Daly Focus Blog
It’s been over 46 years since my mother slipped from this life into the next.
I was just 9 years old when she died, and her death disoriented me in ways big and small. In a very practical way, her passing marked the abrupt end of my childhood. Already reeling from the abandonment of my father at 5, it came at the worst possible time, though it’s never a good time for a child to lose a parent.
Yesterday’s announcement that the Boy Scouts of America will drop “Boy” from the name of its signature program is yet another sad development for the once storied and celebrated organization.
You’ll recall that the Boy Scouts announced in 2013 that they would be allowing openly homosexual scouts to join local troops. In 2015, they began accepting openly homosexual leaders. Since these changes, scout membership has dropped approximately ten percent. Many churches have decided to cancel sponsorship of troops.
Are faith-based adoption agencies – those that believe foster children and newborns fare best when placed in a home with a mom and a dad – threatened with extinction?
The outlook is ominous.
But first, let’s establish some facts. At any given time, there are more than 100,000 foster children available for adoption in the United States, meaning that there are always many more children waiting for their forever home than there ought to be. I am personally aware of what it means to be one of those waiting children, since that was me at one point in my own childhood.
Making big decisions can be frightening for teenagers. They get overwhelmed thinking about buying a car, deciding on a college, choosing a career, and even eventually getting married. We want to help them in these big decisions, but we don’t always know how.
I’ve got good news for you. John Ortberg is our guest, and he has some great advice for parents who are trying to help their teenagers decide their next steps.
His ideas resonate with me.
Solo parenting is one of the toughest jobs in the world.
I’ve seen firsthand just how tough. I was from a single-parent home. After my parents divorced, my mom took care of five kids. Jean and I have also worked with a young man who lost his wife and has been struggling to raise his kids. It’s been eye-opening to see the world through his eyes as closely as we have over the last few months.
I am delighted to announce that Focus on the Family’s NIrV Adventures in Odyssey Children’s Bible has been nominated as a finalist for best Bible of the year by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA).
As I’ve mentioned before, The NIrV Adventures in Odyssey Bible provides an exciting journey through the Scriptures hosted by familiar characters from the beloved Adventures in Odyssey audio drama. Designed for children ages 7 to 12, this full color Bible includes both the Old and New Testaments and these special features:
66 book introductions
100 word searches
200+ devotionals
300 fun trivia facts
A 30-day guided reading plan
Maps of key biblical events
Eight comic-book adventures illustrated by Marvel/DC Comics artist Sergio Cariello
The ECPA’s Christian Book Award “recognizes the highest quality in Christian books and Bibles and is among the oldest and most prestigious awards program in the religious publishing industry.” The program began in 1978 and now includes 11 categories including Bibles, Bible Reference Works and Christian Living.
Headlines about social media privacy concerns with Facebook are in the news as CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before Congress on Tuesday.
But there’s another story that caught my eye – and this one involves your kids.
Earlier this week, consumer advocacy groups filed a complaint and asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate YouTube for collecting and profiting off of data collected from children under the age 13, which would be a violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
Doesn’t it seem like connecting with your children ought to come naturally? So what do you do when it doesn’t?
Author Kathi Lipp says the “problem” is often a difference in personality. Our children have a unique way of seeing the world. Instead of hindering our relationship, what if their uniqueness became the very foundation upon which a strong connection was built?
Kathi says your child’s personality is a window into his or her soul. Although God doesn’t create children with cookie cutter personalities, there are a lot of commonalities:
Expressive.
Yesterday, March 21st, was World Down Syndrome Day, a day to raise global awareness about Down syndrome and to celebrate the vital role people with Down syndrome play in our lives and in our communities.
In recognition, our radio program is featuring the story of one couple who found God’s grace through adoption … in an unusual and remarkable way.
Heather and Josh Avis walked a long, difficult journey through infertility. “Why not us?” was their anguished question.
Jessie Minassian knows the struggles teenage girls face. Not only is she an author, a speaker, and a blogger who has passion for mentoring young women, she lived through some challenging teen years herself.
Teen girls are trying to figure out who they are in the midst of social pressures, hormone-induced mood swings, and – many times – family dynamics. Even girls (and boys) who love God sometimes have a hard time acting respectfully at home.
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.
