Daly Focus Blog
Mom and Dad, are you a tugboat or a rudder?
You can tell by the way you motivate your children. Tugboat parents get their children going the right direction by pushing and pulling them through life. There’s a lot of nagging, mild threats, and endless warnings against the consequences of bad choices.
I think every parent has done that. I know I’ve grabbed the rope and started to pull when one of my boys hasn’t made a good decision.
Does belief in God really help us survive tough times?
Millions of believers around the world say yes. And so does research out of Notre Dame and Ohio State University, which examined the role of faith in overcoming life’s hardships. The study drew a strong correlation between a lack of religious faith and what is known as “death by despair” – death caused by suicide or by drug or alcohol overdose. Researchers found that people who claim no religious faith are much more likely to seek an escape from life’s hardships through unhealthy means, sometimes tragically so.
Years ago, author and speaker Dannah Gresh inexplicably struggled with physical pain. Doctors tested for a number of problems, including cancer and lupus, but couldn’t identify the issue.
Her troubles continued until her counselor asked if Bob, her husband, was being faithful to her, suggesting that a woman’s body can sense when their husband is mentally, spiritually, and sexually distant.
When Dannah confronted Bob about her suspicions, he denied that he was struggling with sexual integrity.
When Jean and I first started dating, I was willing to inconvenience myself to show her my interest. I lived in San Diego, and she lived in Orange County. Despite the 90 miles that separated us, I’d often take dinner to her while she was at work.
Fast forward to the early years of our marriage, and I couldn’t be bothered to run an errand for her down the street. Something had changed. I was easily distracted.
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.
Longtime friends and readers will remember a book I wrote and released back in 2012 titled, “ReFocus: Living a Life that Reflects God’s Heart.”
The offering was motivated by a desire to encourage Christian believers to engage the culture in both a convicting and loving manner. The hostility facing followers of Jesus Christ is real and rising, and it’s tempting to respond in kind. Our faith calls for us to do the opposite.
In that same spirit, I’m delighted to announce that I’ve decided to launch a new podcast echoing many of these same themes – and I have the privilege of talking with individuals who have a lot to say about the subject.
Throughout his career, legendary artist Norman Rockwell’s depiction of American culture was dismissed by critics as overly simplistic sentimental snapshots of an America that never existed.
I think Rockwell’s critics missed the point. He was casting a vision for what America could be. His illustrations were popular because his paintings captured the spirit of America, which has always meant reaching for life’s greatest ideals, even when they exceed our grasp.
I’m not surprised that Rockwell was criticized for promoting strong marriages, innocence in childhood, or the value of deep faith.
If you’re unfamiliar with Christianity, or your passion for your faith has cooled, you’ll want to join us for our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Reasons to Believe in Jesus.”
We’re sharing a recorded message by author and British evangelist J.John. With plenty of humor, he explains why he is certain that the teachings of Christianity are absolutely true and reminds us why only Christ can fill our lives with real hope in the midst of the problems of this world.
As you know, the much-welcomed reversal of Roe last June has set in motion an avalanche of pro-abortion legislation and ballot initiatives, including in our home state of Colorado.
I had an opportunity to weigh-in on a particularly grievous series of bills passed in the Centennial State and signed by our governor. My original article appeared in Newsweek last week. I’ve updated the piece to reflect the fast-moving nature of the subject matter.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis Signs Bill Prohibiting Lifesaving Care of Innocent Pre-born Children
By: Jim Daly
For many years now, pro-abortion advocates have attempted to perfect the art of using soft words to describe dark deeds, and nowhere more regularly or dangerously than in my home state’s General Assembly.
Last month, pro-abortion zealots in Colorado introduced a series of three bills, all of which have been signed by Governor Jared Polis.
Opposites attract. With a little communication, those differences usually can be navigated. But sometimes it’s differences in communication itself that are the problem.
Authors Bill and Pam Farrel offer a simple word picture to illustrate the distinction between how men and women communicate: Men are like waffles; women are like spaghetti.
Ladies are the spaghetti. The noodles run in random directions, and they all seem to touch each other. That’s a visual for the way women easily jump from one subject to another within a conversation.
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.
