faith Archives

Is Roe v. Wade on the Ropes?

Note: On Jan. 21, the GOP leadership pulled this bill and cancelled the vote. Please read my new post on what’s happened — and, more than ever, please contact your representative. -JD

***

Your help is needed.

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are currently gearing up for a vote on a bill that would ban abortion (with a few exceptions) after 20 weeks’ gestation.

It’s called the “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” (H.R. 36) and it builds on the fact that 10 states have already passed local versions of the law since 2010.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, news, policy, pro-life January 16, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Was Atlanta’s Fire Chief Fired Over His Faith?

By now you’ve likely heard that Atlanta Fire Chief, Kelvin Cochran, was recently fired from his position for publishing a book in which he affirmed a biblically orthodox understanding of human sexuality.

The 162-page book in question, “Who Told You That You Were Naked?” is a Bible study designed for Christian men.

According to press reports, Mr. Cochran gave a copy of the book to three individuals within his department, all of whom he knew to be Christian.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, homosexuality, news, religious liberty January 14, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Is Your Family’s Schedule Overwhelmed?

I’ve got a riddle for you. “You can spend it, but you can’t keep it. And once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.” Do you know what it is? Here’s a clue:

Let’s say you win a contest. The grand prize is $86,400 wired into your bank account each day at midnight. The money is yours to spend however you want. There’s just one catch. At the end of the day, every penny you don’t spend disappears from your account.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, parenting January 13, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How Would You Answer This Critical Question?

I decided to sit down with my boys over the Christmas break and have a talk with them.

We’ve already had THE talk about the birds and the bees. Trent is now 14 and Troy is 12. Like it or not, they’re well on their way toward the battles of life.

In fact, we regularly talk about the big issues of sex, drugs and drinking. We have a mantra in our home which both boys can recite.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, parenting January 7, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

What a Boy Taught This Pastor

January is Sanctity of Human Life month, so it’s very fitting that I share with you some more about a film project Focus has been working on called The Drop Box. I’ve highlighted this touching documentary in this blog before, and you’ll be hearing more about it in the weeks to come. The documentary highlights the work of Pastor Lee Jong-rak who leads Jusarang Community Church in Seoul, South Korea.

The hallmark ministry of Pastor Lee’s church is its care for children that are left in its “baby box,” a warm, safe receptacle where an infant can be left anonymously instead of being discarded in a cold alley or a dumpster.

Topics: Focus Events Tags: events, faith, kids, news, pro-life January 6, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

An Unwanted Dog and the Woman She Rescued

Sometimes life’s pain can be so deep we lose ourselves in a fog of uncertainty and confusion. We struggle to see things that were once crystal clear – things like who God is and who we are in Him.

That was Laurie Sacher’s story. Broken dreams had stripped her of hope, leaving behind heartache and nagging questions about God’s character and His love for her.

But then a dog wandered into her life … literally. It was scraggly, blind, and homeless.

Topics: Focus Events Tags: broadcast, faith December 26, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How to Break Free from a Troubled Past

We’ve all suffered heartache.

Even if we grew up in a loving home, we were raised by imperfect people who made mistakes, no matter how well-intentioned they may have been. So none of us escapes completely unscathed. It’s the reality of being born into a fallen world.

That’s a truth I know all too well.

I’ve openly shared about my troubled childhood. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s enough to explain that my mother died when I was nine years old.

Topics: Focus Events Tags: broadcast, faith December 18, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Who’s the Better Christian?

Let’s try to guess which of these two men is doing more to expand the Kingdom of God.

We’ll call the first guy Kevin. Kevin gets up every morning at 5:30 a.m. and gets ready for a long commute into his downtown office where he works in middle management in the banking industry. He works hard because he has a family to support: a wife, three kids and a dog.

Calvin is our second guy – “Pastor C,” as the kids in youth group call him.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, church, faith, pop culture December 3, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Spiritual Side of Dogs

Pick up any Christmas catalog this season, from L.L. Bean to Orvis, and you’re bound to see images of cute puppies and family dogs.

There sits a friendly retriever by the crackling fireplace, snuggled up on his tartan-plaid dog bed. Or there’s pajama-clad junior, hugging his new canine friend, a red bow around his collar.

There’s a reason the late Peanuts creator Charles Schulz once suggested that “Happiness is a warm puppy.”

Just see how many advertisements include a dog or a cat.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family December 2, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton, Wife Adopt Two Children

Gold-medal-winning Olympian Scott Hamilton and his wife, Tracie, recently doubled the number of children in their family. The couple, who already have two biological children, adopted a brother and sister from Haiti, reports The Today Show.

The Hamiltons first learned of Evelyne, 11, and Jean Paul, 13, two years ago in the wake of the devastating earthquake that hit the island nation through Tracie’s volunteer work. Tracie quickly fell in love with the pair after visiting one particular Hatian orphanage.

Topics: Current Events Tags: adoption, faith, pop culture November 28, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura