Jim Daly

Three Ways to Change Your Child’s Negative Attitude

Has your child’s attitude soured recently?

According to our counselors here at Focus, a common motivation for a child’s negativity is simply to get attention. If you suspect this is your child’s goal, there are a few ways to teach him or her not to complain.

1. Don’t reward his negative behavior

When he starts to grumble, tell him you’re sorry he feels that way. Then go about your business.

2. Reinforce a positive outlook

If your child shows the slightest enthusiasm, give him a smile, praise him, and let him know how much you appreciate his upbeat attitude.

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

The Same-Sex Marriage Debate Around the World

France. Puerto Rico. Scotland. What do these nations have in common?

All of them have committed active marriage supporters who are working hard to preserve the traditional one-man, one-woman definition of marriage.

There are times when activists who favor the redefinition of marriage seem to suggest that America is simply behind the times when compared to the rest of the world.

But the facts suggest otherwise.

This past January more than 300,000 people took to Paris to protest the French president’s plan to legalize same-sex marriage.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: homosexuality, marriage, news

VIDEO: Jesus Comes to the History Channel

“Jesus is coming!”

This weekend, on television, that is.

So says Roma Downey, the co-executive producer of History Channel’s The Bible. “He’s the ‘leading man’ of the Bible’s grand story of God’s love for us, and he makes his entrance this week.”

She sent me a clip earlier today of Sunday’s episode and I wanted to share it with you here:

Hope you all have a great weekend!

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

Reflecting Back on College

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of engaging with a group of college students from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. As I shared in my previous blog post, our time together led to spirited, honest dialogue that I was told later inspired some students to have meaningful conversations about Jesus and Christianity.

That evening brought back to mind my own time in college. As I shared with the young people at UCCS, although I was a Christian during my undergrad days, I spent long stretches of time reading my text books, but not reading my Bible.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: faith

Is the U.S. Doing Enough to Help Get this Pastor Out of Jail?

Pastor Saeed Abedini (photo courtesy of ACLJ) is a United States citizen currently serving an 8-year prison sentence in Iran. Reports indicate that he’s been repeatedly tortured and is at great risk of being killed.

His crime?

Telling people about Jesus during annual trips to the country.

The Iranian government has charged Pastor Saeed with “endangering national security” but the fact of the matter is that he’s helping underground churches as well as building orphanages for children.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: faith, news, religious liberty

Focus Featured in The New York Times

Saturday’s print edition of The New York Times featured an exclusive profile on Focus on the Family. You can access the piece by clicking here.

As I’ve shared countless times on the radio, I believe it’s our responsibility as Christians to be willing to go wherever the Lord leads us. For me this includes being willing to talk with anyone at any time about anything. It stems from my heart for evangelism and my desire to share the good news of the Gospel with those who do not know Him.

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: faith, news, pop culture, staff

Do This NOW!

Do It Now

By Berton Braley

If with pleasure you are viewing
any work a man is doing,
If you like him or you love him,
tell him now;

Don’t withhold your approbation
till the parson makes oration
And he lies with snowy lilies on his brow;

No matter how you shout it
he won’t really care about it;
He won’t know how many teardrops you have shed;
If you think some praise is due him
now’s the time to slip it to him,
For he cannot read his tombstone when he’s dead.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: faith

6 Ways to Become a Better Thinker

The following is excerpted from John Maxwell’s book, How Successful People Think:

HOW TO BECOME A BETTER THINKER

Do you want to master the process of good thinking? Do you want to be a better thinker tomorrow than you are today? Then you need to engage in an ongoing process that improves your thinking. I recommend you do the following:

1. Expose Yourself to Good Input

Good thinkers always prime the pump of ideas. They always look for things to get the thinking process started, because what you put in always impacts what comes out.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: pop culture

WATCH LIVE: Life and Justice Roundtable – Tonight

The 2013 Life and Justice Conference officially begins tomorrow at New Life Church here in Colorado Springs. I’m looking forward to participating.

The critical issues of life and justice are joined at the hip, despite what some might otherwise suggest. By embracing and addressing the life issue the cause of justice is advanced and by embracing the need to do justice in the culture, the cause of life is likewise lifted up.

So what is the conference all about?

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: adoption, kids, parenting, pro-life

Who’s Your #1 Priority – Your Spouse or Kids?

So, if you’re married and have children, who’s your first priority – your spouse or the kids?

Entertainment reporter and reality TV personality Giuliana Rancic sparked something of a controversy last week when she said she puts her marriage first over motherhood. Her comments made headlines across the nation and spurred a debate over how couples should prioritize relationships.

It’s a good conversation to have.

Mrs. Rancic says she puts her husband, Bill, first because “the best thing we can do for him [son Edward Duke] is have a strong marriage.”

She has her supporters – one commenter to an online story said, “Putting your marriage first gives the child a stable, loving home to grow up in,” while others pointed out that some marriages fall apart when spouses stop making each other a priority.

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