Jim Daly

Daly Focus Blog

Say No to Ambition

Every day society offers a skewed idea about what’s valuable. And far too often, we buy into the hype. Parents work longer and harder in a never-ending quest for bigger houses, newer cars, and the latest technology. Eventually, the stuff we own overshadows what really matters. And what really matters dwindles away.

We need ambition. But, even more, we need our ambition to be governed by larger priorities: namely our marriage and our family.

Over 150 years ago, an unnamed soldier wrote a poem that put life into focus.

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Truth Pays in the End

Standing for what’s right isn’t always easy. But it pays off in the end.

A man named Joseph Lister is a good example of this. Believe it or not, until 1870, surgeries were conducted without sterilization. That’s right. Back then, doctors didn’t wash their hands before surgery. Neither did anyone sterilize the patient, the room, or the surgical instruments. Germ theory was just beginning to be discovered, and the medical profession didn’t believe that bacteria caused illness.

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The Heart of a Warrior

Chad Robichaux comes from a long line of military service members. His grandparents fought in World War II and Korea. His father served in Vietnam, and both of Chad’s sons served in the Marines. Chad was himself a force recon Marine who did eight deployments to Afghanistan.

Chad recalls when his vehicle was surrounded by Taliban armed with AK-47 assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. His unit referred to dangerous situations like that as “being on the X” – the X representing the center of a target.

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A Moment to Hold On To

Every father I meet has the same goal: to be a good dad. But how do you know when you’ve been one? Parenting can be tough, and it’s easy for men to question how good of a job they’re doing. In times like those, men need a moment to hold onto.

Some time back, my son Trent and I were on a father/son retreat. One night, we all sat around the campfire, and the kids were given the chance to honor their fathers.

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Taming Your Child’s Tongue

Has one of your children ever thrown a world-class fit in a store?

My son Trent did that once when he was little. I was out of town, and Jean was alone with him in the checkout aisle. Trent wanted a candy bar and had a meltdown when his mom told him no.

Jean was a new mom and was embarrassed that she couldn’t get Trent under control. Fortunately, a man dressed in a military uniform intervened and told Trent, “Son, you need to listen to your mother.”

I don’t know who that man was, but I say, “Thank you.”

Situations like that frequently happen to moms and dads, but it’s not always clear how to respond.

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When Love Is Tough

One of the biggest reasons marriages collapse is that couples expect love to be easy, which means they aren’t willing to stay committed to one another when things get tough.

Any of us can show love to our spouse when life is clicking along smoothly or when we feel our needs are being met. But to have a marriage that endures, love must go much deeper. Love only has the opportunity to show its true colors when it’s tested.

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If You Want a Great Marriage, Do This

Hurdlers don’t usually stumble on the open stretch of track but when they’re attempting to clear the obstacles.

Likewise, marriages don’t stumble when everything is calm and life is rolling along smoothly. Problems tend to develop when couples encounter some kind of stress.

My wife, Jean, and I have gone through numerous transition periods. We have faced challenges in our extended families, relocated to new cities, and raised two boys. One of the biggest challenges to our marriage – ironically enough – was when I became the president of Focus on the Family.

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Coach Tony Dungy: A Good Man with the Courage to Champion Life

Focus on the Family president Jim Daly writes: 

Legendary football coach and NBC analyst Tony Dungy came under fire on Thursday night after word spread on social media that he had agreed to speak at today’s March for Life in Washington, D.C. 

Dave Zirin, a radical Leftist and sports editor for The Nation, accused NBC of coddling Dungy’s “right-wing extremism” and called the soft-spoken coach, who believes the Bible is inerrant, “an anti-gay bigot.” 

Whether as a player, a coach or a member of his church, Coach Dungy has modeled how to bring the Christian faith into the public square.

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For Such a Time As This

Have you ever wished that your life could be easier? Who hasn’t? Every generation has had battles they didn’t want to fight. Which is why we must learn, as they did, that we have an important part to play in making the world a better place, right now, in this generation.

In 1933, Winston Churchill warned his fellow countrymen against the rise of Nazi Germany. His message encouraged people not to shrink back from their troubles but to stand strong with courage.

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Sharing Your Faith with Your Kids

One of the main reasons parents contact Focus on the Family is for help sharing their faith with their children.

Our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Sharing Your Faith with Your Kids” is designed to address that concern by equipping parents to share their faith and disciple their children more intentionally.

Our guest is Natalie Frisk, author of the book Raising Disciples: How to Make Faith Matter for Our Kids. She believes that having conversations about God with children in every stage of life helps make these discussions less awkward and more meaningful.

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Daly Focus

Jim-Daly 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.

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