Family and Home Archives

God Loves You

If no one has told you lately, let me be the one to remind you: God loves you. How do I know that? It says so in the Bible.

Let me show you. Even if you’ve never opened a Bible in your life, you can find Genesis chapter one. Take a look sometime. Pay attention to how it portrays God’s love for you. You’ll notice a pattern. Each day, God speaks something into existence – light, land, or the sky. Then he looks at His work and declares it “good.” By the end of day five, God has deemed everything from the stars above to the animals surrounding us “good.”

But then comes day six.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith March 29, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Building Strong Father-Son Relationships

A father’s love is imprinted on the heart of a son.

As a father of two boys, that sentiment stops me in my tracks. I didn’t have a good role model for fatherhood growing up. My dad died an alcoholic, and my stepdad walked out on my siblings and me the day of my mother’s funeral. After that, I went into foster care for almost two years.

Maybe your dad didn’t leave a positive imprint on your heart, either.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting March 28, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Communication is a Two-Way Street

Sometimes what you say and what other people hear can be two very different things.

Maybe you can relate to a young mother from Ohio who wanted her family to be a beacon of hope during the COVID lockdown. She handed chalk to her two boys – ages six and eight – and asked them to write messages on the driveway. She wanted delivery drivers and passersby to be greeted with encouragement and good cheer. Later, when she checked on her kids’ progress, she discovered boys had covered the driveway and sidewalks with messages like, “Stay away!” “Do not enter!” and “Get lost!”

Misunderstandings like that happen a lot in marriage, too.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting March 27, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Creating a Shared Vision for Your Marriage

Do you and your spouse have a “shared vision” for your marriage?

Many couples don’t. Some are so focused on their responsibilities at work, at church, and around the house that they focus on their marriage only when there’s a problem to solve. Others expect marriage to improve naturally on its own, a straight line moving upward.

Neither approach is effective.

For more than two decades, Sean and Lanette Reed have been helping couples build strong marriages.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage March 26, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Establishing Clear Boundaries in Your Life

Driving is a great illustration for life.

First, what makes driving safe? That line painted down the middle of the road. It’s a boundary that tells you what lane is yours and what lane is mine.

Second, in driving and in life, we encounter people and circumstances wherever we go that force us to respond quickly and make good decisions that protect our family and ourselves.

And third, to get to where we want to go, we have to be in the correct lane.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, marriage March 25, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Bringing Laughter to Your Marriage

Today, I’ve got a simple idea to help you build a great marriage. It’s fun, too.

Laugh together.

Proverbs says, “A joyful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). Jean and I have great memories of laughing together in the car or around the dinner table. A few times we’ve laughed so hard for so long that we started laughing at each other laughing.

Laughter is often more about connection than it is humor. Studies show that couples who laugh are healthier, happier and more connected.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, marriage March 22, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Meaning of Life

Neil deGrasse Tyson is a well-known astrophysicist and media personality who speaks around the country about astrophysics and recent discoveries. While on a radio program, he was asked about the meaning of life. His response was that meaning and purpose are dependent on the choices we make. We live. We die. And in between we hopefully contribute something positive to the world. In short, life has no meaning unless we give it one.

With all due respect to Dr.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith March 20, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Praying for Your Teen’s Heart and Future

Many moms and dads parent out of fear because the challenges their children face seem much greater than previous generations. They feel unsure about guiding their teen through the pressures of social media, depression, anxiety and addiction. They feel even less confident about helping their teen develop a sincere faith.

Jodie Berndt is a Bible teacher and speaker whose latest book is called Praying the Scriptures for Your Teens. She’s with us on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Praying for Your Teens Heart and Future” to share how to strengthen your teenager’s character for the inevitable crises to come by creating habits of prayer.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting March 19, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Life Balance

Culture moves faster and faster. With jobs and kids and all that goes on in life, balance can be difficult to find. Today, I have a suggestion to make that endeavor a little easier.

Consider Carl. Like you and me, he’s busy. His work hours are hectic. He travels frequently. And even when he’s home, a never-ending to-do list vies for his time. He feels pulled in so many different directions that he struggles to give his wife and children his full attention.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family March 18, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family

Helping children navigate the ever-changing world of technology and social media can be overwhelming. Nevertheless, it’s an important part of today’s parenting agenda. Entertainment consumption shapes who we are, how we think and what we believe. That’s especially true of impressionable children.

On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Becoming a Screen Savvy Family,” we’re looking at what God’s word says about teaching children discernment in entertainment choices.

In studio with me are two members of our Plugged In staff.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting March 15, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura