Daly Focus Blog
Author Aaron Sharp says that every new dad is like Peter Parker, the mild-mannered character in the Marvel comic series who becomes Spider-Man. A pivotal moment in Peter’s story comes when he’s bitten by a radioactive spider, and his life changes forever … only, he doesn’t immediately realize it.
For a man, that pivotal moment comes the first time his wife says, “We’re having a baby.” The man’s life changes forever … only he doesn’t immediately realize what’s coming down the pike.
Over the last few years, Teen Vogue has made headlines for regularly serving up deeply offensive content, including condoning abortion and offering advice to young women on how to obtain illegal abortions.
But the publication is back in the news this week for firing Alexi McCammond, its incoming editor-in-chief. Back in 2019, she was declared an “emerging journalist of the year” by the National Association of Black Journalists.
Ms. McCammond was let go before she even started because of some offensive comments she tweeted back in 2011 – while she was a freshman in college.
What would you do if your boss asked you to train someone for your job so well that you’d no longer be needed?
That’s an important question to answer if you have a child, because that’s precisely your task as a parent.
Some parents react to the process of letting go of their children by not letting go. They cling to their need to feel needed. But the task of every parent is to work yourself out of a job by raising children who become adults capable of standing on their own two feet.
Dr. Gary Chapman never asks troubled couples, “Do you want to work on your marriage?” Wanting something is a function of the emotions, and emotions rely on desire to get things moving.
Instead, he asks, “Will you work on your marriage?” The will involves a commitment and a decision to act. If a couple can say “yes” to that question, then good things can happen with the right guidance.
Some couples are headed for a divorce because they don’t know how to resolve their conflict.
If you’re a parent, chances are you’ve grown accustomed to saying “no” – and for good reason.
By their very nature, children love to test the limits. If there’s an edge, you can bet they’ll find it.
Back when our sons, Trent and Troy, were young, I remember how they often wanted to go faster, higher, farther and deeper.
When we allowed them to watch one movie, they’d ask to make it a double feature. If one dessert was good, two would be better.
I love meeting new believers in Christ. Their faith is so alive and vibrant that it bubbles over into every area of life, and they want to serve and worship Him at every opportunity.
Do you remember feeling that way?
Unfortunately, we can lose passion for our faith over time. We get busy with work, children, and household responsibilities, and the fire that once burned bright for Christ 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.
Is your home a lighthouse?
The purpose of a lighthouse is to shine brightly through the darkness so that people on the open water can make it safely to shore.
That imagery illustrates the profound nature of the Christian life. In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus says, “You are the light of the world” and then encourages us to let our “light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in Heaven.”
A Christian’s home ought to shine with God’s love and grace and be welcoming to the neighborhood around it.
Every dating couple believes their marriage will be a string of mountaintop experiences.
In the early stages of a relationship, couples can’t imagine feeling discontent with their significant other. They can’t fathom their romance fading or their conversations not stretching into the wee hours of the night. And disagreements? What disagreements?
But once a couple is married, those expectations often hit speed bumps. There’s the monotony of work and paying bills week-in and week-out. There are stressors – a job loss, the death of a loved one, financial struggles, the birth of children.
Many couples contact Focus on the Family because they feel like married roommates. Their intimacy has faded, their relationship is no longer deepening, and they’re growing apart instead of becoming one.
Drifting in marriage happens when couples stop making their relationship a priority. After the fun of dating and the splendor of the wedding celebration, other things begin to distract husbands and wives from each other.
Spouses stop talking to one another about what they’re thinking and feeling.
From his days playing on the field, coaching on the sidelines and now, serving up insight in the broadcast booth on NBC’s Football Night in America, many of us have admired Tony Dungy.
But while Coach Dungy has a keen football mind, we especially appreciate him for his commitment to his family and the boldness with which he shares his deep Christian faith.
“My job as a dad is to point my children to the Lord, and everything else in life will take care of itself,” he once observed.
With eleven children, Coach Dungy exemplifies and models Christian fatherhood.
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.
