Daly Focus Blog
For a happy life, perspective is key.
After her older son’s football game one Friday night, author and speaker Chrystal Evans Hurst drove her younger kids to a fast-food place for dinner. On the way home, traffic was heavy, bumper to bumper for miles. When traffic finally thinned, the driver in front of Chrystal sped up, so she sped up, too. But just as quickly the driver in front of her hit his brakes, forcing Chrystal to hit hers.
Marriages succeed or fail for many reasons. An important factor that’s often overlooked is the company we keep.
Like every newlywed, Pam discovered just a short time into her marriage that she and her husband didn’t agree on everything. In particular, their expectations for how he would help around the house were different.
Hoping for a little support, Pam shared her concerns with a female co-worker. The woman responded with a few complaints of her own about her no-good husband.
On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Building Healthy Friendships Among Men,” we’re talking with popular comedic group, The Skit Guys, Eddie James and Tommy Woodward.
They’re sharing how God has worked through their friendship across 30 years to grow them as husbands, fathers, and men.
Their friendship wasn’t natural or likely. In the 9th grade, Eddie’s girlfriend, Jill, told him that she liked someone else. That someone else was Tommy Woodward. Eventually Eddie and Tommy became friends, and Eddie became a Christian through Tommy’s church.
Author Shauna Pilgreen tells her children, “A life of comfort is a win for the Enemy. When you’re comfortable, you’re usually leaning on your own strength, which means you’re leaning less on God’s strength.”
Shauna and her family have been through numerous experiences that have taught them to rely on God in uncomfortable circumstances. It started in earnest when God led the Pilgreens from their cozy suburban life in Missouri to plant a church in San Francisco, where their lives are anything but comfortable.
If your marriage isn’t all that it could be, maybe you’ve forgotten how valuable your spouse really is.
One Christmas, author Gary Thomas decided to help his wife Lisa decorate. As he set out a few knick-knacks, one of the ceramic reindeer slipped off the edge and shattered into pieces. Lisa barely blinked an eye. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I’ll just buy another one.”
Fast forward a couple of months and Gary was emptying the dishwasher when a teacup slipped through his fingers and broke.
Every single person has profound worth … because every single person has value that can’t be earned or taken away.
Rembrandt’s 17th century painting The Return of the Prodigal Son is considered one of the greatest artistic masterpieces in history. It’s worth millions.
Now, let’s say you’re visiting the museum where it’s housed, and you walk out the back door into the alley. You see a painting has been tossed into the dumpster. It’s stained, and torn, and has dirt all over it.
The stats on depression and suicide in the United States are deeply concerning. According to the CDC:
Suicide rates increased almost 35% over the last twenty years.One person dies by suicide in our country every 11 minutes.In the United States, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people ages 10-34.Suicide is the 4th leading cause of death for people 35-44.
Depression is a complex web of emotions that can affect anyone – young or old, humble or successful.
You may recall that earlier this summer the United States House of Representatives passed the deceptively named “Respect for Marriage Act.” All Democrat Representatives voted in favor of it, along with 47 Republicans.
We’re now hearing that a vote in the Senate could come early next week.
H.R. 8404, requires states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states and seeks to codify it into federal law, which goes beyond the “right” to same-sex marriage invented by the Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision in 2015.
This Act is an assault on religious freedom and free speech.
Ladies, if you’re about to be married, let me offer you a word of caution: when you marry your prince, you also inherit the king, the queen, and the whole court! (And you often get a court jester thrown in as well!) And remember this, a good relationship with your in-laws is key for creating a marriage that thrives.
But that’s easier said than done. According to a study out of Cambridge University, 60% of women say in-law conflict has caused long-term stress.
The only thing worse than couples rushing into divorce are couples who rush into a second marriage.
First marriages are challenging. Second marriages are even harder, especially when you’re blending a family. Different expectations, conflict management, and learning how to communicate effectively are things every married couple must navigate. But stepfamilies face a different level of complexity.
When couples enter into second marriages, they often focus exclusively on their love for each other and their new lives together to the exclusion of the family unit as a whole.
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.
