Jim Daly

What Andy Rooney Thought Every Child Should Have

Although he struck many of us as something of a curmudgeon, I enjoyed watching and reading Andy Rooney over the years.

Mr. Rooney lived a long and colorful life before passing away at the age of 92. Many of his newspaper columns were compiled into various books. The following essay that I’m going to excerpt, “What Every Kid Should Have Growing Up,” comes from one of his best-selling works titled Sweet and Sour.

Reading over this list, I have to admit that I wish I had all these things growing up.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: discipline, family, kids, parenting, pop culture

How to Know If You’re Making Healthy Food Choices for Your Family

It’s up to parents to show their family how to live a healthy lifestyle. But as you’ve probably discovered, that can be easier said than done. The labels on packages can be tricky. And just how many grams of fat and carbs should be in our diet anyway?

If you’re wondering how to help your family make good food choices, we hope you’ll join us this week for our three-day broadcast series titled, “Sound Advice on Healthy Eating,” with our guest, registered dietician David Meinz.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, kids, parenting

WATCH: Can You Relate to These Stories?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNQKAF9LdB8

Giving is down and key ministries are at risk. You can help by showing your support at www.focusonthefamily.com/summer2014.

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: family, finances, kids, marriage, parenting

God’s Blueprint for Healthy Families

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know I enjoy highlighting the abundance of research that pops up in support of families. The reason is simple: Well-designed studies affirm again and again that God’s blueprint for healthy families can be trusted, regardless of which way the winds of culture may blow.

Take, for example, a recent article by Dr. Janice Shaw Crouse, Executive Director and Senior Fellow at Concerned Women for America’s Beverly LaHaye Institute.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: family, kids, marriage, parenting

Ten Books Every Christian Should Read

Although not everybody has the luxury of enjoying a summer vacation, the season invariably lends itself to setting aside some time to read a good book. If you’re looking to pick one up, our online resource center is packed with exciting and entertaining titles.

Whatever your taste, I think you’ll find a title to your liking.

If you’re more inclined to invest in the classics (including some modern ones), the following list should be helpful to you.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: church, faith, pop culture

What Every Family Needs this Summer

Summer is officially here, and along with it traditionally comes a season when many families take time to vacation and be together to rest, regroup and have some fun.

I say “traditionally” because such vacations may be becoming increasingly rare.

There are no legally mandated paid holidays in the United States, but many businesses and organizations do offer their workers paid time off as part of their compensation package.

However, do you know that Americans leave as many as 175 million available vacation days unused in the typical year?

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: family, marriage

Tips for Budgeting for Back-to-School Spending

A new school year is just around the corner, and you know what that means:

The annual hunt for school supplies.

Did you know preparing for school in the fall is, on average, a family’s second largest expenditure each year, outranked only by Christmas?

Maybe that comes as a surprise to you, but I’m sure this won’t: The time and cost required of parents to get their kids ready for a new school year can not only put a strain on their wallet, but on their marriage.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: family, kids, parenting

Guest Post: Is This Christian College Being Bullied?

Standing up for religious freedom and God’s design for human sexuality these days comes at a price, as one Christian college president recently learned.

Meet D. Michael Lindsay, President of Gordon College, a Christian liberal arts institution located in Wenham, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1889 as a missionary training school.

President Lindsay, a scholar in his own right as well as a Pulitzer-nominated author, stirred up an unexpected tempest for his school by signing on to a July 1 open letter to President Obama, along with other religious leaders from various churches, organizations and social relief agencies.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: news, policy

Answering Questions Single Adults Ask

We talk a lot in the church about God’s design for marriage. And rightly so.

But what often gets overlooked is His purpose and work in the life of singles.

Some Christians feel called to be single. Many others yearn for marriage, but for various reasons, struggle to find that kind of meaningful relationship. When months and years tick by, and that deep, heartfelt desire for connection remains unfulfilled, disappointment and frustration can set in. That can pose a serious challenge to a person’s faith, and sincere questions often emerge.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: family

My Interview with Dr. Ben Carson

Here’s just a friendly reminder for you to tune in to today’s Focus on the Family radio broadcast to hear Part 2 of my interview with Dr. Ben Carson.

He recently joined us in the studio to talk about his faith, his distinguished career as a neurosurgeon, and his views on several current issues impacting our nation and our world. It was an enlightening, invigorating discussion that you won’t want to miss!

And if you missed Part 1 of the conversation last Friday, you can catch up using the link above.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: broadcast