Daly Focus Blog
Today’s broadcast, “Changing the World Through Adoption,” features a conversation with my friend, Focus colleague and co-writer, Paul Batura. The discussion is based on his latest book, Chosen for Greatness: How Adoption Changes the World.
Paul serves as our vice-president of communications. He’s currently in his 20th year at the ministry.
Although Paul often works behind the scenes, you might remember him from a Focus program several years ago where he discussed his popular book, “Good Day!
Fire can cook you a nice steak, or it can burn your house to the ground. The difference lies in how well you harness its power.
It’s the same with a strong will. There is a lot of good that comes from having what LeRoy and Kimberly Wagner describe as a “fierce” personality. But a strong will gone wild can wreak havoc in a person’s life.
Fierce doesn’t have to mean obnoxious, loud, or rude. A fierce woman can be strong and beautiful.
The beauty pendulum swings both ways for young Christian girls and women.
To one side is a woman’s God-given desire to look and to feel beautiful. That pursuit usually involves some combination of exercise, hair style, cosmetics, and clothing choices, all of which must work together for a woman to feel attractive.
The other side of the pendulum diminishes outer beauty. Women are told that how they look or feel is inconsequential. Real beauty is only on the inside.
How would you answer these three questions?
When does human life begin?
What makes human life valuable?
What is our Christian duty to the preborn?
Some of you hesitated to answer.
That may explain why so many Christians are quietly pro-life. They believe abortion ends a human life, but they really don’t know how to defend the position to others, so they generally keep quiet about it.
If that’s you, you’re certainly not alone. I’m surprised by the number of Christians who have never had the opportunity to learn a solid Christian response to abortion and other pro-life issues like physician-assisted suicide.
Some of you have just discovered you’re pregnant with your first baby. To that I say, “Congratulations!” You’re about to embark on one of the most sacred journeys a human being can undertake.
But it’s also one of the most challenging. Some big changes will be here before you know it. That precious new little one you’ll soon bring home will dramatically alter your entire way of life. From sleeping patterns to schedule changes, the demands on new parents can be rigorous.
Picture two people.
One speaks Chinese. The other speaks English. Let’s say their relationship makes it imperative that they communicate effectively. What do you suppose would be the best way for them to do that?
Not only do they speak different languages, their entire view of the world may differ radically from one another. Short of having a translator at the standby every waking moment, one of the two is going to have to learn the other’s language.
On our program today, we’re airing a classic Focus’ presentation you won’t want to miss.
It’s a tribute to teachers, featuring a talk by Guy Doud, voted Teacher of the Year in 1986. His inspirational and humorous message highlights the powerful difference teachers can make when they reach out to students who feel like outcasts relegated to the sidelines of their school.
Maybe you’ve been the beneficiary of a kind-hearted teacher. I sure have. I’ll always remember Mrs.
Have you ever said to God, “What are You doing? I’ve served You to the best of my ability. I’ve tried to be an honest, godly person. Why am I suffering through this trial?”
Many of us have. Several years ago, my good friends Bo and Gari Mitchell endured an unimaginable time of trouble. Until then, neither of them had been guilty of anything worse than a traffic ticket. But that changed the day Bo stood before a judge who declared him guilty of a felony and sentenced him to prison.
Is it possible to enjoy an argument-free marriage? Fawn Weaver, our guest on yesterday’s radio program, says that you can.
Now, before you dismiss her belief in marital bliss too quickly, I encourage you to give her a listen. She’ll tell you plainly that you won’t build an argument-free marriage by striving for peace at all costs, by avoiding serious conversations, or by sweeping important issues under the rug.
She says the key to eliminating arguing is effective marriage communication that gets to the truth of a matter and that genuinely resolves conflict.
Here’s a scenario that will likely play out tonight in households everywhere.
Somewhere a parent will sit down with his or her son and jump into a long-winded monologue that forces the son to sit still and patiently listen. Over the course of that talk, the son’s eyes will glaze over, and the parent will repeatedly say, “Sit still and look at me while I’m talking to you.” When they’re done, the parent will feel compelled to ask, “Did you hear what I just said?” and the son will feel compelled to answer, “Umm, not really.”
The nursery rhyme says it all.
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.
