Family and Home Archives

Mount Everest and Marriage: Braving New Heights Together

Every married couple faces an Everest – a mountain-sized struggle that can only be overcome by scaling the problem together. In Captain Harold and Rachel Earls’ case, the Everest was literal.

Harold was a cadet at West Point when he wrote his bucket list. The top two dreams were “get married” and “climb Mount Everest.”

In 2016, those dreams collided when Harold told his new bride of only a few months that he planned to travel to the other side of the world and climb the tallest – and most dangerous – mountain on earth.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage February 3, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Understanding Your Child’s Love Style

Have you ever tried to push a fully inflated beach ball under the water?

You can only hold it beneath the surface for so long. Sooner or later, your strength will give out, and the ball will pop back up.

It’s a lot like parenting.

To explain how, we’ve invited Milan and Kay Yerkovich back to our microphones to discuss how to develop a deeper connection with your children by understanding their love styles.

Milan and Kay explain the coping mechanisms we develop in childhood to avoid relational pain.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: parenting February 1, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Teacher of the Year

On our program today, we’re airing a classic Focus on the Family Broadcast you won’t want to miss.

“Teacher of the Year” is a tribute to teachers, featuring a talk by Guy Doud, voted Teacher of the Year in 1986. His inspirational and humorous message highlights the powerful difference teachers can make when they reach out to students who feel like outcasts relegated to the sidelines of their school.

I’ll always remember Mrs. Bandy, the school nurse at my elementary school.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: children, education January 27, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

What Wives Can Do to Bless Their Marriage

Ladies, today I’ve got a simple idea that’ll help you create a happier marriage: affirm your husband.

Right away, you may be thinking: “Affirm him? Where’s my affirmation?”

I get it. No doubt your husband has plenty of areas where he could improve. And praising him can be a challenge if he’s not reaching out to you in a meaningful way. But hear me out. Affirmation is the key that unlocks your husband’s heart. He craves respect – from his boss, from his kids, and from you.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage January 26, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Using Kindness to Open Doors in the Culture

I’ve been thinking about kindness a lot because I believe it lies at the heart of the Gospel. Have you ever met a believer who became a Christian as a result of judgment, condemnation, or ridicule? Me neither.

One of my favorite verses is Romans 2:4, which reminds us that it’s the kindness of God that opens people’s hearts to the message of God.

I often ask myself, “Am I reflecting God’s kindness? Or am I just being nice?” Scripture never tells us to be nice.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: culture, faith January 20, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Offering Grace to People Different from You

Today on our Focus on the Family Broadcast, we’re honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with an important conversation about racism with our guest Dr. David A. Anderson, the founder and senior pastor of Bridgeway Community Church, located in Maryland.

He confronts the problem of racism with the idea of “Gracism,” which is about expressing favor toward other people regardless of – or sometimes even because of – their color, class, or culture.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, Grace, Martin Luther King Jr., Racism January 15, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Created by God for a Purpose

Have you ever wished you could change something about yourself? I’m sure we all have. We wish we were taller or shorter, that we had curly hair or straight, or that we could throw a ball or play an instrument like someone else.

It’s not unusual to wish for strength in areas where you’re weak, or talent where you’re not gifted. But it’s a short leap from that common desire to losing sight of the purpose for which God created you.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: children, parenting January 14, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Finding Restoration When Love Is Gone

Here at Focus on the Family, we routinely receive heartbreaking messages like this one: “My spouse just told me they don’t love me, and we shouldn’t stay married. What can I do?”

You may have the same question if your marriage has encountered a similar problem. The answer, according to counselor and author Dr. David Clarke, is to implement an aggressive strategy of “tough love” as soon as possible.

That means showing strength and taking decisive action.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage January 12, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How Positive Words Can Change Your Life

My wife, Jean, is a living embodiment of Proverbs 16:24: “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”

Every time I call her on the phone, she answers with a positive tone that lets me know she’s glad to hear from me. Her voice is a moment of respite for me in what can often be a busy and stressful schedule.

Positive words bless people, but it’s not always easy to speak them.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: children, family, parenting January 11, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Getting Rid of the Clutter in Your Home

A lot of us should probably throw some stuff out. We’re bursting at the seams.

Did you know that America has more self-storage facilities than McDonald’s restaurants? At last count, there were 48,500 self-storage facilities in America compared to only 14,000 McDonald’s.

If your home is overwhelmed with clutter instead of being a place of comfort and peace, there’s something you can do about it.

Author and popular guest Kathi Lipp is with us on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Getting Rid of the Clutter in Your Home.” She’s a self-proclaimed recovering “clutter-aholic” with some great advice that will help you better understand the spiritual issues that are often behind clinging to your stuff.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family January 8, 2021 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura