Daly Focus Blog
Many women feel overwhelmed. They’re busy from morning until night yet still don’t seem to have enough time for important things like devotions, exercise, friendships, sleep, or quality time with their families.
My wife, Jean, did a great job of keeping our family and household in order during our parenting years. But some days the strain she was under was tough. Like the evening I came home from work, and Jean met me at the door.
Longtime friends and readers will remember a book I wrote and released back in 2012 titled, “ReFocus: Living a Life that Reflects God’s Heart.”
The offering was motivated by a desire to encourage Christian believers to engage the culture in both a convicting and loving manner. The hostility facing followers of Jesus Christ is real and rising, and it’s tempting to respond in kind. Our faith calls for us to do the opposite.
In that same spirit, I’m delighted to announce that I’ve decided to launch a new podcast echoing many of these same themes – and I have the privilege of talking with individuals who have a lot to say about the subject.
If you’re unfamiliar with Christianity, or your passion for your faith has cooled, you’ll want to join us for our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Reasons to Believe in Jesus.”
We’re sharing a recorded message by author and British evangelist J.John. With plenty of humor, he explains why he is certain that the teachings of Christianity are absolutely true and reminds us why only Christ can fill our lives with real hope in the midst of the problems of this world.
As you know, the much-welcomed reversal of Roe last June has set in motion an avalanche of pro-abortion legislation and ballot initiatives, including in our home state of Colorado.
I had an opportunity to weigh-in on a particularly grievous series of bills passed in the Centennial State and signed by our governor. My original article appeared in Newsweek last week. I’ve updated the piece to reflect the fast-moving nature of the subject matter.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis Signs Bill Prohibiting Lifesaving Care of Innocent Pre-born Children
By: Jim Daly
For many years now, pro-abortion advocates have attempted to perfect the art of using soft words to describe dark deeds, and nowhere more regularly or dangerously than in my home state’s General Assembly.
Last month, pro-abortion zealots in Colorado introduced a series of three bills, all of which have been signed by Governor Jared Polis.
Opposites attract. With a little communication, those differences usually can be navigated. But sometimes it’s differences in communication itself that are the problem.
Authors Bill and Pam Farrel offer a simple word picture to illustrate the distinction between how men and women communicate: Men are like waffles; women are like spaghetti.
Ladies are the spaghetti. The noodles run in random directions, and they all seem to touch each other. That’s a visual for the way women easily jump from one subject to another within a conversation.
There’s a saying that every parent should give their children two gifts: roots and wings.
The days and weeks after our children leave home to carve their own path through life may feel uncomfortable for us, but our pain is actually a good sign. It indicates that we have a strong connection with our children and that their absence matters to us.
The challenge is not allowing our sadness to get in the way of our children stepping forward into life.
Parenting is the toughest job in the world.
Why?
For one thing, you never truly master parenting. By the time you make sense of one stage of your kids’ lives, they’ve already moved on to the next. One minute you’re a Ph.D., the next minute you’re starting from scratch in “Parenting 101.”
Parenting is also tough because you can never resign or retire. From toddlerhood to adulthood, your role as a parent will change, but parenting itself never really ends.
The desire to be popular, pretty, or admired by other people starts early for girls.
Beauty and body image are now common concerns for girls as young as 10 years old. By age 17, 78% report feeling unhappy with their bodies.
My wife and I didn’t have the privilege of raising daughters, but Jean can attest to struggling with feeling comfortable in her own skin as a teen girl.
Truth be told, Eve was the first and only female to experience God’s love and acceptance while living in an environment free of competition with or comparison to anyone else.
Forgiveness is one of the most powerful forces in the world.
So, why is it so hard to do?
Because, while we want mercy for ourselves, we want others to be held accountable.
Jesus told a story about a servant who owed the king a substantial debt of 10,000 talents. For reference, one talent was roughly equivalent to a year’s wages. A debt of 10,000 talents, then, meant the servant was hopelessly trapped in his miserable circumstances.
A father told psychologist Michael Anderson, “You wouldn’t believe what my daughter has become. Ninety days ago, she was an A-student. She was in the church youth group and did anything we told her to do. Now she’s smoking and drinking, shoplifting, and does anything her friends tell her to do.”
Michael responded, “The only thing that has changed is who your daughter is listening to.”
In working with the family, Michael knew that the father had never encouraged his daughter to think for herself, only to follow instructions.
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.
