Daly Focus Blog
I’ve got good news for you if you’re in a bad marriage: No matter how dire your circumstances, there is hope.
When a marriage enters dangerous territory, the journey to get out isn’t easy, but the results can be beautiful.
On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Saving Your Marriage from Divorce,” psychologist and author Dr. David Clarke shares his proven, 90-day strategy for getting a broken marriage on track toward healing and intimacy.
Something terrible happened at a nationally televised sporting event. At least, you’d think it was terrible given the stir it caused on social media.
Here’s what happened: During a break in the action, a camera caught two friends sitting together in the stands having a conversation.
That’s it.
No one argued. No one threw a punch.
Two people simply talked and enjoyed a football game together.
What created the social media firestorm was who the two friends were.
Most of us enter marriage with high expectations. We dream of long walks through the neighborhood every night and long walks along the beach in the summer. We imagine that every day will be romantic and exciting.
But somewhere between “I do” and “happily ever after” daily life settles into a predictable routine. And by “predictable” I mean “mundane” or – dare I even say – “boring.” Before long, we’re struggling under the “whens” and “if onlys” of life.
Christmastime brings family together, and that’s a good thing.
As an old year closes and a new one opens, December celebrations hopefully leave us with rich and positive memories. Yet sometimes all the family togetherness also leaves us with disappointment or a new burden to bear.
Maybe you are reveling in some positive holiday afterglow. That’s good – soak it up. Family is one of the greatest joys because good relationships can reflect a foretaste of the Divine. At the same time, we aren’t in Heaven and therefore relational strain, “growth opportunities” and downright abusive situations must be faced.
One day, well into her adult years, Florence Littauer’s dad invited her into a tiny back room of the little store he’d operated for decades, reached into a hiding place behind an upright piano against a back wall, and retrieved an old cigar box.
Inside were a handful of articles he had published in the local paper. Until then, Florence had no idea her father was a writer. He’d never discovered his true potential because no one had ever encouraged him.
Merry Christmas! I’m sure you’re looking forward to time with your family as you celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ tomorrow.
Today, we’re bringing you a special message by popular author and speaker Liz Curtis Higgs, sharing at one of our staff chapels about how the very first Christmas in Bethlehem changed the world forever. That’s a familiar story, of course, but with a blend of biblical truth and a great sense of humor, Liz provides a fresh perspective through the eyes of the first women to meet baby Jesus.
Christmas traditions vary by family and organization, but I wanted to share a new one from the Focus campus here in Colorado Springs.
For the first time ever, we planted and lit a 30 foot evergreen tree here at the front of our property. We also dedicated and lit a beautiful new creche beside it.
Just a week after the lighting, a massive windstorm of 100 mph gusts blew through the town, toppling ten other trees on our property.
The Focus Christmas tree survived!
Our culture is so toxic that an increasing number of young girls are suffering from a growing list of troubles – from low self-esteem and anxiety to depression and eating disorders.
What’s the answer? It isn’t so much a “what” as it is a “who.”
Mothers.
Mom, you are instrumental in helping your daughter navigate a world that is often against her. An effective way to do that is to be a good listener. Your daughter is much more likely to share her heart with you than with Dad.
Here’s a discouraging fact: You’re probably not as healthy as you think you are.
According to a long line of psychological studies, we tend to see ourselves as better than we are. Social scientists call this the Better-Than-Average Effect. We’re compelled to put our best face forward and suppress our inadequacies. We look like we have it together on the outside even when we don’t have it together on the inside.
The last year and a half has shown how important it is to take care of ourselves emotionally, physically, relationally, and spiritually.
Focus on the Family serves the culture according to five foundational pillars.
The first pillar is evangelism and discipleship. “We believe the ultimate purpose of life is to know and glorify God and to attain eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, beginning within our own families and then reaching out to a suffering humanity that needs to embrace His love and sacrifice.”
Although every Christian would agree with that truth, many shy away from evangelism.
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.
