We’re all running as fast as we can. Mostly by choice. It’s hard to slow down when society rewards us for being on the go all day, every day. It’s also hard to work full time, build a strong marriage, and raise a family. Some days it’s all we can do to keep up with life’s demands.

The problem isn’t just busy schedules, it’s busy hearts and minds as well. We’re so anxious and stressed out that we’re less likely to notice the fragrance of a flower, the joy of a child’s laughter, or the soul of our spouse.

Topics: Family and Home July 15, 2026 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

According to Dr. Kevin Leman’s The Birth Order Book, a common but often overlooked reason many couples don’t see eye to eye is birth order. That little boy or girl that you once were, you still are.

Your birth order creates a dynamic relationship between you and your parents, and between you and your siblings. Your birth order influences how you see relationships and, therefore, your marriage.

For example, Dr. Leman says firstborns are typically:

• Reliable and conscientious.

Topics: Family and Home July 14, 2026 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Gabe and Rebekah Lyons have a happy, healthy marriage – but they had to fight for it. They met in college and, over three decades, raised four children – including two with Down syndrome. They pursued their relationship with intentionality and purpose, which anchored them while navigating cross-country moves, personal battles with panic disorders and depression, and the challenges balancing ministry and family life. Along the way, they learned how to deepen their intimacy and strengthen their bond.

Topics: Family and Home July 9, 2026 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

If you’re a parent, then you’re busy. Your schedule is full from morning until night.

Which raises an important question: When life has you running, how do you make the most of your time with your children?

I’ve always tried to take advantage of the opportunities in front of me. When my boys, Trent and Troy, were young, I struck up thoughtful conversations with them every morning as I drove them to school. Our relationship has been built largely by bike rides, four-wheeling excursions, and camping trips.

Topics: Family and Home July 7, 2026 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The longer I’ve been married, the more I’ve realized that it’s not big things that make or break a marriage. It’s little things. Sure, problems like infidelity, addiction, or abuse can devastate a relationship and are not to be underestimated. But, in most cases, the difference between healthy and unhealthy couples is they’ve learned the secret of serving each other by performing a multitude of small, simple gestures that show affection and devotion to one another.

Topics: Family and Home July 6, 2026 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

If you’re a parent, you’re surely familiar with the word “no” – and for good reason. Children love to test the limits.

When our boys, Trent and Troy, were young, they were determined to go faster, higher, and farther. If one dessert was good, two was better. Instead of watching one movie, they’d want a double feature. If their bedtime was 9 o’clock, they’d push for 10.

Since children can’t resist climbing trees or splashing in mud puddles in their new shoes, the word “no” is a vital tool.

Topics: Family and Home June 23, 2026 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

There’s a lot of talk these days about “toxic masculinity.” It’s a term that describes masculinity gone wrong, an image of what men are not supposed to be.

Author Brant Hansen says that many men – especially many young men – don’t know what they are supposed to be.

The culture routinely deconstructs, but we rarely construct. Men need a vision for what is distinctly and inherently good about masculinity, and we find it in God, who creates men for a purpose.

Topics: Family and Home June 18, 2026 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

People often think financial problems are caused by a lack of money. Sometimes. But it’s usually our perceptions of money that affect how we spend and how we save.

Matt Bell, author and managing editor at Sound Mind Investing, can attest to that. In his mid-twenties, he received $60,000 from an uncle – more money than he could spend. Or so he thought. He used the money to create a job in which he travelled internationally to luxury golf courses and published a golf newsletter.

Topics: Family and Home June 16, 2026 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Author Melanie Hempe says, “I look back and feel like I was the drug dealer for my own kid.”

She was describing her son’s addiction to technology. In elementary school, Adam got good grades and was involved in extracurricular activities. But in middle school he became addicted to video games and began dropping out of sports and social activities. Then, she says, “He began dropping out of our family.”

She assumed video games were safe. They were made for children, after all.

Topics: Family and Home June 8, 2026 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Motherhood can be tough, especially in the early years.

Three moms – Ashley Durand, Kristen Rusch, and Dr. Jenny Coffey – are joining me on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly to share what to do when you’re giving everything you’ve got to motherhood but running on fumes.

Ashley promised herself she’d never discipline out of anger, but then a trip to the library with her toddler ended in disaster. When it was time to go, he threw himself to the floor and began crying and screaming.

Topics: Family and Home June 3, 2026 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura