Current Events Archives

When Holy Week & Terrorism Collide

Mobile phone video taken in the moments immediately following the terrorist attack in Brussels shows people running in a smoky airport terminal.

Dust settles on an empty stroller.

We watch a mother hug her young son, fear and worry in her eyes.

Sadly, scenes like what I’ve described above are becoming the new normal. Since June 2014, ISIS has carried out 75 attacks in 20 countries, killing at least 1,280 innocent people. While the majority of these attacks have occurred in the Middle East, ISIS is increasingly targeting the large cities and suburban areas of Europe and North America.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, faith, news March 23, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How to Talk with Your Kids about the Threat of Terrorism

We woke up this morning to horrible news out of Brussels.

Another terrorist attack.

Reports say there were shouts in Arabic before a suicide bomber killed at least 14 people at the Brussels airport. A second blast took 20 more lives during rush hour at a metro train in the capital.

And so once again, a scant four months after the terrorist attacks in Paris, we’re seeing how hatred wreaks destruction and death – and it’s all playing out on our TV and computer screens.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, family, kids, news, parenting March 22, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Remembering a Faithful Pro-Life Leader

When I spoke at the March for Life event in Washington, D.C., in January, I thanked the Catholic Church for its faithful leadership on the abortion issue. It was the Catholic community that mobilized immediately after the Roe v. Wade ruling, in part because it had been grappling with the issue of abortion long before the Supreme Court rendered its horrific ruling in 1973.

That heritage and sincere commitment to defending life was evident in Father Lawrence W.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, news, pro-life March 21, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Dr. Tony Evans on Growing Boys into Men

You hear a lot of theories tossed about in the media to explain why our culture has suffered such a steep moral decline – things like economic pressures, a lack of educational opportunities, etc., etc.

I’m sure each, in their own way, plays a role. But there’s one factor that I believe is consistently overlooked: the poor state of manhood.

The impact on our society is undeniable. Children from fatherless homes perform more poorly in reading, spelling, and math.

Topics: Current Events March 17, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Top Movies, Books and Audio Recommendations for Spring Break

Is your family looking forward to spring break?

The Daly family is eager for a change of pace to rest and play. While we had a pretty mild winter here in Colorado, the promise of spring and its warmer weather and extended hours of sunshine is always welcomed this time of year.

If you’re a parent, though, you might be asking yourself how to help your children fill those longer days. In the Daly home, we enjoy spending time outdoors and taking in the beautiful Colorado scenery.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, family, promos March 16, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Please Urge the State Department to Help Christians in the Middle East

As Americans, we’ve become all too familiar with horrific references in the news to the Islamic State, otherwise known as ISIS or ISIL. This jihadist militant group based in the Middle East has made clear its intentions to terrorize, kill and destroy anyone who doesn’t adhere to the tenets of Islamic fundamentalism.

To put it bluntly, they seek to dominate the world and will not stop until (according to their magazine) the “Blessed flag [of their organization] covers all eastern and western extents of the Earth, filling the world with the truth and justice of Islam and putting an end to the falsehood and tyranny of jahiliyyah [state of ignorance], even if America and its coalition despise such.”

Christians remain a key target of ISIS.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, policy, religious liberty March 14, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Have You Ever Thought of the Childhood of Jesus?

The Bible is silent on most of Jesus’ childhood. Except for a brief glimpse of Him at age 12, Scripture shows Jesus as a divine baby born under supernatural circumstances … and then as a man aware of His divinity carrying out a miracle-filled ministry on Earth.

But what about those years in between?

There’s a movie that debuts this weekend that explores the period of Jesus’ life where He “increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52).

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, faith, pop culture, promos March 9, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

John Ortberg on How to Make Important Decisions in Life

We know which road Robert Frost took in his famous poem, “The Road Not Taken.”

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –

I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference.

But the choices we face in real life don’t seem nearly so romantic or easy. In fact, important decisions are often the most anxiety- and fear-producing experiences in life.

Fortunately, we have our faith in Christ, right? Well, that ought to give us more confidence, but seeking God’s will can sometimes intensify the pressure even more.

Topics: Current Events Tags: broadcast, faith March 8, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Gary Smalley Has Died

My friend Gary Thomas Smalley died last night. He was surrounded by his family, including his son and my Focus colleague, Greg, who had just returned hours earlier from a speaking engagement about marriage.

How fitting, I thought, that on the very day Gary was to receive his eternal reward, his son was picking up where his father had left off, loving and ministering to Christian couples by helping to enrich their marital relationships.

It’s impossible to sum up 75 years’ worth of living into a few words, but let me tell you just a little bit about the man I knew and loved – and the author and personality so many of you appreciated from afar.

Topics: Current Events Tags: broadcast, news March 7, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Chick-fil-A Encourages Families to Give Cell Phones a Time Out

Do your children have smartphones?

My boys, ages 15 and 13, don’t. Jean and I have considered getting the boys simple flip phones for emergencies, but yet … we hesitate opening that door.

Beyond the dangers that come with smartphones, we recognize how easy it can be to become addicted to them. Americans now spend an average of 4.7 hours a day on their phones. We sleep with them on our nightstand and carry them in our pockets.

Topics: Current Events Tags: family, pop culture, technology March 4, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura