Jim Daly

Did a Teacher Make a Difference in Your Life?

The title of “teacher” is a great one. It conveys passing along wisdom, knowledge and nurturing.

Most of us, looking back, can identify at least one teacher who poured into us. It might have been the elementary school teacher who comforted us, or the high school teacher who encouraged us to believe that God made us capable of achieving our dreams. Whatever it was, their care made a big difference in our lives.

He saw my potential

I remember my “teacher.” He was my high school football coach, Paul Moro.

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: broadcast, friendship, kids

Would You Choose a Pet Over a Child?

They call them “fur babies,” and many couples in the U.S. are opting for them. One headline aptly described it this way: “Americans are having dogs instead of babies.”

The United States isn’t unique in this trend. We’ve seen for a while now how birth rates worldwide are plummeting and the number of pets are increasing. Japan, a country where sales of adult diapers outnumber those of baby diapers, has a population of more than 22 million pampered pets versus only 16.6 million children under 15.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: faith, family, kids, parenting, pop culture

Typing v. Handwriting: Which Would You Choose?

Typing and “quick communication” have taken over our lives.

From the endless emails that are part of many of our jobs to text messages asking if someone can pick up bread and milk on their way home, typing has largely replaced handwriting.

Scientists are beginning to warn us that this move to all things technology isn’t completely beneficial. Last month The Boston Globe’s article “Taking notes? Bring a pen, skip the computer” connected handwriting with memory retention.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, friendship, relationships

The American Church Has a Choice to Make

Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, has been consistently coming out with interesting and relevant perspectives on the Christian faith, the general culture and the interaction between the two. I enjoyed sitting down with him in Nashville recently for an interview on his popular internet-based show.

In a piece published last week for Christianity Today, “4 Trends for Churches to Consider,” Stetzer builds on some of the points he presented earlier this year refuting the myth about the “dying” American Church.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: church, faith, pop culture, religious liberty

What Do You Do for Family Fun?

While we’re still a few weeks from the official start of summer on June 21, the Daly Family already has a summer kind of mind.

My wife Jean snapped this picture of the boys and me after we had enjoyed some time boogie boarding in Corona del Mar, California and were at the Shake Shack to watch the sunset.

We make it a point to spend some family time just having fun every summer – after all, laughing and playing together is a great way to make some treasured memories.

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

The Ultimatum that Saved a Marriage

His marriage was dead. It was past acrimony and fighting. Comedian Jeff Allen and his wife, Tami, were at a stage of apathy.

After years of his alcoholism and fits of rage, it got to the point where Tami always had her back to Jeff.

Finally, one night, Jeff and Tami were in bed when he tried to talk with her – except she refused to turn around.

“No, please,” she said.

“What’s the problem?” Jeff inquired.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: divorce, family, marriage, news, promos

Focus Joins with National Institute of Marriage to Help Couples in Crisis

We’ve all seen a marriage in crisis.

We all know people who have struggled (or are struggling) within their marital relationship.

Maybe that someone is you.

Or perhaps it’s someone you love, like a son or daughter or your best friend from high school.

You can’t stand to see the marriage falling apart. You feel helpless.

When you ask, you’re told that everything that can be thought of has been tried.

Traditional counseling. A visit with the pastor.

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: faith, husband, marriage, news, wife

Congratulations to Focus Radio Theatre on Industry’s Top Win

Focus on the Family Radio Theatre’s production of the Charles Dickens classic “Oliver Twist” won the 2014 Audie Award for Best Audio Drama.

An Audie is a significant achievement for anyone involved in spoken word entertainment. The special recognition is the genre’s equivalent to the Academy Awards given out to exemplary movies and films.

So in a sense, it’s like saying Focus on the Family’s “Oliver Twist” won an Oscar. And it’s our fifth Audie Award from the Audio Publisher’s Association.

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Post-Abortive Woman Calls Focus Broadcast “Voice of Hope” (VIDEO)

For those of us whose pro-life convictions stem from our Christian faith, the New Jersey Star-Ledger’s recent headline was disconcerting: “Why I perform abortions: A Christian obstetrician explains his choice.”

Willie J. Parker, who performs abortions up to the 24th week of pregnancy, explains his decision this way:

In listening to a sermon by Dr. Martin Luther King, I came to a deeper understanding of my spirituality, which places a higher value on compassion.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: broadcast, faith, news, pop culture, pro-life

Human Cloning Advancements Pose Serious Questions for Life Advocates

I consider myself blessed to live at a time where we benefit from so many advances in medical science. In terms of physical health, we’re all much better off today than we were or would have been just a few decades ago.

But what happens when the latest and greatest in medical science comes at the expense of another human life? How would you feel knowing that a human life was created only to be destroyed for your benefit?

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