Daly Focus Blog
Life can be tough, and it inflicts wounds in us all.
The question is, what do we do with the pain?
In many cases, the only solution we know is to push the pain beneath the surface of our hearts and minds and work to keep it there. We think that if we can just block out our negative memories, the bad feelings will go away. And they do … for a while. But, eventually, our strength gives out, and all that pain comes right back up to the surface.
Jim Daly released the following statement in response to the passing of Kara Tippetts.
***
Today, the world said goodbye to a godly and courageous woman.
Kara Tippetts, wife to Jason and mother to four young children, went home to the Lord at the age of 38. In her battle with cancer, she showed all of us what dying well looks like. The peace she found in God was hard fought, borne out of a deep and profound trust that He is present in pain and that He is good and faithful.
By nearly all accounts, the theatrical debut of “The Drop Box” was an unprecedented success, with more than 275,000 people attending the film throughout North America during its limited run.
In fact, we’ve heard from countless viewers who’ve expressed their appreciation via emotional and heartfelt testimonials. Some have told us the documentary inspired them to begin caring for foster children and start the adoption process. I can’t wait to hear their stories in the coming months and years.
Some adult men and women feel called to singleness. They live alone, but not in isolation. They enjoy deeply connected friendships, and they value the opportunities for service and adventure that being single affords them.
But a lot of adults hope their singleness is only a temporary season of life. They yearn and even pray for marriage. But, for many, the journey to find a mate has not panned out quite the way they expected.
Where do you go to meet quality people?
When you walked down the aisle, what was your vision for you and your spouse? Did you want a “nice” marriage? A “friendly” marriage? A “we get along” marriage?
Probably not.
Most couples are searching for intimacy, connection, romance, and excitement. But years into their marriage, many husbands and wives are bored. Life has settled into a routine – a rut, really – and they’re not connecting like they once did.
If you’ve reached that place in your marriage, you might be thinking, “This isn’t what I had in mind.”
Well, that’s not what the Bible says God has in mind for you, either.
Desiree Andrews is a cheerleader for the Lincoln Middle School in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She’s a sweet, happy, friendly eighth-grader, who also happens to have Down Syndrome.
The young woman has also become something of an international celebrity during the last few weeks.
Why?
According to reports, basketball players on the Lincoln team stopped play in order to defend Desiree against some bullies who were mocking her moves from the stands.
“We were mad. We didn’t like that,” said player Miles Rodriguez.
If you’ve been keeping an eye on the news, you’ve probably heard about Saeed Abedeni. He’s an Iranian-American pastor, a former Muslim who converted to Christianity.
In 2012, Saeed went to Iran, a trip he’d made nearly a dozen times before. He was there to visit family and work on a government-approved orphanage for Muslim children. Instead, he was arrested by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and charged with “threatening Iran’s national security.”
In government-speak, that means they considered his Christian faith dangerous.
Note: Did you miss out on watching “The Drop Box” last week? Well, tonight more than 400 theaters across the nation are showing a one-time encore presentation of this award-winning documentary film. Check out locations and purchase your tickets online at www.thedropboxfilm.com!
***
If you’re a parent of a biological child, you’ll never forget the first moment you saw your little one on an ultrasound image.
It’s the ultimate look within. Today’s expectant parents can see what tens of billions of couples throughout history never did – 3-D images of their preborn baby moving around inside the womb.
What does dying with dignity look like?
At 38, Kara Tippetts is answering that question as she faces her final days on earth.
In recent posts on her popular blog, “Mundane Faithfulness,” Kara shares how she now uses a wheelchair (which she named Norman), sleeps on a hospital bed at home, and is in hospice care.
These are harsh realities for a wife and mother of four young children to face. Yet she does it with God’s grace – a grace that has allowed her to give to others through her blog and book, even while she battles cancer.
Were you one of the many people who weren’t able to see “The Drop Box” movie last week because of bad weather? Were you shut out of a sold-out theater?
If so, I have good news: Focus on the Family is showing an encore presentation of “The Drop Box” on Monday, March 16! You can purchase your tickets today.
Last week, nearly a quarter million people watched “The Drop Box” across the U.S. and Canada.
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.
