Daly Focus Blog
In the midst of your shopping, decorating, card writing and the cooking and baking – before you get frazzled and frayed in the days leading up to Christmas – I want to share an old story with you. In the telling, I pray you might allow it to influence your decisions and activities these next few weeks.
Some time ago there was an American missionary living in a very tiny African village. The young woman was a teacher who labored alongside the natives.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, events, family by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
We’re headed to California today, to spend Thanksgiving with Jean’s mom and dad, and give Trent and Troy some much appreciated and cherished time with Grandma and Grandpa.
Fortunately, there’s no snow here in Colorado Springs or in Denver to slow departure – but west of here the mountains are getting blitzed with a heavy storm and gusty winds. The powder junkies should be in their glory – if they can make it up the interstate to the slopes.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: events, family, staff by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
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 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
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 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
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 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
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 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
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 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
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 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
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 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
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 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.Home
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