Family and Home Archives

Marriage is Good for Your Heart

You’ve heard the adage, “Happy wife, happy life,” but how about this one:

The happier your marriage, the better your chance of surviving and recovering from heart surgery.

It’s true.

According to a new study out of the University of Rochester, the better a person’s marriage, the more likely they are to live longer after heart surgery than those who are single or unhappy in marriage.

“I can only imagine that people who have a good marriage are pretty happy people,” said a Boston cardiac surgeon, Robert Hagberg.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, marriage August 23, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Talking Teen Rage

What’s the main cause of teenage rage in America?

Is it a matter of poor parenting – or no parenting at all?

Writing in last Saturday’s Wall Street Journal, Peggy Noonan drew a chilling parallel between fatherless homes and the riots we’re seeing in England, as well as the “flash mob” incidents that have been occurring with increasing frequency here in the U.S.

In regard to what to do about it, Ms. Noonan reflected:

The normal, old response to an emerging problem such as this has been: The government has to do something.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: adoption, family, parenting August 21, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Solution to All Your Problems – #1

I’m sure you’ve noticed that people are especially anxious these days. If you’re one of them, I would commend this recommendation to you, courtesy of the late Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd Jones:

Read Your Bible!
Every conceivable experience which the Christian may have to face has already been met and dealt with somewhere in the Scriptures. There is no such thing as a new experience in the realm of the Spirit; you will find everything catered for here.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith August 18, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Is Facebook Good for Your Child?

Writing in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal, Shirley S. Wang reports:

Several recent studies have found that digital communications can lead to more or better friendships, online and off, greater honesty, faster intimacy in relationships and an increased sense of belonging, in addition to practical social benefits like an expanded circle for networking.

She continued:

… researchers found users expressed a significant amount of empathy online, and that the more time college students spent on Facebook, the more empathy they expressed online and in real life.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, kids, parenting, technology August 17, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

One Amazing Dog

Have you ever heard of the Karelian Bear Dog? I hadn’t, until last week, when I caught a short documentary about the breed during an airplane flight.

Weighing between 40 and 65 pounds, the dog looks like a cross between a Husky and an Irish Wolfhound. Stocky and marked by a heavy black and white coat with expressive ears, they were originally bred in Russia and Finland to hunt big game, in addition to protecting farmers from bear attacks.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, relationships August 16, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Does Faith and Prayer Distract America?

As many of you know, I’m privileged to serve on a panel for the Washington Post’s On Faith blog, a weekly “conversation on religion and politics.” I’d invite you to visit the site, which I think you’ll find contains some robust dialog. All of my contributions are archived here.

I’d like to share the latest installment of the feature with you. It concerns last week’s important and powerful gathering of Christians in Houston.

After you’ve had a chance to read the following perspective and reaction to the question, I’d love to hear from you.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith August 15, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

VIDEO VIGNETTE – V Keller, Piper, Carson

THIS MOMENTARY MARRIAGE

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage August 11, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

VIDEO VIGNETTE IV – Francis Chan

THE AWE FACTOR OF GOD

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith August 10, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

VIDEO VIGNETTE III – John Piper

DO SOMETHING RISKY WITH YOUR LIFE!

Let me ask you: Is there something you aren’t doing in your life that you really want to do? Are you playing it too safe? I would encourage you to consider the fact that we’re all given one life and a finite period of time on earth, Are you making a difference or just marking time? Perhaps it’s time to be bold.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, faith August 9, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

VIDEO VIGNETTE II – Max Lucado

Why Are You Afraid?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith August 8, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura