Jim Daly

Bring the Books!

Looking to justify setting aside some time for summer reading?

Charles Spurgeon on Books and Reading:

We will look at [Paul’s] books. We do not know what the books were about, and we can only form some guess as to what the parchments were. Paul had a few books which were left, perhaps wrapped up in the cloak, and Timothy was to be careful to bring them. Even an apostle must read.

Some of our very ultra Calvinistic brethren think that a minister who reads books and studies his sermon must be a very deplorable specimen of a preacher.

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Is It Time to Break Your Dreams Free?

Do you have ambitions you’ve kept hidden from everyone around you? Maybe it’s time to break them free from the shelter you’ve built to protect them.

Had you been walking by Henry Ford’s Detroit home that summer day in 1896, you might have thought he’d lost his mind. There he was, ax in hand, chopping away at the doorframe and surrounding brick of his makeshift garage. What you actually would have been witnessing was history in the making.

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This is Why We Worry

Worry is a passive form of arrogance.

It’s believing that you know how things are supposed to turn out. It’s assuming God’s seat for yourself.

We don’t worry because we fear God’s will won’t be done.

We worry because we’re afraid that things won’t go our way.

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What a Viral Video Can Teach Us About Marriage Communication

“It’s Not About the Nail” is a short video that’s been making the rounds. It takes a humorous look at the differences in how men and women communicate – and if you’ve been married for at least five minutes, you can probably relate to what the couple in the clip is going through.

Take a look:

The video works because it hits on themes and tendencies that are true. It’s the classic tug-of-war between husbands and wives, something we hear about a lot at Focus on the Family.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: husband, marriage, wife

Could You Live in This House?

Could you live in a small space? (And by “small,” I mean less than 100 square feet.)

The national press seemed to pick up on this trend last year when New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg called on designers to come up with “micro-unit” apartments under 300 feet to accommodate the city’s growing single population.

Then there is the tiny house movement. These homes can make the NYC spaces look palatial in comparison. With homes as small as 89 square feet, it’s impressive to see how creativity plays a big role in making the best use of every nook and cranny.

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What “Happily Ever After” Really Looks Like

Romantic movie or story plots are often predictable. Boy meets girl. Boy woos girl, and then something happens – a fight, a misunderstanding or a disaster – that tears the would-be couple apart. Ultimately, though, the boy and girl make it back together, and “they lived happily ever after.”

However, those of us who are married know that the real love story takes place after the wedding. Meeting and falling in love are just small parts of the big picture.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: husband, marriage, wife

Are Your Kids Overscheduled?

How did you spend your summer days as a child?

For many years I lived a short distance from my elementary school. My friends and I would play baseball over on the school field, riding our bikes home for lunch and then meeting back up for another 4 or 5 hours of play.

No uniforms. No umpires. No adults. Just the kids – like a typical Charlie Brown episode, minus the “wah, wah, woh, wah” adult soundtrack from the sidelines.

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The Secret to a Great Life

Anyone who will step back and take a look at his way of life can find ways to slow down without resorting to tranquilizers. Why shouldn’t the busy mom, between chores, kick off her shoes, lie down on the sofa, and day dream for a few minutes? If her conscience tries to intrude, it should be sent on an errand. When she gets up she’ll find that a lot of energy has flowed back into her.

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Is Online Dating Biblical?

Online dating is one of those subjects that Christians enjoy debating. In one camp, there are some who believe looking for love online betrays a lack of faith in God’s provision of a spouse. In their view, the seemingly endless lists of online profiles creates a superficial consumer mentality that undermines the sacrificial nature of Christ-centered love.

The other side counters that online dating is merely a tool God can use to bring two people together – users don’t place their faith in the matchmaking site, but in the Lord.

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Why I Love Camping

Summer is in the air and in our family that means one thing: camping!

On our family trips in the great outdoors, one of the things we enjoy most is sitting outside at night under the stars. How mind boggling to think that the light from the nearest one took more than four years to reach earth! When we gaze at the starry heavens, we’re literally looking at the past.

And, there’s so much out there that we can’t see – planets, black holes, asteroids, other galaxies – many of which completely defy explanation or even description.

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