Jim Daly

Watch and Win: Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Glorious Unfolding”

As we’ve been sharing with you for the past week, our friend Steven Curtis Chapman has released a powerful new song – “Glorious Unfolding”!

If you haven’t heard it yet (or seen the accompanying video), I’d encourage you to take a moment right now to enjoy it. I believe you’ll be moved as you pause and consider the larger story God is telling through your life.

Steven based his lyrics on Jeremiah 29:11: “‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to give you hope and a future.’”

At times, God’s story will lift us to glorious mountaintops.

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The Burning Question We All Ask

When people experience tragedy, “Why?” is probably the most common question they ask.

Can you relate?

Maybe that’s because trauma shakes our lives to the core, leaving us so disoriented and confused that nothing seems to make sense. It’s only natural, then, that we wonder, “Why me?” or “Why did this have to happen?”

It was a question Lindsey O’Connor’s family had to wrestle with after she experienced complications post childbirth and slipped into a lengthy coma.

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Did You Know This Influences the Success of Your Marriage?

When you ask couples which household issues influence the success of a marriage, things like kids and finances usually rise to the top.

But did you know that chores rank third on that list?!

How can something as simple as housework fuel conflict in a marriage?

Rather easily it turns out. As we all know, life gets busy. Not long after the “I do’s,” couples tend to get focused on (or maybe I should say, “distracted by”) the household tasks they care about, while forgetting the burdens their spouse is carrying.

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What Andy Rooney Thought Every Child Should Have

Although he struck many of us as something of a curmudgeon, I enjoyed watching and reading Andy Rooney over the years.

Mr. Rooney lived a long and colorful life before passing away at the age of 92. Many of his newspaper columns were compiled into various books. The following essay that I’m going to excerpt, “What Every Kid Should Have Growing Up,” comes from one of his best-selling works titled Sweet and Sour.

Reading over this list, I have to admit that I wish I had all these things growing up.

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How to Know If You’re Making Healthy Food Choices for Your Family

It’s up to parents to show their family how to live a healthy lifestyle. But as you’ve probably discovered, that can be easier said than done. The labels on packages can be tricky. And just how many grams of fat and carbs should be in our diet anyway?

If you’re wondering how to help your family make good food choices, we hope you’ll join us this week for our three-day broadcast series titled, “Sound Advice on Healthy Eating,” with our guest, registered dietician David Meinz.

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WATCH: Can You Relate to These Stories?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNQKAF9LdB8

Giving is down and key ministries are at risk. You can help by showing your support at www.focusonthefamily.com/summer2014.

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God’s Blueprint for Healthy Families

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know I enjoy highlighting the abundance of research that pops up in support of families. The reason is simple: Well-designed studies affirm again and again that God’s blueprint for healthy families can be trusted, regardless of which way the winds of culture may blow.

Take, for example, a recent article by Dr. Janice Shaw Crouse, Executive Director and Senior Fellow at Concerned Women for America’s Beverly LaHaye Institute.

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Ten Books Every Christian Should Read

Although not everybody has the luxury of enjoying a summer vacation, the season invariably lends itself to setting aside some time to read a good book. If you’re looking to pick one up, our online resource center is packed with exciting and entertaining titles.

Whatever your taste, I think you’ll find a title to your liking.

If you’re more inclined to invest in the classics (including some modern ones), the following list should be helpful to you.

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What Every Family Needs this Summer

Summer is officially here, and along with it traditionally comes a season when many families take time to vacation and be together to rest, regroup and have some fun.

I say “traditionally” because such vacations may be becoming increasingly rare.

There are no legally mandated paid holidays in the United States, but many businesses and organizations do offer their workers paid time off as part of their compensation package.

However, do you know that Americans leave as many as 175 million available vacation days unused in the typical year?

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Tips for Budgeting for Back-to-School Spending

A new school year is just around the corner, and you know what that means:

The annual hunt for school supplies.

Did you know preparing for school in the fall is, on average, a family’s second largest expenditure each year, outranked only by Christmas?

Maybe that comes as a surprise to you, but I’m sure this won’t: The time and cost required of parents to get their kids ready for a new school year can not only put a strain on their wallet, but on their marriage.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: family, kids, parenting