Jim Daly

The Morality of the Federal Budget

In a post earlier this week, I speculated on what would happen if churches were to shut their doors. If you missed it, you can click here.

At a recent meeting, I was asked by a reporter to ponder the moral implications of a true government shutdown. I was given an opportunity to think and write about it. Here is how I responded to the question:

A: Although temporarily suspending “non-essential” government functions would have inconvenienced millions of Americans, a closure of that nature doesn’t create a major moral conundrum.

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The Royal Wedding: Why So Much Interest?

NOTE: The following was originally published on April 14, 2011.

Come April 29th, the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton will be televised by every major network and cable news channel. It will be viewed all over the world. Over one million people are expected to travel to London, if only to catch a glimpse and play their part.

Why? What is it about the royal wedding that pulls so many people in?

To some degree, it is, of course, the substance of the classic fairy tale: beauty, romance, nobility and prestige, not to mention the hope and expectation of a happy marriage and life.

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New York Tragedy

There is a ten-year-old boy living in upstate New York who desperately needs our prayers.

Around 8:00 p.m. EDT last night this youngster was riding with his three siblings in his family’s van. His mother was behind the wheel. In the back of the vehicle sat this boy, his two brothers (2 and 5 years old) and an 11-month old sister.

His mother than did the unthinkable and unimaginable. She deliberately drove off a boat ramp and into the Hudson River.

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Don’t Give Up!

A colleague was recently telling me a story of a man whose son years ago was growing weary of balancing the rigors of college with two part-time jobs.

Here was a typical day for this 19-year-old student:

His mornings would begin in the pre-dawn dark, in the middle of the night, really, delivering newspapers out of his beat-up 1977 Chevy Malibu. After the final paper was tossed, he’d race home, shower, change and grab a Pop-Tart or bagel on the way out to class.

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What If the Church Shut Down?

As you know, the United States federal government narrowly avoided a shutdown on Friday night. The impact would have been significant. In fact, nearly half of the 1.9 million civilian government employees could have been furloughed by today, complicating or delaying everything from Social Security filings to a class field trip to a national park.

This situation is not without precedent and larger budget battles still loom. But all the drama and dire talk has made me think:

What if the Church shut down?

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Serendipity, Spagnuolo Style

Life is interesting.

I recently accepted an invitation to speak to a pregnancy resource center in St. Louis. It’s always an honor to meet these modern-day heroes. A few weeks prior to my visit, a member of the Focus team received a telephone call from a very kind Focus listener named Lory. Apparently Lory had been listening to a local Christian radio station in Missouri and heard an advertisement promoting the upcoming event and my participation.

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Tim Keller: Grace and Truth

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, today and tomorrow’s Focus on the Family radio program features my conversation with Dr. Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church. I hope you’ll tune in by clicking here.

Tim is obviously a very gifted man on many levels, but I am especially appreciative of the graciousness by which he conducts his ministry. He is not just an intellectual, a theologian or a best-selling author, but also a Christian gentleman.

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VIDEO: My Interview with Dr. Tim Keller

Newsweek magazine called Dr. Tim Keller a “C.S. Lewis for the twenty-first century.” I believe they’re correct. In addition to serving as the senior pastor of New York’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Dr. Keller is also a best-selling author of numerous books, including The Reason for God, The Prodigal God and Counterfeit Gods.

Tim has become a friend, and I recently had the privilege of visiting with him in New York City. Tomorrow and Friday’s Focus on the Family radio program will feature our discussion.

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Would You Donate Your Kidney?

According to recent statistics, approximately 6,000 people in the United States donated a kidney last year – 3,000 to a blood relative and the other half to a friend. Just over 100 donated anonymously to a stranger.

Assuming you were a viable match and physically capable, would you donate your kidney?

I’ve been pondering that question ever since I learned that my brother, Mike, is donating his to a friend. The surgery is scheduled for next Friday.

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A Little Child Shall Lead Them

As I noted in Friday’s post, for baseball fans, the long wait is over. But one of the more endearing aspects of sports in general is that in the grand scheme of life, it’s all just a game. Play provides an escape, a chance to renew ourselves and spend leisure time with people we enjoy.

Sports can also serve up powerfully teachable moments. The other night someone forwarded me “one of those emails” – you know, the kind that is sweet and tender, but that you wonder if it’s true.

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