Daly Focus Blog
When I was a kid, I loved to stargaze.
Late at night I’d head outdoors to lay down on my back and lose myself in the canopy of the midnight blue sky. I still enjoy doing that, although it’s been a while. Over the years I’ve learned how to identify a number of the eighty-eight constellations. Of course, the naked eye can only see so much. That’s why I’m always fascinated when the Hubble telescope snaps new pictures of deep space which has a way of transporting me to worlds beyond ours.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
I don’t know about you, but Jean and I found the Adventures in Odyssey (AIO) radio drama a real lifesaver this summer. Whenever we were on the road for a long trip, we found AIO a perfect way to entertain our boys, Trent and Troy, while also immersing them in a number of important life lessons.
The first AIO aired November 21, 1987, about two years before I joined the staff of Focus on the Family and long before we had kids.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, kids, promos by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
A number of years ago, Focus on the Family Films released an eye-opening video series entitled That the World May Know, hosted by historian and scholar Ray Vander Laan. Ray does a masterful job transporting us to the actual places where the stories of the Bible took place. Filmed on location in Israel, Ray offers “faith lessons” from the Holy Lands.
One of the things I like most about Ray is how he challenges my Western way of viewing the metaphors and events of scripture.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
Prior to assuming the role as president here at Focus on the Family, one of my most exciting assignments within the ministry was leading and guiding our international division. As a vice president, I watched our broadcast spread into over 150 countries, garnering millions of new listeners over the course of several years. Additionally, our printed resources were beginning to be translated into dozens of different languages, reaching untold numbers of new believers. It was both humbling and incredible to see—not to mention exciting!
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
A couple of days ago I blogged about our recent family vacation in which the four of us went completely “dark”—we exchanged the television, the radio, and the Internet for some serious peace and quiet. Even if we had wanted to use our cell phone, there wasn’t any coverage. All of the electrical umbilical cords tethering us to the frazzled pace of life had been cut.
This was by design. Jean and I planned the trip to have no contact with the outside world which, for five glorious days, allowed our family to pull inward.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, technology by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
Sometimes, a little fear can wind up being a lot of fun—instructive, too.
Jean and I took the boys camping last week up to beautiful Mueller State Park, a picturesque spot located just outside the town of Woodland Park, Colorado.
Our site was perfectly situated; a cozy corner of land nestled among towering pines and an Aspen tree grove. It was great not to have the pressure of keeping a schedule. To borrow a phrase, we had “gone dark” once arriving in the park.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
I’ve enjoyed the coverage these last few days revolving around the 40th anniversary of men landing and walking on the moon. If you’re in your mid-40’s, I suspect you can recall something about that special week in the otherwise tumultuous summer of 1969. You might even remember where you were when those famous words of Neil Armstrong echoed back to earth: “That’s one small step for man,” he said slowly and deliberately, “one giant leap for mankind.”
What a wave of nostalgia swept over Jean and me as we watched those grainy images again, this time with our own boys by our side.
Topics: Current Events Tags: events, faith, technology by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
Somebody once suggested to me that the majority of successful entrepreneurs usually have two things from their past in common: The loss of a parent at a young age—and a paper route.
I was reminded of that while reading the Wall Street Journal recently. Douglas Belkin’s piece this past Saturday titled, “Superman Birthplace is Restored,” offers some interesting background information on the creation of the famous comic strip-turned television-turned movie character. And it actually has a lot to do with what we’re trying to do here at Focus on the Family.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family, kids, parenting by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
Former NFL Head Coach Joe Gibbs knows a thing or two about football, having taken the Washington Redskins to the Super Bowl eight times, winning three. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, this champion expanded his playing field to include the creation of his own NASCAR team. Driven by the pursuit of excellence, his Joe Gibbs Racing team captured three NASCAR Championships.
Joe stopped by Focus on the Family Monday to record a broadcast in which he tackled a different topic: doing life God’s way.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
By now you’ve heard about the murder of a wealthy Pensacola couple named Byrd and Melanie Billings. They were found shot to death inside their nine-bedroom home this past Thursday night, the apparent victims of a robbery gone bad. Late Sunday night, police investigators announced the arrests of two suspects, though more are expected.
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said, “We are very anxious to share this story … it’s going to be a humdinger, I’ll tell you that.”
Actually, it already is.
Topics: Current Events Tags: adoption, events, faith, family, news by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
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.