Family and Home Archives

Overcoming Anxiety: Finding Peace in a Hectic World

Plenty of things cause anxiety. Political, social and financial unrest. Wars. Rumors of wars. Every new day offers something else to fear.

It’s a big reason anxiety has become the number one diagnosis in our country for mental health issues. One in five adults and one in four teenagers suffer from anxiety.

But how does anxiety manifest itself?

Headaches.

Sleep disturbances.

Our appetite seems off.

Panic attacks.

A bad feeling we can’t shake.

On Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, I’m airing a conversation that I had with the late Dr.

Topics: Family and Home December 1, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Inviting Strangers into God’s Family

Do you reach out to strangers in the name of Jesus?

Many Christians don’t because they struggle with hospitality, which is all about learning to love others with God’s love and grace.

Author Annie McCune, an expert in hospitality, says, “Throughout the course of my life, I have had the privilege of loving many strangers through opening the door to my home and my heart. In return, I have been radically loved when I was a stranger in need of hospitality.”

On a trip to Israel led by Ray Vander Laan, Annnie’s group was on a trek through a remote location when they arrived at a desert community of tents and families.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family November 24, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Practical Tips to Transform Your Marriage

I encourage couples to think of their marriage as a business. I know that sounds rather sterile, but it’s more romantic than you think.

Successful businesses don’t leave success to chance. They set goals and execute plans to move forward and create results. In the same way, you can be purposeful about moving your relationship in the right direction and building a strong marriage. Values like commitment, sacrifice, and unconditional love are practical ideas that can transform a marriage.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage November 18, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Love is a Decision

There is only one reason respected author and marriage expert Dr. Gary Chapman vacuums his house: Love. No, he doesn’t love vacuuming; he loves his wife, Karolyn. Her love language is acts of service, so Dr. Chapman spends a lot of time doing things that he hates but that make her happy – like vacuuming the floor.

Dr. Chapman says he shares that story with his audiences, not so they’ll applaud him for being such a great guy, but so they’ll learn an important lesson about love.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family October 29, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Getting Along with Others at Home and Work

If you’ve not taken a personality test, read a book on the subject, or explore Focus on the Family’s website for information about personality differences. I also encourage you to tune in to the latest edition of Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. I’m featuring a recording of learning styles expert Cynthia Tobias, who spoke on this subject at a chapel service at our Colorado Springs campus.

As you’ll hear, Cynthia explains how God has uniquely wired each of us as individuals to communicate, work with others, and see the world through the filter of our personality type.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith October 27, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Unexpected Paths

The secret to success isn’t avoiding mistakes, it’s making the most of the path you’re on.

Kade Lovell can tell you all about that. He entered a foot race when he was nine years old and won it in remarkable fashion. Not a race on the playground against schoolmates, mind you. No, this was a 10K against adults.

Officially, Kade was registered to run the 5K. But a few kilometers in a volunteer instructed him to turn left when he should have turned right.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith October 27, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

John Smoltz: Determination and Surrender

I am pleased to welcome John Smoltz as my guest on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly.

John has been Major League Baseball’s lead game analyst for Fox Sports since 2014. Before that, he pitched for the Atlanta Braves, played in five World Series, and helped his team win a World Series title in 1995.

John grew up Catholic, but his faith meant little to him for most of his life. He thought of himself not as the prodigal son who was lost and confused but as the older brother who had life under control.

Topics: Family and Home October 24, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How to Set Healthy Boundaries in Your Marriage

It’s wise to think about your relationships in terms of boundaries. Kathy and Tom didn’t, and it got their marriage off to a rocky start.

Kathy, an introvert, blamed Tom, an extrovert, for smothering her. He placed such an emphasis on spending time together that Kathy often felt like she had no personal space or time for herself. Tom, in turn, interpreted Kathy’s desire for space as a lack of love for him, leaving him feeling hurt and disconnected.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family October 21, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Patient as Jell-0

Success rarely happens overnight. Most goals can only be reached by keeping the big picture in mind and staying the course until you achieve them.

In 1897, a construction worker named Pearle Wait came up with the idea of mixing fruit flavoring with powdered gelatin. His wife nicknamed the jelly-like substance “Jell-O.” At the time, Pearle made extra money selling homemade medical remedies like cough syrup door to door. He switched to Jell-O. For months, he tried to sell his new product all over town, but he had trouble generating interest.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family October 20, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Answering Your Kids’ Tough Faith Questions

Would you know how to answer these questions if your children 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?

Providing biblical answers that children can understand isn’t always easy, much like when author Natasha Crain gave her four-year-old son his first swimming lesson. She’d tell him to hold his breath then she’d swish him through the water, but each time he’d come up choking and crying.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: parenting October 17, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura