Daly Focus Blog
Having a baby is supposed to be a time of great excitement and joy.
But what if it’s not?
What happens when something goes wrong? What happens when the joys of pregnancy become a devastating, heart-wrenching experience?
Adriel Booker has survived that experience three times. She’ll tell you that she has seven children, but only three sit around the dinner table. She gave birth to two boys, and then she and her husband experienced three consecutive miscarriages.
We’re doing something a little unusual on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Sharing God’s Light Through Art.” We recorded the program in a different kind of studio. Instead of microphones and recording consoles, we were surrounded by paintings, easels, and more paint brushes in one place than I’ve ever seen.
The art studio belongs to Morgan Weistling, who has been an artist since he was old enough to hold a crayon. He has studied under some of the most legendary illustrators and artists of the last century.
By now you’ve likely heard that tomorrow (October 3rd) is “Bring Your Bible to School Day,” our annual celebration designed to encourage kids to share God’s Word in a winsome and loving way, and to exercise their religious freedoms.
Beginning six years ago with 8,000 students participating, last year’s event saw over 650,000 young people representing all 50 states joining the national movement.
This year’s event hasn’t been without controversy.
Last month, New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees elicited the ire of some liberals for endorsing the celebration.
I saw an article a few weeks ago reporting that televangelist Benny Hinn had renounced the “prosperity gospel” he had been preaching for years.
Hinn declared, “I think it’s an offense to the Lord to say give $1,000. I think it’s an offense to the Holy Spirit to place a price on the Gospel. I’m done with it. I will never again ask you to give $1,000 because I think the Holy Ghost is just fed up with it.
There’s no one way to raise children. Discipline that works magic with one child may be completely ineffective with another.
At the bottom of every effective parenting strategy lies a universal foundation to good parenting: relationship.
Author Josh McDowell says, “Rules without relationship leads to rebellion.” That means your child’s primary concern in life is not your rules.
What matters most to your teen or young adult is knowing that you love them.
That sense of intimate connection won’t come through your instruction, lectures, or rules.
We don’t like to think about getting older. We especially don’t like to think about death.
Maybe that’s why studies show only a third of us prepare for the inevitable with advanced directives. It’s also why a growing number of people are finding themselves ill-equipped for the rigors and responsibilities of caring for an aging loved one.
Taking on the care of an aging parent or family member is a big job that rarely comes about at a convenient time for the caregiver.
By: Linsey Driskill
When a project I poured my heart and soul into was rejected, it stung. Badly.
While these painful moments happen to all of us, it’s easy to feel alone – thinking we’re the only ones.
But, even C.S. Lewis experienced rejection. Dr. Seuss’ first book was rejected twenty-seven times. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. In 1919, Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star because his editor said he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” Elvis was told he’d be better off driving trucks than singing.
Focus on the Family is headquartered in Colorado Springs. When you visit the area and ask for directions, there’s a good chance you’ll hear something like this: “Head toward the mountains and take a right.”
Our city’s entire western border is the Rocky Mountains, and our crown jewel is America’s mountain – Pike’s Peak. Not only are the mountains beautiful, they’re how we locals find our way around here. You can always get to where you want to go by figuring out where you are in relation to the mountains.
The late Dr. Adrian Rogers, who used to serve on the board here at Focus on the Family, liked to say that the Bible was like a pool shallow enough that a little child can come and get a drink without fear of drowning, yet so deep scholars can swim in it and never touch bottom.
I’m reminded of that observation as our promotion of ‘Bring Your Bible to School Day’ on October 3rd continues to heat up. Here are just a few updates.
I still remember when a small airplane crashed across the street from where I lived when I was 14 years old. I heard the crash, then called 911 and ran to the plane. I was able to help two 20-somethings get out of the burning wreckage.
At first, I thought the young men were the only two in the plane. I soon realized two other men had been in the front – the young men’s fathers.
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.
