Family and Home Archives

Embracing the Unique Aspects of Male and Female

Remember the name Ivan Pavlov? He was the Nobel Prize-winning physiologist, best known for his experiments involving ringing bells and salivating dogs. It may not surprise you to learn that he conducted other scientific tests as well. One in particular, I believe, illustrates a significant challenge facing our culture.

The project went like this: Pavlov trained dogs to distinguish between circles and ovals. When they pointed their nose at a circle, they received a reward. When they selected an oval, they suffered a penalty.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, female, genders, male May 7, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Praying and Stepping Out in Faith

Have you ever felt discouraged because God doesn’t seem to be answering your prayers?

Pastor Mark Batterson has. He was diagnosed with asthma at age 3 and suffered life-threatening attacks for years. At age thirteen, he was rushed to the hospital and spent days in intensive care. Both he and his parents feared that he might soon take his last breath.

For 40 years, Mark never went anywhere without his inhaler and used it almost every day.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, prayer May 2, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

What You Can Learn from the Bible’s Couples

When you walked down the aisle, what was your vision for you and your spouse? Did you want a “nice” marriage?

A “friendly” marriage?

A “we get along” marriage?

Probably not.

Most couples are searching for intimacy, connection, romance, and excitement. But years into their marriage, many husbands and wives are bored. Life has settled into a routine – a rut, really – and they’re not connecting like they once did.

If you’ve reached that place in your marriage, you might be thinking, “This isn’t what I had in mind.” The good news is that’s not what the Bible says God has in mind for you, either.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, couples, faith, marriage, relationships April 30, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How Abortion Impacts Men

Stephen Arterburn calls the negative repercussions of abortion on men our nation’s “silent shame.”

Every abortion involves a man, and there have been almost 60 million abortions since 1973. That is a breathtaking number of men who either couldn’t or wouldn’t defend their own flesh and blood.

The physiological effects of post-abortion syndrome on a man can be devastating. It can include things like depression; an inability to bond with future children; a fear of loss or more pain; shame; survival guilt; or self-punishing and self-degrading behaviors like getting into relationships that are abusive because you don’t think you deserve anything better.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: abortion, faith, nroadcast, pro-life April 29, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Living Free from Shame and Guilt

Do you have a hard time believing that God loves you?

Many people do. An accusing voice in their heart or mind says, “If God really knew me, knew the things I’ve done, He wouldn’t love me.”

Jamie Ivey used to see herself that way. She’s sharing her story on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Living Free from Shame and Guilt.”

Jamie grew up in a Christian home, went to youth group, signed purity pledges, and did everything Christian parents hope their teenagers would do.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, guilt, shame April 26, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Sheep-Like Qualities of a Disciple

My family loves to take breaks from our daily responsibilities – to relax, to connect with one another, and to laugh a lot. It’s good for the soul.

In keeping with that spirit, we thought we’d take a break from some of the serious issues we’ve talked about on our Focus on the Family Broadcast over the past several weeks to enjoy a little humor from our friend, comedian Ken Davis.

Ken grew up on a farm, so he knows sheep.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith April 25, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Finding Freedom as a Grace-Based Mom

A lot of women feel pressure to be an outstanding wife, a fantastic mother, and to keep a beautiful home all while having a vibrant and meaningful career. They’re chasing an impossible standard. They feel they can never do enough, no matter how hard they try.

Many women are not only struggling to do it all, but to do it all perfectly.Without all of those plates spinning, they feel they’re not achieving anything extraordinary – for God or for themselves.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, kids, mom, parenting April 22, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Understanding the Importance of Easter in New Ways

Easter is Sunday.

For many, this holiday doesn’t mean much – except mountains of chocolate and cute bunny rabbits. But for the sick, the poor, the brokenhearted, and those who realize they’re captive to sin (Isaiah 61:1), Easter is about so much more. It’s about the good news that death and sin have been conquered through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The empty tomb is the foundation upon which all of Christianity rests. In 1 Corinthians 15:17, the Apostle Paul said, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.”

For centuries, skeptics have argued that faith in Christ’s resurrection is nothing more than a blind step into thin air.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, easter, faith April 18, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Taking a Pro-Life Stand in the Black Community

The founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger, spoke openly about her organization’s support of eugenics. She advocated for the compulsory segregationor sterilization of the “unfit.”

She believed the public welfare system and those who were in it should be eliminated. She advocated eliminating the “unfit” before they were born to avoid becoming a burden to society.

The irony is, even though Planned Parenthood leadership in recent years has distanced itself from Sanger and her goals … they’re achieving them anyway.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: abortion, broadcast, faith April 16, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Thriving in the Midst of Financial Ruin

Do you know what it’s like to struggle with money?

Stupid question, right? Most of us know what it’s like for the water heater to break or the car to break down and not have any money for repairs.

There’s also a trail of unfulfilled “what ifs” behind us. What if we had the money to start a college fund for our kids, to start a business, to serve other people … or, yes, to fix the water heater and the car?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, finances April 15, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura