Daly Focus Blog
Jesus’ mother was Mary.
The prophet Samuel’s mother was Hannah.
King David’s mother?
The Bible doesn’t tell us, but she must have had tremendous insight into how boys become men because she didn’t rescue her son from risk. David was a teenager when he conquered Goliath relying on strength and trust in the Lord he developed in the field. First Samuel 17:34-36 says:
“But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep sheep for his father.
On our Best of 2021 list of Focus on the Family Broadcasts is “Embracing Your Role as a Spouse,” with our guest Kevin Thompson. On the program, he describes the three roles of a spouse:
As friends, spouses play and laugh together.As partners, spouses handle conflict and communicate well.As lovers, spouses put sizzle into their relationship.
Kevin is the lead pastor at Community Bible Church in western Arkansas and regularly counsels couples. He’s also a conference speaker with popular talks about the topics of marriage and parenting.
We are in the Advent Season, and the word “anticipation” seems like an appropriate word to describe how I feel about the approach of Christmas. Saints of old, by faith, anticipated the coming of Christ on that first Christmas. Simeon, for example, rested on the promise God had made to him that he would not see death until he had gazed into the eyes of his savior (Luke 2:25-32).
As a child, my parents required that my older brother and I feed and water our horses before starting our celebration of Christmas.
Author Jodie Berndt has heard from hundreds, if not thousands, of parents through the years who struggle with praying for their children, as she did:
They feel inadequate.They believe prayer to be a natural part of the parenting process, but rarely feel like their prayers “pack a punch.”Jodie even worried that her proud or anxious prayers might elbow God out of the picture.
The more familiar Jodie became with the Bible, the more Scripture reshaped her perspective and her desires – and the more her prayers lined up with God’s will
The book of James says that “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16).
Coming out of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, you might have missed news last week of a significant study concerning the current state of the American Family.
“The Divided State of Our Unions: Family Formation in (Post) Covid America” confirms much of what we’ve been tracking here at Focus on the Family regarding the rapidly evolving dynamics surrounding attitudes toward marriage and children.
A crisis almost never leaves anyone the same, so a fair question to ask is just how has the global pandemic impacted our relationships?
I love meeting new believers in Christ. Their faith is so alive and vibrant that it bubbles over into every area of life. They are eager to serve and worship Him at every opportunity.
Do you remember feeling that way?
Unfortunately, many of us lose passion for our faith over time. We get busy with work, children, and household responsibilities, and the fire that once burned bright begins to fade.
If you’re wondering how to keep your passion alive – or to reignite it if it’s gone dull – tune in to our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Reigniting Your Passion for Jesus.” We’re speaking with Kim Meeder, author of the book Revival Rising: Embracing His Transforming Power.
Friday’s passage in the House of Representatives of H.R. 5376, a.k.a. the “human infrastructure bill,” represents an unprecedented grasp of government overreach that threatens to undermine the institution of the family on a number of levels.
Deceptively titled “Build Back Better,” this $2 trillion piece of legislation will actually break the backs of future generations. The only thing it builds is a deepening dependence on Uncle Sam.
The “better” way is for the United States Senate to outright reject this bill.
One of the top calls our counseling team receives is from parents who struggle with feelings of resentment, sadness, or anger because of a fractured relationship with their adult children. It’s heartbreaking.
It’s also common. A 2015 studyby Richard Conti of Kean University found that 43 percent of college students had been estranged from their parents at some point. Twenty-six percent reported extended estrangement.
When a parent/adult child relationship is fractured, the most effective solution is to redefine the boundaries.
Over the past couple of decades, more studies than you can count have been done to pinpoint the most crucial factors in raising emotionally strong, well-balanced kids. Almost all of them have arrived at the same conclusion: Eating together as a family is one of the most significant influences in raising healthy, well-balanced kids.
The more families eat together, the less likely children will engage in drug use, suffer from depression, develop an eating disorder, or succumb to a host of other behavioral problems.
Parents often dream about their children becoming doctors, astronauts, or business executives. They help their children along that path by helping them develop specific talents or academic excellence.
The trouble with that approach, according to parenting expert Dr. Kevin Leman, is that it focuses on what our children will become, rather than who they’ll become.
To correct course, Dr. Leman offers parents eight strategies for raising successful kids:
Start with the end goal in mind.Expect the best, get the best.
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.
