Daly Focus Blog
Have you ever wished you could change something about yourself? I’m sure we all have. We wish we were taller or shorter, that we had curly hair or straight, or that we could throw a ball or play an instrument like someone else.
It’s not unusual to wish for strength in areas where you’re weak, or talent where you’re not gifted. But it’s a short leap from that common desire to losing sight of the purpose for which God created you.
Here at Focus on the Family, we routinely receive heartbreaking messages like this one: “My spouse just told me they don’t love me, and we shouldn’t stay married. What can I do?”
You may have the same question if your marriage has encountered a similar problem. The answer, according to counselor and author Dr. David Clarke, is to implement an aggressive strategy of “tough love” as soon as possible.
That means showing strength and taking decisive action.
My wife, Jean, is a living embodiment of Proverbs 16:24: “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
Every time I call her on the phone, she answers with a positive tone that lets me know she’s glad to hear from me. Her voice is a moment of respite for me in what can often be a busy and stressful schedule.
Positive words bless people, but it’s not always easy to speak them.
A lot of us should probably throw some stuff out. We’re bursting at the seams.
Did you know that America has more self-storage facilities than McDonald’s restaurants? At last count, there were 48,500 self-storage facilities in America compared to only 14,000 McDonald’s.
If your home is overwhelmed with clutter instead of being a place of comfort and peace, there’s something you can do about it.
Author and popular guest Kathi Lipp is with us on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Getting Rid of the Clutter in Your Home.” She’s a self-proclaimed recovering “clutter-aholic” with some great advice that will help you better understand the spiritual issues that are often behind clinging to your stuff.
How should Christians respond to these unprecedented times?
Prayerfully.
Consider 2 Chronicles 7:14: “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”
Are we confident that the Lord is sovereign and in full control of things?
The writer of Proverbs made clear that while our actions have consequences, it’s God who has the final say: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (Proverbs 16:33).
Trusting in the Lord isn’t pollyannish or passive.
Over the last year, we’ve seen a rise in unemployment and devastating financial crises among many families.
In difficult times, the temptation is to place our trust in the amount of resources available to us rather than in the One who promises to meet all of our needs “according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Managing Your Money During Uncertain Times,” Deborah Pegues is with us to help you stop, take a deep breath, and stand firm in your faith in God and His promises.
In a stunning and sickening display of mass lawlessness, protestors have stormed the United States Capitol, halting an already contentious certification process of the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Striking images include rogue individuals on the House and Senate floors, Secret Service and police with guns drawn and tear gas unleashed into the air. There is a report that one woman has been shot.
The National Guard has been mobilized, and law enforcement officials are beginning to clear the building.
My wife Jean and I have raised two boys, Trent and Troy. Throughout their childhoods, I was able to enjoy a lot of father/son time with them. Just the three of us. Baseball games. Football games. Camping. Fishing.
Looking back on it, the one thing I would change is that I would have done more with each of them individually, to invest one on one time with them. Individual quality time is a great way to show a child love.
A new year is upon us, and you know what that means, don’t you?
It’s time to get the next 12 months off to a great start.
Some of us may choose to make New Year’s resolutions. Others may prefer to think in terms of goals, objectives, or plans. Whatever lingo you choose, the challenge remains the same: making it happen.
That’s where things get tough because there’s nothing magical about the flip of the calendar.
You can learn a lot from your kids’ report cards. Letter grades may not tell the whole story behind your child’s education, but they do give a sense of where your children are struggling in school and where they’re doing well.
Years ago, I started using the same idea to help me better connect with my two boys. Every few months, I’d ask, “How well do you feel I listen to you when you have a problem to share?
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.
