Jim Daly

Just Show Up!

The actor Woody Allen once wryly observed that “eighty percent of success is showing up.”

Would you agree?

I shared Dave’s story on Tuesday. He is a very successful business executive and found himself struggling with maintaining a healthy work and life balance. By God’s grace he happened to connect with our ministry at a very critical point in his life. He made some key adjustments. As a result, Dave was there when his son needed him most.

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

Christmas Tipping

Are you a big tipper? Do you ever quibble with your spouse over the amount to give – or whether to give a tip at all?

Over the course of the next few days many families will begin to map out their Christmas giving. From the mail carrier to the milkman, there is a long tradition of blessing people who help make our lives easier and more pleasant on a daily basis.

Do you tape an envelope and Christmas card to the garbage can or leave one in your mail box?

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: faith, finances

Why We’re Here

I want to tell you a story.

What follows is an example of how the sacrificial funds invested in the Lord’s ministry called Focus on the Family manifest themselves in the lives of those who live far beyond our walls here in Colorado Springs.

I want to tell you a story about a father and his son.

The dad’s name is Dave, and his college-aged boy goes by Pete.

Dave is a great father who, along his wife, Wendy, regularly and deliberately invest in the lives of their children.

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

The Interview with the President Went Swimmingly

Today was one of the more exciting days in Daly family history — the reason why all depends on who you ask.

My boys, Trent and Troy, quizzed early this morning about what they thought the highlight of their day was going to be, took nanoseconds to respond, “We’re going swimming!” It was a particularly joyous occasion for Trent, the fish of the family, since he hasn’t been able to hit the pool for a couple of months after breaking his wrist this summer.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: events, faith, pop culture

The Long Walk

In the midst of your shopping, decorating, card writing and the cooking and baking – before you get frazzled and frayed in the days leading up to Christmas – I want to share an old story with you. In the telling, I pray you might allow it to influence your decisions and activities these next few weeks.

Some time ago there was an American missionary living in a very tiny African village. The young woman was a teacher who labored alongside the natives.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, events, family

Miracle at Macy’s

I have something neat to share with you. It should put a smile on your face and maybe even a spring in your step.

Would it surprise you to learn that several hundred people – and an additional 650 singers – recently stood in the middle of a big city department store listening with joy in their faces as the name of Jesus Christ was proudly proclaimed?

It’s true.

First, some background.

The Wanamaker Grand Court Organ, located at the Macy’s department store in Philadelphia, is the largest operational pipe organ in the world.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: events, faith, pop culture

A Charlie Brown Christmas

I was only four years old on the night of Thursday, December 9, 1965 (45 years ago!), but to this day, I can tell you where I was and what I was doing – watching the debut of A Charlie Brown Christmas on CBS in our southern California home.

It was an instant hit, much to the surprise of network executives, but surely not to me. (I assumed the whole world was watching!) Creator Charles Schulz argued with the bosses at CBS over a host of issues.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, faith, pop culture

Marriage in Obsolescence, Part II

Pundits and analysts continue to weigh in on the recent Pew Report that concluded marriage is becoming increasingly obsolete and irrelevant.

As you can imagine, I hold to a significantly different perspective. Fortunately, many of you do as well. I’ve been particularly heartened by the robust response to my thoughts, which can be viewed by clicking here.

As I shared just a day after USA Today declared marriage to be going the way of powdered wigs, the report doesn’t quite tell the whole story.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: faith, marriage

Thoughts on Leslie Nielsen

The actor Leslie Nielsen died yesterday in Florida from complications associated with pneumonia. He was 84.

I read something in his obituary that struck me as somewhat instructive. I thought I’d shared it with you here.

Most people remember the Canadian native as a comedic actor, especially for his role as the bumbling Dr. Rumack, a passenger in Airplane, a spoof movie from the 1980s. In the latter part of his career, Mr. Nielsen was the king of the deadpan and dry delivery and became famous for exchanges like this one from Airplane:

Dr.

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

A Grateful Nation

Happy Thanksgiving!

The family and I are in California today. I pray that you and yours take every opportunity to give thanks to God for every good (and not so good) thing.

It seems appropriate to look back today, not just within our own families, but across the years to the beginning of America.

You may not be overly familiar with the name Nathaniel Morton. He was a nephew of Governor William Bradford and served as secretary of the Plymouth colony.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: events, faith, religious liberty