Family Matters

A father’s influence in a child’s life is vitally important, and yet it’s an area of modern society that is a concern. We want to highlight the need for father figures as we discuss the significance of a father’s influence.

Are you looking at your tween daughter’s behavior, especially when it comes to friendships, and wondering what has happened to that little girl you used to know? Pre-teen girls tend to hit an age where they are finding their way in terms of friendships, and enjoying the social aspect of it all. But sometimes this involves a tendency to exclude others or be excluded themselves. Navigating this time can be difficult, and seemingly more devastating for a parent to witness.

One of the most prevalent and concerning epidemics of modern society, is teenage pornography addiction. With the advent of digital technology, children and teens are being bombarded with sexual images and messages all the time through various media ports, and unfortunately it is just too easy to access pornography, and keep it a secret. Many parents are looking for answers to this raging monster that is causing havoc in the lives of their young ones, and we are going to offer some guidance and advice on this subject.

We’ve seen remarkable statistics that show the success rate of pre-arranged marriages, where couples have not had a choice in the matter of who they married but chose to commit to making their marriage work. Questioning if you married the right person can send one down a rabbit trail if you are not careful.

Thriving marriages require a lot of communication and commitment. Safe-guarding your marriage against outside temptation and influences by setting boundaries can be one of the most important steps in protecting your marriage. We’ll talk more about appropriate boundary setting and healthy lines of communication between spouses.

How should my husband relate to his female boss? Occasionally, she needs to discuss a business matter with him that requires privacy and so she will schedule a lunch appointment with him alone. I'm uncomfortable with this, but he sees no alternative since this kind of practice is common and expected in his line of work. In fact, to raise this as a concern would make things difficult for him professionally. What are your thoughts and what should he do?

Is it normal for a husband to lose interest in sex after his wife has had a hysterectomy or mastectomy? Several years ago I underwent a hysterectomy. More recently, a bout with cancer meant the loss of one of my breasts. That's bad enough, but it gets worse: since my last surgery, my husband has distanced himself emotionally and doesn't seem to care at all about sex. I'm devastated. Can you help me?

If these are the end times, why should Christians pray and get involved in social issues? Many ministries like yours say that believers should be spreading the gospel, praying for solutions to problems like hunger and poverty, and working to shape our country's laws. I have serious problems with this. My study of the Bible and my understanding of "the signs of the times" convince me that this is the last generation and that Christ will be returning soon. If that's true, what good does it do to pray that things will get better? Couldn't we actually be opposing God's will by praying such prayers?

What's the relationship between drugs, alcohol, and teen suicide? What should we do if we suspect that our child might be at risk for any of these behaviors?

As a single mom with three young children, is it okay for me to want another person around to help carry the load? I used to feel pretty self-sufficient, but the burden of doing it all by myself is getting heavier. I work full time, take online college courses, and I'm active in church. Do you have any advice for someone in my situation?