Daly Focus Blog
One day, well into her adult years, Florence Littauer’s dad invited her into a tiny back room of the little store he’d operated for decades, reached into a hiding place behind an upright piano against a back wall, and retrieved an old cigar box.
Inside were a handful of articles he had published in the local paper. Until then, Florence had no idea her father was a writer. He’d never discovered his true potential because no one had ever encouraged him.
Merry Christmas! I’m sure you’re looking forward to time with your family as you celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ tomorrow.
Today, we’re bringing you a special message by popular author and speaker Liz Curtis Higgs, sharing at one of our staff chapels about how the very first Christmas in Bethlehem changed the world forever. That’s a familiar story, of course, but with a blend of biblical truth and a great sense of humor, Liz provides a fresh perspective through the eyes of the first women to meet baby Jesus.
As Christians, we orient our lives according to the Bible. We believe that God exists (Romans 1:20) and that He commands a host of angels who do His will (Luke 2:13-14) and who worship Him without ceasing (Revelation 4:8).
Yet, when it comes to spiritual warfare, we’re double-minded. We believe that the devil and his angels exist (Matthew 25:41), but we rarely acknowledge their influence in our daily affairs.
Christmas traditions vary by family and organization, but I wanted to share a new one from the Focus campus here in Colorado Springs.
For the first time ever, we planted and lit a 30 foot evergreen tree here at the front of our property. We also dedicated and lit a beautiful new creche beside it.
Just a week after the lighting, a massive windstorm of 100 mph gusts blew through the town, toppling ten other trees on our property.
The Focus Christmas tree survived!
Why do kids behave poorly?
According to Dr. Kevin Leman, all misbehavior is a quest for attention. If your children can’t get attention from you in positive ways, they’ll get it in negative ways.
There are four goals of misbehavior:
Attention – “I only count when others notice me and serve me.”Power – “I only count when others do what I want them to do when I want them to do it.”Revenge – “I only count when I hurt others like I’ve been hurt.”Display of inadequacy – “I’m no good.
Our culture is so toxic that an increasing number of young girls are suffering from a growing list of troubles – from low self-esteem and anxiety to depression and eating disorders.
What’s the answer? It isn’t so much a “what” as it is a “who.”
Mothers.
Mom, you are instrumental in helping your daughter navigate a world that is often against her. An effective way to do that is to be a good listener. Your daughter is much more likely to share her heart with you than with Dad.
Here’s a discouraging fact: You’re probably not as healthy as you think you are.
According to a long line of psychological studies, we tend to see ourselves as better than we are. Social scientists call this the Better-Than-Average Effect. We’re compelled to put our best face forward and suppress our inadequacies. We look like we have it together on the outside even when we don’t have it together on the inside.
The last year and a half has shown how important it is to take care of ourselves emotionally, physically, relationally, and spiritually.
Author Gary Thomas thought he had a good marriage. Then God reminded him of the pledge he made to his wife at their wedding: “I promise to love and to cherish you until death do us part.”
Thirty-six years later, Gary realized that he hadn’t thought of the word “cherish” in terms of his marriage since he spoke those words. Determined to change course, Gary set out to understand what it really meant to cherish his wife.
Focus on the Family serves the culture according to five foundational pillars.
The first pillar is evangelism and discipleship. “We believe the ultimate purpose of life is to know and glorify God and to attain eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, beginning within our own families and then reaching out to a suffering humanity that needs to embrace His love and sacrifice.”
Although every Christian would agree with that truth, many shy away from evangelism.
Guy and Amber Lia were convinced that their marriage was a mistake soon after the mountaintop experience of their wedding. Neither had the communication skills to work through their differences. They reacted to each other instead of responding. Their relationship spiraled, and they considered throwing in the towel.
Every dating couple imagines marriage as a string of mountaintop experiences. Life will never be perfect, but we can’t fathom romance fading. We can’t foresee our conversations not stretching into the wee hours of the night.
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.
