Focus on the Family Commentary

Many parents try to rescue their children from making mistakes. Jim Daly explains why kids need to learn how to handle life’s challenges, so they’ll know how to live successfully as adults.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

It’s dangerous to compare our real lives against what we perceive to be true about other people. Jim Daly explains how to avoid the comparison trap by remembering that things aren’t always what they seem.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

For a happy marriage, live with the long view in mind. Jim Daly explains why a couple’s relationship can only survive when it’s built on something deeper than how they feel in the moment.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Summer is underway, and moms and dads everywhere are already hearing it from their kids: “I’m bored.” Jim Daly shares ideas that help your kids find things to do on their own and keep them busy until school starts again.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Living well is about keeping passion and humility in balance. Jim Daly explains that humility transforms passion into purpose that inspires, uplifts, and brings hope to others.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Helping your children learn to manage money takes planning, patience, and a little ingenuity. Jim Daly shares how to help your kids learn to put in the time and effort to earn what they want even when it seems out of reach.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

“Being nice” often means a smile with nothing of substance underneath. “Kindness,” on the other hand, requires something deeper. Jim Daly explains why society needs more than “nice” to thrive. We need genuine kindness.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

The Wright brothers became the first men to achieve powered flight. The greatest contributor to their success? Growing up with a mother and father. Jim Daly shares how to encourage your children and propel them forward in life.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

If you think rushing into marriage is a bad idea, imagine the trouble that erupted for a couple who got married in a drive-thru. Jim Daly shares their story and explains how to build a happy, successful marriage.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Words have power. They express profound truth or strip it of all meaning. Jim Daly explains why words either anchor us in reality and encourage good things to happen, or distort reality and create confusion and brokenness.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

When a family member suffers from a terminal illness, the grief of young children is often easy to overlook. Jim Daly explains how to give your children the emotional support they need to cope well when a loved one dies.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Raising boys can present unique challenges for a single mother. Jim Daly shares helpful ideas for making your job easier if you’re parenting on your own.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

If something valuable gets thrown into the garbage, does it lose its value? Jim Daly explains why we are souls with profound value because we bear the fingerprint of the Master himself.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Ladies, could you use some ideas for creating a happier marriage? Jim Daly shares a simple way to open your husband’s heart and fill his soul with love … for you.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Extending grace to people who hurt us is never easy to do. But Jim Daly shares why forgiveness won’t erase your suffering, it will make it possible for you to move forward toward peace.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Moms and dads often parent like a light switch – all one way or all the other. Jim Daly explains why what kids really need are parents who act like a dimmer switch with a range of responses that meet kids at their point of need.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Jim Daly shares the story of Ray Lambert, who survived the D-Day invasion in 1944 and spent the rest of his life demonstrating the power of a life rooted in faith, freedom, and humility.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

We often assign value to things based on what we want to be true rather than on what is actually true. Jim Daly shares why we should strive to see beyond what we want to believe and find courage to seek truth.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Has your child ever experienced a big moment that seemed more important to you than it did to them? Jim Daly explains why parents must guard against fixing their pasts by living their dreams through their children.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Suffering is a harsh reality, and there are no easy answers. Jim Daly explains why pain strengthens our character in ways that would never happen without it.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Without the picture on the front of the box, a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle can be a confusing mystery. It’s the same with marriage. Jim Daly shares why successful couples create a vision for marriage they can pursue together.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Mom’s presence plays an important role in helping their daughters become young women of character. Jim Daly helps busy moms stay engaged with their daughter no matter how long their to-do list.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

How should society make decisions about human worth and dignity? Popular opinion? Majority rule? Jim Daly explains why stable societies rely on a strong moral compass that points true north.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Parenting can be hard on marriage. Even well-behaved children can be disruptive. Jim Daly shares why kids aren’t separate from your marriage, they’re an integral part of it.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

If we don’t challenge ourselves to face real danger and real fear from time to time, our minds will create it out of nothing. Jim Daly explains how facing up to what we fear makes us stronger.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Children won’t develop good manners on their own. They must be taught. Jim Daly shares the most effective way to teach children how to be polite and respectful toward others.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

A child-focused home seems like a good idea. After all, parenting is one of the most important jobs in life. Jim Daly explains why a marriage-focused home is one of the greatest gifts you can offer your children.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Are your choices leading you toward greater peace and purpose? Or are they piling up spiritual, emotional, and relational garbage? Jim Daly shares how to reach new heights by pursuing a life rooted in wisdom.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

The online world is where your child will find the Internet, social media, smart phones, and too many apps to count. And all of it can put them at risk. Jim Daly shares how to keep your children safe in an online world.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Lots of people believe in love at first sight, but how many believe in love that transcends mere emotion? Jim Daly explains how to stay the course together in your marriage and confront adversity together.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Children won’t learn good character on their own. It must be taught. Jim Daly shares how to prepare your children for the future by instilling them with confidence.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Malcolm and his spouse were in such bad conflict that he chose to run for the hills – literally. Jim Daly shares the story of Malcolm’s disappearing act and offers tips for handling conflict in your marriage.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Most of us won’t have a front row seat to our child’s greatest success, but Jim Daly explains how we can enter our child’s everyday world, connect with them, and influence their lives forward.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

It’s no surprise that parents think like adults; they’re focused on structure and responsibility. But the most effective parents play just as hard as they work. Jim Daly shares a great way to create positive memories with your kids.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Light is a common metaphor in the English language. It stands for wisdom, truth, and understanding. Jim Daly shares how to have a better marriage, relationship with your children, or career by bringing them into the light.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Just because you’re madly in love, does that mean you should get married? Jim Daly explains why it’s best to let the love fog clear before you decide.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

It’s been over 50 years since Jim Daly’s mom died, but he still remembers helpful things she said that shaped the man he became. Jim shares a few of those comments and encourages you to consider how your mother influenced your life.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

It’s sad but true – we accept hypocrisy within ourselves much more easily than we accept it in others. Jim Daly shares why each of us chooses to create a world that’s broken … or a world that’s filled with love, courage, and justice.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Achieving goals in life doesn’t mean much if you aren’t becoming a better person along the way. Jim Daly explains why, in addition to “do” goals, we need “be” goals as well.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Every couple is a work in progress. Jim Daly shares how you and your spouse can be intentional about working together to create a “perfectly imperfect” marriage.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Teaching manners to kids isn’t always easy. Jim Daly shares a personal story of an incident that taught him and his wife why parents have to stick with teaching manners for the long haul.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Buying gifts for children can be fun, but parents can overdo it. Jim Daly shares why letting children earn the things they want will help them develop the maturity they’ll need throughout adulthood.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Goodness is often hidden beneath the surface of our bad circumstances, but we’re blind to it. Jim Daly explains why, though hardship is never easy, it can sometimes become the source of something better in our lives.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Life is busy, but when we get out of balance, we often miss out on the very things that make life worth living. Jim Daly shares a timely story that explains why it’s so important to make room for the important people in our lives.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

What kind of legacy would you like to leave for your children? Jim Daly explains why, for bad or for good, your influence will ripple through the lives of your children long after you’re gone.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.  

Busyness keeps the ground beneath a marriage shaky, which leads to cracks in the relationship. Jim Daly shares how couples can overcome busyness together.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Things are rarely black and white in marriage. Even when a husband thinks he knows what to do, uncertainty can rise up. Jim Daly shares why being a good husband isn’t rocket science, but there is an art to it.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

“Where is God when we suffer?” is one of the most common questions people ask. Jim Daly explains why it’s in the darkness that God’s light shines the brightest.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

According to the March of Dimes, between 10 and 20 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage. And yet, most people don’t understand how to come alongside a loved one who has suffered one. Jim Daly shares helpful advice.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

Hollywood gets a lot wrong. Like romance. True love is portrayed as a one-time flash of passion. Jim Daly shares why real love stories are built out of trust, commitment, and shared purpose.   Support Family Ministry   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.