Jim Daly

The Super Bowl Ad That Saved This Girl’s Life

It was 2010 when Focus’s pro-life commercial featuring Pam and Tim Tebow aired on Super Bowl Sunday.

It’s an ad ABCNews.com recently called one of the most controversial of recent history, but for one woman, it’s a lot more than that.

For Susan Wood, it’s a big reason her 4-year-old girl, Avita Grace, is alive today.

When Susan told her boyfriend she was pregnant on Super Bowl Sunday 2010, he insisted she end her pregnancy. That night, Wood went to a Super Bowl party where she saw Focus’ ad featuring Pam Tebow sharing her heartfelt story of the survival of her “miracle baby,” Tim.

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New Video Shows the Power of “The Drop Box”

What the latest promotional video for Focus’ newest movie, “The Drop Box,” shows is almost unbelievable.

It was a cold night when Pastor Lee Jong-rak stumbled on a newborn who had been abandoned in an alley in Seoul, South Korea. He quickly takes the infant, and goes on to build a “baby box” at the front of his church – a warm, safe place where desperate mothers can leave babies who would otherwise be abandoned.

Since then, Pastor Lee, his wife Chun-ja and a small team of volunteers have rescued more than 600 babies.

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: entertainment, kids, news, pro, pro-life

This Is the No. 1 Way to Improve Your Marriage

You’ve probably noticed that you and your spouse don’t always see eye-to-eye. Maybe he talks too much – or not enough. She feels hot while you’re shivering cold. Or maybe leaving early is rare because your spouse is always running late.

If you’re not careful, those differences can drive you apart. Petty disagreements can easily turn into full-grown battles that bleed a relationship dry.

Financial expert Dave Ramsey, our guest on today’s program, says the turmoil those differences cause are most apparent when it comes to finances.

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: broadcast, marriage

Super Bowl Ads Promise to Break Dim-Witted Dad Stereotype

After a few years of Super Bowl commercials featuring Dad as the butt of too many jokes, it seems like this year may be in for a refreshing change. There are two pre-released game day ads that show fathers in a positive light.

First up is Dove Men + Care’s 60-second spot, “#RealStrength,” which shows children of various ages calling their dads and ends with the tagline “Care Makes a Man Stronger.” It’s so well-made it’s likely many viewers will be left with tears in their eyes.

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Why This Doctor and Widower Opposes Physician-Assisted Suicide

For many of us, the issue of physician-assisted suicide was brought to our attention last year with the very public illness and death of Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman who chose to end her own life with a lethal prescription after receiving a diagnosis of an aggressive form of cancer.

This pains me in so many ways, not the least of which is that it compounds the heartbreak of a horrible, terminal illness with the tragic choice of a young woman to take her own life.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: faith, news, policy, pro-life, wife

Should Parents Reason with Young Children?

I think almost every parent can relate to this scenario:

You give your 6-year-old a clear instruction to follow. But instead of doing what he’s told, he looks at you and, with a straight face asks, “Why?”

Believe it or not, how you respond to that question as a parent is more crucial than you might think.

There was a time in our society when a “Why do I have to?” from a child would get an immediate “Because I said so” from the parent.

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: broadcast, family, parenting

Four Stories Before the Weekend

From the serious to the light-hearted, here are some recent news articles on topics that impact faith and family that might be of interest to you.

– Obama’s Middle-Class Blind Spot, via The Wall Street Journal: The president’s proposed tax credit for families doesn’t extend to families with a stay-at-home parent.
President Obama is missing an opportunity to help all struggling families…

– Pope: Catholics need not breed ‘like rabbits’: USA Today reports on the controversial statement.

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How To Respond When Your Teen Daughter Announces She’s Pregnant

Have you ever ridden one of those amusement park rides that spin at dizzying speeds just before the floor drops out? They leave you glued to the wall, holding on for dear life.

Well, if you’ve ever had a teen daughter shock you with the announcement, “I’m pregnant,” I’m guessing you can relate.

You probably felt like your world was spinning, and the floor had dropped out from beneath you.

The shock is understandable.

The question is, how should a parent respond?

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: broadcast, parenting, pro-life

Contact Your House Rep Over GOP Pulling Pro-Life Bill

Four decades and 50 million innocent lives later, those of us who support the protection of the unborn were heartened to hear of the upcoming vote in the House of Representatives that would have banned abortion after 20 weeks. But now we’ve learned the bill has been pulled by the GOP leadership over some of the legislation’s language. Rather than have a public fight on the floor of the House, leadership has chosen to cancel the vote altogether.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: news, policy, pro-life

Are Christians Too #Blessed?

Are you “blessed”?

There are many Christians, myself included, who would suggest that by the sheer nature of our Salvation in Jesus Christ, we are, indeed, a blessed people.

But if you asked a room full of people what it means to be “blessed,” I suspect you’d get a wide array of answers.

For some, to be blessed means to have health, wealth and a good family.

To others, to be blessed means to travel the world or climb a mountain.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: faith, pop culture, technology