Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk

Pastor Duane Miller was forced to take a sabbatical for three years when a virus damaged his vocal cords, prohibiting him from talking above a whisper. Throughout his illness, he felt as though someone’s hand was around his neck. On today’s edition of Family Talk, you will hear the moment when God restored Duane’s voice, which was captured in an audio recording of him teaching a Sunday School class. Ironically, he had just read Psalm 103:4-5 which says, "God redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion." After three years in the pit, God crowned Miller with compassion, prompting him to say three words with his revitalized voice: "Thank you, Lord!"

As a mom, do you ever feel like you're in a fog? Are you having difficulty completing thoughts or tasks? On today’s edition of Family Talk, Hannah Keeley discusses her book entitled Mom Fog: 8 Steps to Overcoming Mom Fatigue Syndrome. This mother of seven and licensed behavioral therapist urges moms to change their focus. Hannah believes that you should not blame your mess on your genes or your reactive tendencies. Cross-examine your negative thoughts by holding them up to the cross of Christ.

Hannah Keeley, the mother of seven, was out of shape and deeply in debt. One night while cooking mac and cheese for her kids, the electric company cut her power off for lack of payment. But as Psalm 30 says, weeping may last for the night but joy comes in the morning. On today’s edition of Family Talk, the author of Mom Fog: 8 Steps to Overcoming Mom Fatigue Syndrome shares her miraculous turnaround after she made a decision to trust God and practice simple action steps with faith and discipline.

When Congresswoman Linda Smith traveled into the brothel district of Mumbai, India on a fact-finding mission, she was horrified by the brutal reality she encountered there. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Linda shares that she quit her political career to found Shared Hope International. Her goal? To help and heal those who have been exploited or are enslaved, and to assist people in identifying individuals in their communities who are trapped in the dark web of trafficking.

On today’s edition of Family Talk, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a devout Christian and a man whose life has been defined by public service, shares the story of his conversion to Christ as a young cadet at West Point. Not surprisingly, Pompeo became a champion of religious liberty and, during his time at the State Department, he even helped to create the Unalienable Rights Commission concerning international human rights matters. In this exclusive one-on-one interview with Dr. Tim Clinton, Mike recalls that one of the highlights from his time as Secretary of State was negotiating the release of three Christians from North Korea in 2018. Secretary Pompeo reveals his distaste for the secular line of thinking that predominates today’s politics. Despite that reality, he is confident that we can once again restore the vision that America is a “light on a hill.”

On today’s edition of Family Talk, Dr. Carol Swain shares that she came to Christ in her late forties as a university professor. Clinging to Jeremiah 1:5 which says, “Before I formed you in your mother's womb, I knew you,” her new-found faith put her at odds with the liberal faculty and students. The author of Abduction: How Liberalism Steals Our Children's Hearts And Minds, Dr. Swain sounds an Amber Alert for the souls of America's youth.

Growing up in a two-room shack in rural Virginia, Dr. Carol Swain lived without indoor plumbing and dropped out of school after eighth grade. Despite enduring a short-lived marriage at 16, the crib death of her daughter, and several suicide attempts, the Lord had a plan for her life. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Carol shares that she learned the answer to King David’s question of God found in Psalm 8:4 — “What is mankind that You are mindful of them?” The Lord created Carol in His image, gifting her with inherent intelligence to earn her Ph.D. and become a national Christian thought leader.

Despite the fact that our mainstream society has continually celebrated and lauded abortion as a normal part of life, there’s reason for hope! On today’s edition of Family Talk, Jeanne (JEAN-ee) Mancini, President of March for Life, says that 60% of Americans oppose taxpayer-funded abortions and the Supreme Court seems open to overturn Roe v Wade. Thankfully, Gen Z has become the pre-born baby’s biggest advocate. The 3D-sonogram pictures of these preborn children, created in the image of God have revealed their humanity. Indeed, the theme of this year’s March for Life, slated for January 21st, is "Equality Begins in the Womb."

When one family committed to two tech-free days a week, their 8-year-old son was thrilled that his father had time to teach him how to play baseball. And his mother had time to bake cookies with him. The boy gushed, “Our family is normal again. And I got my Daddy back!” On today’s edition of Family Talk, Dr. James Dobson talks with Dr. Kathy Koch (pronounced Cook), author of Screens and Teens: Connecting with Our Kids in a Wireless World on the ever-evolving relationship between teenagers and screen time. Parents, if you want your teen to develop character and self-discipline, demonstrate that the smartphone is a tool, not a toy.

For many teens, their smartphones have become their best friend and safety blanket. According to research, 56% of teens associate the absence of their cell phone with at least one of these three emotions: loneliness, feeling upset or anxious. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Dr. Kathy Koch (pronounced Cook), author of Screens and Teens: Connecting with Our Kids in a Wireless World, urges parents to set reasonable limits for their children and to remember that it’s not their phone; it’s their parents’ phone. Insist on regular phone blackouts. Encourage your teen to engage with you, have a meaningful conversation inside the home, play board games, do a jigsaw puzzle, read a physical book, or shoot hoops with a sibling.

Like the Israelites on the edge of the Jordan River, it seems like we are all having to grapple with some of the most challenging moments in our lives, especially in these unprecedented days. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Dr. R.T. Kendall discusses his book We’ve Never Been This Way Before: Trusting God in Unprecedented Times. He draws from Joshua 3:4, reminding us that we need unrivaled faith to navigate the waters of a pandemic, division, and cultural upheaval. When we plead with God for His guidance, He will provide strength and comfort.

If you’ve ever rung up too much on your credit card and could only afford to pay the minimum amount, then you’ve experienced firsthand the reason that Jews of the Old Testament felt compelled to offer regular sacrifices to God. On today’s Family Talk, Rabbi Jason Sobel, author of Mysteries of the Messiah, explains that the Jews continued to give sacrifices for atonement because they understood that they could never cover the full cost of their sin. But when Jesus died on the cross, He wiped the slate clean by paying all of our sin debts in full. Amazingly, He credits His righteousness to our account!

In Matthew 13:52, Jesus said, "Every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of Heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old." Sadly, many Christians fail to grasp the Old Testament foreshadowing of Christ. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Rabbi Jason Sobel, author of Mysteries of the Messiah, invites believers to stop settling for just half of our spiritual inheritance, because everything in the Old Testament ultimately points to Jesus.

Christian grandparents are the missing puzzle piece in the discipleship of their grandkids. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Larry Fowler, founder of the Legacy Coalition, urges grandparents to develop biblically-focused relationships with their grandchildren. Dr. Dobson noted, "An inheritance is what you give someone, but a legacy is what you build in someone." Grandparents, what legacy are you placing in your grandchildren?

According to research, 3 out of 4 Christian grandparents take on a cultural view of grandparenting rather than a biblical view. When Larry Fowler asked a group of people at a conference how many of them had ever heard a sermon on grandparenting, only three raised their hands. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Dr. James Dobson sits down with Larry Fowler, founder of the Legacy Coalition, to discuss the great need for grandparents to be involved in their grandchildren’s lives. The most important thing a grandparent can do is live out his or her spiritual walk and testimony. In a rapidly changing society, grandparents are essential!