Daly Focus Blog
When Kim Meeder was growing up, she adored her parents.
She thought her father was a superhero. He didn’t wear a cape, fly, or leap tall buildings, but there wasn’t much else he couldn’t do. Her mother was the most beautiful and loving woman in the world, and Kim wanted to grow up to be just like her.
But when she was just nine years old, Kim lost both of her parents in a horrific tragedy that shattered her heart and left her disillusioned with God.
When actor and comedian Patton Oswalt suddenly lost his wife, Michelle, in April 2016, he went public with his grief.
“She hasn’t left a void. She’s left a blast crater,” the heartbroken widower wrote in an open letter, where he also talked about the impact his wife’s death has had on their 7-year-old daughter, Alice.
And his public, palpable grief may be why some people have reacted with surprise – and even criticism – when news broke of Patton’s recent engagement last week.
Last week was special. We celebrated four decades of God’s faithfulness to Focus on the Family, culminating in a very memorable 40th anniversary chapel service on Friday with special guests Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, and Christian recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman – and some of the best parts were those that didn’t go as planned.
The day started early in the morning, as we prepared for the arrival of hundreds of ministry friends, staff, Secret Service agents, local law enforcement, members of the media, and even some protestors who set up camp across the street.
Vice President Mike Pence will be joining Focus on the Family staff and friends today in celebrating 40 years of helping families thrive.
In addition to Vice President Pence’s participation as our featured speaker, award-winning Christian artist Steven Curtis Chapman will also be at the special chapel service. He will be leading us in a time of worship.
We wanted to open this special event up to our friends who faithfully support and pray for our ministry, as well as the families we love and serve.
I wake up every day with a desire to serve the Lord. I want other people to see Christ in me when I’m confronted with challenges. I want them to say, “Wow! I would’ve reacted entirely differently in that situation. What do you have that I don’t?”
But then someone cuts me off in traffic.
…Or my boys don’t behave the way I’ve told them to a dozen times.
…Or I’m exhausted after a long flight and an unexpected delay complicates my plans.
As soon as we announced that Vice President Mike Pence was planning to speak at our 40th anniversary chapel this coming Friday, reporters began asking why.
Focus on the Family has had a friendly relationship with Vice President Pence, who is an outspoken Christian, for years. His commitment to families and the preborn has been evident since his early days as an Indiana state representative, during his tenure as governor of the Hoosier State – and it’s remained steadfast in the White House.
For Ernie Johnson, Sr. – legendary baseball player and sports broadcaster – life’s most special moments were symbolized by a blackberry bush at one of his 8-year-old son’s Little League games.
The game was momentarily postponed when two of the outfielders got sidetracked. While looking for a ball that had gone over the fence, they discovered a blackberry bush and immediately forgot all about the ball, their teammates, and the game that was in progress.
Ernie loved baseball.
It’s quite a challenge to raise your children in front of a national audience. It’s even more of an accomplishment when parents everywhere admire you for how respectful and in love with God your children are.
That’s one of the most frequent responses Korie Robertson has gotten in the years since her family’s television show, A&E’s “Duck Dynasty,” first aired. She and her husband, Willie, have six children, three of whom they’ve adopted.
If you’ve seen the show, you’ve probably noticed that the couple’s children always answer adults with a “Yes, ma’am” or a “No, sir.” Fans often ask her how she teaches her kids to be respectful and to have a deep faith in Christ.
Back in February 2015 the world was rocked by the news that ISIS had brutally beheaded 21 Christian men on the shores of a beach in Libya.
As you may know, Focus on the Family serves the Middle East region out of its Cairo, Egypt office – so when we learned about this unspeakable act of hatred and violence, we felt led to help.
Focus Egypt went to work immediately ministering to the families of the murdered men in the immediate aftermath of the event and, later that year, building houses for the remaining family members.
A church in England has created a wonderful video, “This Is About That,” that illustrates some of the ways marriage reflects the gospel – and it’s definitely worth watching. Take a look:
I hope the truths expressed in this video help inspire you in your walk with Jesus, and in the ways you work to honor marriage in your life and community.
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.
