Jim Daly

Experiencing God’s Mercy After Leaving the Abortion Industry

Abby Johnson describes God’s mercy as “fierce” – that is, His mercy is marked by unrestrained zeal, intensity, and highly determined activity.

Abby experienced God’s “fierce mercy” after working for eight years as an employee and clinical director for Planned Parenthood. In 2009, Abby assisted with an ultrasound-guided abortion and watched in horror as a 13-week baby lost its life right before her eyes. In that moment, she realized the ugly reality of abortion.

The horror of abortion is far more than the number of babies lost each day.

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The Circus Comes Back, Childhood Doesn’t

It’s that time of year again: time to think about what to get your children for Christmas. The pressure is real. Every year, retailers and toy and tech companies offer up a never-ending buffet of games and gadgets. There’s a lot to choose from, and some of it will lose its sparkle by New Year’s Day.

Before you stress out, I’ve got a great gift idea, one that I promise your children will love. It’s you.

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Seeing Life with New Vision

Karen Wingate was legally blind from infancy. As a child, she endured eight surgeries that only marginally improved her vision – from blind to blurry. As an adult, she prayed earnestly for God to perform a miracle. Nothing happened.

At age 55, Karen consulted with her retina specialist and discovered that her eyesight had further deteriorated to the point that surgery was needed. She was greatly discouraged until, during the procedure, the doctor said, “Mrs. Wingate, I believe I can guarantee your vision will be better than it’s ever been before.” Finally, she got her miracle.

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The Gift of Community

Years ago, during my sophomore year at Cal State San Bernardino, I found myself in a difficult situation at Christmas break. I had nowhere to go. Both of my parents had died, and I wasn’t able to stay with my siblings or friends. I had to request special permission to spend the holiday on the deserted campus. For two weeks, my friends enjoyed roaring fireplaces and dinner tables full of turkey, ham, and all the trimmings.

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How Godly Moms Can Raise Godly Sons

Author Rhonda Stoppe felt prepared to be a great mom when her daughter was born. But, a few years later when she had a son, her confidence dissipated. Raising a girl felt easy. Raising a boy felt intimidating.

Many moms can relate. They understand how their daughters think, feel, and see the world. Not so their sons. My wife, Jean, did an amazing job of adapting to our two boys and creating meaningful connections with both, but she worked hard at it.

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Life in the Moment

Many people keep on the lookout for big opportunities that will change their lives. But often it’s the small, seemingly insignificant moments that have the greatest impact.

Author Cecil Murphy tells how a broken heel unexpectedly led to a new life for a woman named Betty. Going about her business one day, she broke the heel of her shoe as she stepped into the street. When she sat on the curb to nurse her ankle, she noticed a shoe store for the first time, even though she must have walked by it dozens of times.

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How to Stay Crazy in Love with Your Spouse

Most couples are madly in love on their wedding day. They’re infatuated, passionate, and convinced they’ll always feel this way.

Over time, however, the sizzle begins to fizzle. There’s the first big argument, then little annoyances creep into the relationship, and the couple soon gets caught up in the daily grind of life. Before long, one spouse or the other begins to wonder, “Is this all there is to our marriage? Where did our love go?”

On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “How to Stay Crazy in Love with Your Spouse,” my colleagues Greg and Erin Smalley are with us to inspire couples to build a lifelong, loving relationship utilizing “love secrets”:

True love commits

True love seeks God

True love fights for peace

True love honors

True love needs time to grow

True love embraces

True love endures

We’re discussing what true love looks like and how married couples can express that love to each other in meaningful and godly ways throughout their lifetime.

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Guiding Your Daughter into Womanhood

Young girls seem to be maturing physically earlier than past generations. In fact, some counselors warn that if you haven’t discussed puberty and sexual development with your child by age 8 or 9, somebody else likely already has.

If that’s alarming to you, tune in to our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Guiding Your Daughter into Womanhood.” We’re equipping moms to prepare for and effectively discuss with their daughter all the physical, emotional, and spiritual developments that come with puberty – that important stage in a child’s life where the body begins to change in significant ways.

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Holiday Movie Challenge

Are you ready to take on the ultimate holiday movie challenge? It’s easy and, best of all, it will bring you together as a family. Here it is. Between now and Christmas, sit down together as a family and watch as many Christmas movies as you can.

I don’t usually recommend families spend more time in front of a screen, but I’ll happily make an exception in this case. The Christmas season is a wonderful time of year for families to reconnect.

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Staying True to Your Marriage

The tingles can get you married. They can also get you divorced.

Dr. Gary Chapman has heard a lot of couples in premarital counseling talk about “the tingles” – that emotional flutter we feel when we’re attracted to each other.

“The tingles” play an important role in forming romantic relationships. They turn a simple hello into a lunch date, and before long the couple is so inseparable they decide to get married.

But the tingles fade.

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