Daly Focus Blog
Is your marriage stuck in the doldrums?
The word “doldrums” is a nautical term. It describes a region near the equator where trade winds from the north converge with trade winds from the south. They neutralize each other to the point that wind near the ocean surface completely dies out. That’s bad news for vessels that rely on wind to move forward. They’re “stuck in the doldrums” – hopelessly adrift until the breeze kicks up again.
Is pursuing a healthy lifestyle something we can actually enjoy?
Author Gary Thomas says, “Yes.”
I trust Gary, but I’m skeptical. If you’re anything like me, your lazy side frequently wins out over your desire to take health and fitness seriously. We know our health is important, but it’s hard to be consistent.
I’m talking with Gary on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly about pursuing and maintaining strong, physical health, so we can be fit and effective in serving God’s kingdom.
Some parents believe you develop a child’s self-confidence by protecting them from adversity. That strategy seems reasonable, but it’s actually counter-productive. Children need love and support, but they also need challenges. Effective parenting isn’t about making children comfortable right where they are. It’s about encouraging them toward something even greater.
Let me give you a personal example: My father figures were difficult to respect. My biological father died from alcohol. My step dad abandoned me and my siblings the day of my mother’s funeral.
Parenting can be frustrating!
Authors Amber Lia and Wendy Speake thought they were the only moms who believed that. Then they interviewed other women and discovered that many struggle.
Anger catches many moms off guard. Stress slowly builds until something finally pushes them over the edge and then – boom! – an outburst. Shame quickly follows, which immediately translates into isolation and feelings of inadequacy.
For every brave mom who acknowledges a problem with anger, hundreds more wonder if they’re the only ones who struggle with it.
Jade Warshaw serves as a debt elimination expert, financial coach, and co-host of The Ramsey Show. But she wasn’t always so savvy about financial matters.
Perhaps her lowest moment came while standing in line at a Publix grocery store with $45 worth of food, fearful that her card would be declined. Overspending on credit cards was a common practice for Jade and her husband back then, eventually racking up $460,000 in debt.
Inspired to make a change, they worked hard for seven and a half years to pay it off.
“Governing in a representative democracy is always challenging, and especially in a deeply divided nation. I extend my congratulations to Mike Johnson on his re-election as Speaker of the House of Representatives. As Christians, we’re called to pray for all our leaders (Romans 13:1-2). Strong leadership will provide America with our best opportunity to live “peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Tim. 2:2). Please join me in lifting up Speaker Johnson, his family, and all the members of the newly minted 119th Congress.”
– Jim Daly, president, Focus on the Family
My advice to married couples is this: pursue romance every chance you get. Take sunset walks on the beach. Eat dinner by candlelight. Kiss in the rain. Enjoy beautiful moments together that lift your relationship beyond itself.
Authors Jay and Laura Laffoon encourage couples to try new things as often as possible. New experiences allow couples to grow as individuals and together. Even small things like trying a new restaurant create little adventures that draw a couple together.
As a Denver Broncos fan, I don’t usually root for the Kansas City Chiefs. But I’ll make an exception for the Chiefs’ kicker, Harrison Butker, who came under fire after a commencement speech at Benedictine College went viral. Detractors said his comments were disrespectful to women.
But were they really? If you give his speech a fair hearing, I believe the answer is clearly no. Butker celebrated his wife. He praised her tireless dedication to their marriage and to their children.
Many marriages are like the community of Beebe Plain, Vermont. They’re divided.
The international border between Canada and the United States runs right down the middle of Beebe Plain, Vermont. It splits the main road through town in half. It also cuts right through the middle of a building on the east side of town called the Haskell Free Library and Opera House. Inside, there’s even a black line painted on the floor that marks where one country ends and another begins.
Do you ever wonder:
Is there a Creator?
If God is real, why do people suffer?
What does Easter have to do with the existence of God?
If God exists, why does He seem hidden or distant?
Can we deduce anything about God from scientific evidence?
Does our DNA reveal anything about God as a designer?
Can God be personally experienced?
On Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, I’m talking with former atheist, Lee Strobel.
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.
