Daly Focus Blog
Christians desire to serve God. We read His word and seek His will. Maybe we even pray, “God, break our hearts for the things that break Your heart. Give our hearts joy for the things that give Your heart joy.”
But our guest on today’s program, Pastor Eugene Cho, wonders, “Are we more in love with the idea of following Jesus than actually following the teachings of Jesus?”
That question isn’t some thoughtless accusation he levels against the church.
During a recent trip to Pennsylvania, I had the pleasure of meeting Amanda Pietrocola. Ms. Pietrocola and her family are friends of the ministry, and last summer she attended our Boundless conference. Amanda shared with me that she and her family had recently fostered two young girls. Their story provides a good snapshot of the realities associated with foster care. It’s rarely the neat and tidy Hollywood screenplay. While we enthusiastically champion foster care, we also think it’s important to paint an accurate picture of the challenges associated with the ministry.
I used to think successful people achieved great things because they faced less adversity than those who fail. But when I became an adult, I realized everybody encounters challenges of one kind or another. What matters is how we respond to the obstacles we face.
Probably no one communicates the truth of that concept better than best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell, our guest on today and tomorrow’s programs we’ve titled, “Battling Giants in Everyday Life.” His latest works tell the stories of people who not only overcame adversity, but in many ways those challenges became the catalyst for their success.
Today, on the 14th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, I want to share some thoughts I wrote during at the 10-year mark. So much of what I said then is, sadly, still applicable now at a time when our nation and its people remain divided among many lines. As we remember those we lost on 9/11, I hope we also remember the unity and brotherhood of that day. -JD
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“Ten Years Later”
On Sunday, our nation will mark the ten-year anniversary of 9/11.
As you know by now, Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis was released from the Carter County Detention Center on Tuesday following a six-day imprisonment. Citing a religious objection, the recent Christian convert had declined to issue same-sex marriage licenses – despite a federal judge ordering her to do so.
Her freedom, of course, is very good news. But the bigger concerns surrounding this case are far from resolved, and it serves as a warning to the 244 million people (according to Gallup) in the United States who believe the Bible is God’s Word for humanity.
The doctor simply said, “Michele, it’s not good.”
In that moment, at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 19, 2010, Michele Cushatt’s life changed forever. She went from being, as she described herself, a “confident, somewhat assured Christian woman” to “being absolutely undone.”
There is something about the word “cancer” that can turn what we thought was cement under our feet into sand.
Suffering is like that. It’s a difficult topic to even discuss. There’s no way to put a positive spin on pain.
To be a good father, you have to be a good man.
Not perfect. After all, there are no perfect dads or men.
You just have to be there.
Sadly, there are too many dads who aren’t. Twenty-five million children in the United States go to bed each night without their biological father in the home.
Statistically, these children are more likely to grow up in financially difficult circumstances and more likely to drop out of school.
If you love Jesus, people and social media, please consider volunteering as a Focus on the Family online mentor.
It’s a unique opportunity for anyone who has a heart for the hurting. Online mentors are digital missionaries, tending to real needs, sharing the Gospel, and going “through all the towns and villages,” just like Jesus did … except these modern-day missionaries “travel” through their Internet connection.
Focus will provide the technology and training. We’ll equip you to enter online communications and take part in conversations to breathe life, Bible-based hope, and encouragement to people in need.
One of the most well-known characters in classic literature is Dracula, the ghoulish vampire created by Bram Stoker in 1897. Since then, thanks to countless movies and cartoons, vampires have become synonymous with black capes and sharp teeth. But there’s another characteristic often featured in these dark tales: a vampire’s reflection is never seen in the mirror.
On the surface, it might not seem like that obscure quality would have any practical application to marriages. But let me ask you: on an emotional level, do you see your reflection in the mirror?
Owners of Ashley Madison, the infamous adultery-facilitating website, bill themselves as being a source of “online personals & [a] dating destination for casual encounters.”
They’re also a site and source of misery and lies. And now, thanks to hackers, millions of their users have had their private sins made public.
During my career as a minister and clinical psychologist, I’ve worked with hundreds of couples grappling with the excruciating pain and heartbreak of infidelity. The reality is there’s nothing new about sexual sin.
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.
