Daly Focus Blog
Relationships are the most rewarding experiences this side of heaven, but they also present a challenge. How do you restore peace and harmony to a relationship that’s struggling?
Boundaries.
God himself demonstrated why and how to create boundaries. In the Garden of Eden, He told Adam and Eve: Don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). That one boundary communicated four important ideas about relationships:
Boundaries define and protect freedom.
Good marriages are built on connection points. Money. Sex. Communication. And this one, which often gets overlooked: spiritual intimacy.
As the label suggests, spiritual intimacy is when a couple is unified in their beliefs about God and spirituality. Couples who aren’t unified run into trouble. Like Maria and John. They didn’t talk much about their spiritual beliefs when they were dating. After they got married, they were caught off guard when the challenges of life put their deepest values to the test.
Many women feel overwhelmed. They’re busy from morning until night yet still don’t seem to have enough time for important things like devotions, exercise, friendships, sleep, or quality time with their families.
My wife, Jean, did a great job of keeping our family and household in order during our parenting years. But some days the strain she was under was tough. Like the evening I came home from work and Jean met me at the door.
Prayer is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your marriage.
You’ve probably heard that advice and believe it. But prayer still falls by the wayside when life gets busy and responsibilities demand your time and attention.
On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Praying for Your Marriage Is Essential,” our guest, Jodie Berndt, is answering how to incorporate prayer into your marriage in a way that not only helps you grow closer to your spouse but deepens your relationship in Christ.
My wife, Jean, loves decorating for Christmas. If you step into our garage, you’ll notice an assortment of nearly 30 boxes and plastic bins in the rafters. They’re filled with all of the Christmas decorations we’ve accumulated over the decades. I pull everything down and haul it into the house, so Jean can do her thing. I love how beautiful our home looks when she’s done.
One year, I offered to help her. For an hour, I hung icicles on the tree and talked to her while she set up our snow village.
The ancient Stoic philosophers often employed an exercise known as “premeditatio malorum” – or the premeditation of evils. In short, they would conjure up in their minds how bad things could happen to them and then do the exact opposite, believing good things would inevitably and invariably come from such activity.
Today, we call this practice the “Law of Inversion” – and it can be equally effective when pondering how best to help our children and teens grow into responsible and successful adults.
This practice recently came to mind thanks to my friend, Holly, who has been teaching at a Christian college for more than two decades.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
