Family and Home Archives

Transformational Radio

Can a radio program change the direction of a family’s future?

We received an email the other day that suggests it can. I’d love to share an excerpt of it with you. Beth’s words put a lump in my throat. She wrote:

I wanted to let you know that just last week I filed for divorce. We have been married for 19 years . . . Our finances are extremely limited. [However] I was so desperate that even living in a hotel seemed better than staying here.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, technology March 26, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Please Pray for my Nephew Bobby

My 30 year-old nephew, Bobby, is dying. He has cancer. Wicked cancer. A tumor is pressing against his lungs and heart and breathing has become extremely difficult. I have had the opportunity to see him these last few days. I’ve hugged him and told him how much I loved him.

There is such sorrow and such grief. It is so difficult to watch a loved one suffer and feel helpless beyond offering comfort and prayer. I really lost it yesterday and found myself crying deep tears from places unknown.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, staff March 23, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Brouhaha in Boulder: A Tough Witness

The Breakpoint commentary by Chuck Colson last Friday was exceptional. I thought you’d appreciate his compassionate yet biblically-based perspective in the following transcript:

Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Boulder, Colorado, recently informed the parents of two students that their children wouldn’t be re-admitted for next fall’s term. Normally, that would be a matter between the parents and the school and not the stuff of national news. But not this time. That’s because the parents in question are a lesbian couple.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, homosexuality, marriage March 22, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Prayer Road

About a year ago the Lord impressed upon my heart the need to pray more often with my boys. That’s when I got the idea to start a family tradition called The Prayer Road. When Jean or I drive the boys to their charter school in the morning, we follow a road that cuts through a somewhat rural neighborhood. That’s our “prayer road.” As we drive, we intentionally don’t turn on Adventures in Odyssey, the radio, or listen to music.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, parenting March 20, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Radio Feedback

This is a guest blog post by Gary Schneeberger, Vice President of Media and Public Relations at Focus on the Family:

Last week Jim Daly shared his journey of faith during a two-day Focus on the Family broadcast. Even though I knew the details of Jim’s story, I found myself fighting back tears all over again as he spoke. As turbulent as his childhood was—having his father abandon his family when Jim was at a young age and having lost his mother to cancer when he was seven, I am convinced those years prepared Jim for his current role ministering to today’s families.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family March 18, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Hooray for Hollywood

Looking for some good news out of Hollywood?

I was encouraged to read the other day about the actor Chris O’Donnell of NCIS: Los Angeles fame.The thirty-nine-year-old actor has been married to his college sweetheart, Caroline, for the last twelve years. They have five children, ranging in age from two through ten.

Chris recently said something that I can genuinely relate to. He told a reporter: “Family is my number one priority. I can’t handle being away that long .

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, family, pop culture March 16, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Hanging Out With The Family

If you were to ask what our family did this past weekend, I’d tell you the truth: We quite literally and figuratively were hanging out together at Monarch Mountain, a delightful family-friendly ski area just a couple hours southwest of Colorado Springs. “Hang” is the operative word here.

I’ll explain.

On Saturday, Jean and I took Trent and Troy up to Monarch for a day of skiing. The air was warm and the sun was shining.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, humor March 15, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Condoms for Preteens?

I just read that a condom manufacturer is marketing a new line of smaller condoms to 12-year-old boys called the “Hotshot.” Swiss condom maker Lamprecht AG decided to produce the prophylactic in response to a study by Switzerland’s Federal Commission for Children and Youth which noted a sharp increase in unprotected sex among youth. They hope the use of these kid-sized condoms will reduce teen pregnancy and the spread of STDs.

To me, the ad slogan, “It fits when passion hits,” is about as crass as is the whole idea of targeting young boys with condoms.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, kids, parenting March 11, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

When Less is More

Paul Harvey used to lament that “noise makes news”—which was a pithy way of saying that journalists are drawn to the negative and the sensational. Fortunately, there are exceptions, and I’d like to tell you about one of them.

This past Friday’s edition of the Denver Post featured an extensive story on its front page by a reporter named Electa Draper. It was entitled:

Adoption Initiative Halves Numbers of Kids Needing Families

Admittedly, I’m a bit biased about the story because it highlights the great work our team here at Focus on the Family has been doing.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: adoption, family, kids March 9, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

NCAA Bans Focus Ad

The latest Focus on the Family ad featuring our “Celebrate Family. Celebrate Life” message was banned last week by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Here’s what happened. In short, our agreement with CBS Sports to run the Tim and Pam Tebow ad in the Super Bowl included the placement of banner ads on various Web sites which the network maintains. One of those outlets was a Web site for the NCAA basketball tournament.

I should point out the banner ad had nothing to do with the topic of abortion or sexuality or any other “hot button” issue.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, news, pop culture February 27, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura