faith Archives

7 Rules to Help You Stop Worrying

When the late Dale Carnegie released How to Win Friends and Influence People in October of 1936, the $2 book sold over 100,000 copies its first few months on store shelves. Seventy-three years and 15 million copies later, the title and its content remain timeless.

Why?

At the time of Mr. Carnegie’s death on November 1, 1955, the obituary writers of the The New York Times drew the following conclusion:
Mr. Carnegie’s advice for successful living might be summed up in two of his maxims: “Forget yourself; do things for others,” and “Cooperate with the inevitable.”

Isn’t that great?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith July 4, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Nine Ways To Growing Old More Happily

The wise person, as he grows older, must turn to the perfecting of his creative and appreciative abilities, which mellow and improve with age. He must take inventory of his personality, realizing that whatever it is now, so it will tend to be in later years, multiplied many times.

[If you want to grow older happily] Ask yourself these nine determinative questions:

Am I self-centered, or do I take other people’s needs and desires into account as well as my own?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: discipline, faith July 1, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Are You Ready for the Greatest Surprise of Your Life?

Possibly one of the most devastating things that can happen to us as Christians is that we cease to expect anything to happen. This may be one of our greatest troubles today.We come to our services, and they are orderly, they are nice – we come, we go – and sometimes they are timed almost to the minute. But that is not Christianity, my friend. Where is the Lord of glory?

Where is the One sitting by the well?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, faith, family June 28, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

12 Ways to Love Your Wayward Child

I recently came across an excellent article from Abraham Piper, the son of author and pastor John Piper. For parents who are currently struggling with a child (of any age) who has either strayed from their Christian faith or never professed Jesus as Lord of their life, this will serve as practical guidance to help you manage what is a very difficult reality.

Do you resonate with the following sentiments? If you do, I’d like to know what you’re currently struggling with and how you’re managing.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, faith, family, homosexuality June 5, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Ten Books Every Christian Should Read

Settling into a comfortable chair with a good book is among life’s greatest pleasures. If you’re looking to pick one up, our online resource center is packed with exciting and entertaining titles.

Whatever your taste, I think you’ll find a title to your liking.

If you’re more inclined to invest in the classics (including some modern ones), the following list should be helpful to you. It was compiled by several of our senior members on the Focus team.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, faith, pop culture May 28, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Notre Dame Sues – What You Can Do

At last count, 43 Catholic institutions, including the University of Notre Dame, have filed lawsuits challenging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate that religious organizations provide medical coverage that violates their conscience and religious liberties.

I thank God that there are individuals and organizations in this nation willing to go to the wall for freedom and our First Amendment rights.

As a reminder, it was this past January when HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that nearly every healthcare plan was required to cover the cost of sterilizations and contraceptives, including ones that can cause abortion.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, religious liberty May 22, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

What I Saw at Chuck Colson’s Memorial Service

The National Cathedral sits atop Mount Saint Alban, the highest point in Washington D.C. It is a majestic and stately site, and it was there on a sunny and breezy May morning this past Wednesday that I had the privilege of joining with friends and family to publicly thank God for the life of my friend, Chuck Colson.

I want to tell you about it.

I want to share with you some of things I heard and some of what I saw throughout the 90-minute service.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, news May 17, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Would You Take Your Son to a Brothel?

The late Norman Vincent Peale, senior pastor of New York City’s Marble Collegiate Church for over 50 years, grew up in Ohio, a preacher’s kid. His father, Clifford Peale, was a tremendously compassionate man. If there was a need within his congregation, he was determined to meet it.

Norman remembers the phone ringing in their parsonage one cold winter’s night. His mother answered, and passed the phone to his father. The woman on the other end of the line explained that she didn’t know any other preachers, but had one night slipped into Dr.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, kids, parenting May 15, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The President Should Have Called The Pastors First

There’s a curious article in this morning’s New York Times detailing the evangelical fallout from President Obama’s decision last week affirming his support of same-sex marriage.

The headline reads:

After Obama’s Decision on Marriage, A Call to Pastors

The article described a presidential conference call two hours after Mr. Obama’s announcement with approximately eight African-American ministers, followed by additional phone conversations with several of his spiritual advisors. In each of the calls the president attempted to explain his rationale for the decision.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, homosexuality, news May 14, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How to Criticize – And Not Be Hated For It

When was the last time you read Dale Carnegie’s classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People? Although it’s sprinkled with time-dated illustrations, its core messages are timeless. For example, consider the following excerpt on how to correct a person without unduly offending them. As a husband and father, this lesson has broad reaching application:

Charles Schwab was passing through one of his steel mills one day at noon when he came across some of his employees smoking.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, friendship May 7, 2012 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura