Family and Home Archives

Love in the Midst of Alzheimer’s

Dr. Robertson and Muriel McQuilkin were thriving in life together. And then Muriel began forgetting things. Thus, began a harrowing – yet, triumphant – story of a love that endured the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. McQuilkin served for 22 years as President of Columbia International University before leaving that position to care for his wife, Muriel, for over a decade. Theirs is an amazing story of loyalty and devotion.

On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Love in the Midst of Alzheimer’s,” we’re featuring the McQuilkin’s honest and compelling story of dedication in the midst of tragic illness that will inspire married couples to keep the vows they made to love “for better or for worse” and fill caregivers with encouragement and hope.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage March 3, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Be Mindful of the Time

The suggestion that, “It’s never too late,” may be good advice if you’re thinking of going back to school or your diet is out of whack. But when it comes to mending broken family relationships, there’s no time like today.

Tina and her father were in such severe conflict that they didn’t speak to one another for decades. As the years rolled by, the girl – now a woman – began to regret the split and decided to reconnect with her dad, who was nearly eighty.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith March 2, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Misunderstanding in Marriage

Every married couple has disagreements. Some of those arguments happen because of misunderstandings about what our spouse is really thinking.

Take Dan and Barb for example. Barb asked her husband a couple of weeks ago to fix the kitchen sink, but Dan hasn’t gotten around to it, yet. Barb is tired of waiting, so she reminds him that the sink is still broken. And – boom! – misunderstanding and conflict.

Barb sees the situation her way: Her husband has had plenty of time to get the job done, but he hasn’t taken the initiative to do the work.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage March 1, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

My Passion for the Harvest

On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “My Passion for the Harvest,” we’re airing a recorded message by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California and founder of Harvest Crusades, which has reached over nine million people since the 90s.

Because of his mother’s promiscuous lifestyle, seven marriages, non-stop partying, and constant relocating from place to place to place, Greg had a tumultuous childhood and was lost in a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol by the time he was in high school.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith February 23, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Do You Believe in Miracles?

Do you believe in miracles?

You should if you’re clinging to hope. Because success doesn’t always boil down to skill or hard work. Victory often requires something intangible – a miraculous intervention when the odds are stacked against you.

The “miracle on ice” on February 22, 1980, was a classic David versus Goliath tale of victory. That year, Russia was expected to win the Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey. Their players were the best in the world.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith February 22, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Centering Your Marriage on Christ

Do you have a fierce marriage?

Authors Ryan and Selena Frederick describe a “fierce marriage” as radically pursuing each other in light of Christ’s relentless love.

They experienced the truth of that idea firsthand two years into their marriage. After taking jobs in Switzerland, Ryan developed a persistent cough he dismissed as the flu. Doctors gave him antibiotics and painkillers and told him to return for a checkup in a few days. His health soon took a terrible turn for the worst, and he was diagnosed with a congenital defect called endocarditis, a life-threatening inflammation of the inner lining of his heart chambers.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage February 22, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Help for Single Moms Raising Boys

Single moms face unique challenges when it comes to raising boys. A single mom is always interacting with her son because she’s the only parent, but that doesn’t mean she’s connecting with him in the way she wants or in the way he needs. Unlike a mother and a daughter, who both relate to the female experience, the gap between a mother and her son widens as he grows older.

How can a single mom step more deeply into her son’s world?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: parenting February 20, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Helping Your Daughter Become a Confident Woman

I saw a video that powerfully illustrates the incredible influence that fathers have in the lives of their daughters. It captured a dad in his living room, watching a basketball game. He jumped and yelled in support of his favorite team.

Right beside him, his three-year-old daughter copied his every move. She jumped when he jumped. She clapped when he clapped. She even copied his expressions of excitement.

Then the mood changed. The dad started shouting at the television.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: parenting February 16, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Choosing the Right Attitude

The phone company made me mad.

At least, I thought it was their fault. I couldn’t get them to understand that their customer service was terrible. They continually overcharged me and disconnected my boys’ phones even though I hadn’t asked them to do it. I had to call them repeatedly for months and had a terrible time getting my account straightened out.

I tried to stay patient, but I finally reached the end of my rope, and the poor customer service representative got the brunt of my attitude.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith February 15, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Beside, Not Behind

They say behind every great man is a great woman. But just as often, great women take the lead.

In 1865, Emily Roebling married her husband Washington. He was the chief engineer who oversaw construction of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. Two years into the project, he developed decompression sickness while he was working underwater. He was debilitated so severely that he lay bed-ridden for nearly a decade.

Meanwhile, there was still a bridge to be built.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith February 8, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura