marriage Archives

Gabrielle Reece’s Controversial Conviction

You’ve probably heard of Gabrielle “Gabby” Reece, a former Women’s Beach Volleyball League star. But you may not be aware that her marriage was headed for divorce, when, as she calls it, “an old fashioned dynamic” mended the relationship. According to this volleyball star’s critics, the dynamic that saved her marriage set back women’s causes 50 years.

What could she have possibly said to provoke such a strong reaction?

All it took was one line from her newest book: “To be truly feminine means being soft, receptive, and – look out, here it comes – submissive.”

After sharing this perspective on national TV in April, Reece swiftly came under fire.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: husband, marriage, news, wife May 23, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Three Ways to Be a Radical Christian

Recently, Christianity Today and World Magazine both ran pieces on the growing trend of “radical Christianity.”

What’s it all about?

The “radical Christianity” movement encourages believers to eschew the relative comfort of our middle-class American lives in favor of walking out our faith with abandon.

I agree wholeheartedly that God is more interested in our character than our comfort. I also agree that sometimes God’s call on our life requires moving out of the suburbs and into the inner city to serve among the vulnerable, while others are called to leave the U.S.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, marriage, news, parenting May 22, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

35 Steps to a Better Life

What I’m going to share with you today is a version of a popular email forward. The author is unknown. But because the advice is so simple and foundational, it’s probably worth reviewing again.

What strikes you will be dependent upon what’s going on in your life. I hope what sticks with you will be the thing you need to work on.

Simple Steps to a Good Life

Pray.
Go to bed on time.
Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, marriage, parenting May 20, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

If the Supreme Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage…

This was the question posed to me by the editors of Christianity Today recently:

If the Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage, what next?

Hypothetical questions are not always productive, but in this case, I was privileged to participate in the panel, which featured answers from two other individuals. The panel of three also included Elodie Ballantine Emig, instructor of Greek at Denver Seminary and Timothy Dalrymple, managing editor at Patheos.com.

You can read the entire exchange by clicking here.

Topics: Current Events Tags: homosexuality, marriage, news, policy April 15, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Four Things You Can Do to Preserve Traditional Marriage

Today’s Focus on the Family broadcast features two of the brightest minds in the country discussing the Supreme Court’s recent oral arguments on the matter of same-sex marriage.

Joining John Fuller and me is Dr. Helen Alvare, a professor of law at George Mason University, and Dr. Al Mohler, the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

By clicking here you can hear the entire program, which includes audio clips from the actual proceedings inside the Supreme Court chamber.

Topics: Current Events Tags: broadcast, homosexuality, marriage, news, policy April 10, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Six Things You Should Know About Edith Schaeffer

Edith Schaeffer, the wife of the late Christian apologist Francis Schaeffer, died a little over a week ago. She was 98.

Simply put, Mrs. Schaeffer was a remarkable woman. She lived in a turbulent time and ministered to thousands alongside her talented husband. The daughter of Chinese missionaries, Edith met Francis at a church event on a summer Sunday evening in 1932. From that day forward they were partners in both life and ministry.

Books have been written about Francis, a man who was brave and bold.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, marriage, news, parenting April 8, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

8 Lessons from the World’s Happiest Couples

The May edition of Reader’s Digest features a breezy article titled “Is Your Marriage Normal or Nuts?”

Don’t answer just yet.

But within the piece is a short list detailing eight lessons from the “World’s Happiest Couples.” I’d like to share them with you and ask if you might add to it:

1. Kindness Helps

74 percent of couples who said they were happy give each other back rubs.

2. It’s Not Necessarily about the Looks

20 percent of the happiest partners say they’re not physically attracted to their spouse.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: husband, intimacy, marriage, wife April 4, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Have You Heard About Feminist Housewives?

A fascinating article from the Daily Mail in London landed in my in-box earlier this week. Here was the headline:

Rise of the happy housewife: How a new wave of feminists are giving up their careers to stay at home because they WANT to

The article details a growing trend among women who, though raised by two working parents, have decided they want to give their own children what they didn’t enjoy as a child:

A stay-at-home mother.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: husband, marriage, parenting, wife March 20, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Same-Sex Marriage Debate Around the World

France. Puerto Rico. Scotland. What do these nations have in common?

All of them have committed active marriage supporters who are working hard to preserve the traditional one-man, one-woman definition of marriage.

There are times when activists who favor the redefinition of marriage seem to suggest that America is simply behind the times when compared to the rest of the world.

But the facts suggest otherwise.

This past January more than 300,000 people took to Paris to protest the French president’s plan to legalize same-sex marriage.

Topics: Current Events Tags: homosexuality, marriage, news March 18, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Who’s Your #1 Priority – Your Spouse or Kids?

So, if you’re married and have children, who’s your first priority – your spouse or the kids?

Entertainment reporter and reality TV personality Giuliana Rancic sparked something of a controversy last week when she said she puts her marriage first over motherhood. Her comments made headlines across the nation and spurred a debate over how couples should prioritize relationships.

It’s a good conversation to have.

Mrs. Rancic says she puts her husband, Bill, first because “the best thing we can do for him [son Edward Duke] is have a strong marriage.”

She has her supporters – one commenter to an online story said, “Putting your marriage first gives the child a stable, loving home to grow up in,” while others pointed out that some marriages fall apart when spouses stop making each other a priority.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: kids, marriage, parenting March 6, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura