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

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

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

One of the biggest reasons marriages collapse is that couples expect love to be easy, which means they aren’t willing to stay committed to one another when things get tough.

Any of us can show love to our spouse when life is clicking along smoothly or when we feel our needs are being met. But to have a marriage that endures, love must go much deeper. Love only has the opportunity to show its true colors when it’s tested.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage January 23, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Hurdlers don’t usually stumble on the open stretch of track but when they’re attempting to clear the obstacles.

Likewise, marriages don’t stumble when everything is calm and life is rolling along smoothly. Problems tend to develop when couples encounter some kind of stress.

My wife, Jean, and I have gone through numerous transition periods. We have faced challenges in our extended families, relocated to new cities, and raised two boys. One of the biggest challenges to our marriage – ironically enough – was when I became the president of Focus on the Family.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage January 23, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Ladies, if you want to talk to your husband in a way that he’ll listen, here’s a tip you may never have thought about: follow the design of sports talk shows on television.

Broadcasters know how guys think and how to speak their language. Switch on a sports show, and you’ll notice that they spend a lot of time showing highlights of great plays. The clips are fast-paced and drop guys right into the action. It’s not until after the clip is rolling that the announcer offers a more in-depth explanation of what’s happening.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage January 18, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

What does intimacy look like in a thriving marriage?

Pronounce the word “intimacy” as “Into me, see,” and the answer becomes clearer.

Healthy couples learn to “see into” one another’s hearts. They discover their spouse’s likes and dislikes, prioritize their spouse’s needs, and see life from a perspective that’s different from their own.

Intimacy is not an empty emotion that comes and goes but a commitment, a beautiful action in which we give of ourselves freely, even sacrificially (1 Cor.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage January 18, 2023 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

More often than we realize it’s the simple everyday things that make the biggest difference in a marriage. Here’s an easy one for you to try: Encourage your spouse to do something that’s important to them.

I had a chance to do that on a summer vacation my family took to Glacier National Park in Montana. We all hiked to a place called Hidden Lake. It was spawning season for the trout, and the bears were especially active.

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

Julie and Clay’s first baby was due any time. To celebrate and to enjoy one last date night before the baby’s birth, Julie planned a romantic dinner. That evening, Julie was first to arrive at their favorite restaurant, and waited.

And waited.

Clay was supposed to come there straight from work, but after twenty minutes he was still a no-show.

Julie called his phone. No answer.

Thirty minutes passed.

Then an hour.

Clay and Julie eventually lost their reservation, and Julie’s expectations for the night were ruined.

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