This Advent season, dust off the classic story of the birth of Jesus. Instead of seeing His birth in Bethlehem in isolation, consider the big picture. The late Pastor Adrian Rogers reminds us that Christ was born to bear the scars of painful Roman whips and the cruel crucifixion to take the punishment for our sins. That’s true, unconditional love!
December 18, 2021
The dynamics of being a stepparent can be tricky. A new stepdad or stepmom in the home can often be a reminder that a child’s biological mom or dad is absent. On today’s Family Talk, Ron Deal, author of the best-selling book, The Smart Stepfamily, explains that there are two keys to successful step-parenting. First, connect with the child to let him know you are understanding of his emotions concerning the turmoil. Second, do not attempt to "erase and replace" the biological parent. Like God, who lovingly and patiently pursues all of us, stepparents should do the same with their stepchildren.
December 11, 2021
Did you know that 40% of parents raising children under the age of 18 are members of stepfamilies? Some might even say the non-traditional family is the new traditional family. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Ron Deal, author of Preparing to Blend: The Couple’s Guide to Becoming A Smart Stepfamily, contends that combining families does not have to be like oil and water. He encourages parents to be empathetic with their step kids.
December 4, 2021
Dr. Tim Clinton is president of the American Association of Christian Counselors, and co-host of Family Talk, the radio ministry of the James Dobson Family Institute. He is recognized as a world leader in mental health and relationship issues, and spends much of his time working with Christian leaders and professional athletes. He is the author of over 30 books including The Struggle is Real: How to Care for Mental Health Needs in the Church. Dr. Clinton has served at Liberty University for over 30 years in numerous leadership and academic positions including professor of counseling at the James C. Dobson Center for Child Development, Marriage, and Family Studies. He is also the resident authority on mental health and relationships for the James Dobson Family Institute. Dr. Clinton is married to Julie, and they have two children and one grandchild.
November 27, 2021
Dr. Gregory Jantz is a licensed mental health expert and founder of The Center - A Place of Hope, located in Edmonds, Washington. Dr. Jantz pioneered ‘Whole Person Care’ and is an expert on depression, anxiety, eating disorders, technology addiction and abuse. He is a best-selling author and highly sought-after authority on mental and behavioral health afflictions. He has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, and NBC. Dr. Jantz and his wife, LaFon, have two sons and reside in Washington.
November 20, 2021
On today’s Family Talk, former U.S. Congressman Bob McEwen joins Dr. Dobson in-studio to discuss what is right about America today. In a time of deep wounds and division within our culture, McEwen exhorts Americans, especially Christians, to be aware of our unique place in history. As President John Adams stated, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” A passionate advocate for homeschooling, McEwen underscores the importance of teaching our kids to fear God, love America, and honor their parents. Only then can we preserve this last and greatest hope on earth. United we stand; divided we fall.
November 13, 2021
On today’s edition of Family Talk, former U.S. Congressman and Dobson Institute advisory board member Bob McEwen declares that there were two great events in world history. First, Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice by dying on the cross for our sins. And second, on July 4, 1776, America was born as an independent nation. Despite the obvious lines of division that exist in our country today, we must remain faithful to the principles that built this great nation. It was founded in liberty and has become a lighthouse to the world for the gospel and for truth.
November 6, 2021
Jason Romano always had a passion for sports, an interest he shared with his father and grandfather. He turned that passion into a dream career at ESPN, producing SportsCenter and Monday Night Football. But sadly, Jason couldn’t always share his "love of the game" with his father, whose alcoholism was a constant source of anguish and shame for the entire family. On today’s edition of Family Talk, the author of Live to Forgive says the four steps toward forgiveness are to feel the pain, evaluate the trauma, transform the wound, and forgive the abuser. In Matthew chapter 18, Jesus commands us to forgive. If we don’t, we hurt ourselves more than our offender.
October 30, 2021
The reach of Marxist ideology has spread into our country’s education, corporations, media, and government. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Mark Levin, author of American Marxism, tells Dr. James Dobson that this God-hating, individual-despising worldview is often cloaked in deceptive labels such as “progressivism.” In addition to advocating for homeschooling and school choice, Levin warns parents against sending children to colleges that indoctrinate them to hate America and its precious Judeo-Christian heritage.
October 23, 2021
When grandchildren become teenagers, grandparents have a tendency to disengage, no matter how close they were with their grandchildren beforehand. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Mark Gregston, author of Grandparenting Teens: Leaving a Legacy of Hope, encourages grandparents to do the opposite, saying this is the time for them to press in, not check out. Rather than being concerned about what’s coming out of their teenage grandchild’s mouth, they should be listening to his or her heart.
October 16, 2021