Daly Focus Blog
“The loneliest place I’ve ever been in my life is not Afghanistan but in my own bed … with my wife’s back turned to me.”
That comment from veteran Chad Robichaux resonates with a lot of military couples who endure demands on their marriages that most civilians don’t understand.
After 9/11, Chad’s special ops unit did eight tours of duty in Afghanistan. Surviving the war-torn Middle East required good training and high levels of intense, adrenaline-fueled emotion.
When I think about living the Christian life, I am reminded of what Christ teaches in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).
The young man in the story blew his inheritance on foolish living. When he returned home, broke and humiliated, he feared that his father would disown him or, if he were merciful, hire him as a servant. Instead, his father loved him and celebrated his return, rejoicing that his lost son was now found.
When was the last time you waited for something … and were happy about it?
We often think of waiting as an obstacle, something that stands between us and whatever it is we’re anxiously anticipating. As it turns out, waiting is essential to happiness.
A Dutch study concluded that people who had a vacation to look forward to were measurably happier than people who didn’t. While that conclusion may seem obvious, it demonstrates that the anticipation leading up to an event is key to infusing that event with joy and happiness.
Withholding food from children in order to force compliance is considered a form of child abuse, and yet that’s basically what the Biden administration is doing through its draconian new guidelines for schools.
At issue is funding for school breakfast and lunch programs for underprivileged kids. According to new rules from the USDA, schools that receive funding for these programs must “update their non-discrimination policies and signage to include prohibitions against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.”
In practical terms, this means that public, private, and religious schools nationwide must embrace the Biden administration’s radical gender ideology or risk losing funding for school lunches for the students entrusted to their care.
Sometimes you need a little luck.
Park ranger Roy Sullivan had a lot of it. In fact, he holds the dubious honor by the Guinness World Records of having survived more lightning strikes than anyone.
Seven to be exact, between 1942 and 1977.
In one incident, Sullivan was driving along a mountain pass when a bolt of lightning struck trees on opposite sides of the road from each other. After hitting the first tree, the lightning passed through Sullivan’s open windows and struck the other one.
If you’re getting married soon, which image best reflects your love for each other – a beautiful bouquet of flowers? Or a packet of seeds?
Some weddings are a flower extravaganza. There are flower centerpieces, elaborate flower decorations, and even a flower girl. And don’t forget the most important arrangement of all – the bridal bouquet. All those flowers are intended to represent the couple’s love: vibrant, alive, and in full bloom.
But the late Gary Smalley, who officiated a lot of weddings, used a unique illustration to help couples understand the true nature of their love.
On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Finding Hope in the Messiah,” we’re listening to Lily Isaacs – vocalist and matriarch of the southern gospel and bluegrass group The Isaacs – share her testimony.
Lily was born in Europe after World War II to two Polish Jewish Holocaust survivors who moved the family to the United States when Lily was two years old. She grew up in the Bronx, NY and studied theater and performed off Broadway.
How many strokes of good luck does it take for a coincidence to become a miracle?
While you consider your answer, let me share the story of Laura Buxton. She was 10 years old in 2001 when she released a red balloon into the air over her hometown in Staffordshire, England. On a card attached to the balloon, she wrote, “Please return to Laura Buxton.” Her home address was on the other side.
A few weeks later, a man 140 miles away found the balloon stuck in his hedges.
One of the most popular questions we get here at Focus on the Family is, “How do I pass my values on to my children?” Let me answer that question for you by sharing two important ideas.
First and foremost is family. You, mom and dad, are the most important influence in your kids’ lives. They’re watching you. Everything you say and do makes a profound impression on what your children say and do. So, model the values you hope your children will adopt as their own.
Bad news from around the world is relentless, and there’s not much we can do to stop it. Which is a problem, considering that exposure to bad news can negatively affect people. Studies show that a steady diet of news featuring violence or tragedy elevate stress, anxiety, and sadness. Add to that the sheer amount of information we’re exposed to through newspapers, television, the Internet, and social media, and we’re virtually drowning in negativity.
What’s the remedy?
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.
