marriage Archives

Is There a Right Time to Start a Family?

The headline certainly draws you in: “Don’t Call Me Grandma: Births to ‘Older’ Moms on the Rise.” The report from NBC News highlights the growing trend of women over age 35 who are having their first baby.

Delaying pregnancy has become the new normal, and there are many reasons why this is so. First of all, men and women are both marrying at an older age. Another reason is many people – most markedly, women – are pursuing college or advanced degrees that pressure them to dedicate time to developing their careers instead of starting a family.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, kids, marriage, news June 18, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Ultimatum that Saved a Marriage

His marriage was dead. It was past acrimony and fighting. Comedian Jeff Allen and his wife, Tami, were at a stage of apathy.

After years of his alcoholism and fits of rage, it got to the point where Tami always had her back to Jeff.

Finally, one night, Jeff and Tami were in bed when he tried to talk with her – except she refused to turn around.

“No, please,” she said.

“What’s the problem?” Jeff inquired.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: divorce, family, marriage, news, promos June 4, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Focus Joins with National Institute of Marriage to Help Couples in Crisis

We’ve all seen a marriage in crisis.

We all know people who have struggled (or are struggling) within their marital relationship.

Maybe that someone is you.

Or perhaps it’s someone you love, like a son or daughter or your best friend from high school.

You can’t stand to see the marriage falling apart. You feel helpless.

When you ask, you’re told that everything that can be thought of has been tried.

Traditional counseling. A visit with the pastor.

Topics: Focus Events Tags: faith, husband, marriage, news, wife June 3, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

An Interview with Casting Crowns’ Mark Hall

Since the self-titled debut of Casting Crowns‘ first album was released in 2003, the band has enjoyed great popularity among Christian audiences – but not for reasons you’d might expect.

Instead of light-hearted songs that only scratch the surface of our faith, Casting Crowns specializes in delivering hard-hitting hits meant to challenge listeners – and the larger Christian community – in our walks. The band regularly explores themes of holiness, relationships, witness and vulnerability in a way that encourages self-reflection.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: adoption, entertainment, marriage, parenting, pop culture May 21, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Best City for Love?

In a light-hearted article, the Wall St. Journal recently declared Colorado Springs, Colo., where Focus is headquartered, the top place in the U.S. to find love.

Seriously.

Here at Focus, we think that’s great. In fact, we’re even holding a gathering event that might help cement that title: this Aug. 7-9 Focus on the Family’s Boundless ministry is hosting Pursuit 2014, a special weekend for single 18-39 year olds.

If you’re not familiar with Boundless, here’s a quick overview.

Topics: Focus Events Tags: events, marriage, news, relationships May 19, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

WATCH: Two Powerful Minutes of Must-See Video

Tomorrow Focus on the Family’s first movie, “Irreplaceable,” will debut in more than 700 cinemas across the country. Seats are filling up fast (with some theaters already sold out) – despite attempts to censor our documentary.

Just in time for tomorrow’s premiere, we’ve released a powerful new trailer for the film. Check it out below:

As you can see, “Irreplaceable” is far from just your average documentary. Yes, you will leave the theater empowered and equipped better to defend your Bible-based views.

Topics: Focus Events Tags: events, family, marriage, pop culture May 5, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Underreported Cause of Poverty

Income inequality.

It’s a hot topic, with everyone from academics, pundits and politicians discussing it. President Obama even made it a focus in the weeks leading up to his State of the Union address earlier this year.

It’s a worthwhile goal to help lift families out of poverty and help ensure our fellow citizens have a fair shot at economic success. But I would hope that as we work towards that goal, we honestly pursue the underlying reasons that contribute to the problem.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: finances, marriage, news, parenting April 30, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

5 Factors That Make Married Sex Fulfilling

The New York Times recently ran an article that explored the premise that couples in egalitarian marriages had sex less frequently.

So how is a union defined as “egalitarian?”

According to “Does a More Equal Marriage Mean Less Sex?” it’s where husbands and wives “share the housework and child care, communicate openly and prioritize each other’s careers.”

Researchers found that couples in these types of marriages have sex 1.5 fewer times a month than those who subscribe to more traditional gender roles.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: husband, intimacy, marriage, wife April 23, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

WATCH: Men and Women Are Different

It’s a minute-long video that shares a reality some would want to deny.

In a clip from “Irreplaceable,” Focus on the Family’s first movie debuting in a one-night event on May 6, host Tim Sisarich talks with Dr. Anne Moir, a neuropsychologist.

And yet, there are some professionals who claim that “saying there are differences in male and female brains is just not true.” These voices believe the differences between men and women are learned and shaped through culture.

Topics: Focus Events Tags: events, husband, marriage, wife April 21, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

WATCH: Elderly Couple Demonstrates Marital Joy

A couple of months ago I blogged about marriage and joy. In that post, I encouraged Christian couples to live out a marriage that exemplified the goodness of God’s design by enjoying each other and having fun together. One sentence summed up the crux of that post:

“It does the culture and the Church a world of good when Christians mix joy and pleasure into the message of commitment and sacrifice in marriage.”

Today I want to introduce you to a husband and wife who can show us all a thing or two about applying that simple truth.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, husband, marriage, wife April 15, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura