomings is just one of the benefits of a good wife, it’s fully true that they also bring the wisdom, grace, and steady partnership a man needs to grow and invest himself fully into his marriage.

A great relationship doesn’t happen by accident. It requires you and your spouse to sacrifice the time and effort necessary to achieve your shared goals.

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I know a lot of couples who have happy marriages, and they all share one thing in common: they’re deliberate about nurturing their relationship, connecting, and communicating with their spouse regularly. By contrast, unhappy couples aren’t intentional with each other or don’t know how to be.

Authors and relationship experts Bill and Pam Farrel are joining me on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly to teach you how to invest in your relationship through “marriage meet ups” – regular meetings as a couple that provide you an opportunity to connect, reflect, and plan intentionally.

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Michelle Ablard never thought she’d have children of her own. She was a content, single, fifth grade schoolteacher with dogs and a mortgage. But then God orchestrated unexpected opportunities in Michelle’s life.

Like the day Michelle inexplicably felt God nudging her to quit her job. The idea made no sense. She was well paid, highly credentialed, and had a secure job in a field where others were struggling. She was invested in her school and community, yet Michelle couldn’t shake the feeling that God wanted her to quit.

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Children may be small, but they experience big emotions. Your challenge as a parent isn’t to keep your kids from feeling afraid, frustrated, or overwhelmed. It’s to teach them how to handle those feelings when they come.

The good news is that regulating emotions is a skill your children can and should learn, and you can teach them. Helping children manage their emotions isn’t about stopping their feelings. It’s about giving them lifelong habits, biblical truth, and practical tools to find peace in the middle of them.

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