Daly Focus Blog
President Ronald Reagan used to joke that the nine most terrifying words in the English language were, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
It was one of his classic tongue-in-cheek references, but memorable because it contained a grain of truth.
Well, according to a recent report, some officials are taking his faux warning to heart.
A review of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website suggests that the term “government” is out and the phrase “federal family” is in.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, policy by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
A few weeks ago I shared with you my enthusiasm for a new movie based on a terrific book by author David L. Cook, Seven Days in Utopia. The film stars Academy Award winner Robert Duvall and highlights the critical contribution mentors can make in a person’s life.
As a follow-up to the production’s nationwide release, a colleague just received the following note from one of the movie’s senior executives. It is good news:
I just wanted to send this quick message out to all my friends and partners that helped us with the launch of Seven Days In Utopia.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, events, faith by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
Topics: Family and Home Tags: events, faith by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
Over the course of the last ten years, in the shadow of the White House, Richard Retta has quietly saved over 350 lives.
But he’s not a doctor, fireman, paramedic or a policeman.
The 79-year-old grandfather is a sidewalk counselor outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Washington D.C.
Mr. Retta’s approach is understated and gentle, but direct. As a woman approaches the entrance, he walks within earshot of her, politely striking up a conversation. In those few fleeting seconds he tries to convince her to spare her baby’s life, and, in doing so, save herself from years of grief and torment.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, news, pro-life by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
Assuming your son or daughter has a cell phone, do they text?
The Pew Research group recently concluded that most teens prefer texting to talking – with a third of them sending over 100 messages a day.
Tolerance for this type of behavior varies by family, of course, but almost no parent would knowingly permit their son or daughter to text crude, lewd or obscene messages.
But what about more vague or coded communications?
It takes a deft and alert parent to stay up to date on texting lingo, especially since the lexicon is constantly expanding and often doesn’t make any logical sense.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, parenting, technology by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
According to the National Retail Federation, parents will spend close to $23 billion dollars on back-to-school purchases this year. When college is included – outfitting the dorm room, buying the smart phone, etc. – that figure jumps to an incredible $68.8 billion.
Those are big numbers, but boiling it down to you and me, the average family will spend just over $600 this fall on school-related items. Given such a significant sum, it would seem wise, whenever possible, to not only competitively shop, but also frequent stores that show respect for people of the Christian faith.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, pop culture, religious liberty by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
Is there one person you can point to who helped “turn the tide” in your life?
When I think about that question, my mind immediately settles on a man named Mo – my high school football coach. At the time, my life was a mess. Without a parent to guide me, Coach Mo became my mentor. He encouraged and believed in me. He didn’t just teach me about football. He was a steady, dependable, wise and bold influence.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, events, faith, pop culture by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
My friend and colleague, Gary Schneeberger, is Focus on the Family’s vice president of Communications. He recently hosted a group of foreign journalists who came to the United States as part of the East-West Center’s Senior Journalists Seminar. This year’s group included professionals from places like Pakistan, Malaysia, Afghanistan, the Philippines and Thailand. The purpose of the program is for chroniclers of various cultures to get a flavor of each other and the issues that drive news in each place.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
We were married on August 24, 1986, a sun drenched day in Santa Ana, California. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 25 years, a full quarter-century!
I first met Jean Stephens in 1985 at a wedding in California. People often say that weddings are great places to meet people (for good reason!), but at the time I wasn’t interested in finding a girlfriend. Honest! I had recently returned from a year in Japan and graduated from college.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, marriage by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
Do you remember your first lunch box?
Mine was a G.I. Joe model, used and dented, but I loved it.
Lunch boxes go way back, over a hundred years, in fact. Then they were called “lunch pails” and were usually recycled cans that originally held biscuits or even tobacco. It wasn’t until the 1950s when the Aladdin Corporation struck upon an idea, leading to the explosion of the themed boxes so many of us remember. Realizing that a metal box was durable and thus likely handed down in a family, executives decided to put celebrities and pop culture icons on the side.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, faith, kids by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.Home
About
Posting Guidelines
Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy
FAQs
© 2026 Focus on the Family