Family Matters

Family Matters is a 5 minute programme offering practical advice from Focus on the Family. Receive a daily dose of encouragement and advice for the family with keys to stronger marriages, effective parenting, deeper relationships and a more satisfying lifestyle.
Daily English South Africa Society & Culture · Religion & Spirituality
1,149 Episodes
900 – 920

Christian morality vs sexual repression

Is Christian sexual morality unhealthy or unnatural? I'm young woman who is trying to live a chaste life, but my boyfriend is always pressuring me. He says that my concerns about sexual morality are just an expression of an unhealthy "fear"-that in trying to live by God's standards, I'm basically…
11 Mar 2020 6PM 4 min

Christian growth and the process of maturity

Why is it taking me so long to grow as a Christian? I've been a believer for a while, and I have to confess that my lack of spiritual progress has really got me down. When I was born again, I thought life was going to be beautiful from that…
10 Mar 2020 6PM 4 min

Child wonderers if animals go to heaven

Will my pet be with me in heaven? I'm really sad right now because my dog just died. We've had the same dog ever since I was a little kid, and I can't even imagine life without him. I asked my mom if I'd see him in heaven and she…
9 Mar 2020 6PM 4 min

Changing relationship with teen

Is it normal for a parent's relationship with a child to take on a different tone during the teen years? I was always close to my daughter in the past, but things aren't the same since she became a teenager. I can't connect with her anymore – she's always texting…
8 Mar 2020 6PM 4 min

Biblical view of survivalist and preppers

What do you think of Christians who adopt a "survivalist/off-the-grid" mentality? Who sell their homes, move to remote desert or mountain locations, stockpile food, grow their own crops, live like "pioneers," and strive to be as independent of the "system" as possible? I know several people who are moving in…
5 Mar 2020 5PM 4 min

Caring for children and elderly parents simultaneously

Should we be considering the possibility of taking my aging mother into our home while we're still in the process of raising three kids? We have two teens and a primary-schooler. We don't really like the idea of placing my mom in a nursing home, but we also don't want…
4 Mar 2020 5PM 4 min

Biblical perspective on Christian involvement with the fine arts

Is there any legitimate place for the arts within the biblical worldview, or is it simply a frivolous and "worldly" pursuit? How can we tell good and godly art from bad art? Our daughter is an art student at the university, and we're worried that she's just wasting her time…
3 Mar 2020 5PM 4 min

Attending a family gathering including a same sex couple

Should we attend a family gathering where a same-sex couple are planning to be present? My sister-in-law is currently married to her partner. We love both of these ladies but have made it clear that we don't support their lifestyle. There's a huge family reunion next summer and my husband…
2 Mar 2020 5PM 4 min

-DELETED- Attending a family gathering including a same sex couple

Should we attend a family gathering where a same-sex couple are planning to be present? My sister-in-law is currently married to her partner. We love both of these ladies but have made it clear that we don't support their lifestyle. There's a huge family reunion next summer and my husband…
2 Mar 2020 5PM 4 min

Anger management for teens

How can I help my adolescent son deal with his anger? It's easy to tell that he is very angry about something, but I have a sense that he's trying desperately to squash his feelings and keep a lid on his emotions. Try as I might, I can't get him…
1 Mar 2020 5PM 4 min

Just discovered that spouse has had an affair- (Part 2 of 2)

I've just discovered that my spouse has been cheating on me. As you can imagine, I was devastated when I first learned of his infidelity, and I still haven't recovered from the shock. I have not confronted him yet and have no idea what I'm going to do. Can you…
27 Feb 2020 5PM 4 min

Just discovered that spouse has had an affair - (Part 1 of 2)

I've just discovered that my spouse has been cheating on me. As you can imagine, I was devastated when I first learned of his infidelity, and I still haven't recovered from the shock. I have not confronted him yet and have no idea what I'm going to do. Can you…
26 Feb 2020 5PM 4 min

Getting married in college

Should my girlfriend and I get married before I graduate from university? We're both mature Christians and we've both made a commitment to sexual purity before marriage. We've been dating about five months, and after much prayer, we've decided to get married in two years. Our parents approve of our…
25 Feb 2020 5PM 4 min

Father daughter conflict

How can I make peace between my husband and our teenage daughter? Every day when he picks her up from school he either starts a fight or delivers a lecture about how she's not measuring up academically. Then she calls me, angry or in tears. Grades have always been a…
24 Feb 2020 5PM 4 min

Emotional affairs and grounds for divorce

Are repeated emotional affairs biblical grounds for divorce? On several occasions my husband has become emotionally involved with other women in ways that have been seriously destructive to our marriage. The most recent incident involved a lady with whom he'd been emotionally intimate in the past. I'm tired of his…
23 Feb 2020 5PM 4 min

Dealing with lazy teenagers

How can I motivate my two lazy teenagers? They won't help me around the house, and they consistently wait until the last minute to do their homework. As a single parent, I usually don't have the energy to make them get down to work. Is there a way to break…
20 Feb 2020 5PM 4 min

Contraception and the culture of death

Is there a connection between birth control and abortion? My wife and I would like to have a family someday, but for a number of reasons we don't feel ready yet. During our two years of marriage we've sought the Lord's guidance and have never questioned our decision to postpone…
19 Feb 2020 5PM 4 min

Concerned about wife’s friendship with former boyfriend

Am I justified in being upset about my wife's ongoing friendship with a former boyfriend? We've been married for three years, and they have maintained a close relationship the entire time. She refuses to cut it off even though she knows it's hurtful to me. Am I being unreasonable?
18 Feb 2020 5PM 4 min

Christian romantically involved with a Non-Christian

Is it okay to be romantically involved with a guy who doesn't share my Christian faith? He asked me out on a date six months ago, and though at the time I didn't think it was a good idea, I went ahead and accepted. Now he's captured my heart and…
17 Feb 2020 5PM 4 min

Child is overly cautious

Should we be concerned about a child who doesn't like to take risks? My husband thinks he should be pushed harder and forced to face his fears. I feel we should give him time to develop confidence at his own pace. What's your perspective?
16 Feb 2020 5PM 4 min
900 – 920