Daly Focus Blog
Today’s Young People Are Clocking in More “Entertainment Media” Then Ever Before
By: Jonathan McKee
“I can’t get my kids to pry their eyes from their screens for more than a minute!”
It’s probably the biggest complaint I hear from moms and dads at my parent workshops each weekend. Kids are soaking in more entertainment media than ever before.
I’m sure you’re not surprised when I tell you a brand‐new report has revealed screen time is up.
Did
you know that the average person has five hundred negative thoughts every day?
There’s
a narrative flowing through your mind about who you are and what you’re worth.
Some of it – perhaps a lot if it – is critical.
“Why’d you do
that?”“You’re so
stupid.”“Nothing ever
goes right.”“No one could
ever love me.”
Sometimes
we’re our own worst enemy. We have habits, behaviors, and emotional triggers
that we wish could be different. But they’ve been part of our lives for so long
that change seems impossible.
Do you have strong feelings about Halloween? Tomorrow’s annual holiday elicits strong feelings on both sides of the spectrum.
With its admittedly pagan origins, involving druids, ghosts and goblins, among other things, there are Christians who deliberately ignore even the seemingly innocent aspects of the day.
At the same time, there are many of us who choose to focus on the happier side. Many churches even hold “harvest” festivals and invite children to dress up in fun costumes.
I proposed to Jean the old-fashioned way. I asked her mom and dad for permission to marry her. Honestly, I think they were shocked with me. They weren’t a Christian family, so they didn’t fully appreciate the rich view of marriage offered in the Bible.
So, when I went to them and said, “I really want to marry your daughter. Would you give us your blessing?” they were slightly befuddled and didn’t quite know how to respond.
A teenager’s world can be chaotic. The question is, how can parents help their teens not only survive, but thrive, in the face of peer pressure, social media dangers, and challenges to their Christian faith?
One of the greatest examples of a teenager who stood strong was David. Before he became king over Israel, David was a shepherd. Culturally, he was insignificant. He was the youngest member of his family, who wasn’t afforded much respect. His older brothers would have inherited most of his father’s wealth and reputation.
Have you ever had loose thread in a shirt? It seems like such a small thing, doesn’t it? But one small tug and you realize that thread is part of a much larger problem. The next thing you know, your shirt is unraveling right before your eyes.
A marriage can have loose threads, too. Husbands and wives don’t always see eye-to-eye, and they don’t always communicate well. The next thing you know, little resentments crop up.
By now you’ve likely heard that earlier this week, a Lonestar state jury ruled in an 11 to 1 decision that James Younger, the son of Jeffrey Younger, be transitioned due to the preferences of his non-biological mother, Dr. Anne Georgulas.
Simply put, officials had, in essence, mandated that a seven-year-old boy be put on puberty-blockers, pumped up with cross-sex hormones and eventually surgically castrated against the will of his father.
Thankfully, we received word on Thursday that the judge presiding in the case overruled the jury and granted joint custody to both the mom and dad.
Deep in their hearts, most guys want to be good men. They want to work hard and be faithful husbands and involved dads.
But a lot of guys feel like frauds. We know what to do. (At least, we think we do.) But we don’t always feel capable of doing what we know we ought to do (Romans 7:15).
Some guys feel like a fraud because … well, they are one. They’re hiding something sinful from their wives and Christian brothers, whose love and support they need most.
By: Jonathan McKee
Decades ago the question was, “Do you know where your children are?” Today the question is, “Do you know who is following your children?”
Key word: following
Consider the app Instagram for a moment, the No. 1 social media platform used by teens today. Take a peek at anyone’s profile and you’ll see the word “followers” at the top of the screen with a little number above it. That number has become incredibly significant to today’s teenagers.
More than likely, you’ve taken a personality test or two, read a book on the subject, or even heard us talk about the topic on our Focus on the Family Broadcast. In 42 years, our ministry has featured numerous guests who have helped listeners discover whether they’re a lion or a golden retriever. A pleaser or an avoider. A sanguine or a choleric.
If none of those terms sound familiar, listen through some of our past broadcasts that cover personality and love styles.
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.
