Family and Home Archives

Practical Help for the Spiritually Stuck

Do you ever feel spiritually stuck?

If so, you’re not alone. Research suggests that 80 percent of North American Christians spend three to four months of the year feeling disconnected from God. As a result, they might become frustrated with the church and they might stop growing in their faith.

If we’re being honest, we’d admit that this spiritual malaise can be an easy place to get to. We’re so easily distracted and overwhelmed by our technological gadgets and our busy lives that it’s all too easy to stop reading the Bible.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, marriage, parenting April 3, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Guys… Put Down the Phone

I’m not that old, but I can remember the days when young men and women who were interested in each other interacted in ways that were pretty low-tech compared to today’s standards. If a guy liked a girl but wasn’t able speak with her in person he picked up the phone and called her. If he couldn’t do that, he wrote her a letter. Remember those?

Today, though, many guys are relying on a communication tool that’s proving to have its downsides in the dating realm – the text message.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage, relationships, technology March 31, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

“Dear Future Mom” Video Affirms Value of People with Down Syndrome

You have to see this new video. It’s a message from 15 people with Down syndrome to a pregnant mom who just received a prenatal diagnosis that the son she carries may have the condition.

In it, these young men and women assure the mom that her son can be happy… that he will be able to do many things… that he will be able to hug her and love her.

It’s a message that, unfortunately, many of these moms and dads reeling from this prenatal diagnosis don’t hear.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: kids, parenting, pro-life March 21, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Can Any Two Adults Raise a Child?

Can you be a parent without the hassle of a romantic relationship?

According to some people, you can – and should.

Modamily is a company that helps introduce people with no romantic interests or intentions for the purpose of raising a child together. It’s like a dating website, but instead of looking for love, users are looking for someone they can parent with. Proponents advocate it’s actually a better move for children, because it skips the “divorce nightmare.”

Modamily founder Ivan Fatovic explains: “All a child needs to develop and grow is attention, encouragement and love.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage, news, parenting March 20, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

VIDEO: A Father’s Sacrifice

It’s one of the most well-known and well-loved Bible verses, the Gospel boiled down to a few words.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son… ” (John 3:16).

At the core of our faith we see a Father’s sacrifice, and we see the second person of the Trinity giving His life for us.

The video I’m sharing with you today echoes these themes. In it, the Vander Woude family shares the deeply moving story of how its patriarch, Thomas S.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: kids, parenting, pro-life March 19, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

“Submissive Wives” Need Not Endure Emotional Abuse

Some weeks ago I shared three thoughts about submission in marriage. Today I want to expand a bit on the third point, “A husband’s authority over his wife is not absolute.” It read:

Just like the husband ultimately submits to God, a wife must make her ultimate allegiance to God, too. This means that whatever leadership her husband extends over the home is limited to what is God-pleasing and good. In other words, if a husband wants his wife to do something that is clearly immoral or unethical, the wife can echo the words of Peter in Acts 5:29 when he said, “We must obey God rather than men.”

So with this, we have certain bases covered: “leadership” does not equal dictatorship, and God is the ultimate authority in the Christian home.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: husband, marriage, wife March 18, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How to Avoid This Leading Cause of Divorce

Mary Hunt was cheating on her husband. Her tryst, though, wasn’t with another man – but it had the power to destroy the marriage just the same.

The secret Mary hid from her husband was about her financial infidelity – to the tune of $100,000 in credit card debt.

Money problems are one of the leading causes of divorce in our nation. Granted, most couples don’t carry a credit burden as deep as Mary and her husband’s.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: divorce, finances, kids, marriage March 17, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

My New Book at Half Price

I spent part of this past weekend recording the audio version of my new book, The Good Dad: Becoming the Father You Were Meant to Be. It’s always fun to see a project come to fruition and this latest book is no exception.

The book will be officially released in late April. However, the publisher has informed us there’s a special running between now and April 21 on ePub pre-orders. Normally priced 9.99, the ePub price is currently $4.99 (available for Kindle, Nook and other eBook devices).

Topics: Family and Home Tags: kids, parenting March 13, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Is Yelling the New Spanking for Parents? 5 Tips for Screaming-Prone Moms and Dads

Parenting children at any stage can be a real challenge. From the toddler who throws a lay-flat-on-the-floor-and-cry tantrum to the school-age brother and sister who won’t stop fighting, parents regularly navigate a wide array of situations that require dealing with unacceptable behavior.

The Today Show recently ran an interesting post exploring a growing trend among parents to manage these discipline issues through screaming rather than spanking. Maybe this tendency is due to a growing reluctance among some moms and dads to use spanking as a tool of discipline.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: discipline, kids, parenting March 12, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Compromise Not Always the Best Answer to Marriage Disagreements

Many people think that learning to compromise is one of the keys to a successful marriage.

Would it surprise you to learn that Focus marriage experts Dr. Greg Smalley and Erin Smalley disagree?

According to the husband-wife team, compromise – an agreement where each person makes concessions – may not be the best way to help ensure long-term satisfaction in a marriage.

“I hate the word ‘compromise,’” explains Greg. “I don’t want to settle. I want to reach for something better.”

That’s why, instead of compromising, the Smalleys have found that it’s best to find a solution that feels great to both of them.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, husband, marriage, wife March 10, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura