Jim Daly

Adventures in Odyssey Fans Will Want to Read This

Do you know someone who’d jump at the chance at having access to Adventures in Odyssey’s entire library of 700-plus episodes?

Are you one of the many college students and adults who secretly listen to AIO on your mp3 player?

Are you a parent of little ones looking for fun ways to invest in their spiritual growth?

If you can identify with any of the above questions, Focus’ new Odyssey Adventure Club is for you.

The Odyssey Adventure Club provides fans with exclusive new monthly episodes and video documentaries.

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: entertainment, kids, parenting, promos

The App You Would Like Your Child to Have

On any given Sunday there’s a significant number of folks who pull out their cell phones when the pastor asks them to turn to the morning’s passage. They’re not being rude – they’re just accessing the Bible via their smartphones.

The free YouVersion Bible app is one of the most popular ways to access different versions of the Bible via a smartphone or tablet. In 2013, the app was installed about 49 million times. It was opened 31 times per second, or 1,000,000,000 total times in 2013.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: faith, kids, parenting, technology

Alabama, George W. Bush and a Note

Alabama faces off against Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl tonight, a marquee match-up, to be sure, but not quite what the defending national champion Crimson Tide squad anticipated back in early December when they lost a heartbreaker to rival Auburn.

Following Auburn’s unexpected victory, much of the attention centered around Alabama kicker Cade Foster, who missed three field goals in the game. In fact, he struggled so much, he was benched, and the chance for a game-winning kick was awarded to his freshman teammate.

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

All Things Are Made New

There’s something about a new year that provides a promise of hope and excitement at what will happen next.

But before we consider our resolutions and our dreams, or even our problems from 2013, perhaps it would be helpful to ponder and park on one of the most hope filled passages in the Bible:

“He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:5)

Not some things … ALL things.

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Protecting Your Family from the Digital Invasion

I recently asked my blog readers if they could do without a handheld device like a smartphone or tablet for 24 hours.

It’s a reasonable question to ask since mobile users check their smartphones an average of 150 times a day.

Digital addiction can be an easy thing to fall prey to, especially since access is all around us. We use computers for work, we carry devices in our pockets and most places offer free WIFI.

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

VIDEO: 7 Ways God was Faithful in 2013

There’s no doubt that God helped Focus on the Family accomplish its mission of helping families thrive this year. There are so many tangible ways He’s guided and blessed our efforts during 2013 that I can’t list them all. I do want to share a few of them with you, however.

1. Our radio broadcast efforts included news-making interviews such as our program with U2 front man and activist Bono, and the launch of a brand-new show, “Everyday Relationships,” with Dr.

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The Grand Miracle

Just the other day a colleague forwarded me an excerpt from a marvelous C.S. Lewis essay. It is titled, The Grand Miracle. What wonderful Christmas imagery! I loved it – and thought you would as well:

“He comes down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity; down further still…to the very roots and seabed of the Nature He has created. But He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world up with Him.

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VIDEO: The “It” Present This Christmas Is…

The year’s “it” Christmas present changes from year to year … or does it?

Back in 1983, parents were fighting over Cabbage Patch dolls. “Elmo-mania” swept the country during the Christmas of 1996 as moms and dads did the impossible to get their children “Tickle Me Elmo” toys. The Nintendo Wii was all the rage in 2006. And in their zeal to make sure Timmy and Susie found the year’s hottest presents under the tree, too many parents found themselves pushed, shoved and even injured.

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Memories of Christmas

What’s your favorite Christmas memory?

We asked a wide variety of Focus on the Family broadcast listeners that same question, and their answers were eye-opening.

Very few of them responded with the stereotypically “perfect” Yuletide moment.

Some of the stories we heard were funny and others will bring a tear to your eye. We learned about some strange family traditions, tales of last goodbyes and lifelong prayers answered.

Their stories were a good reminder: Christmas doesn’t have to be “perfect” to be wonderful.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith

VIDEO: What Should Christmas Mean to Americans in the 21st Century?

The question has been asked, “Is Christmas still relevant?” In our modern, enlightened world, with information at our fingertips and life moving forward at breakneck speed, does this holiday even have anything to offer us anymore? What does the “archaic” Christian tradition of celebrating the seemingly obscure birth of a baby born more than 2,000 years ago even mean in a modern context?

For me, it means everything.

Because I’m not as smart and self-sufficient as I’d like to think I am.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: faith