Focus on the Family Africa Family Matters

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
492 – 512

Emotional Distance In Marriage

As many couples’ lives are busier than ever, with both partners working full-time jobs, and plenty of other commitments filling the schedule, it’s easy to understand that emotional distance can creep into a marriage. How can couples rekindle that flame if it has been snuffed out by the whirlwind of…
9 Sep 2021 6PM 4 min

Dealing With The Practical Aspects After Losing A Spouse

In the tragic event of losing one’s spouse, it can be terribly overwhelming to focus on much more than managing the grief and pain of the loss, but unfortunately, the unsympathetic saying ‘Life must go on is somewhat true in the sense that certain logistical tasks need to be taken…
8 Sep 2021 6PM 4 min

Dad Wants Relationship With Children He Abandoned

When you’ve made serious mistakes in life, the consequences are often hard to swallow. You may have had a change of heart and a revolutionary life makeover, but if you’ve hurt people by your previous actions, it can be very difficult to regain trust and relationships.
6 Sep 2021 6PM 4 min

Angry Father, Angry Son

A well-known saying is that behaviour is not taught it’s caught. In other words, our children see us behaving in a certain way and imitate us. This can be a good thing as long as parents model the behaviour they want to see in their children. However, when bad behaviour…
5 Sep 2021 6PM 4 min

Why Marriage License

Have you ever wondered why Christians participate in wedding ceremonies and sign legal documents to declare their marriages if it’s all meant to be about a commitment before the Lord, then stay close as we discuss the importance of a marriage license and wedding ceremony.
1 Sep 2021 6PM 4 min

Unmarried And Pregnant, Boyfriend Uninterest

There are countless situations where unmarried couples are getting pregnant and the father is not interested in the baby, and won't commit to taking care of the child. This leaves the mom in a terribly tricky situation.
31 Aug 2021 6PM 4 min

Sibling Conflicts and Rivalry

Sibling rivalry happens in most families, but as Christians we need to be teaching our children to honour and favour one another in their interactions. This can be tough terrain to navigate, and it takes a lot of intentionality on the parent’s part, but it’s worth the effort. We’ll discuss…
30 Aug 2021 6PM 4 min

Parent Disillusioned by "Train up a Child in the Way He Should Go"

What should a parent feel when a child of theirs has wandered from their faith, even though they have been raised in a Christian home and taught to obey God’s word? Unfortunately, there are no guarantees, but we want to look closer at what the bible says.
29 Aug 2021 6PM 4 min

Pain, Injustice, and God's Love

Have you ever wondered if God really cares about you and the world at large? With all the suffering and pain that is going on, believing that God exists and that He cares can be a tough concept to get your head around.
26 Aug 2021 6PM 4 min

My Spouse Verbally and Emotionally Abuses Our Children

My husband has never physically harmed me or the kids, but he constantly subjects our children to mean-spirited put-downs. For example, he tells them that they're stupid and lazy. He demeans my son's athletic abilities. He tells my daughter that she's ugly and needs to lose weight. The children try…
25 Aug 2021 6PM 4 min

How to Prevent Teens from Sexting

What are some things I can do to discourage my teen from engaging in "sexting"? I've become increasingly worried as I've read about the rise in this kind of activity among kids. I'm also aware that the consequences can be extremely serious. At the same time, I'm not sure that…
24 Aug 2021 6PM 4 min

Helping an Unemployed Spouse

We know that a man’s role in the family is to provide, and that because God designed men for work, a man will find much purpose and dignity in fulfilling this role. And so, when a husband or father finds himself unemployed, this can have far reaching effects on his…
23 Aug 2021 6PM 4 min

Helping a Shy Preschooler Become More Confident

A young child can often be viewed as shy when they will not interact easily with other children and even adults. This behaviour can and should be considered very normal in most cases, but how can a parent encourage the child who exhibits this kind of behaviour, and refuses to…
22 Aug 2021 6PM 4 min

Grown Woman's Mother Is Jealous and Possessive

If you are being controlled by a person in your life, where you feel manipulated in your relationship with them, then you’ll want to hear what we have to say in this kind of situation.
19 Aug 2021 6PM 4 min

Christian and Social drinking

There are many different schools of thought surrounding alcohol consumption in the Christian life, and this subject has proven to be quite controversial, but what does the Bible actually say about it? We’ll take a look at the biblical view of drinking.
18 Aug 2021 6PM 4 min

Child Mistreats Siblings and Animals

A child’s negative behaviour can often be linked to their internal compass, for example their emotions and reactions to things that are bothering them. Or a child can be learning unacceptable behavior from outside influences such as friends, family members, or exposure to inappropriate images and events on television. The…
17 Aug 2021 6PM 4 min

Boyfriend Is a New Christian

Should I slow things down with my boyfriend just because he is a new Christian? I recently began dating a young man whom I like very much and who seems to be a person of strong character. He accepted Christ about five months ago, and had been attending church and…
16 Aug 2021 6PM 4 min

Wife Critical of Husband's Children in Blended Family

The number of blended families in today’s society has increased dramatically, and with the coming together of families, there are going to be some preferences and tendencies that differ. But as couples take on the role of parenting one another’s children, this can sometimes be tricky territory and can cause…
15 Aug 2021 6PM 3 min
492 – 512