faith Archives

When Darkness Falls

Imagine waking up drenched in sweat, your heart pounding, your legs convulsing. The ER doctor reports that your blood pressure is 190 over 170. You’re convinced you’re having a heart attack, but after chest x-rays and an EKG the doctor says there’s nothing physically wrong with you. His diagnosis: “You’re having an anxiety attack.”

That scenario happened to Pastor Louie Giglio back in 2008. He fell into a pit of darkness, depression, fear, and anxiety so disabling that he thought he might never stand in front of another person to proclaim the truth of God or to serve others again.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith January 15, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Living Well in Middle Age

Comedian Ken Davis was 65 when he told his audience, “These are some of the best years of my life.”

He wasn’t joking.

He’d been a Christian for years, but it wasn’t until he was older that he’d begun living the truth of Philippians 3:10, where Paul says that he desired “to know Christ and the power of His resurrection.” Christians will experience the fullness of Christ after we die, of course, but Paul reminds us that we can also know the power of God’s resurrection in this life!

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, marriage January 10, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Saving Your Marriage from Divorce

There’s good news about bad marriages: No matter how dire your circumstances, there is hope. When a marriage enters dangerous territory, the journey out isn’t easy, but the results can be beautiful.

Dr. David Clarke has a proven 90-day strategy for getting a broken marriage on track toward healing and intimacy. He says healing begins by identifying the type of marriage you’re in:

First is the couple who admits they’re unhappy and struggling, but are willing to work on it.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, divorce, faith, family, marriage January 8, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Football Sunday’s “Halftime Home” is an Inspiring Replacement for the Super Bowl Halftime Show

I want to tell you about a unique partnership we’ve recently forged that involves some of my favorite things: faith, family, friends, food – and football.

The popularity of the National Football League has taken a bit of a hit these past few seasons. Once a near universally beloved entity, many loyal fans have grown weary of the on-field player protests. While the controversies have seemed to die down a bit this year, I know the feelings and concerns still run deep, and rightly so.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, faith, football January 2, 2019 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Controlling Your Tongue

Deborah Pegues is the author of the book 30 Days to Taming Your Tongue. The idea for the book came to her after she didn’t control her tongue with a friend.

She thought she was helping when she told somebody else something she wasn’t supposed to tell. Her attempt to help backfired, and she discovered firsthand what happens when we don’t use our words wisely.

That’s when Deborah decided to go on a “tongue fast.” For 30 days, she refused to speak negatively about anything – not the traffic, not the weather, nothing that she couldn’t directly positively influence.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, relationships December 31, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Protecting Your Child from Sexual Abuse

The statistics are heartbreaking: One in 4 girls will be sexually abused before her eighteenth birthday. For boys, the number is 1 in 6.

Sexual abuse isn’t an easy conversation, but the information we have to share with parents on our broadcast “Protecting Your Child from Sexual Abuse” can help your children avoid becoming part of the disturbing statistics.

An overwhelming percentage of abuse – close to 90 percent – comes from someone the child knows and trusts, like a family friend or someone from within the family itself.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, kids, parenting, sexual abuse December 28, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Helping Engaged Couples Become More We-Focused

Lucille Williams was washing vomit out of her clothes when she thought, “This is marriage.”

She was on her honeymoon with her husband, Mike. It was the last night of their cruise, and they were enjoying a final dinner with friends they’d made that week. Suddenly, an unexpected bout of sea sickness hit Mike, and he began vomiting uncontrollably. Their dinner guests scrambled to get out of the way, but it was too late for Lucille.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, husband, marriage, relationships December 27, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Reflecting on Christmas Memories

By now, you’ve already seen It’s a Wonderful Life two or three times (and if not Jimmy Stewart and the gang, then maybe Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, or A Christmas Story and Ralphie’s quest for a Red Rider BB gun in spite of every warning that he’d shoot his eye out).

That’s why on a special edition of our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Reflecting on Christmas Memories,” we’re sharing Christmas stories that you’ve not heard before.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, christmas, faith December 24, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Letting Go of Offenses

Why are we so easily offended?

That’s even a problem for Christians who believe in the fruit of the Spirit. Why do we get so upset about the guy that cuts us off on the highway? Why are we so easily irritated when something doesn’t go our way, or when we feel like we’re not getting what we deserve? And why do we deserve something in the first place?

There are different levels of anger. Sometimes it’s the result of feeling threatened.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, offense December 21, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Christmas Pajamas I Never Forgot

What’s the most thoughtful Christmas present you’ve ever received?

Technology gifts tend to top the “most popular” lists these days. From iPhones to iPads, video games to flat screen television sets, holiday giving can be an inordinately expensive undertaking – if you’re so inclined to follow current trends. According to Gallup, the average American will spend $885 on gifts this year, and a third will shell out more than a $1000.

At the risk of dating myself, Christmas gift-giving looked a lot different back when I was a child.

Topics: Current Events Tags: christmas, faith, family December 19, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura