Family and Home Archives

A Lighthearted Look at Wedded Bliss

Marriage is serious business.

But it can also be hilarious.

You’ll discover that’s true when you hear our next Focus on the Family Broadcast: “A Lighthearted Look at Wedded Bliss.” We’re airing a recorded message from John Branyan, who takes a humorous look at the differences between men and women and explains how a couple’s unique characteristics impact their relationship in serious and hilarious ways.

John also shares a poignant story about his great-grandparents’ 70-year marriage, explaining that while married life isn’t always wedded bliss, it is life’s most profound expression of unconditional love.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, love, marriage January 17, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

New Study Finds Parenthood Makes People More Law-Abiding

Parenthood is both wonderful – and wonderfully challenging.

Raising children takes a lot of hard work, sleepless nights, and self-sacrifice. But most everyone will tell you it’s also worth it.

And according to a new study, parenthood doesn’t just benefit the children at the expense of parents. It helps parents become better, more law-abiding people.

The study was conducted by two doctoral students at the University of California, Berkeley. It found that when couples first find out that a baby is on the way, the average number of crimes the mom and dad commit drops dramatically.

Topics: Family and Home January 15, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Finding Strength in the Midst of Disappointment

Genesis says that we were created perfect in the Garden of Eden. Revelation 22 describes the end of the age when God will create a new heaven and new earth, and our perfection will be restored.

There lies the rub: Between Eden and eternity, life is filled with disappointment, and we don’t always know how to handle it well. We push disappointment aside. We ignore it. We numb it. We bury it. We doubt God’s love for us.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith January 14, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Answering Your Kids’ Tough Faith Questions

Would you know how to answer these questions if a co-worker or a neighbor asked them?

Do all religions point to the same truth?If Christianity is the only true religion, why are there so many denominations?Why did Jesus die for our sins?

Would you know how to answer your children if they asked those questions? Answering in ways children can understand isn’t always easy.

You may feel like author Natasha Crain when she gave her four-year-old son his first swimming lesson.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, parenting January 13, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Being a ‘Yes’ Parent in a World of No’s

The most popular word in the average parent’s vocabulary is “no.”

To be fair, it’s an important word for moms and dads. Used properly, it creates healthy boundaries for children.

But it’s easy to over-do our “no’s.” We can be too protective. Remember Dory, the fish with short-term memory loss from the animated hit movie Finding Nemo? She reminded Marlin, the dad of mis-adventurous Nemo, “You can’t never let anything happen to him. Then nothing would ever happen to him.”

If we build too many fences, we’re not allowing our kids to be kids or to grow.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, parenting January 9, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

My Journey to Salvation

Today’s guest on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “My Journey to Salvation” is Adolph Coors IV. In this presentation recorded at a prayer breakfast, Mr. Coors shares what it was like to grow up in the family that founded the Coors Brewing Company, one of the largest breweries in the world.

His story is a fascinating tale of wealth, privilege, and tragedy – and the lessons he learned along the way are thought-provoking.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith January 7, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Empowering Women to Take Control of Their Finances

A woman came up to author and speaker Deborah Pegues at a conference where she was speaking and said, “I lost my home after my husband died because I didn’t realize what a balloon payment was. When it came due, I didn’t have the money.”

Deborah has heard similar stories from more women than she can count. She’s a certified public account with an MBA in business finance and has written more than 20 books. She says the issue isn’t one of gender.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, finances January 6, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Homemade Meals for Busy Families

The holidays are over, and you’re probably running at high speed in a lot of directions.

The end of the workday doesn’t mean your work is over. Somebody has to pick up the kids from soccer practice and run to the store for groceries. After that, you still have to get home and make dinner, which can take a couple of hours once you cook, eat, and clean up the mess.

Who’s got time for that?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, parenting January 2, 2020 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Finding Your Path in Life

Racing wasn’t just a day job for NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip. I can tell you from experience, he was wired for it.

I played golf with him once, and he nearly took off in the golf cart without me. He wanted to beat the other members in our group to the next tee. He was literally zigging and zagging all along the cart path to keep them behind us … where they belonged, apparently. After Darrell won the short chase, he looked at me and said, “Life is a race to me.”

I love the adrenaline rush of a fast car, but I’m wired a lot differently than Darrell.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast December 30, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Making Daily Choices to Love Your Spouse

Theresa had a stroke 18 years ago. She lost control over her hands. Which means for all these years she’s struggled to do simple things in life, like styling her own hair. That’s why when she goes to the beauty salon, she leaves with a smile. She feels beautiful.

The trouble is, as soon as she washes her hair it falls flat, and she can’t get it to look the way her stylist does. Which means, until her next hair appointment comes around, Theresa doesn’t smile as much.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, marriage, relationships December 27, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura