faith Archives

Surviving a Spiritual Mismatch

Author and speaker Lee Strobel says someone once came between him and his wife and almost destroyed their marriage. It wasn’t a co-worker or an old flame.

It was Jesus Christ.

A few years after getting married, Leslie became a Christian. Lee remained a staunch atheist. Their worldviews became so diametrically opposed to one another that their marriage was threatened.

The potential for disunity is why God gave us the wisdom found in 2 Corinthians 6:14, which says, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” Yokes are fitted over the necks of two animals of equal size.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family October 5, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Finding Real Purpose in Your Life

Forty years ago, Dr. John Trent created the concept of LifeMapping as a way to help people break free from isolation, loneliness, and chaos and move into a place of connection, caring, and calmness.

I discussed this idea with Dr. Trent and his daughter, Kari Trent Stageberg, on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Finding Real Purpose in Your Life.” LifeMapping helps you reach your full potential by recognizing positive and negative life patterns.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, family October 3, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Sharing the Gospel Through Hospitality

On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Sharing the Gospel Through Hospitality,” we’re sharing Dr. Rosaria Butterfield’s dramatic conversion testimony.

Rosaria was professor of English and queer theory at Syracuse University in New York and lived proudly as a lesbian, a feminist, and an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights. In 1999, she took leave from her professorship to research a book she intended to write as a rebuke of religion from a lesbian feminist point of view.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith September 27, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Overcoming Your Past

I’ve had to overcome a lot. My mom died when I was nine. My stepdad abandoned me and my siblings within hours of her funeral. After that, I spent time in foster care, and a couple of years later, my biological father died of alcoholism.

No doubt you’ve survived some difficulties of your own. Struggle is universal. So are the solutions for overcoming it. Here are four ways to break free from your past:

Accept the fact that your suffering cannot be changed.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family September 26, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Five Ingredients You Need for a Healthy Family

Years ago, John, a recent college graduate, asked Dr. Gary Chapman and his wife if he could move into their home for one year and observe their family. John’s family of origin had been toxic, and he wanted to experience firsthand what a healthy marriage and family looked like.

Dr. Chapman’s first reaction was to say no. Was their family healthy? He and Karolyn’s first years of marriage had been characterized by selfishness, hurt, and brokenness.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family September 26, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Keep Failing

The secret to success isn’t avoiding failure. It’s learning from your mistakes and continuing to move forward.

The television series Alone is a survival competition where participants survive alone in the wilderness for as long as possible. Contestants are given minimal equipment and must build their own shelters, start their own fires, and find their own food. The physical demands are brutal.

One of the contestants, Colter Barnes, lost 86 pounds over 67 days in the wild and had to be medically evacuated.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, marriage September 21, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Drawing Closer to God and Each Other

Why did you get married?

For your spouse?

Or for yourself?

Be honest. You got married because the relationship made you happy.

Don’t feel too guilty. The rest of us probably did the same thing. We thought life with this person would make our lives better. And while that’s not entirely selfish – God wants us to enjoy our marriage to our spouse, after all – many couples spend their first years of marriage chasing individual interests.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, marriage September 20, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How Jesus Redeemed My Gender Confusion

Gender identity is a pervasive topic these days. The culture is locked in debate about everything from access to restrooms to competition in women’s athletics to the ethics and morality of certain courses of treatment for children dealing with gender dysphoria.

For Christians, this isn’t a political matter, a psychological orientation, or even a social question. It’s a spiritual battle. The Bible is clear that God created humanity as male and female, biological certainties that are not dependent on how a person feels or “identifies.” However, we battle an enemy who sows seeds of confusion that corrupt our understanding of God’s beautiful design.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, faith, kids September 18, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Aiming for a Godly Marriage in the Dating Years

Dating has changed dramatically over the decades, even within the Christian community. It used to be a slower process. Young adults took a deliberate approach to creating healthy relationships and seeking God’s will for marriage.

These days, everything is fast paced, driven by a culture that prioritizes instant gratification. Dating becomes a recreational activity instead of an opportunity to build a meaningful connection that endures across time and struggle.

Authors and married couple Safa and Tovares Grey believe dating is an opportunity for single adults to develop the character they’ll need to be godly partners in marriage.

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

Life at a Funeral

A friend of mine is an atheist. He says he doesn’t believe in God because he can’t see Him. I say he sees God more than he thinks he does. The evidence is all around us. We just need the eyes to see.

Let me give you a simple, yet profound, example. When my friend’s mother died, he remembers standing alone beside her casket and talking to her – just simple things, like how nice her hair looked and how deeply he loved her.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith September 14, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura