Family and Home Archives

Video: Why I Will Risk My Reputation

I had the pleasure of sitting down recently with my friend and colleague, Kim Trobee, to discuss the general principles that I wrote about in my latest book, REFOCUS: Living a Life that Reflects God’s Heart. That chat was actually broadcast live on our website. We fielded questions from Focus on the Family’s Facebook audience.

The entire interview, which lasted about 30 minutes, can be viewed here:

In the course of the conversation I mentioned to Kim that I was willing to risk my reputation in exchange for something very precious to me.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, staff January 28, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Plight of the Orphan: Emotional Video

Have you ever thought about adopting, about rescuing a child from a bad situation?

Today’s Focus on the Family broadcast, The Plight of the Modern Day Orphan, features a great discussion on the topic with my friends and colleagues, Paul McCusker and Kelly Rosati. They joined John and me to discuss the impact of Charles Dickens’s tale “Oliver Twist” during an age when orphans were largely disregarded, and reiterate today’s need for orphan protection and care.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, promos January 25, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

One of the Most Influential People You’ve Never Heard Of

At some point in our lives, most of us have wanted to achieve greatness and make a difference in the world. We dream about it as kids, and it’s a popular theme at almost every high school and college graduation.

But for every Billy Graham, William Shakespeare, or Abraham Lincoln, you need a Max Talmey.

My guess is Max Talmey (pictured left) isn’t a name you’re familiar with. Consider yourself in the majority. Most people don’t know he was an ophthalmologist and scientist in the early nineteen hundreds.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: news January 24, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

These are the Heroes of Today

My colleagues and I were talking about heroes yesterday afternoon, about the positive impact a courageous and principled figure can make in the life of another person, especially a child.

As we chatted the sun was slipping behind the mountains, bathing my westward facing office in a warm, golden glow. Is that a fitting metaphor, that amid all the sordid news of culture, the heroic figure is like the fading light of a long day?

One surely hopes not.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: pop culture, pro-life January 23, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Remember the Unborn

Janurary 22, 1973 – January 22, 2013

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: pro-life January 22, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Missing Piece in the Gun Debate

Do you ever get the sense that fewer and fewer people are willing to address the root cause of big problems?

Take for example the fiscal state of America. Instead of cutting spending and tackling the crippling national debt, lawmakers raise taxes.

When it comes to education and struggling schools, rather than examining the curriculum or expanding parental choice, the immediate response is usually a call to increase the school district’s budget.

Abortion or sexually transmitted disease rates rise – and there’s a chorus of individuals championing the free distribution of condoms in public schools.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, news, policy January 18, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

A Short Video About Life, Love and the Gospel

Have you seen this new video from Cru?

I welcome your thoughts. Please pass this on, won’t you?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: events, family January 17, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Five Best Movies for Kids

Parents in search of reliable analysis of entertainment, especially movies and television intended for children, will find no better friends than our terrific team at Plugged In. And since Oscar season is here, they’ve decided to offer their own nominations for best films of the year.

Today, I’d like to share their list of the top five cinematic productions for the youngsters in your family.

BEST MOVIES FOR KIDS*

*Since the word kids is a pretty broad descriptor, we’ll give some context here: Generally speaking, we’re looking at middle school- and elementary-age children, but we’re also aware that different kids have different sensitivities.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, family January 16, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Before You Say You’re Not Qualified…

I recently came across this and wanted to share it with you:

NOAH got drunk.

ABRAHAM was too old.

ISAAC was a daydreamer.

JACOB lied.

LEAH was ugly.

JOSEPH was abused.

MOSES was a murderer and couldn’t talk.

GIDEON was afraid.

SAMSON had long hair and was afraid.

RAHAB was a prostitute.

JEREMIAH and TIMOTHY were too young.

DAVID was a murderer and adulterer.

ELIJAH was suicidal.

ISAIAH preached naked.

JONAH ran from God.

NAOMI was a widow.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, friendship, relationships January 14, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Life Lesson from the ‘Dancing Guy’ Video

Have you seen the “Dancing Guy” video making its way around the Internet?

As you’ll see below, it shows one person performing a bizarre dance at an outdoor concert. Initially, he’s just out there all by himself and he looks odd and out of place. But then, one person joins him. Before long, that first person’s willingness to join in draws a second person, then a third. And in a matter of minutes, what was once a lone dancer becomes dozens.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, pop culture January 10, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura