Family and Home Archives

Will China Stop Forcing Abortions?

An article in last Wednesday’s USA Today chronicled in horrifying terms the forced abortion of 31-year-old Pan Chunyan’s baby. The only reason we know about the tragic ordeal, similar instances of which happen frequently in China, is because of the Internet and the explosion of social media users in that Communist-controlled country.

Ms. Chunyan was eight months pregnant with her third child, a violation of China’s one-child policy. She was told that she could keep her baby provided she pay a penalty, which was the equivalent of $8,640 U.S.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: kids, news, policy, pro-life July 30, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

A Son’s Reaction: “That is Really Weird!”

I promised to share an update with you regarding “the talk” I had with my son Trent over the weekend. Thanks to all of you who offered counsel and prayed for us. It was greatly appreciated!

In short, the conversation went very well. I decided to organize it into three sections:

God’s design for marriage
God’s design for human sexuality
The practical application of sections 1 and 2.

I was extremely pleased with how well and warmly Trent received and connected with the discussion about God’s view of marriage and sexuality.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: kids, pop culture July 30, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Big Talk

It was twelve short years ago that the doctor placed a tiny little boy in my arms, his eyes still closed and his skin soft and pink.

Trent and I became fast friends, my little buddy by my side, and I wondered if any father had ever loved a son as much as I loved mine.

Two years later that scene was repeated, and I quickly discovered that love multiplies.

I began to wonder again, this time if any father had ever loved his two sons as much I love ours.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: kids, parenting, sex July 26, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Did Facebook Boycott Chick-fil-A?

You’ve likely heard that Chick-fil-A has come under fire for supporting traditional marriage and the biblical understanding of the family.
But now it appears that the social media giant, Facebook, temporarily censored a grassroots effort to applaud and support the family-run business.

What’s this all about?

Former Arkansas governor-turned-talk-show-host Mike Huckabee floated the idea of organizing a “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” for August 1st. He talked about it on his FOX News TV show on Sunday, launched a Facebook page to promote it and by Tuesday morning had gathered over 100,000 supporters declaring their agreement with the concept.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: religious liberty July 25, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Batman Shooting: Why God Allows Suffering

Lee Strobel is a former journalist who didn’t believe in God until he launched his own personal investigation to attempt to disprove God’s existence. Strobel’s research led him to the opposite conclusion. The experience was chronicled and eventually turned into a book titled, The Case for a Creator. It has since sold millions of copies. He later became a pastor and has been a frequent guest on our radio program.

This past Sunday Lee preached a powerful sermon at Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, faith, pro-life, relationships July 24, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Would You Give Away Your Entire Salary?

If you felt God leading you to give away all of your income to help the poor, would you do it? That’s exactly what Traceway Baptist Church in Clinton, Mississippi, did between April 2010 and April 2011.

John Richardson is the pastor of the small congregation, which usually hosts about 50 people each Sunday.

“Everything that was given to our church in the offering plates,” said Pastor Richardson, “was given away to abused mothers that got out of bad situations basically with the clothes on their backs, or people that were trying to break free from addiction, or people that had lost jobs or facing foreclosures, or had extreme medical bills, or anything like that.”

In total, the church distributed approximately $60,000 throughout the 12-month period.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, relationships July 23, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Real Cause of the Colorado Shooting

The mass murder earlier this morning of 13 people in a Denver suburban movie theater is a story that feels eerily familiar.

Horror isn’t supposed to strike up memories. But this one does, and many of our minds race back to the senseless shootings at Columbine High School in 1999.

At this stage of the tragedy, people want to know why, allegedly, a 24-year-old man named James Holmes did it.

So do I.

Details about the shooter will begin to emerge as the investigation continues.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: events, news July 20, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Family is a Social Justice Issue

I want to share an article with you written by my colleague, Glenn Stanton. It was originally posted over at ChristianityToday.com and makes the case how strong marriages and families are a community’s most important social justice driver.

It’s an important article for all students of the family, making a tight, reasoned and diversely-documented case that marital status matters more significantly than other assumptive factors when it comes to lifting women and children out of poverty and protecting them from it.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, family, pop culture July 19, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Confessions of a College Intern

I’m delighted that Focus on the Family has long maintained a robust outreach to the next generation of leaders,especially high school, college and millennials.

Our Leadership Institute, which began in 1995, has been mentoring students from both Christian and non-religious universities in significant ways. In addition, our internship program has attracted some of the nation’s best young people. If you have a son or daughter in that age bracket, or you’re on the hunt for an opportunity yourself, I’d invite you to click here to connect with us.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, kids July 18, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

What Do You Think of This Photo?

This past weekend, Tim Goeglein, one of my colleagues at Focus, visited New York City’s Ground Zero Memorial.

There, at the southern tip of Manhattan, the names of all the twin tower victims are etched into the walls of one of the two waterfall cascades that commemorate where the two towers stood, and fell.

All the victims are memorialized…including the unborn child of a woman named Vanessa Lang Langer.

The child was known to her family and God.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, kids, pro-life July 17, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura