family Archives

Thanks Be to Our Gracious God

In this week’s On Faith blog, the Washington Post’s Sally Quinn posed the following question to me and my fellow panelists:

In October 1789, President George Washington declared his support for a day of “public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God.”

Do you have a Thanksgiving blessing or prayer? What are you grateful for?

Here is how I responded:

It’s customary in our family to ask this very important question each year, and everybody usually groans and thinks it a chore.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family November 23, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Is Marriage Going Out of Style?

On Thursday, USA Today published a story highlighting new research from the Pew Center claiming marriage to be obsolete.

A gross exaggeration?

You think?

Christianity Today very graciously invited a response and just published it in today’s online edition.

I would welcome your thoughts and reaction.

To view the piece as it appears in CT, please click here or simply continue reading below…

Marriage in Obsolescence

Why recent headlines on marriage don’t do the new Pew survey justice.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, family, marriage November 19, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Black and White Problems

Bob Herbert is a respected and decorated opinion columnist for The New York Times. On the paper’s website he’s referred to as a journalist known for his “fearless articulation of unpopular truths.”

This past Monday Mr. Herbert lived up to his billing when he opined about the heartbreaking state of the African-American family.

The veteran columnist served up a one-two punch. After noting that black boys and girls are three times more likely to live in single-parent households than white children and twice as likely to have a parent without a full-time job, he dove directly into the heart of the crisis:

The first and most important step (to fix the problem) would be a major effort to begin knitting the black family back together.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, family, husband, news November 18, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Stepmothers

Would it surprise you to learn there are approximately 15 million stepmothers in America today?

On yesterday and today’s Focus on the Family radio program, we’ve gathered a panel of stepmoms to talk about it. All of these women are willing to share candidly about the joys and challenges of inheriting the privilege of motherhood.

Their stories are inspiring. Their testimonies are encouraging. I hope you’ll tune in.

I recently came across a touching poem that beautifully and poignantly tries to answer the question, “What is a stepmother?” Its author is intimately familiar with the topic.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, wife November 16, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

My Friend Bob

I want to tell you a story about a friend of mine. His name is Bob.

Bob and I have known each other for decades. Over the years, I’ve seen him get married and he’s seen Jean and me welcome our boys into the world. We’ve laughed and prayed together and shared many ups and downs of life. He is one of those good friends where no matter how much time has passed between conversations, the talk always comes easy.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, friendship, kids November 15, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Day After

I’m on my way to California today. Tonight, I’ll be in Palm Desert speaking to a group at the Desert Springs Church. Tomorrow, I’ll be addressing a wonderful gathering of pro-life supporters at a pregnancy resource clinic banquet in Newport Beach. These are true stalwarts. One of their clinics (in Long Beach) is literally situated between two abortion providers. In this year alone the facility has saved 191 babies!

On a related note, results from last night’s mid-term elections are continuing to roll in.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, family, policy November 3, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Who is Raising Who?

To even suggest that children help raise their parents sounds like something out of the progressive parenting phase of the 1970s.

But, hold on.

However provocative the premise, yesterday’s and today’s guest on Focus on the Family, Dr. Dan Allender, is about as far from advocating for permissive parenting as you can get. With his Masters of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Michigan State University, Dr. Allender’s advice is biblical and practical, if not somewhat counterintuitive.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, kids, parenting October 26, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Wins and Losses

I was reminded yesterday that even when your team loses, you can still enjoy a winning weekend.

My brother-in-law, Jon Kingdon, is a scout for the Oakland Raiders. Our family loves and admires him, but because of our affinity for the hometown Denver Broncos, there’s always been a fair amount of teasing between us. (For non-football fans, the Broncos/Raiders rivalry is legendary and dates back to the 1960s. In fact, the Broncos and Raiders have met on Monday Night Football more often than any other matchup in MNF history.)

As it was, the Raiders came to town this weekend to play the Broncos.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, family, parenting, pop culture October 25, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Television Moms and Dads

Given the endless challenges facing the state of the faith, the family, the country and even the world, you might not think I should be spending my time writing about television parents, but please humor me, won’t you?

By now you’ve probably heard of the passing of the always elegant Barbara Billingsley, that supermom of the 1950s iconic television program, Leave it to Beaver. Mrs. Cleaver cooked and cleaned the house in a dress and pearls and was always there to welcome home the boys, Wally and Theodore, and her faithful husband, Ward.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, family, news, pop culture October 22, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Secret Dance

I need to warn you.

Yesterday’s and today’s radio program is a beautiful, poignant and inspiring story, but you might find yourself holding back some tears as you listen.

So, there you have it. Consider yourself warned.

Our guests are Angie and Todd Smith. Angie is a devoted mom and a gifted writer. Todd is the lead singer of the Dove Award winning group Selah.

But they’re not here to talk about music.

They’re here to talk about life, and all its ups and downs and twists and turns.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, family October 22, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura